The terms “structured jacket” and “blazer” encompass an extraordinarily wide range of garments. In our own closets, everything from suit jackets to velveteen blazers, corduroy jackets to trapeze jackets, short sleeve jackets to schoolboy-inspired blazers could fall into this category. (Just to clarify, we’re thinking less about outwear and more about jackets that you would continue to wear when indoors.)
Many of the items we’ve been exploring in our recent Fashion 1o1′s originated in men’s fashion — scarves, cardigans, and even hosiery — and blazers or structured jackets are no exception. But while we may think of the 1980s as the birth of the women’s “power suit,” with women adopting a garment and silhouette associated with masculinity and power, women had been translating men’s jackets into functional (riding or hunting habits, for example, from the 1660s on) or fashionable (like the “Spencer” in the Regency period) for quite some time. The gender politics embedded in the appropriations of such a deeply charged garment (or garment set, if we include the “suit” as a whole) are complex and shifting. Anne Hollander delves into some of these issues in her book Sex and Suits, a worthy and accessible read (though perhaps a bit prone to generalizations).
It’s a striking testament to the cultural power of the blazer and suit jacket that all three of us chics — as well-educated women in our late twenties — still remain somewhat uncertain of what exactly to do with it in our regular wardrobes. Sure, we each have blazers that we love and wear frequently, but we all also have jackets of the more formal variety that languish in our closets, waiting for what we perceive as a socially appropriate time to solemnly assume their Very Professional and Staid air.
But, as Hollander states with a kind of triumphant gusto in Sex and Suits, “Women finally took over the total male scheme of dress, modified it to suit themselves, and have handed it back to men charged with immense new possibilities.” With this in mind, this week’s Fashion 101 on jackets and blazers will focus on embracing the creative potential of these garments. While we will certainly try to articulate some general rules of thumb regarding fit, our main goal will be to incorporate blazers and jackets into our wardrobes in ways that demystify older forms (like the tailored suit jacket) and play with alternative incarnations (like the swing jacket, cropped blazer, etc.).
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- demonstrate a general knowledge of different variations of blazers/jackets, including their shape, lapel type, stance, and length
- articulate key elements of a well-fitting blazer/jacket
- incorporate blazers/jackets into professional, casual, and everything in between outfits
- demonstrate how to use effectively pair a blazer/jacket with other garments to create flattering proportions
We’d love for you to play along with us this week and, as always, to suggest any resources or ask any questions. You can find Tutorials from this Module on our Taking Notes page and any relevant blazer/jackets posts in the March 2010 archives.
P.S. In case you’ve been wondering, A. spent last week negotiating an extremely busy week in her department while simultaneously preparing for a European jaunt…which she is now on! She likely won’t be posting much or at all while she’s abroad, but she’ll take her turn with jackets when she returns to the States.
Yay! I am SO into jackets right now. I very much look forward to these posts!
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