12 Ways to Style a Quilted Jacket That Are Spring-Approved

Let’s be real: Each leg of fashion month is defined by the overall aesthetics of their street style stars. Sure, the runways are the focus, but it’s the attendees that add the overall style factor to the events themselves. Londoners tend to present edgier, while New York attendees often have a “fresh from the office” vibe. Parisian show-goers embody that sleek, effortless aesthetic the city is known for, while Milan crowds tend to pull from each—none, however, are quite as recognizable as Copenhagen’s famously eclectic guests.

Copenhagen Fashion Week is considered the birthplace of the Scandinavian region’s whimsical aesthetic. The look favors oversized scrunchies, ruffled bib collars, and brightly-colored sneakers, styled with voluminous poplin dresses and boxer-style shorts. The most recognizable garment, however, is their vibrantly-printed quilted jackets, an outerwear style that has become an integral part of Nordic and European fashion, as a whole.

Though its aesthetic only recently got a social media-friendly name, the Scandi Girl staple pre-dates the existence of TikTok by a longshot. The padded jacket style originated in India, where most styles are still produced to this day. Modern designs are derived from a 500-year-old quilting technique, called kantha, in which low-income women created garments from discarded fabrics.

Today, the outerwear style is nothing short of ubiquitous—particularly in Europe and the UK. Popularized by brands, such as Damson Madder, Ganni, Anthropologie, and Bode, these quilted jackets typically come collarless (though some feature the aforementioned bib collar), with a cropped silhouette and button closures. Options are oftentimes reversible, featuring a contrasting print on each side—typically: floral, paisley, patchwork, and/or stripes.

Because of the jacket style’s inherently whimsical nature, styling one can easily feel intimidating, but it’s that exact quality that makes them so versatile, as you’ll soon find out. Ahead, here are the best ways to authentically integrate the Danish-loved style into your wardrobe.

Quirky Layers

The quilted jacket trend is tailor-made for self-identifying Quirky Girls™ and the best way to style it is by leaning into that vibe. Do as the Nordics and pop yours on over bubble skirts, pinstriped button-downs, or lace tights—basically, anything in your closet. These quilted coats are particularly useful for layering during in-between weather because they allow you to channel springtime aesthetics, while still combating lingering winter temps. Just try to keep the color story consistent throughout, to make your layered look feel somewhat cohesive.

Mixed Stripes

As you’ll soon learn, the audacious prints these jackets are covered in don’t exclude them from print mixing. On the contrary, they’re primed for it. Striped styles are particularly fun to stack. You can mix colors and aesthetics, as long as you change up the stripe’s weight—i.e. wear pinstripes with thicker nautical stripes for a fun play on the classic print.

Primary Colors

It took me nearly 30 years to perfect the art of making bright colors look edgy and I’m not about to gatekeep my takeaways. Go for bold primaries, because they offer the same vibrance as purple or pink, but without the inherent girliness. These hues all mix well together, so if you’re styling a red and blue jacket, for instance, wear it with yellow or Kelly green (an unofficial primary color, IMO).

Edgy Add-Ons

Though your natural inclination may be to wear these soft toppers with like styles, they also play well with punkier pieces. If you prefer a tougher edge, when it comes to dressing, I suggest piling on leather details—like belts, pants, and boots—to give your quilted jacket more of a rocker vibe.

Mixed Prints

As a proud maximalist, layering prints is one of my favorite sartorial pastimes. I never feel better, or cooler, than I do when I’m wearing obnoxious motifs (complimentary) from head to toe. Try it for yourself by popping on your boldest jacket over a loud dress or reaching for a few printed accessories (leopard spots are my go-to) for a delightful clashing moment.

Winter Whites

The most eccentric jacket feels doubly so when worn over layers of snowy white. Against a blank canvas, your outerwear will shine extra bright. And if you happen to invest in an ivory version of the trend, the same theory goes.

As a Dress

Though most of these jackets are cropped at the hip, it is possible for savvy shoppers to find the odd ankle-length version. And, like any statement coat, these beauties are basically an entire outfit in themselves. Let your coat do the heavy lifting, by adding a belt and wearing it as a dress.

Color Blocking

While you can’t go wrong with a monochromatic look, layering hues is another great way to style this Danish staple. Keep your outfit feeling intentional, by picking two or three colors max and varying the saturation from there (ex: baby blue styled with several variations of golden brown).

Layered Neutrals

As I’ve well established, this trend favors the bold and bright. Even so, there are plenty of neutral styles on the market in colors ranging from chocolate brown and black to the classic army green liner jacket. Shopping for one-tone styles is a great way to give the kitschy Scandi girl look a posh Parisian feel.

Double Up

If you’re one of the lucky few who has multiple quilted pieces in their closet, might I recommend marrying them? Wear your quilted jacket with matching shorts, or layer it over another similarly embroidered piece of outerwear.

With Jeans

Embrace the Anthropologie of it all, with wide-leg jeans and a breezy peasant blouse. Finish with brown leather accessories to add to the granola-chic feel.

Prep Touch

It’s a little-known editor secret that your favorite blazer can be swapped for almost any jacket style. So next time you reach for your pleated mini skirt and button-down, finish with a quilted liner jacket, instead. It’ll give your outfit a deliciously eclectic vibe—like the wrong shoe theory, but for outerwear.

Read the original article on InStyle