No. The oversized blazer still has a place in winter 2026, alongside a renewed emphasis on the waist. This season’s most interesting tailoring, to our eye, balances presence through the shoulder with a more sculpted line through the body.
Why is the cinched blazer in focus?
“The nipped-in waist is back,” writes Roberta Schroeder in ELLE’s October blazer edit.
Yet the broader picture leaves room for volume. Vogue’s autumn/winter 2026 report includes oversized and exaggerated silhouettes alongside softer, shaped tailoring. Our reading is that the choice has become more interesting than simply oversized or fitted. A jacket can have presence and still acknowledge the waist.
How are designers shaping the silhouette?
Stella McCartney makes the direction explicit. The house’s official Winter 2026 collection notes describe single- and double-breasted jackets with “defined waists and strong shoulders”. Those two elements work together: the shoulder gives the jacket its scale; the waist gives that scale a shape.
At Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello approached the suit with a softer line. Reporting on the season for Wallpaper*, Jack Moss describes the opening suits as having a “narrowed – though not constricted – waistline”. He also notes gently sculpted waists at Sarah Burton’s Givenchy, and pleated back panels creating an hourglass silhouette at Peter Copping’s Lanvin. The constructions differ, but each one defines the waist.
Dior offers a useful nuance. In Harper’s Bazaar Singapore’s review, Windy Aulia describes Jonathan Anderson’s softer interpretations of the Bar jacket, some with waists “hinted at rather than sharply cinched”. The effect can be subtle. Waist definition need not mean a tightly drawn silhouette.
Can an oversized blazer have a defined waist?
Yes. Oversized describes the generous proportions of a jacket; boxy describes a straighter outline. A blazer can have room through the body and a strong shoulder while narrowing at the waist. Cinched describes that drawn-in effect, whether it comes from the cut or an added belt.
That distinction matters when choosing a blazer. Look beyond the oversized label to the line from shoulder to waist and hem. The same amount of volume can feel quite different depending on where it sits.
Where does EVA & LEO fit into this conversation?
Our blazers have a sculpted waist built into the cut. The structured oversized silhouette brings together a sharp shoulder, generous proportions and waist definition. A belt adds emphasis to a shape that is already there.
Worn buttoned, the jacket’s construction comes into focus. With a belt, the waist becomes more pronounced against wide-leg trousers. Left open over a simple knit and straight jeans, the silhouette feels more relaxed. These are small changes that let the same piece move between different moods.
How do you wear the shape in winter?
For winter, we would keep the layers underneath fine: a merino knit or a roll-neck, with trousers that let the jacket’s shape remain visible. Try the blazer and coat together, leaving enough room through the shoulders and arms. Your coat should have room for the jacket’s shape.
Our blazers are designed in London and handmade to order in Lithuania, in EU 34–46 with Regular and Tall options. Our fit guidance explains how to choose the intended proportions.
We are also developing a thinner indoor jacket, with easier winter layering in mind. More soon.