Ensemble: Fall Blazer, Jeans & Scarf

Here’s an easy ensemble for Autumn that you can probably pull out of your closet. If you add dressy footwear and bag to the mix, it’s a handy smart casual look (especially when the jeans are dark and not ripped.) Wearing casual footwear and bag creates a more relaxed vibe. 

I’ve been wearing this ensemble quite a lot with my old and new blazers because the weather is perfect for it right now. Here’s an example of a combination that I wore earlier this week with the exact items from my wardrobe. I like to pattern mix so I like the floral blazer with the chartreuse scarf, but it’s an acquired taste. Wearing pearls with a scarf is my thing. 

Choose any colour palette across solids and patterns. The combinations are endless, and here are a few to get you started. I’ve chosen traditional Fall colours since they’re having their fashion moment this season. I threw in some black and grey, and a touch of bright for those who are energized by non-neutrals (like me!). Feel free to mix and match the combinations as you please. 

Here are the components.

Jeans: Choose any silhouette and colour of jeans that tickle your fancy. 

Layering Top: Choose a layering top that works with the colour theme and is comfortable to wear under a blazer. For some that might mean a sleeveless top. For others it’s a tee, shirt or blouse. For me it’s a blouse, or fine gauge pullover with a fluid or tailored fit. Necklines are high and sleeves vary from short to long. I wear mine over the jeans without showcasing a belt because I have lots going on up top. 

Blazer: Choose a tailored or gently fluid blazer in a solid, pattern, neutral or non-neutral. Layer it over the top.

Scarf: Choose a scarf that works with the palette. Keep the look tonal, neutral, or pattern mix. Wrap the scarf muffler style. 

Footwear: Choose dressy or casual footwear depending on the dress code that you want to achieve. Booties, taller boots, loafers, oxfords, pumps, and sneakers are fab. 

Accessories: Add a bag that works with the palette. It can pop or blend into the outfit. Keep it dressy for an office look. Add jewellery, watch, headgear and eyewear as desired.

Ensemble: Fall Blazer, Jeans & Scarf

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Fab Find: Bumps Be-Gone Hangers

Sometimes the weight of a garment on a skinny hanger can cause bumps on the shoulders. Folding the items instead of hanging them is one way to go, but that can cause creases, which are equally annoying. 

Bumps Be-Gone hangers have a foam frame that eliminates the bumps. They work well for hanging cardigans, pullovers, sweater coats, knitted tops, soft jackets, linen tops, and soft coats. They’re very lightweight, and not as bulky as they look. Plus, they add a little room between your clothes so that they don’t get squashed and creased when hanging in the closet. They’re also useful when you air-dry your clothing. 

They are available in regular and extra long sizes. Both can be bent into the right shape for the garment. The regular lengths are good for delicate items and smaller sizes, while the longer lengths work well for outerwear and larger sizes. I accidentally ordered the extra long size, which ironically did create bumps because they were too wide. The regular length is a better fit for most of my items.

Bumps Be Gone Hangers

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My Blazer Style and a Wardrobe Hole

When you grow up in the British schooling system, you wear a school uniform with a blazer for twelve years of your life. When you compete in dressage, you wear a riding jacket, which is a blazer, to shows. If you loved the ‘80s, you wore blazers with linebacker shoulders to look as broad as possible up top. When you suited up in the ‘90s, you wore black pinstripe blazers with just about anything. And if you enjoy Modern Classics, Preppy looks, and Tomboy style at some point along your style journey, you’re going to like blazers. All this to say that blazers have been part of my life since I was five years old, and that probably won’t change. 

As a straighter hourglass with a slight frame, I find blazers easy to fit as long as the silhouettes are narrow. That might be one of the reasons they’ve featured as a wardrobe essential or statement piece for my style for what seems like forever. I also like the structural, dressy, versatile, professional and authoritative integrity that comes with a tailored blazer.

