Issue Date: September 27, 2009

New twist on an '80s fashion staple

The boyfriend jacket is back ... totally.

The strong shoulder gives women confidence and hope.

Your jacket looks large. Is that the boyfriend blazer you bought, not a boyfriend's blazer you borrowed?

"It's comforting being in an oversized jacket," says Colleen Sherin, fashion market director at Saks Fifth Avenue. "The strong shoulder also is important in these economic times. It makes women feel more powerful and gives them confidence and hope.''

This season's version is more streamlined than yesteryear's linebacker shoulder-padded one, yet it's still roomy enough to wear over a sweater. It's also the natural evolution of Gramps' cardigan from last fall and the baggy boyfriend jeans from this spring.

Meanwhile, this loose-fitting style works best with contrast: skinny slacks or a pencil skirt to mute its wideness and a delicate ruffled blouse to temper its tomboy toughness. "It's a nice contradiction over an evening gown, making it look new and fresh,'' says George Simonton, assistant professor of fashion design at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology.

Among the best pieces inspired by the boyfriend look are Gucci's silver sharkskin, Alice and Olivia's tapered black jacket and Rebecca's Minkoff's gray buffalo plaid flannel outerwear.

Your boyfriend's back!

-- Michele Meyer