The Bomber Jacket: How to style menswear’s transitional must-have

It’s one of those timeless pieces that deliver real-world dressing without skimping on style. Lee Holmes discusses why the humble bomber jacket will be your trans-seasonal go-to

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Vexed is rather an apt word for describing how a handful of us begin to feel about our outwear as we hit late summer. As the evenings begin to draw in and we're left to the mercy of the mercurial British weather, any alfresco dining we partake of without having the safety-net of a jacket in our possession, can be a trying time indeed; well aware that the occasional brisker night ahead is a certainty, we're by no means ready to unfurl our scarves and dress for the oncoming autumn just yet. What a to-do.

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Fear not though, because there's an item of clothing already on hand that could potentially save the day; the dependable lightweight bomber jacket. Originally worn by military personnel, it has, over the ensuing years, been tweaked and revised by fashion designers the world over. Today it's tooled in an array of fabrics and available in a multitude of affordable styles; you'll find it on almost every corner of civvy street.

When it comes down to deciding upon the colour of your bomber, you can pretty much find any hue your heart desires. But perhaps don't go down the brightly coloured print route at this time of year and opt for a plain, no frills style instead. At least then you're guaranteeing the jackets versatility because it'll work worn over either a simple T-shirt or a shirt and tie. In fact it’s a master class in high-low dressing that will never let you down. And if the weather does manage to catch you off guard, you'll be just like Goldilocks and her favourite food, neither too hot nor too cold.