Autumn has hit Seattle, which means that toppers are the order of the day, and heavier weight blazers are perfect for this time of year. I’ve been weening myself off leather jackets and motos, I don’t wear cardigans, and bombers aren’t my thing. This leaves me with the fabulous blazer, which I’m happy about since I’m craving structure on this leg of my style journey. 

I kept on reaching for a fun blazer to wear with jeans and trousers — but I didn’t have one. I had three Fall weight blazers: two tweed Smythes, and an ink blue Theory blazer. The exact items are shown in the collection. I love them, but they aren’t “fun.” They are strict, neutral, and missing a playful component. I had a wardrobe hole.

I set out to find a playful Fall-weight blazer and found exactly what I wanted at Boden. A velvet floral blazer, and an ink blue blazer with self-colour velvet polka dots. They both fit like a dream, and are absolutely impeccably made. The quality is WOW. I thought long and hard about which one to keep. The velvet floral ticked off all the boxes. It’s a nice nod to the velvet and floral trend, gorgeously Modern Retro, unique, non-neutral, and will cheer me up on a grey Seattle day. Slam dunk. But the ink blue, despite being neutral, stole my heart because of the self-colour polka dots. It looks very sharp, and also fably equestrian. It qualifies as “fun” because of the dots. They both earned a place in my wardrobe. 

Boden
Velvet Emilia Blazer
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Boden
Mirabelle Blazer
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I like tailored blazers with fluidity. I don’t want my blazers too snug. I like a lot of structure around the neck and shoulders, but a slightly more fluid fit around the torso, hips and sleeves. To my eye, the fit looks more luxurious and chic than a very tailored blazer. More comfortable too.  

I love these new blazers. I’ve worn both of them frequently over the last few weeks. With a wardrobe rich in both neutrals and non-neutrals, as well as my love for pattern mixing, creating many ready-to-go outfits with the darlings is easy. They also work seamlessly well with my new olive capsule, and can be layered under most of my coats. That way I can wear them right into the dead of Winter, and give my big chunky pullovers a break. I’m back to layering sleek, fine gauge knitwear under blazers and wearing them under coats. Refreshing.

Roundups

Simpler Items

This week's list of top picks list is about basic pieces.

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Assorted Items

Items for Summer, both in and out of air conditioning.

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Casual Summer Vibes

This week's top picks are good for a casual Summer vibe.

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Summery Earth Tones

These items are for those who like to wear casual earth tones in warm and hot weather.

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Hints of Spring

Some tried-and-tested winning items to refresh your style for Spring.

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Dressier Items

An assortment of dressier top picks might be just what the doctor ordered.

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The Beauty of the Blazer

A single-breasted, hip bone length blazer in a tailored or gently fluid fit is a Modern Classic and always in style. From season to season, trends will create all sorts of interesting blazer variations that are equally fab. Shrunken or extended lengths. Exuberant sleeves. Ruffles, insets, flounces, mixed media and colour blocking. Cut-away fronts and high-low hemlines. Sharp shoulders, cold shoulders, oversized fits, tipping, bling, embroidery, embellishment, and piping. Even the most classic of blazer silhouettes are one-up from “simple and basic” in an unexpected colour, fabric and pattern.

Talbots
Velveteen Blazer
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Shopbop
Acler Dixon Blazer
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Shopbop
SMYTHE Riding Blazer
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Boden
Velvet Emilia Blazer
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Boden
Nell Ponte Blazer
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2
Boden
Nell Ponte Blazer
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4
Nordstrom
Maje Fitted Blazer
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6
Boden
Nell Ponte Blazer
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8
Talbots
Ponte Knit Blazer
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Polish & Structure

The beauty of the tailored or gently fluid blazer is in its structure, dressiness and polish. The silhouette is traditionally flattering, and looks sharp. The right blazer adds instant chic and “authority” to an outfit. It’s favoured as a “professional” piece in business environments for good reason.

