Best fleece jackets for women: warm and comfy styles for the great outdoors

There’s something magical about a good fleece: it’s cosy, fluffy, and oh so comforting! This magical fabric might be an outdoor staple, but fleeces are just as useful for layering under your everyday jacket, or for cuddling up on the sofa. Plus, these days a fleece jacket can be stylish AND practical. What’s not to like?

Whether you’re looking for some heavy-duty warmth for outdoor activities, or you’re just after an extra layer for keeping cosy on the school run, we've rounded up the cosiest picks.

Here are the best fleece jackets to buy in 2021.

1. Best overall fleece jacket: Regatta Women's Razia Knit Effect Full Zip Fleece Fleece

Price: From £2o | Buy now from Amazon

"For cheap but actually pretty good, look at Regatta" - Thisonemaybe 

Regatta is a popular outdoor clothing brand and the Razia fleece ticks all the boxes. Warm, hi pile fleece fabric? Tick. Extra cosy, high neckline? Tick. Neutral, flattering colours? Tick. Whether you’re looking for a fleece jacket to wear out walking or for keeping cosy at home, this Regatta option is an excellent and affordable choice.

Key specs

• Size range: UK 8 to UK 26

• Recycled: No

• Colours: Black, Light Vanilla, Navy

2. Best budget fleece jacket: Amazon Essentials Women’s Full Zip Fleece

Price: From £14 | Buy now from Amazon

This warm and simple fleece by Amazon does the job for a low price. It features a close-but-comfortable fit with easy movement, and soft, warm and fuzzy mid-weight polar fleece fabric. Basic doesn’t mean boring either as this fleece jacket is available in 18 different colours.

Key specs

• Size range: XS - XXL

• Recycled: No

• Colours: Burgundy, Camel, Pale Pink, Sage Green, Aqua Blue, Black, Blue, Blue Heather, Charcoal Heather, Charcoal Buffalo Plaid, Coral Pink, Green Camo, Ivory, Light Grey Heather, Navy, Pine, Pink, Red

3. Best warm fleece jacket: Finisterre Budock Wool Zip Through Fleece

Price: £125 | Buy now from Finisterre 

"Everything I've bought from Finisterre I've worn & worn, I'd definitely recommend them" - Sadik

While polyester fleece is nice and snuggly, it can get a bit sweaty. Ethical and sustainable brand Finisterre has created the perfect compromise with The Budock fleece jacket, made from a recycled wool and polyester blend to maximise warmth and breathability. It also features a soft and cosy organic cotton lining. This fleece jacket is the most expensive on our list, but it’s a worthy investment. The soft, boxy shape is comfy and flattering, and there are deep pockets to keep your hands warm. Plus, this woolly fleece is machine washable.

Key specs

• Size range: UK 8 to UK 18

• Recycled: Yes

• Colours: Ozone Blue, Olive Green

4. Best lightweight fleece jacket: Marks and Spencer Goodmove Funnel Neck Fleece

Price: £20 | Buy now from Marks and Spencer

If you’re after a thin fleece for layering then Marks and Spencer’s Goodmove Funnel Neck Fleece is an excellent choice. This lightweight fleece is designed for running, but its fitted shape means it works just as well under your winter coat, or for adding a cosy extra layer over your pyjamas. The Goodmove fleece also features StayNew technology to keep annoying bobbling to a minimum.

Key specs

• Size range: UK 6 to UK 24

• Recycled: Yes

• Colours: Navy, Black, Blue

5. Best fleece jacket for dog walking: Weird Fish Sontee Full Zip Eco Macaroni Jacket

Price: From £32| Buy now from Amazon 

A fleece jacket is a dog walking essential, but who says it has to be boring? The Weird Fish Sontee fleece features a unique ‘macaroni knit’ texture instead of the conventional fleece fabric, but is still soft and cosy. It also features a flattering droptail back and comes in a selection of vibrant colours. There are two large front pockets to keep poo bags and dog treats to hand.

Key specs

• Size range: UK 8 - UK 22

• Recycled: Yes

• Colours: Ecru, Soft Green, Crimson, Lemon, Washed Teal, Navy, Tea Rose, Storm

6. Best fleece jacket for hiking: EKLENTSON Women's 3-in-1 Fleece Jacket

Price: From £55 | Buy now from Amazon

The Great British Weather is anything but predicable, and this handy 3-in-1 fleece jacket from EKLENTSON is ideal for hiking and other outdoors pursuits in Blighty. As well as a cosy, midweight fleece liner, there’s also a second waterproof jacket included in this set, and these can be layered up or worn separately. This practical fleece jacket also comes in a selection of vibrant colours. Reviews state this jacket runs a little small, so you may want to size up.

Key specs

• Size range: S - XXL

• Recycled: No

• Colours: Blue, Purple, Rose Red, Black, Dark Purple

7. Best stylish fleece jacket: Gap Oversized Sherpa Shirt Jacket

Price: £100 | Buy now from Gap

This oversized shirt jacket (or ‘shacket’) is a million miles away from a conventional fleece looks-wise! Thankfully it’s not a case of style over substance, as this jacket offers a thick, sherpa fleece exterior to keep you cosy. This on-trend piece is also available in ‘petite’ and ‘tall’ lengths, so you can buy a perfect fit. This is an oversized style, so if you’re after a more fitted look then reviews advise to size down.

Key specs

• Size range: XXS - XXL (plus Petite and Tall options)

• Recycled: Yes

• Colours: Beige Taupe, Espresso Brown

8. Best fleece hoodie: Uniqlo Windproof Fluffy Fleece Hoodie

Price: £40 | Buy now from Uniqlo

"The fleece lined zip hoodies from Uniqlo are ridiculously cosy. I have 4, including two men’s size L which I got when I was heavily pregnant/carrying DS in a sling. We still have hoodie cuddles now, it’s big enough to wrap around us both and have a snuggle" - AngeloMysterioso

Nothing feels better when cuddling up on the sofa than a fleece hoodie, and this extra cosy version from Uniqlo is a Mumsnetter favourite. It's equally great outside the house, as it features windproof technology and hand-warming pockets (and it looks great too). Uniqlo’s fleece hoodies are unisex, so for a closer fit size down one or two sizes.

Key specs

• Size range: XXS - 3XL

• Recycled: No

• Colours: Dark Green, Gray, Beige, Navy

9. Best fleece jacket for camping: The North Face Tagen ¼ Zip Fleece

Price: £110 | Buy now from The North Face

"I have a nice thin North Face fleece that has slightly longer sleeves with thumbholes in them so it's a bit like wearing fingerless gloves. For such a small design change, it makes a really big difference in keeping hands warm!" - Piffpaffpoff

Keeping cosy while camping can be tricky, and that’s why a fleece is essential. This version from The North Face features thumbholes to warm chilly fingers, and the ¼ zip makes this a comfortable choice for sleeping in. It packs a technical punch too, with Heatseaker technology and adjustable toggles. We also like the colour blocking detail to add some style credentials to this practical piece .

Key specs

• Size range: XS to XL

• Recycled: Yes

• Colours: Balsam Green/ Gardenia White, Pamplona Purple/ Dark Eggplant Purple, Black

What is fleece?

Fleece is a synthetic fabric with a brushed texture, designed to retain heat and feel soft and comfortable to boot. It’s usually used as a mid layer, as it’s excellent worn under a jacket for extra warmth. Fleece is usually made from polyester, but there are also wool-blend fleeces on the market. The word ‘fleece’ is also used as a catch-all term for a midweight, zip-front jacket in a soft texture.

What is the warmest type of fleece?

Fleeces come in different weights. Micro is the thinnest type of fleece, while a 300-weight fleece is the thickest type available, and there’s 100 and 200 weight options in between. For everyday wear a really thick fleece is likely too heavy (and sweaty!) so a light or midweight option is better.

How do you wash a fleece jacket?

Most fleece jackets are machine washable. Always check the care label before washing a fleece.

What is the best women’s fleece jacket to buy?

We weighed up practical features, fit, appearance, and price to decide which fleece jacket came out on top. We decided that Regatta Women's Razia Knit Effect Full Zip Fleece is the best fleece jacket to buy.

How we chose our recommendations

Because we know that there’s nothing like a real recommendation from a real parent, we first headed to the Mumsnet forums to find out which fleece jackets discerning Mumsnet users had bought. We compiled a list of fleece jackets they recommended, noting how effective they found them, and whether they were particularly good for any certain needs.

We then did some research across the wider web, looking at which fleece jackets have been featured in ‘best buy’ lists across websites and print media, and what customers’ reviews say about them.

Having collated all that information, we picked the fleece jackets we thought would make the best buys in several interest categories.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. Mumsnet carries some affiliate marketing links, so if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale (more details here).