How To Style The Military Jacket Trend For Fall

Throwing on a bold layering piece is, often, all it takes to make a good outfit great and the timely resurgence of the Napoleon jacket — complete with epaulettes and columns of oversized buttons — among popular trends for 2026 just confirms it.

Despite the summer season still underway, I can’t help but notice the faint chill in the air when the sun goes down, which means colder weather is right around the corner and it’s time to start thinking about fall and winter wardrobes. If you’re like me, and prefer to keep your daily uniform easy yet elevated (think, some iteration of denim and a plain tee), then introducing something a little more festive into the mix as the temperature drops can make all the difference, especially when you want a little more flair. 

Of course, the military jacket is nothing new and has been through its fair share of trend cycles, coming out on the other end more powerful than before. Named after 19th-century French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte, the cropped uniform silhouette has since been adopted by the style set, with Yves Saint Laurent leading the way in the late 1960s. By the ’90s, Jean Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler were among some of the big names to put their own spin on the look.

Cultural icons like Michael Jackson and supermodel Kate Moss also began to embrace the trend, with the former making it an integral part of his stage presence. This only further cemented the jacket’s status within the fashion industry. Today, it’s defined by a strongly defined shoulder, navy, gold, white, and red color combos, and, of course, round embossed buttons (functional or not).