The beginning of Fall will always give me that feeling of going back to school; regardless of the fact I am not in school nor am I a mother. But I don’t think I’ll ever get over the desire to go buy a new wardrobe every Fall. Since I try to be very minimal in the amount of new clothes I buy, I limit myself to only a few new key pieces or replacing some older pieces that need updating. The one thing I’m looking to upgrade this season is my blazer selection.
Working in a business formal office, I wear a blazer several days a week. I’m also here to dispel the idea that you must wear a suit to be business formal. But I do love a great blazer so it’s not a hardship to wear one most days. Although for the last several months, I’ve been in a real rut with my blazers. I sort of just felt like none of them were fitting quite right anymore. I don’t know how that happens, I haven’t had a change in weight but for some reason none of them fit the same anymore. Is this a problem that other people have? I did recently find this blazer and this one and I love them both so much.
Since I need so many blazers for work, I’ve been wearing them much more in my casual style to make the most of my closet. I love the look of a blazer with a pair of high-waisted jeans. It definitely makes me feel like a character in a ’90’s Nancy Meyers movie and I am totally into that. I just throw on a tank top or plain white t-shirt to keep it casual. Add a pair of flats, sandals, or sneakers for daytime and throw on a pair of heels to make it a nighttime look too. Having mostly neutral pieces to work with makes it easier to make so many looks with most of the same pieces.
Another favorite blazer look for me is to pair one with a midi skirt or midi dress. Flats or heels work well with this style. I’ve been much more into clutches lately and I love the look of a clutch with this style for both day or night. I also love to style a blazer with a more casual pair of trousers, like these. I’ve done this look with both sneakers and flats before. It’s one of my favorite travel styles, because I need layers everywhere I go.
There’s no reason to keep your work and casual clothes completely separate. Unless you want to, then you totally should. Trying to get the most out of having fewer things means finding new ways to wear everything. Investment pieces like good blazers shouldn’t be relegated to the “just for work” section of your closet. The next time you feel like you have nothing to wear, try something you wouldn’t normally wear, like throwing a blazer on with something unexpected.
photos by Katie Prestemon
