this jacket looks like helmut lang—but isn't

i got mine for $50 on poshmark

Last week I went into the city to eat lemon ricotta pancakes with my sibling. I’ve been hyping myself up to take public transit more often (fully influenced by #tubegirl, someone at BART or MUNI please do a partnership with her). When I plan to take public transit and brave the perennial San Francisco fog, I dress with practicality in mind.

The look felt incognito yet stylish to me. A red baby tee, high waisted slouchy leg jeans, silver Tigers, and a lightweight cropped jacket. When each individual garment is casual, I think the “style factor” comes down to silhouette. Hence the perfect high-waisted pants and its nonchalant counterpart: the cropped jacket. It’s the color of scaly lichen.

tree eczema, aka lichen

An oversized neck funnel and cinchable hem give it a futuristic feel. The jacket has the same muted steeliness of 90s Helmut Lang outerwear that also come in shades of lichen. (I used to have a vintage Helmut jacket that I got at Pasadena Crossroads and eventually resold back to the store because it was too tight in the pits). If you like brands like Helmut Lang and Eckhaus Latta, you’ll like this jacket.

90s Helmut Lang jackets, mostly from Grailed

I got this jacket secondhand for $50—and there were plenty on Poshmark. You might be surprised to know it’s from a very commercial brand: