Cardigan or Jacket?

KayteHam

I'm notorious for wearing sleeves. I rarely feel comfortable bearing my arms (they are never in shape enough and for the life of me I cannot rid the underarm "shadow" even after a clean shave). My office tends to be chilly so that helps support my addiction.

I have resorted to a closet full of cardigans in every length and color...but sometimes I feel like these are too frumpy or not appropriate. I've been trying to find cropped jackets/blazers instead to wear. However, some of these make me feel bulkier and bloated. Any suggestions on sites or brands that have the best options?

I do live on a fixed income so please be mindful of prices. Ideally the perfect jacket would be versatile over a dress or a skirt or even with jeans. I'm on the shorter side (5'1") and have recently gained some weight. I'm back on a diet and light exercise but any tips on what to wear for a slimming effect are also appreciated!

9 years ago

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13 replies

Latest reply was from Liz

JayS

Veteran

Hi KayteHam,
Like you, I like to have that third piece for comfort as well as pulling a look together. An open blazer worn over a "column of color", either a dress or slacks/skirt and similar colored top is a very slimming formula.
Angie wrote a blog post on it here:
http://youlookfab.com/2014/01/.....of-colour/
I found a couple of jersey knit blazers at Uniglo that are workhorses for me. I always have one in the car, just in case. Uniglo is affordably priced and very well made. These blazers wash extremely well..I hang them to dry. The blazers I have run TTS. Sadly, Uniglo b&m stores are confined to the coast, but ordering from their website is easy.
Loft is also a very good place for jackets/blazers. They always have a clearance going on..many times with an additional percentage off. Their regular price stuff goes on constant sale also, many times 40% off. Join their email list, and you won't have to wait long for a sale.
Hope this helps!

UNIQLO

Women Soft Jersey Printed Jacket

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Loft

Tall Tencel Linen Open Jacket

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9 years ago

cloud9

Veteran

I echo JayS post above. Leave jacket open and creates a vertical column helps. Also, get jackets that has a low stance which hop creates a deeper V if you do button. You may also try knit jackets which gives more structure but less bulk.

9 years ago

minimalist

Veteran

Length is a challenge, right? I like jackets to end at the upper hip, otherwise I feel dowdy.

My main shopping limitations are time, energy and motivation, plus being extremely picky about fit, fabric, construction and color. So far I have only one jacket, a lucky find from a thrift store. It's fine with jeans and chinos but probably not dresses.

I've seen workshops for simple (no collar) jackets. The results look like a comfortable and sleek alternative to cardigans. After the initial outlay of time and equipment, this seems like it would result in designer quality at department store prices. Would that be an option for you?

9 years ago

Veteran

Hi Kayte! Do you live in the US? LIkeTwice.com has jackets (in their top section) that include length measurements & since they're secondhand (they only accept certain brands, pretty much the ones you'd find at an upper middle class mall), you get good quality for lower prices. Returns are free if you don't like something you ordered, so you can try on all you like.

You might also experiment with wearing the jackets closed vs open/creating a column of colour underneath (i.e. matching your shirt to your trousers/skirt) or on top (i.e. matching the jacket to your trousers/skirt) to see what makes you feel best. I used to feel like most blazers didn't offer enough waist definition to wear with full skirts, but then I wore a couple outfits like that on the forum and got such a positive response it made me see them differently! Even if the jacket doesn't follow your exact curves, often times the eye 'assumes' there's a waist curve underneath, so it can look very flattering to others.

Also, remember to be gentle on yourself! Angie did a great post on sleeveless dressing on different arm types (spoiler: as a highly qualified, very picky stylist, she thinks everyone looks good in sleeveless styles!). And everyone's upper arm 'smooshes' when it's at their side, that's just how bodies work, and it doesn't look bad, just normal.

9 years ago

abc

Veteran

Depends on your style but a denim jacket could work - cropped especially if you are petite. Good advice so far and the knit blazers are the best of both worlds - comfort and structure. Good luck.

9 years ago

kkards

Veteran

KayteHam, i hear you on the cold office!
i always dress with a topper in mind. this spring i added a few from the gap, they're not really blazers,which is one thing that i liked. they added variety and interest, but are super easy to throw on. sign up for the gap's emails, as they are always running on line sales! (and in store often as well, but i think they run an online 30% or 40% off almost every other week, yup i checked and it's 30% off today). also on line, they offer some petites. (FYI, i'm wearing the navy solid today).
i also 2nd JayS on Uniglo, i have 2 great winter blazers that i love. but, i want to add that IMO their sizes run slightly smaller than most american brands.

Gap

Quilted floral chambray moto jacket

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Gap

Collarless ripstop jacket

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9 years ago

shiny

Veteran

I'm 5'0 tall and also recently gained some weight, so I am in a similar boat with you. One detail you left out is what is the dress code at your office? That can make a difference, for example, I am in high tech marketing so I can get away with adding a jean jacket or other casual option, rather than a suit blazer.

Here's where I've had the best luck finding suitable petite toppers:

1. F21 - can be a goldmine if you are on a budget, and also petite. I bought my trusty pleather cropped moto there, for something like $10. It is still going strong after all these years.

2. LOFT - is where I got my petite white denim jacket. I have also had good success in the past with smart-casual suit jackets in petite sizes.

