My Favorite Blazer Outfits Have Nothing to Do With a Suit
Three slightly unexpected combinations are getting me through the part of fall when a coat is still too much.
A blazer is the ideal piece of outerwear for early fall, when it’s just a smidge too soon to introduce a proper jacket or coat and a sweater feels stifling under the blazing noon sun. Yet a full-on suit can feel a little uptight during what is arguably the most fun season to get dressed. Bare legs and flats are still fair game, and a simple long-sleeved top is enough underneath for when that cool morning inevitably turns into a warm afternoon.
So, let’s break up the suit and enjoy the flexibility a blazer as a top layer provides. It makes getting dressed quickly without getting dressed boringly a whole lot easier—a constant concern for me as both a mom and a stylist. And while a blazer and jeans is an easy, otherwise “safe” solution, I took apart my closet to find some combinations that travel a slightly less obvious sartorial road. Here’s where I landed.
Dress Down a Blazer With Relaxed Cargos
The juxtaposition of a dressier blazer, like a velvet one, with a more casual bottom like cargo pants feels like a throwback J.Crew pairing from the Jenna Lyons era and, frankly, I’m here for it. I think it’s cool and inventive to wear something during the day that would otherwise feel too “dressy,” and this idea feels fun without being too crazy for the office—or, in my case, school pickup in a coastal town where everyone keeps things pretty casual during the day.
I chose velvet because that’s what I had on hand, but lace, brocade, or a satin-lapeled tuxedo jacket could also be very good.
Double Down on Stripes
A shirt dress—especially in a stripe—is a style secret weapon I can’t ever shut up about. Sacai makes my favorite ones, and I have a few for different seasons. Pair one with a striped blazer, and now you’re entering new territory of effortless one-two-punch dressing with major impact.
It’s a little risky, but I do think it can work for almost any situation, even if you take a quieter approach with coordinating pinstripes or a monochromatic pairing. My only rules for this—which, of course, are subject to interpretation—are to make sure your stripes are running in the same direction and keep the accessories relatively simple so the whole thing feels harmonious.
Make Leggings Feel Like Real Pants
This plaid Dries Van Noten blazer has been an old reliable in my closet for several reasons, but the length is really what cements its place. Where it hits at mid-thigh looks great over baggy jeans or longer pieces like an ankle-grazing slip dress and boots. I’ve even worn it buttoned up as a dress with opaque tights and a low-heeled pump for a night out.
Riffing on that last idea through the lens of daytime dressing, I reached for my favorite velour Alaïa leggings, which feel more like substantial pants than anything resembling athleisure. I added a light yellow turtleneck for a little extra colorblocking and a trusty pair of pointed-toe flats because they always look good with a legging. I felt slightly equestrian but very put together, and I couldn’t say I was mad at that.
