23 March 2010 – Versatility Thy Name is My Navy Blazer, originally uploaded by academichic.
Sources:
- Navy Blazer: Banana Republic Factory
- Salmon top: Target
- Colorblock skirt: Banana Republic Factory
- Wedges: thrifted
End Notes:
Even though this week’s Fashion 101 is supposed to encourage us to push our blazer comfort zones, I simply had to pay homage to my absolute closet workhorse: my three quarter sleeved, navy cotton jacket.
Everything about this jacket — its cut, its sleeve length, its washability, its color — make it incredibly versatile. I think I’ve worn and blogged it more than just about any other item in my closet.
I’ve worn it over t-shirts and blouses…
…with trousers and jersey dresses, even when hugely pregnant…
…with shorts, wide leg pants, skinny jeans, and ruffles.
So for a beautifully sunny and warm March day, I used it to pull together a somewhat unusual color scheme of warm coral and cool lavenders. And for someone who is occasionally crippled by fear of failure (all hail formal education’s blitz on my ego) that is precisely what makes this blazer so great. I can try something a little outside my comfort zone underneath — an unfamiliar color pairing, mixed patterns, a bold pattern, an unusual shape, etc. — but once I throw this jacket on those risks become manageable while maintaining visual interest.
Do you have a go-to blazer or jacket? What makes it so versatile for you?
That outfit is PHENOMENAL. I love the colours! I love everything about it, to tell the truth.
I have a blazer like that, but it has polka dots! It’s proving to be as versatile as yours, so thank you for being the inspiration to it!
That outfit is amazing! I really love the colour combination, and you look so effortlessly stylish.
My go-to jacket is a denim blazer. It had been on my wishlist and then my mom and I found one with light blue piping. I was worried that the piping would make it a little too crazy, but I love-love-love it now. It can stand up to some of my craziness with the rest of what I’m wearing, but generally calms things down color and shape wise.
I’m on the lookout for something more summer-friendly though.
I’m taken with the rather shorter-length sleeve on your jacket.
I think a shorter sleeve makes it more comfortable to wear inside because the sleeve isn’t getting into everything. So it goes from light outerware jacket to part-of-an-outfit more easily.
My go-to is a black velvet blazer. I like it with/over everything/anything.
I just love your style and this post! I’ve always been wary of 3/4 sleeve blazers (I get cold really easily so bare-armed outerwear usually turns me off) but I think I’ll pull mine out soon and try out some similar combos! I love that a blazer just makes any ol’ outfit more polished and more work appropriate.
You always look AMAZING, and all the combinations here are inspiring. My favorites are the pregnancy shots – so radiant!
I do have a question – none of these photos show the blazer buttoned. Can you actually close it, and if not, did that matter to you when you bought it? I see so many jackets like yours that I would love to buy but would only end up wearing open due to the fit, especially because I’m not small-chested. I’ve always assumed you had to be able to button it, or else it didn’t fit right. Now I’m feeling like I should be more open (pun intended!) to the possibility that it can be like an open-front cardigan.
Thanks, everyone, for your kind words.
@Una: So, the funny thing is that when I bought this blazer I could — and did — button it up (it’s a 3 button with a high-ish stance). But once my chest grew during pregnancy and then ballooned with breastfeeding, I can’t *quite* close the jacket anymore. I think that the general consensus in style world is that a properly fitting jacket SHOULD be able to button which means that women with larger chests will probably have to go up a size and then tailor the jacket elsewhere for a proper fit. On the other hand, I haven’t felt held back by my inability to close this jacket, especially because it fits so well in the shoulders and gives nice shape through the waist. SO, while I wouldn’t buy an investment jacket that couldn’t button, I might be open (haha) to getting a deeply discounted or thrifted jacket that fit great everywhere else even though I couldn’t quite close it.
Any other thoughts on jacket close-ability, especially from readers with larger chests?
I was just thinking this morning that I need a slightly shorter blazer. And there you go, posting a highly functional example for why.
I truly love your style!
Hiya,
I’ve just found you through Nicole’s ‘Making it Lovely’. My husband is a scientist( about to have his VIVA and working In his first RA post) and I trained as a teacher, so I am totally with you on the need to avoid the polyester suit.
I myself have a navy jacket and a brown pinstripe one that go with everything, so I am glad to see others have a ‘go to’ jacket!
I can’t say I’ve got a go-to, but I WILL say that this very navy blazer of yours sent me on a mad quest to expand my own blazer collection!
I love the subtle and complex play of color in this outfit. I don’t think it would work as well without the navy of the blazer to tie it together and tone the coral down a tad.
My favorite jacket is an olive military-style one. It’s maybe a little casual, and thus harder to dress up than a true blazer, but I love it and wear it constantly.
I have a larger bust and a comparatively small waist: this makes finding jackets that fit right a bit of a problem! For more formal jackets that I want to be able to button up, I look for either very curvy, Victorian-style pieces or ones with one or two buttons and a very low stance – low enough to fall under my bust entirely, so whether I can button it higher up is a moot point. For casual jackets, I don’t care: chances are I’ll only button them up if it’s so cold that I don’t care how I look!
You are too cute. I’ve always liked this particular blazer of yours; it’s very versatile!
I thrifted a navy 3/4-sleeve blazer very similar to this last month and absolutely love it. It has proven to be a wonderful spring piece because it provides warmth while serving as a great neutral background for a pop of color (like my favorite green scarf). The only downside is – as you might have also discovered – that it also shows infant spit up quite well. But that’s why the goal is machine-washable elegance, right?
[...] in my everyday style but I noticed that I seem to often reach for pants or trousers when I do so. E.’s recent post, however, reminded me how well jackets work with skirts and even flowey jersey dresses and so [...]
I just realized that you never gained any weight (it seems) when you were pregnant. Lucky girl :)
I love this post! It’s nice to see all of the different ways to remix this blazer all on one page. I wrote a blog post about remixing at froogaloo.com and referenced this post. Love your site!
I love the look of structured little blazers, but I never seem to be able to find any that fit — they’re always too baggy and dowdy looking. Any tips?