Saturday, November 15, 2014

Blazer Lovin.

I have always had a thing for blazers. They dress any outfit up. Take a blazer, a pair of jeans and a crisp white shirt or tank and a pair of flats and you can conquer the world. Or at the very least, the daycare pick up (where I have been known to rock up in trackie pants after a hard day with the pencils, but that is a tale for another lifetime).

Being a curvy lass, I find structured, tailored options work better on my shape. Having said that, I have had a hard time finding blazers that are neither too voluminous (aka the boyfriend look), or too "Hi honey, I just arrived home from my job at the bank". It's slim pickings out there and getting the fit on a blazer is crucial if you don't want to look like a bank teller.

Here are three options that worked for me.

I found this blazer at Uniqlo in New York when we were there in May. It's fab. What works about it is that it's made of a heavyweight jersey (almost old skool tracksuit material) which has a good shape but means it moulds to your  curves. It's also easy to wash and wear (no dry clean! YAY!). It's almost a cross between a blazer and a cardigan. Full marks. And you can now buy it from Uniqlo in Australia. It comes in a great range of colours and textures and it's a great bargain buy.



I am a fan of Pepperberry from way back. They make clothes that are more generous in the bust to allow for those of us with ample cleavage. This blazer runs close to the "Commbank employee style" of blazer but with the right styling, it really does work. I have the same blazer in Navy from last year, but alas it's a smidge too big in the shoulders (which is highly annoying). I like the navy colour better than the black (which is a big statement from me), but the black makes a very good crossover blazer when you have to attend an interview or more formal occasion. The fact that it's made from Ponte material means creases drop out easily and the fabric is easy to care for. If you only have room for one blazer in your wardrobe, I would say this is it.

I have never purchased anything from City Chic before, but I was in there on the hunt for a peplum top (to cover the food baby!) and I stumbled on this jacket. I had seen it on Spijkerkat's Closet here and really liked it on her but didn't think it would work on me, given I am tall and prefer my blazers longer to balance my short waist. But it does work. It nips in at the waist, giving me more of an illusion of an hourglass shape. The hook closure in the front and the tuxedo lapels make it a little more on the formal side at first glance, but it just means that this baby can pull double duty as a casual piece that also works on a corporate level. I do need to layer longer to pull this one off, but it's a flattering and comfy piece that is getting a lot of wear around here. I bought it in an XS which is a generous 14.

Do you have a favourite Blazer style? Are you more boyfriend style or Ralph Lauren Preppy? Tell me EVERYTHING!

K xx


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