Vildy, it sounds like your eye is wanting to see things broken into thirds. With pants, your blazer is 1/3 and your pants are 2/3 so that makes your eye happy. With a knee length skirt, you are halved, and that bothers you (at least from the rear view). Am I right? I like a skirt with an untucked top and then a cropped denim jacket on top, with their hems at two different lengths--maybe 8" apart. It's when my top and my blazer are the same length that it feels funny somehow.

Since I only ever wear my blazer over a skirt to feel dressier or more formal, I have to agree that it seems blazers on skirts makes for a very formal look. Even though mine is brightly printed, lightly quilted cotton --- plenty casual in fabrication.

Though, I have to say I find the same thing happens to me if I add the blazer over trousers. Only jeans and flannels seem to go to casual territory.

Assessing further, I suspect all these bottom halves I've ever paired are casual to start with, except the jeans and the flannel pants --- so it may not be the blazer that's to blame! I wonder what would happen if I had a denim skirt (instead of tweed pencil or silk maxi) to pair with my blazer...

But yeah, cardis and casual jackets are 100% easier on a skirt or dress for MOTG.

I do it, Claire, and don't feel too corporate. But I will admit, I'm most likely to reach for a casual fabrication. And you know...it's different here with the weather. I'm sorry I don't have pics right now but can hunt for a few later. I think it is easier for me to do with with a patterned skirt (slight A line).

Yes, something like thirds. If you think about the front view with a jacket worn open and not too enveloping so that a lot of top/shirt shows, that's very much like thirds, yes?

A longer skirt (high waisted) with a more cropped jacket would give you non-halved proportions yes? That's usually how I wear mine, OR I'll do a long blazer with a shorter skirt.