This week’s edition of Fashion A to Z is an analysis of blazers. Have you ever stopped to wonder where they got their origin and how they came into the fashion world?
The term blazer got it’s origin from the red blazers worn by the Lady Margaret rowing club of St. John’s College, Cambridge. The jackets were bright red. Other rowing teams wore similar garments to keep the wind and chill away while on the water. Soon rowers began to wear their jackets on dry land and around campus. Later, the blazer evolved into a garment to be worn not just for rowing, but for all occasions and for the office.
Blazers come in all shapes, colors, varieties and styles. A blazer is a jacket that is not normally part of a suit, although you can have matching pants. It will usually be of a different material than the suit coat or jacket of a full suit. A blazer works on its own. I highly recommend that you have at least one blazer in your closet. Start with a versatile neutral like a black, navy or camel color blazer.
A blazer can dress up jeans and a tee and is the perfect layer for a dress or skirt outfit to knock the chill off during fall or in the chilly summer A/C. Blazers are a staple for those working in an office.
Six Types of Blazers to Consider
Cropped– A cropped blazer works well with high waisted pants and with skirts. They also work well with wide leg pants.
Open Front– These usually don’t have buttons to close them up but add polish to your work wear.
The boyfriend blazer– These fit a little looser and are typically looser. You want to look like you borrowed it from your boyfriend but it should still fit and not look sloppy. If you have no need for office attire, this is the type of blazer you should have in your closet for your casual wear.
Single breasted blazer– This one buttons up down the center. It’s usually the most versatile and great for wearing open. The majority of my blazers are single breasted.
Double breasted blazer– The two sides overlap and button to one side vs down the center. This can add a little more bulk to your appearance so be careful with this one, or wear open.
One, two or three button blazers- Does it matter? One button gives a more casual vibe, two buttons are the most flattering worn buttoned, and three button are more formal and more difficult for petites to wear in a flattering way since they button up higher.
I don’t think I own a three button blazer! Two is really the most common and versatile, unless you shop for a suit.
Shop blazers:
I hope you have gained a little more knowledge about blazers. If you are a weekly newsletter subscriber, you will get a mini tutorial on shopping for blazers and how to get the best fit soon. (And if you are not a subscriber, you should be so you don’t miss out! Subscribe here.)
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