Today’s post is written by fabulous Kat from Corporette, a successful fashion and lifestyle blog for over achieving chicks. Kat is a NYC attorney who understands what it takes to dress appropriately and effectively for a professional environment. I’m sure you’ll enjoy her corporate jacket wisdom as much as I did.
I started my blog, Corporette, when I was working as a lawyer on Wall Street. I was trying to look professional and earn respect — but at the same time I didn’t want to just give up and wear frumpy clothes. One of my favorite wardrobe pieces is the blazer. It instantly lends an air of authority and competence, but it also can add versatility and personality. It can “grow” an outfit up for a young woman, make an older woman’s outfit more youthful, and add oomph to more casual outfits for everyone. There are a ton of basic types of blazers, though, and each one can work in a slightly different way. I’ve listed some of the classics below: Picture each with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt — and then with a simple sheath dress — and you’ll start to find a blazer personality that works fro you.
The Suit Blazer. This is the kind of jacket that is meant to be worn with a matching skirt or pant. You can also wear it with jeans or a dress (so long as you avoid a suiting material) and attain a more laid-back — but still very authoritative — look. This says that you’re uber-competent, in control, and ready for business. This particular blazer is $375 at Nordstrom.
The Non-Suiting Blazer. Whether in canvas, denim, corduroy, tweed, ponte knit, boucle, or velvet, this jacket obviously has no matching bottom — which means you can wear it with suiting materials as well as with everything else. This can be a fun way to bring color into your work wardrobe, but these kinds of jackets can also make great fall/spring outerwear as well. They’re a bit more casual than a full-on suit jacket, but they maintain a conservative vibe. This particular blazer is $495 at Saks.com.
The Sweater Jacket. This is one of my personal favorites — it’s warmer and more comfortable than a blazer, but almost as authoritative. Wear it to the office with trouser pants, with skirts, or with dresses – but it also translates to the weekend with jeans or cords. Depending on the jacket, it may look nice with a decorative top beneath it for a night out, or be a handy fall/spring jacket as well. This particular jacket is $109.99 at Macy’s (was $159).
The Artsy Jacket. Maybe it has a vintage look — or a romantic mood — or just a general “oh, that’s interesting” appeal to it.” Either way, the artsy jacket says, “I have personality and am not afraid to show it.” Depending on the rest of the outfit and your accessories, it can be a dramatic, sophisticated look — or an easy-going-but-pulled-together look. This particular jacket is $148 at Anthropologie (sizes 0-12).
The Boxy Tweed Jacket. In my opinion, this is the most difficult blazer look to pull off, but it is such a classic that I would be remiss not to mention it: the tweed jacket. This one says, “I like to think like Coco Chanel.” It’s best accessorized with a high-end bag and/or jewelry, but the rest of your outfit can be anything from jeans with an ironic tee, to wide black trousers and a white tank. This particular jacket is on sale at Bloomingdale’s — was $218, now $174.40.
Do you wear jackets in a professional environment? If so, tell us about your jacket style in the comments.
Be sure to visit Kat at Corporette.com.
