What to wear now: The trophy jacket

Fashion has been in love with the blazer for sometime now. Mannish and androgynous or sexy for night in the shape of the tux jacket, the blazer has lent our wardrobes (bursting with dresses) a boyish edge. Chances are you already have the now ubiquitous blazer in your wardrobe. So what makes a trophy jacket different? Embellished, textured, ornate, and beautifully tailored it is a statement piece intended to wow not blend in, and will instantly flash your impeccable fashion credentials. And more importantly why do we suddenly need it? It works with the new tailored trousers, makes the harem pants grown up and gives your ripped denim much needed polish.

This season designers recognised that in the unsteady financial climate we would all have to think harder about what we buy, and would all want to invest in pieces that we could keep forever, not just one season. Their answer was the trophy jacket.

At Dolce & Gabbana it came with huge sculptural shoulders (click her to see Gwyneth Paltrow wearing it on the cover of this month's ELLE.) Luella's had the look of Chanel on acid (traditional tweed but in fuchsia and orange with punky zips), Balmain's were military inspired with Swarvosky encrusted epaulettes and at Chanel, arguably the home of the trophy jacket, Karl Lagerfeld sent his reworked for 2009 Chanel jackets down the catwalk adorned with layers of crystals and huge oversi