Body Type

Blazers fit a range of body types. It’s a question of finding the right width, length and fabric that works with your figure and style. Generally in my experience as a fashion stylist, I’ve found that blazers are an easy fit on a straighter figure with a small or regular size bust. That said, the right blazer is glorious on a curvier figure like a pear and hourglass body type because it further defines a defined waist and creates vertical integrity. Tailored blazers are equally fabulous on apple-shaped body types because they create a waist and streamline the midsection. When you have a little extra around the midsection, wearing a tailored blazer over a fluid top that does not cling is an effective way of “slimming the figure” and feeling comfortable in a structured piece. Inverted triangles with broad shoulders tend to need more room up top, which often means sizing up. Blazers with stretch are particularly effective for broad shoulders. 

A blazer is less easy to fit on a large bust, but not impossible. You need to find a silhouette that is roomy in the chest and with stretch in the fabric. Two more fit tips: One, try a petite size if you’re short with an ample bust. Two, a blazer does not need to button in front because it isn’t a coat. If it fits well apart from not fastening in front, it’s fine. The vertical line that is created down the centre front of the body by leaving a blazer unbuttoned creates a flattering effect.  

Comfort

You’ll probably have to get used to wearing a tailored or gently fluid blazer if you haven’t done so in a while. They aren’t as soft or forgiving as cardigans, but that’s the trade-off for adding structure, sharpness and a dressier integrity to your look. You can choose knitted blazers, Ponte styles, fabrics with stretch, and oversized silhouettes if you’re after more comfort. 

Versatility

The blazer is versatile, providing just the right amount of warmth as a topper. It can be a wardrobe essential or a statement piece. You can pair a suitable silhouette with trousers, jeans, skirts, joggers, harem pants, flares, pants, leggings, and all sorts of skirts and dresses. It’s an easy smart casual option when combined with jeans. It creates a fab juxtaposition with super casual items like sneakers. And it can be layered under a coat so that you look pulled together when you remove outerwear indoors.  

My clients’ blazer preferences run the gamut. Some wear seasonally appropriate blazers several times a week for business formal or business casual dress codes. Some wear them for dressier occasions. Some wear them in transitional weather. Some wear them to dress up jeans and leave it at that. Some wear them in the Summer because air-conditioned offices can be brutal. Others like the idea of a blazer, but find them too masculine and Tomboy. Some won’t wear them at all because they’re addicted to the cosiness of cardigans, or find them too dressy for their lifestyle. 

You’ll hear about blazer and my style tomorrow. In the meantime, tell us how blazers fit into your style, and why you like or dislike them.

Example

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Celebrating Hoop Earrings

Hoop earrings are a classic. I can’t think of a version that looks dated, and there are all sorts of modern and interesting iterations that surface each season. Small or large. Chunky or dainty. Simple or ornate. Heavy or lightweight. Single-hooped or multi-hooped. Metal or tortoise shell. Fringed, tasseled, baubled, spiked, braided, asymmetrical, square or floral. Take your pick.  

Nordstrom
BP Hoop Earrings
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The beauty of the hoop earring is that you can make a bold statement with its size, while keeping the style refined and lightweight. Chunky hoop earrings look particularly good with long, thick hair because they’re visible and complement the mass that’s created by having a lot of hair. But a good hoop earring can look equally great with short hair, or hair that is tied back away from the face.

As classic, versatile and fabulous as hoop earrings are, I don’t see them all that frequently on clients, friends, family members, or on the street. Diamond stud earrings on the other hand, are absolutely ubiquitous. That makes sense since hoop earrings are “dangly” and fussy, unless they’re small and dainty. Friends and clients who wear large hoop earrings tend to have “big hair”, and they look fabulous in them. Some wear them during the day like a wardrobe essential, while others leave them for dressier settings. 

Hoop Earrings

I don’t wear earrings anymore, but when I did as a child in the ‘70s, I wore small gold hoops very regularly. I had a few matching pairs that I wore together with my Mum, which made wearing them even sweeter. 

Do you wear hoop earrings? If so, which styles tickle your fancy, and why do you like them? While we’re celebrating the gorgeous classic today, here’s Sade’s, “The Sweetest Taboo” from 1985, where she wore the most memorable hoop earrings of them all.

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