Everywhere you look this Autumn, someone of significance is rocking a field jacket. But where did this sudden obsession for the it-boys and big-name brands come from?

It’s been a turbulent couple of weeks of tuxedos and red carpets for Jacob Elordi’s Frankenstein press run. And while his dapper, Bottega Veneta-laced looks are always worth keeping an eye on, it’s in his off-duty ensembles that we find the true blueprint for our wishlist. This time, he came through with what seems to be the new menswear meta of the season: the field jacket. 

Out and about in SoHo (the New York one), Elordi paired his vintage, military green M-51 jacket with a messily tucked black tee, some very blue jeans and Diemme Ampezzo low boots. It’s the perfect low-effort, high-reward outfit that’s roomy enough to stay comfortable in, yet exudes a nuanced éclat that serves as a foolproof, relaxed look. 

He’s not the only one sporting the field jacket around town, with Callum Turner also recently spotted bearing an extra puffy iteration from Canada Goose in a similar shade of green. Harry Styles sent menswear fans into a frenzy with his viral French chore jacket ensemble that shared the same pocket detailing and collar details as Elordi’s M-51 model. 

Brands this past season have been getting in on it too, with Hermès’ Spring/Summer 2026 show featuring a field jacket that more closely resembles the M-65 variation, which has a buttoned high-neck as opposed to a regular collar. London’s favourite Aaron Esh also featured the style in his latest runway, switching out the traditional green cotton for a lux velvet in orange and navy tones. Heritage outerwear label Barbour has put their name in the ballot through collaborations with Palace, Paul Smith and Baracuta that see remixes of the signature wax jacket with fresh colourways and added details. But why this sudden resurgence?

“[It’s] just one of many timeless classics that brands are successfully re-pitching as must-have fashion items,” says WGSN’s Senior Menswear Strategist Nick Paget. “Thanks to careful collaborations that use creative twists to give consumers a new reason to buy.”

Field jackets, like all true classics, do the heavy lifting for you. They don’t call for much coordination, maintaining a sense of polish while delivering the kind of cosy ease synonymous with autumn dressing. “A simple [t-shirt] and jeans is a good and easy way to do this, and I think it’s also well done when [the jacket] is slightly oversized, making it feel more casual,” shares MR PORTER’s fashion editor Kit Swann. “Comfortability has become a key part in men’s dressing,” Lyst’s Senior Social Manager Connor Downey agrees. “A [field jacket] is something you instantly feel comfortable in – we don’t want to think too hard when we dress in the mornings (I know I don’t!).”

For those yet to embrace the big menswear bag trend, there’s an undeniable utilitarian appeal to the field jacket and its military roots that continues to draw people in. For one, it comes armed with roomy cargo pockets – more than enough to house the everyday essentials. “I carry so much rubbish in my jacket that it completely eliminates the need for a bag, and that’s why I love it,” says Downey. And if you ever need to justify its multipurpose nature, there’s logic to back it up. “Practicality and functionality are front of mind when shopping for certain items,” says Paget. “Details like cargo pockets remain popular, helping us feel like we’re making sensible decisions when we invest in these pieces.”

Beyond tastemakers like Turner and Elordi, other celebrities like Jeremy Allen White and Austin Butler have also been seen in similar styles that lean towards this rugged, militant aesthetic. “Military design has always been a benchmark for executing form and function in clothing, giving even more reason for it to be referenced so often,” says Swann. “I think menswear is so obsessed with military silhouettes as ultimately they express strength and authority,”

The field jacket could be the beginning of a new, more masculine direction for menswear. Workwear has transcended the original boom in the early 2020s, and military wear seems to never go out of fashion. Wearing clothing that doesn’t intrinsically scream ‘I’m really into fashion’ has an air of nonchalance around and, as Downey puts it, “It’s quieter than quiet luxury and signals a cultural shift toward men wanting style appeal without being too fashion-forward.”