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Moss Bros. is the UK's no.1 formal menswear specialist. Est. 1851. Buy online and get free UK home delivery or collect in one of our stores. Free returns.
You’ll have seen the word a lot this season: shacket. But what exactly is it? What makes it different from an overshirt? And how are you supposed to wear it? Answers here.
A shacket fuses the best of two staples – it wears like a shirt but is thick enough to keep you warm like a jacket.
If it’s not already, it’ll be one of the hardest-working items in your wardrobe. You’ll easily trade a coat in for one when it’s cool but not cold, or use it as a layer to build up your look when you need extra warmth.
We can’t go any further here without ironing this out: in truth, shackets and overshirts are widely interchangeable by name and you’ll find either word used for the same sort of styles by different brands.
Our take is that a shacket leans more on the jacket end of the scale with thicker fabrics, a weightier hand-feel and more jacket-like details. Whereas an overshirt feels much more like a shirt but has a more relaxed fit than your usual button-up so you can layer it over other pieces.
Whichever term you land on, they’ve both got a utilitarian feel that’ll make a smart outfit feel more casual and smarten up a casual look. Magic.
It won’t surprise you that men’s shackets and overshirts come in all sorts of forms. From lightweight and layerable to weighty and warm, there’s a style to cover all of your outerwear needs.
A wool shacket is a true shacket by our book. Ours comes in a mid-weight fabric that offers equal parts structure and drape. It’s got all the properties of wool too (heat-regulating, anti-stain and breathable to name a few).
For something lighter a linen shacket is a breathable take on the look that will make a nice contrast worn over knitwear and imply you’ve put some thought into your outfit. Otherwise, a relaxed overshirt offers the sort of ease of wear that means you can throw it on and go live your life, whereas the more refined profile of a tailored overshirt will instantly pull your comfy joggers and a jumper together as an intentional look.
And finally, a checked overshirt is a men’s casual staple that adds a shot of pattern to your lineup. We’ve made ours with 20% wool, taking it to almost jacket-weight so it’s easily warm enough to layer over a roll neck and forgo a coat for that bit longer.
The simple answer? Wear it with just about anything. You’ll find a shacket or overshirt as versatile as your favourite denim – and it’ll go with pretty much anything your jeans do too.
For the most layering potential, look for a boxier fit and a longer line than your standard shirt. Wear yours to wrap a casual look up into something that bit more refined, like with a merino-blend zip neck and a pair of coordinating joggers for an easy weekend outfit. Or try an overshirt with a pair of tailored trousers and leather loafers for a hybrid smart/casual office look.
If it hasn’t done enough to earn its spot in your wardrobe already, know you can use a shacket as a light layer over a jumper or T-shirt in spring and autumn. Then, when it’s properly cold, use a mid-weight overshirt as an extra layer to trap air between a knitted jumper and your winter coat.