When I say "His Jacket", I don't mean anybody's jacket in specific. I'm referring to a ladies' closet staple item called the Boyfriend Blazer. The jacket generally features a straight masculine cut adorned with details commonly found on a men's suit jacket, hence the name "Boyfriend Blazer" (BF blazer). The length of the jacket is usually much longer than a traditional women's blazer.The BF blazer is versatile and can be paired with almost anything to create that polished but casual look that any girl can pull off. Looking good in a blazer requires little effort. Throw a BF blazer on top of a white t-shirt paired with some skinny jeans and you're ready to go. Try a blazer over a slim cut dress for a classy look. Or be carefree and pull on some comfy leggings. You really can't go wrong with a nicely structured BF blazer. However, be cautious not to wear anything else that's masculine on top of the blazer to avoid really looking like a cross-dresser.
Because they're so versatile, I wear them all year round. Have one you can wear in Spring/Summer and one in Fall/Winter. Stick with lighter colours and light-weight materials in the warmer seasons and darker and heavier materials for the chilly seasons. If you really don't want to put much thought into what blazer to get and you're happy with just one: go for a medium grey. It's a safe colour and goes with anything and everything.
I love blazers and since I wear them a lot, I have to be sure they fit me perfectly. It's very rare that you can buy a ready-made blazer that will fit every part of your upper body. The chest is usually too wide on me and the sleeves are way too long. And usually, the billowiness in the back hides the natural curve of my spine so it makes me look thicker and wider than I really am.A bad fit just makes you look sloppy! I swear by custom-made and once you've tried it, you will never want to go back to buying ready-made jackets. In the pictures above and to the right, I'm wearing a navy men's style blazer with a bright purple lining (a fabulous choice in colour, don't you think?) custom-made for me to my measurements by Balsam Custom Tailors. I paired it with some high-waist pleated shorts and cuffed sandals.
At Balsam Custom Tailors in Kerrisdale, you are given a fantastic selection of cloths to choose from. From 100% luxury Italian wool to cool and light-weight English mink-cashmere wool to easy-to-care for polyester and wool blends, we're sure to have something that you'll love! You'll also have the option to personalize your jacket, from the shape of the shoulders down to the type of button style. I'll dedicate a post to custom-made jacket styles and cloth type in the near future.
If you're like me and like to play around with fashion, I suggest you go for the most economical option--the polyester wool blend. A small amount of polyester is added to the wool cloth to keep it from wrinkling too easily. And shrinkage in the wash is minimal but I recommend whole-heartedly that you dry-clean your blazers to retain its structured shape.
Here are the details that I requested for my blazer:
Bright purple lining to contrast the deep navy. For me, the colour of the lining is extremely important since I have my sleeves rolled up 90% of the time.
Notch lapel with a button hole (exclusively a men's jacket detail since only men put flowers through the lapel button holes). Top-stitching on the edges of the jacket.
Four sleeve buttons and surgeon's cuff (a slit in the sleeve cuff that actually opens up).
Single-breasted and single button closure (the longer the lapels, the less buttons you'd want on a jacket)
One top-stitched breast pocket.
Info: 20% polyester/80% wool navy blazer ($199 for the standard look), purple polyester lining ($120 for lining fabric & replacement)
Total Cost on Navy Blazer: $319 + HST
(Photography by http://www.cindywuphotography.com/ /Assistant photographer - Nathalie Carter)
