Fall 2009 Women's Jackets Guide

Stereotypically, being a woman, I should have hundreds of shoes and be obsessed with obtaining hundreds more. I don't fit that stereotype, though. Instead, my fetish is all about jackets. Every fall, I tend to find myself drooling over the latest trends and cramming a few more styles into my closet.

Fall 2009 Women's Jacket Trends are all about the fine balance between simplicity and over-the-top attention grabbing highlights. Doesn't seem like a fine line? Seriously, there is one as you're soon to see.

Reaching for the Stars in Cargo

Jackets that have multiple purposes, like one I ran across the other day that serves both as a jacket and a reusable shopping bag, or have tons of utilitarian storage are at the top of the list for this Fall. Much of Fall 2009's jacket trends involve tons of zippers, large buttons, and oversized accents. A cargo style jacket fits right in.

To get the hottest look in this style of jacket, look for waist-length styles that offer a full front zipper, and at least 4 large pockets. The more contrast between the metal and the jacket's material, the better. It's all about standing out ... but doing it in ways that make it seem like you're doing nothing of the sort.

Want to place the blame for this fashion trend somewhere? Blame it on Twilight. In the hit movie, Bella wears a lightweight, hooded cargo jacket that looks so casual cool it has become an icon.

You can actually grab the very same jacket style worn by Kristen Stewart, as Bella, from Karma Loop. Created from mid-weight twill and lined with fleece, this particular cargo jacket has a wonderful lightweight feel that will protect you from even late fall's chill. There are 6 front cargo pockets, a stash pocket on the right arm, and it offers a hood and drawcord neck.

Seriously, this is the epitome of what a cargo jacket should be - in the very style that inspired the trend.

Road Ready and Ultra Chic

On the opposite end of the spectrum, another extremely popular look for Fall 2009 is the biker jacket. It makes sense, when you stop and look at the jacket trends for this fall overall. Biker jackets are always fit with plenty of zippers and hidden pockets, large buttons, and form-fitting lines.

If the dangerous curves of a biker style jacket appeal to you, you need to look for smooth, sleek leather. The distressed, worn look definitely won't work this year. We're talking tight, sharp lines that accent your natural curves, fitted wrists, and high, tight neck detail. The look for this year is super sharp, biker style with a real clean-cut edge.

A perfect example of Fall 2009's biker jacket for women is available at Marciano. Designed by Dakira, this lamb leather biker jacket hugs every curve, places an upward focus that pulls the eyes to your face with quilted detail at the shoulders and both a high buttoned neck and pair of zippers.

Cropped and Edgy, with Wide Collars

In addition to the form-fitting look that is so popular in women's jackets this fall, a trend you'll see constantly is the cropped look. Cropped jackets have a waistline that hugs the very top curve of your hips, usually about at the same line as your typical pair of blue jean's waist band. In fact, most of your shirts will peek out beneath the waist of a cropped jacket - part of the whole layered look that is in style throughout all of 2009's Fall fashions.

A great cropped jacket will have form-fitting sleeves, but might have more breathing room in the body than the ultra-trendy biker jacket. For the most part, cropped jackets have no to very few pockets, instead relying on high-contrast zippers and oversized collars that fall down for a really casual look that goes great with anything. Look for black jackets - no matter what style of jacket you go with this fall, black is definitely your best friend.

Want a great example and gorgeous find in the cropped jacket category? Nordstrom is offering up the Juicy Couture Crop Jersey Jacket that exemplifies everything that is cool about this women's jacket style. It hugs the wrists but has a large, folded collar that carries both the high-contrast zipper and grommets for an edgy look. It's obviously biker inspired, but is softened with the wool blend fabric that slips softly over your arms and feels delightful in your fingers.