Why a Cropped Jacket Is the Smartest Buy of the Season

A jacket ending at the narrowest part of your torso marks your waist and hands the rest of your height to your legs. That's why the same jeans look longer under a cropped jacket than under a hip-length coat.

Every high-waisted item you own. High-waisted jeggings, a midi skirt, a maxi dress, wide-leg trousers, a pleated skort. All five get better with a jacket that stops at the waistband.

The cropped denim shirt is the transitional-weather version; a cropped moto or bomber takes it into colder months.

Cropped and tight is a difficult combination for most bodies. Cropped and slightly boxy is not. If you're between sizes, take the larger one and let the shoulder sit wide.