'Think of the DB as a new, ultra-alpha version of the blazer'
I always felt that double-breasted jackets had the wrong body language for being cool. Something about them felt pigeon-breasted and flat-footed, like a nightclub bouncer. But something's changed, and the DB jacket – yes, that's what we call it now. What would you do without me, right? – has a swagger about it that it hasn't had for half a century. It started in menswear, and it's happening for women, too. The DB looks set to be the spring jacket to watch.
Think of the DB as a new, ultra-alpha version of the blazer. A few years ago, wearing a tailored, single-breasted jacket over womenswear was an All New Fashion Look. All you had to do was wear a blazer with skinny jeans and a T-shirt, and everyone was like, check out the fashion genius. Remember? Well, now everyone's all over the blazer, so if you want to impress, you need to stay a step ahead, and the DB pushes the blazer into new territory.
The DB jacket is cut to emphasise and flatter a male physique of broad shoulders, a flat torso and a narrow waist. This makes the suit jacket variety tricky on a female body. One answer is to shoulder-robe your jacket, slinging it over your shoulders without bothering with the sleeves, rather than actually wearing it – a DB is terrific for shoulder-robing, because the extra fabric weights it forward, keeping it from falling off. However, shoulder-robing is for making an entrance, or for trying to catch the eye of street-style photographers, or generally for showing off. Once your to-do list becomes more complex than "Look Adorable", it's not feasible. So, more practically, you can make double-breasted work by picking a chunky peacoat style, such as this one, which is easier to wear than a boxy shape in a lighter fabric. Or look for femininity in the detail: a curve in the lapel, or fancy crystal buttons, can cast a DB in a whole new light.
The DB construction is brilliantly practical. You can still be cosy with your jacket unbuttoned, because you won't be left starkly exposed to the elements in the way you are once a regular jacket is undone. And because you're smug about being cosy, you will have a certain swagger. And swagger is what the new DB is all about.
• Jess wears pea coat, £198, jackwills.com. Shirt, £45, cosstores.com. Trousers, £40, topshop.com. Courts, £69, dune.co.uk.
Photographer: David Newby. Stylist: Melanie Wilkinson. Hair and makeup: Laurence Close at Carol Hayes Management.