Kads’ Korner: One Blazer, Three Ways

A blazer is the ultimate wardrobe staple piece. Blazers are versatile and in style, but finding the right fit and being able to put outfits together with it can be intimidating. When buying a blazer it’s important that it has the right fit for the look you’re going for. I have two black blazers and am in the market for a trendier, white blazer.

One of my blazers has shorter sleeves that are useful for layering. It also features two buttons, is longer in length and has a narrow notched lapel that contrasts with the body fabric. The length and contrast of the silky lapel against the matte blazer gives the blazer a tuxedo feel.

My other blazer is the one I’ve styled below. It is just as classic in the cut but trendier in the detail. The lapel is narrow and has no notches. What makes it trendy is the long length of the lapel and absence of buttons. The sleeves are too long for me, however, I ended up liking it because I can roll or fold them up to create a laid-back look.

This look features a chambray shirt from J.Crew and boyfriend jeans from Topshop at Nordstrom. A couple of weeks after putting this outfit together I found the same look on jcrew.com, which basically means I’m a fashion genius.

I think what makes this outfit interesting is the denim on denim juxtaposed with the dressy blazer. If you want to take the blazer off, I recommend the “J.Crew roll” on the sleeves.

Doing the “J.Crew roll” on sleeves is a simple two step process, as shown in the pictures. Unbutton the sleeves and fold them up about half-way. Then take the fold you created up almost to the end of the sleeve that is up by your elbow. The goal is to leave a little bit of the sleeve end poking up out of the roll.

The edgier feel of this tshirt adds a spunky contrast with the classic blazer. The jeans I wore are the high-waisted cut in a dark wash from American Apparel. I chose them for their sleek look. The pumps and jeans pull the outfit together and make it look polished.

A big trend right now, believe it or not, is sweats. I bought this gray sweatshirt at Forever 21 and I’ve seen similar ones elsewhere. I even saw a gray sweatshirt like this, but built into a blazer! Just like the denim on denim outfit, what makes this outfit interesting is the unexpected twist of pairing sweats with a blazer. Under the sweatshirt I wore a lace bandeau, which peeked through the top and added a feminine touch.

Blazers aren’t as tough as they pretend to be. If you’re the least bit curious, you should look around for one and test the waters. For beginners, you can pick up a pretty good looking blazer at Forever 21 or H&M. They aren’t super expensive so the small investment is low pressure. Once you’ve found a blazer you love, finding outfits to pair it with gets easier and easier.