Outerwear: Glossary of Terms

Coats, jackets, and layering pieces built for weather — from technical shells to tailored blazers.

Trench coat

A long, water-resistant coat with a double-breasted front, epaulets, a belt at the waist, and a storm flap. Originally military.

Peacoat

A short, double-breasted coat in heavy wool with wide notched lapels. Naval origin.

Overcoat

A long, heavy coat worn over a suit or other outer layers. Single- or double-breasted.

Duster coat

A long, lightweight coat that falls to the ankle or lower calf. Loose, often unstructured.

Parka

A long, hooded, insulated coat built for cold weather. Traditionally fur-trimmed at the hood; today often synthetic.

Puffer coat

A quilted coat with insulation (down or synthetic) inside sewn channels that create the puffed shape.

Puffer vest

A sleeveless puffer — insulated body, no arms. Layers over a jacket or under a coat.

Down jacket

A puffer specifically filled with duck or goose down. Warmer per ounce than synthetic insulation.

Quilted jacket

A jacket with sewn-through diamond or channel quilting. Insulated but flatter than a puffer.

Denim jacket

A short jacket in denim, with a button-up front and chest pockets. Classic trucker cut, or cropped, or oversized.

Trucker jacket

The standard denim-jacket cut — hip-length, button front, pointed chest pockets with flaps.

Leather jacket

Any jacket in leather. Includes moto/biker, bomber, blazer-style, and cropped variants.

Moto jacket

A cropped leather (or vegan-leather) jacket with an asymmetric zip, wide lapels, and hardware detailing. Motorcycle heritage, fashion staple.

Biker jacket

Overlaps with moto — technically a biker jacket is the utilitarian original; 'moto' is the fashion adaptation. Terms are used interchangeably.

Bomber jacket

A short jacket with ribbed cuffs, hem, and collar, and a front zipper. Nylon (MA-1), leather, or wool.

Blazer

A structured, tailored jacket — the top half of a suit worn as a separate. Single- or double-breasted.

Sport coat

A tailored jacket like a blazer but in a patterned or textured fabric, not meant to pair with matching trousers.

Windbreaker

A lightweight nylon or polyester jacket that blocks wind but offers minimal warmth.

Anorak

A pullover hooded jacket, typically waterproof, with a front pouch pocket and a short front zipper.

Raincoat

Any waterproof coat cut long enough to cover most of the outfit. Various fabrics — rubberized, coated nylon, treated cotton.

Field jacket

A hip-length utility jacket with four large pocket flaps and a drawstring waist. M-65 military heritage.

Shacket

A hybrid shirt-jacket — flannel or wool, cut like a shirt but heavy enough to layer as light outerwear.

Updated 2026-07-30