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Even if you don’t know it by name, you certainly recognize the field jacket – olive green, boxy yet draped, and featuring slip or patch pockets on the chest and by the waist. The design embodies utilitarian style and the transition of military practicality to everyday convenience.
Field jackets entered the menswear lexicon following the Vietnam War – part easily accessible military surplus garment and a counterculture symbol of protest – and never fully left. Through this pathway, it’s been elevated – for example, via wool or cashmere construction – and been shortened, lengthened, and lightened for the outdoors without losing sight of its rugged, durable origins.
As designers continue to revisit this silhouette, learn more about its origins, modern variations, and how to style it:
