The blazer is a basic piece of wardrobe , essential to any of us. It is a precious asset to give style to your office outfits (and not only funeral) but also to bring a chic and offbeat touch to your casual looks.
Well chosen, the blazer is a timeless piece that you will wear often and keep for a long time!
How to choose your blazer
Same quest as for every basic item: tracking down THE blazer jacket that will fit you perfectly.
You will find a phenomenal quantity of them in shops, but don’t be fooled, the quest will be long because you will have to try a lot of them before you fall in love.
As with all basics, you’ll be very, very, very picky in your choice.
No more shapeless, badly cut polyester blazers!
Massimo Dutti
It’s all about finding the perfect blazer that will last you for years!
A jacket that you will wear often and that must age well!
Finding the rare pearl is not an easy task… Well, it is… I found it for you, it has been with me for six years! I tell you about it in the darling brands ❤️ !
The material
To make it a timeless part of your wardrobe and for a jacket that’s just as pleasant to wear in winter as in summer, I advise you to go for a wool blazer.
And even 100% wool.
It’s usually merino but you can also find very high quality blends of merino and alpaca or cashmere, vicuna etc.
Woolens are classified in three categories according to their weight:
- 500 gr/ml (for coats)
- 250 gr/ml (for winter jackets)
- 150 gr/ml (for suit blazers)
Pinterest*
This woolen fabric used for blazers is made from worsted wool.
It is called “drap de laine”, although the correct term would be « drapery ».
Woolen cloth provides a silky, lustrous, elegant, soft and therefore very comfortable finish.
The fall of the woolen sheet gives a neat appearance that synthetic does not even get close to.
The lining
The best of the best is the silk lining.
For a smaller budget, viscose does the job too.
It’s soft and breathable and allows your blazer to slide on beautifully.
It is best to avoid polyester lining, which is not breathable, (even if in the winter you re not supposed to sweat …)
My blazer The Kooples & me !
The cut
Go for a blazer with a straight cut, possibly very slightly fitted… but really slightly!
If you’re short, choose a relatively short jacket that doesn’t cover your buttocks.
Long jackets are best for taller women (over 1m70), because they have a constricting effect.
If you are round, choose slightly fitted models.
The blazer we’re talking about here is not the slightly oversized double-breasted blazer, but the classic single-breasted blazer!
Dont spin around in the men shop section hoping it would be easier … there is far enough in the women section and , guess what suitable for women silhouette.
Let me tell you why, shoulder pads on a man’s jacket will make you look like Jerry Rice.
Your blazer will extend your silhouette by giving it verticality.
To accentuate this verticality, you can opt for a long, thin smoking jacket collar.
The color
For your first and being the « basic » blazer, I would advise you to go for black.
It’s one of the few pieces I recommend to get in black.
To read again : How to wear black well
Because you can embed black in Rock looks as well as in more glamorous looks.
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Once you have your essential black blazer, you can top it off with a navy blue which will be very bright but give a more formal style.
And possibly with a grey. Be careful with charcoal grey, which really accentuates the classic or worse conventional 90’s look.
Sezane
The lenght
The blazer should fall straight and precisely, nothing like a potato bag.
To do this, it must absolutely and perfectly fit your waist.
- too small, it will make you look small;
- too big, it will give a masculine touch to your look
- the end of the shoulder pads should end exactly at the break of your shoulder
The right size blazer should be able to button up (even though it is worn open), so there is a slight tension.
The finishes
To promote it in the top ranking of the basic & timeless items of your wardrobe , I recommend …
Pinterest*
MORE OF THIS ARTICLE
- Favorite brands and especially the perfect blazer that I absolutely recommend!
- What kind of outfits can you wear with your blazer?
- How to wear a blazer without looking too conventional
- How to wear it with casual-chic outfits?
- With which top, which trousers, which skirts and dresses, which shoes, and which accessories to combine it with for really stylish looks
- Mix & match: 22 outfit ideas and a downloadable PDF to help you out in the mornings when you run out of ideas!
- Pinterest inspirations: all the hot outfit ideas to wear your blazer with maximum style!
Find this complete article in the wardrobe encyclopaedia EBOOK “Everything you need to know about wardrobe items”.
*These are images for which the sources could not be identified on Pinterest.
Header picture credit:
The Kooples