Common Jacket Types and How They Differ

The common types of jacket fall into five groups by the job they do: weather shells (windbreaker, rain jacket, anorak), insulated jackets (puffer, parka, fleece), everyday casual jackets (denim, chore, Harrington), heritage jackets from the military and the road (bomber, field, biker, varsity) and tailored jackets (blazer, sport coat). They differ in four things: the outer fabric, the insulation inside, the length and how they close.

This page covers jackets in every fabric. For leather cuts only, see types of leather jackets explained; for the wider family of styles and their story, start at our guide to leather jacket styles and their history.

Jacket types at a glance

"Varies" means our sources give no single rule for that detail.

Weather shells: windbreaker, rain jacket and anorak

Shells keep weather out but add little warmth. A windbreaker is a thin, light synthetic jacket made to cut wind chill and light rain, often with an elastic waist, elastic cuffs and a stowable hood. In the UK and some Commonwealth countries it is called a windcheater, a name older than "windbreaker".

A rain jacket is a waist-length raincoat with long sleeves. Modern ones use breathable waterproof fabrics such as Gore-Tex or DWR-coated nylon, and a hardshell is wind- and waterproof with no insulation.

The anorak is the oldest design here. Strictly, it is a waterproof hooded jacket with no front opening that you pull over your head, and it comes from Inuit clothing. To compare a shell with a heritage jacket, see bomber jacket vs windbreaker.

Insulated jackets: puffer, parka and fleece

These jackets are built around what is inside. A puffer is a quilted jacket filled with duck or goose down, which gives the most warmth for its weight. Down loses its loft and warmth when wet, while synthetic fill copes better with rain.

A parka is the long, heavy option: down or synthetic fill with a fur-lined hood, often reaching the thighs or knees. The down jacket itself is credited to George Finch, an Australian chemist and mountaineer, in 1922.

Fleece is a soft, napped polyester first made in 1979 by Malden Mills and Patagonia. It comes in weights such as 100, 200 and 300 g/m², and the heavier weights are warmer. A gilet (a vest in the US) is the sleeveless version of the padded jacket.

Everyday jackets: denim, chore and Harrington

These are the easy, casual layers. The denim jacket, also called the jean or trucker jacket, goes back to Levi Strauss around 1880 and falls just below the waist, with buttoned cuffs and a button-adjustable waistband. The chore jacket started as workwear in denim or other tough cloth, with large front pockets.

The Harrington is a light, waist-length jacket, often with a tartan lining, named after a TV character. More on two of these in what is a trucker jacket? and what is a Harrington jacket?.

Heritage jackets: bomber, field, biker and varsity

Most of the jackets people call classics began as working gear. The bomber came from military aviation and is defined by its waist length, ribbed cuffs and hem, and front zip. The M-65 field jacket entered U.S. Army service in 1965, with four front pockets and a hood stored in the collar.

The biker jacket is a leather jacket, usually black, that once reached mid-thigh and now usually ends at a fitted waist. Its angled zip and wide collar set it apart from the plainer, straight-zipped cafe racer. Read what is a moto jacket? for the full story.

The varsity, or letter, jacket comes from American school sport: a boiled-wool body, leather sleeves and banded cuffs, collar and waistband in school colors. See when varsity jackets became popular for its history.

Tailored jackets: blazer and sport coat

Tailored jackets are cut like the top half of a suit. A blazer is a sports jacket, traditionally navy or striped wool or linen with metal buttons, that is dressier than other sports jackets but less formal than a suit jacket. Americans say sport coat where the British say sports jacket.

Lapels are a quick clue to formality: the peaked lapel is more formal than the common notched lapel. Our collar types guide shows how to read them.

Jacket or coat?

Once a garment passes the upper thigh, most people call it a coat. Wikipedia says modern jackets usually stop at the upper thigh, and that a jacket is generally lighter, tighter and less insulating than a coat. Parkas and pea coats sit on the border.

For the full difference, read jacket vs coat. Longer leather cuts such as the trench and duster are covered in types of leather coats and how they differ.

Names you will hear in Australia

A few jacket names change between countries. "Windcheater" is the UK and Commonwealth word for a windbreaker. "Waistcoat" is used in the UK and many Commonwealth countries where Americans say "vest", and a padded one is often sold as a gilet or body warmer.

Australia also has its own classic coat. Driza-Bone, from "dry as a bone", makes full-length waterproof riding coats; the style began as workwear for stockmen, with leg straps and a fantail to cover the saddle. Its oilskin cloth traces to New Zealander Edward Le Roy, who waterproofed sailcloth with linseed oil and wax in 1898.

How to tell jacket types apart

Four questions name most jackets:

1. Does it keep out weather or keep in heat? A thin shell is a windbreaker or rain jacket; a padded or fluffy one is a puffer, parka or fleece.
2. Does it open down the front? A pull-over with no front opening is an anorak.
3. What is at the cuffs and hem? Ribbed knit at the waist points to a bomber or varsity jacket; an adjustable button waistband points to a denim jacket.
4. Where does the zip run? An angled zip on leather usually means a biker jacket.

Any of these in leather

Several of these types are also made in leather. The Leather Collection range alone covers biker, bomber, cafe racer, hooded and quilted styles. Leather Collection custom leather jackets offer classic biker, flight and bomber, motorcycle-inspired and film-inspired designs in standard sizes US 32-50 (EU 42-60) or cut to your measurements.

FAQ

What are the names of all types of jackets?

No list is complete, but the common ones are the windbreaker, rain jacket, anorak, puffer, parka, fleece, denim, chore, Harrington, bomber, field, biker, varsity and blazer. The table at the top of this page sorts them by job.

What are the different types of coats?

Coats are the longer garments: the trench, duster, car coat, pea coat, overcoat and parka are common examples. Our leather coat guide, linked above, compares them.

What are some common types of casual men's jackets?

The denim jacket, chore jacket, Harrington, bomber and fleece are the usual casual picks. A leather biker jacket adds an edgier option.

What category is a jacket?

A jacket is outerwear: an upper-body garment that usually reaches below the hips and fastens at the front or side.

Related guides

• Jacket types compared: features and key differences
• A brief history of jackets and their styles
• What are quilted jackets?

Sources

• Wikipedia: Jacket, Parka, Down jacket, Polar fleece, Raincoat, Windbreaker, Driza-Bone, Waistcoat

All read 2026-10-10.