Is a Chore Jacket the Ultimate Summer Layer?
Plus, five ways I wear mine.
Apologies to any non-Brits reading this but you will find me talking about the weather most weeks here on The Jones Report. In this place I call home, temperatures can dramatically shift from one day to the next which makes getting dressed… tricky. Last weekend, I was on the beach in a bikini, a bottle of Factor 50 and a straw bucket hat in tow. Today? I sit writing this from my desk wearing a long-sleeved thermal top and a cashmere scarf.
It means that in summer, I always need a layer or two that I can rely on. These layers need to be light and hardy enough that I can shove them in a bag or sling them across the back of a chair when the sun comes out, but I don’t want them to feel like an afterthought. When I put these layers on, I want them to feel as much a part of the outfit as everything else.
There’s one layer in particular that I gravitate to the most: a vine green chore jacket from Manchester-based brand Uskees. It’s made from 100% organic cotton, has a reinforced elbow area for extra durability, and has a great boxy fit. I’ve had it for almost two years and, despite many, many wears, it still looks as good as when I first got it. It’s light and easy to layer, which makes it great for summer, but it’s also protective against sudden cold snaps and gusts of wind (just do those buttons up and pop that collar).
Below are five different outfits I’ll be wearing this jacket with this summer. It was only after putting this post together that I noticed a pattern in these outfits: the colour palettes are all very similar. There’s the vine green jacket, and then the rest of the pieces are either off-white, navy, light blue, black, or grey. It’s a good ‘trick’ you can use when trying to style a piece in multiple ways. What colours do you like wearing it with? Then look for similar tones in your wardrobe to create entirely new outfits.
Look 1
I wore a similar look to this during a trip to South Africa a couple of months ago and I loved the ease of it. The shift dress is made from organic cotton and has a textured finish. It’s a very simple piece but it can be worn with different layers, footwear or accessories to create different looks each time, which I love. In this instance, I’ve paired it with my black Mary Janes and my go-to basket bag for an everyday outfit that works with or without the jacket.
Look 2
This is a look I wear a lot when the temperature hovers around 17°C but the sun is shining, which makes it feel slightly warmer. The shirt is a light one I bought from the Margaret Howell outlet in York a few years ago — it’s one of those great shirts you can roll the sleeves up on or fully button up, depending on the heat or the look you’re going for. I’ve tucked it into tailored linen trousers — also Margaret Howell, bought second-hand — that are smart but relatively light to wear, so they tick a lot of boxes in these temps. The jacket is the finishing touch: a blend of casual and tailored that works well with these pieces while supplying that all-important protective layer.