3. Lord&Taylor - has a wide selection of petites, suitable for work, and carries a range of brands/price ranges. I love their store brand cardigans in particular, and find the quality & fit is much better than Nordstrom's Halogen & Calson lines. I have this one but with gold buttons -- http://www.lordandtaylor.com/w.....lsizes-pet

4. Banana Republic petites - great quality jackets and cardigans, although may be higher price point than you want, but watch out for sales.

That said, the most versatile blazer I own is Theory. I did get it on sale, but even if I'd paid full price, it'd have been justified by the cost-per-wear. The Theory blazer I have is just so well made, slims and flatters, keeps me warm, has stood the test of time, and the charcoal color makes it a piece I can wear more than once a week and nobody is the wiser. I would not have invested this many $ in a bright red blazer or other stand out color/style. But just saying that for the right piece the investment can be totally worth it.

As for cardigans, once I find one that I like -- one that fits just right for skirts/dresses/pants, and is good quality -- then I duplicate. In black, cream, and a pop of color.

9 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I am a big fan of knit blazers, which have appeared at every price point in the last couple years. It's a nice way to upgrade from a cardigan but it's just as comfy during the day. As much as I tried to like my woven blazers, I never could feel like I wanted to wear them all day long.

Last winter Target had some great ones, in both basic colors and brights/prints. You can find them in a more sweatshirty fabric, a bit more casual, or a traditional ponte which looks just like a woven blazer. I also saw them at places like Loft (they have petite, I believe), Gap (ditto, at least online), J Jill and Talbots as well as online at places like Lands' End.

It might be a bit early for a good selection of choices online. I own this knit blazer in three colors from JC Penney - http://www.jcpenney.com/cleara.....038;catId= Looks like they just have the navy and black right now, but last fall/winter they had charcoal grey and a couple other options. JCPenney seems to have sales every other day, so it might be a good one to try out to see if it works.

9 years ago

shiny

Veteran

Knit jackets are an excellent suggestion. I scooped this one from NAS (in the grey) and I like it very much:

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ha.....ory-person

Though depending on your work environment it may be too casual?

Also, I am not sure why they call this "boucle" - it isn't what I'd call Boucle but maybe I have no clue what Boucle is. It seems more sweatshirty --- a big step up from sweatshirt-- but as comfortable as a sweatshirt.

For the sales price I think it's worth it. I can see this being a workhorse for business travel. Will work with dark wash jeans, over an LBD, with dress slacks + blouse. Also classes up more casual boyfriend jeans for weekend wear. When it comes to stretching the fashion $, I look for toppers that can be worn business or (smart) casual life.

9 years ago

Dee

Veteran

Shiny has made some great suggestions, but I'd like to add Ann Taylor to the list. They're a little more expensive than Loft, but the quality can be a bit better, and if you get them on clearance, the prices aren't too bad. Banana Republic Factory Store is another great option that runs cheaper than regular BR and carries petites in store, if you have one near you.

9 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

I'm 5' 1" and carry my weight in my upper arms. Most cardigans don't have enough structure to look at all flattering on me. This year, I purchased two knit jackets from Nordstrom, and they are comfy as sweaters. They are its in-house brand, Caslon. One was $40, down from $68; and the other was $20, down from $59 and both were ordered online. I think the latter was marked down a second time after I bought it so I called to get an adjustment. Note: Caslon knit jackets can be hit or miss; sometimes they are a thin, stretched out miss. I also have non-knit jackets in Nordstrom's Halogen line that work well for me because they are also cut fairly loose in the upper arm. These jackets all come in Petites.

Nordstrom's in-house brands always, always get marked down. The big trick is whether the color you want will be available in the size you need.

I do most of my Nordstrom shopping online and return at a bricks'n'mortar store. It is easier to track prices online and they are more generous time-wise about making price adjustments, maybe because online purchases take so long to arrive.

9 years ago

KayteHam

Active Member

Oh my! Work got a little hectic and I hadn't had a chance to drop back in. I am overwhelmed with the responses! Thank you all so much!

My work dress code is very casual (marketing) so any of these suggestions for stores/styles should work.

Believe it or not, but I do not own a denim jacket. When I wear them all I see in the mirror is a 90s girl. This is not so when I see OTHER people wear them. Maybe I should revisit them next time I'm shopping and see if my mood changes. Using the word "denim" instead of "jean" also helps me mentally see something different.

This opened up another question for me though: if I am wearing a top with a jacket…should the top be longer or the same length? Or does it even matter? I guess I'm asking because a cardigan is usually longer.

9 years ago

Liz

Veteran

The fact that your cardigans are usually longer than your tops may be contributing to why the cardigans are sometimes feeling frumpy to you, especially since you're petite. Maybe you have some that are really long or are hitting you at a "frumpy" proportion?

If you're wearing a dress, the cardigan or jacket usually looks best when it hits at your waist -- the proportions between it and the dress seem to work best that way. Jackets and cardigans worn with pants usually look best a little longer. (Check out where the highlighted blogger on today's blog post has her tops hit for both pants and skirts. She seems to have proportions really nailed.)

I like my tops and toppers to be different lengths, just to break up the horizontal line. Right now, I'm liking my tops longer than my toppers, but I don't think that's a hard and fast rule. The proportion between top, topper, and bottom is the most important factor.

9 years ago

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