Windbreakers Are the New Bombers, You Heard It Here First

The hype surrounding Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl halftime show was pretty epic. From wondering about the track list to what the singer would wear (or not wear) to whether or not she’d take any digs at the newly elected president, the speculation leading up to her performance last month was intense. But leave it to Gaga to stoke people’s excitement and imaginations even more by providing her Little Monsters with a play-by-play of her rehearsals via social media. She also managed to get people’s attention by posting a Versace-clad shot of herself a couple of days before the game. While her football-shaped purse was pretty cheeky, what really caught our attention was her colorful trench, because up until this point, we hadn’t really pictured windbreakers as being in vogue.

Windbreakers ultimately get a bad rap. Usually relegated to corporate promotional gift baskets and little kids, the frequently fluorescent, not usually flattering pieces have gotten little to no love from the fashion set — until now. Perhaps it’s our still trending love affair with athleisure that has forced designers to reexamine the sporty staple and reinterpret it for a new era (an era that includes glitter boots, oversized scarves and gimmick-free plaid can surely spare some room for this packable production).

Alexander Wang Spring 2017, Tommy x Gigi Spring 2017, Louis Vuitton Cruise 2017, Sacai Resort 2017; Images: Imaxtree, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Tommy Hilfiger, Imaxtree, Courtesy

But upon further reflection, we were reminded that for Spring and Resort/Cruise 2017, numerous fashion houses topped off many a look with windbreaker-inspired layers. Alexander Wang’s super sporty Spring 2017 show was ripe with athletic shout-outs and included a preview of his collaboration with Adidas Originals. In a sea of reformed rash guards and other surfer-based materials were eye-catching windbreakers — both of the full-length and cropped varieties.

And he wasn’t alone. Sacai debuted a wealth of windbreakers for its recent resort collection featuring unconventional accents like embroidery and netting. Several models kept their cool at Louis Vuitton’s Cruise 2017 presentation in Rio De Janeiro as they made their way down the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum’s walkway outfitted in patchwork windbreakers that were simultaneously utilitarian and fashion-forward. Gigi Hadid and Tommy Hilfiger hit the beach (Venice Beach to be exact) just last month peddling Americana-themed pieces, including a striped jacket that the model/designer herself championed on the runway.

Tucked, cinched or free-flowing, windbreakers get the street style treatment; Images: Imaxtree, Vanni Bassetti/Getty Images, Melodie Jeng/Getty Images, Vanni Bassetti/Getty Images

The street style set soon followed suit, working in windbreakers (retro and modern) to all manner of outfits. Whether tucked into jeans, cinched or used as a cover-up against temperamental fashion month weather, showgoers and models off-duty alike favored the wind-resistant must-have, proving they just may be the new bombers.

Spring is actually the perfect time to fall in love with the style because they make great transitional toppers. While designers have offered up some exceptional renditions at exceptional prices, we managed to track down a few more reasonably priced yet stylish options as well as one pick borrowed from the boys. Check out the lineup in the slideshow below.