One piece, three outfits
How to style a blazer: 3 outfits for office, weekend and evening
A good blazer is the most useful jacket in a wardrobe because it changes its mood with whatever is under it. Here is one blazer, three outfits.
The blazers that work hardest are slightly relaxed in the body, single or double breasted, in a neutral or a small check such as houndstooth or Prince of Wales. A check hides creases and goes with plain pieces in every colour it contains, which gives you an instant palette to dress from.
Fit is mostly about the shoulders. The seam should sit at the edge of your shoulder, and you should be able to move your arms forward without the back pulling. Length depends on what you wear it with: hip length suits wide trousers and skirts, slightly longer suits slim trousers and jeans.
Three outfits, one blazer
Office
Striped shirt and pale trousers
- Check or plain blazer
- Pink or blue striped shirt
- Cream or ecru straight trousers or jeans
- Loafers or clean white trainers
- Leather tote
A striped shirt under a check blazer sounds busy, but when the stripe is fine and the check is small they read as texture, not pattern. Pale trousers lighten the whole look. Turn the shirt cuffs back over the blazer sleeves for a relaxed finish.
Tip: If your office allows trainers, plain white leather ones keep this look modern. Otherwise, brown loafers.
Weekend
Breton and wide jeans
- Blazer
- Breton striped top
- Wide leg or straight jeans
- White trainers
- Crossbody bag
The Breton and the blazer is a French classic because it balances formal and casual perfectly. Push the sleeves up, leave the blazer open and let the top hang loose or with a small front tuck. Wide jeans make it feel current.
Tip: Choose a dark, clean wash of denim so the blazer does not look like it is from a different outfit.
Evening
Tonal and warm
- Blazer
- Burgundy or chocolate roll neck
- Matching or close shade trousers
- Heeled ankle boots or loafers
- Gold earrings
For dinner, wear a single deep colour underneath, top and trousers in the same family, and let the blazer frame it. A roll neck under a blazer is warm, elegant and avoids the question of what neckline to wear. Deep burgundy, chocolate or black all work, especially with a brown check.
Tip: A tonal outfit under a check blazer looks most polished when the check contains that colour.
Colours that go with a blazer
With a plain navy or black blazer, almost anything works: white, cream, grey, denim and stronger colours. With a brown or camel check, the best partners are cream, ecru, burgundy, chocolate, pink and denim. Look at the small colours inside a check and pick up one of them underneath.
Shoes
- Loafers work in all three outfits.
- White leather trainers make a blazer look relaxed, ideal for weekends.
- Heeled ankle boots or slingbacks for evenings.
Layering through the seasons
In the UK, a blazer is often the coat on mild spring and autumn days. In colder weather wear a thin knit under it and a longer coat on top, which means checking the blazer is not so long that it shows under the coat. In summer, a linen or cotton blazer over a T shirt is a smart alternative to a cardigan.
Mistakes to avoid
- Buttoning a blazer that is too small, so it pulls into an X shape across the front.
- Shoulders that hang past your own, which makes the blazer look borrowed.
- Matching everything to the blazer too precisely, which can look dated. Tone, not match.
- Wearing a stiff office blazer at the weekend with jeans. A softer, unstructured blazer looks more natural.
Questions
How do you wear a blazer casually?
With a Breton or a plain T shirt, jeans and trainers, sleeves pushed up and the blazer left open. An unstructured or slightly oversized blazer looks most relaxed.
What goes under a blazer for an evening?
A roll neck, a silky camisole or a simple fine knit in a deep colour. Keep the neckline clean so the lapels frame it.
Should a blazer be fitted or oversized?
Slightly relaxed is the most versatile. The shoulders must fit, the body can be easy. A very oversized blazer works best with slim trousers to balance the volume.
Build these outfits from your own wardrobe
Photograph your blazer and the pieces you already own. Open it in OutfitMaker, tap Style this piece, and get office, weekend and evening outfits made only from your clothes, for the weather where you are.
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