When Green Day said “Wake me up when September ends,” I felt that because, well, who doesn’t love the fall breeze and fallen autumn leaves of October?! Not to mention the oh-so-stylish and versatile fall fashion. But you know what else October stands for? Not knowing what to wear. We are in that in-between weather right now when it’s too hot for a sweater and too cold to wear a button-down shirt as a jacket. Am I right or am I right?
Table of Contents
*Enter a blazer*
Blazers are what we think about when someone mentions autumn. Or outerwear. Or layering. A great blazer is crucial to an ideal fall outfit. What defines a great blazer, you ask? One that is well-tailored and is a perfect fit in your work, party, as well as street style wardrobe. To answer the question you’re about to ask us, no, blazers aren’t just for men. In fact, women’ blazers are super hot in 2019’s trend charts!
But before we tell you all about how to wear a women’s blazer and how to style one with different outfits, let’s first talk about the types of blazers for women.
Types Of Women’s Blazers – With Shop Links
Here is a glossary of types of women’s blazers that are currently going in trend. Check these casual blazers for women that you ought to know before you start looking for The One:
Single Breasted Blazer
A single-breasted blazer is one showing only one row of buttons at the front when fastened. It is the most common style and works perfectly well for formal as well as casual occasions.
Double Breasted Blazer
A double-breasted blazer has a substantial overlap of material on the front with two rows of buttons showing when fastened. The style gained popularity as workwear but is being styled outside the formal circle as well by fashionistas all over the world. A double-breasted blazer is how you give casualwear a sharp look-and-feel.
Front Open Blazer
As the name suggests, a front-open blazer is one without any buttons for fastening as it doesn’t need fastening. Meant to be kept open, a front-open blazer can add oodles of glam to your look with its unique detailing such as side pockets, zippers or a textured pattern or print.
One-Button/Single-Button Blazer
A one-button blazer comes with nothing but one single button for fastening. You can look for one in a nice pastel colour or with a fancy button to add some statement to your look.
Dad Blazer
A dad blazer is just like dad sneakers in the sense that it’s chunky and oversized. Street stylers are obsessed with the style and flaunt it by combining trends like bike shorts and slogan belts in their OOTD. Unlike a fitted blazer, a dad blazer has broader shoulders and larger sleeves and looks best when left unbuttoned or cinched with a belt.
Cropped Blazer/Bolero
A bolero is shorter than regular blazers, like a cropped top. It reaches till the waistline and usually comes without any fastening to be kept open. Whether with sleeves or without, bolero blazers look chic when paired with Indianwear such as a kurta and jeans combination. Or sheath dresses, too. Go for a statement-making number and let it do the talking.
Longline Blazer
A longline blazer, as the name suggests, is longer in length reaching up to the knees. Unlike a trench coat, it doesn’t necessarily come with an attached belt or a row of buttons. When teamed with boots, longline blazers look extremely fashionable and fall-friendly.
Cape Blazer
A cape blazer or cape jacket has long slit sleeves giving the impression of a front-open blazer from the front and that of a cape from behind. It is the latest style in the evolution of blazers and is a party favourite among fashionistas for its classy appeal.
Blazer Dress
First things first, it is not a longline blazer worn as a dress but a proper dress made in a blazer style. A blazer dress will have elements like a notched lapel and buttons. Think of it more like a wrap dress than a shirt dress. It’s usually short in length (thigh-long) and looks super hot when teamed with closed-toe heels or flats. Did we mention it’s a trendsetter?
Waterfall Blazer
A waterfall blazer looks more like a shrug than a blazer because (a) it doesn’t have a label and (b) the fabric flows just like a waterfall. That’s exactly what makes it an ideal choice for those looking for a women’s blazer with a feminine touch to it. It’s less structured compared to a regular blazer but fits well in a western formal dress code at work, too. In such cases, go for one in a material like suede, it’s sturdy yet flexible enough to do the waterfall silhouette justice.
Peplum Blazer
A peplum blazer, just like the top style, has a peplum-cut meaning a short gathered or slightly pleated but flowy hemline attached at the waist to create a hanging frill or flounce. It’s a fancier variation of the blazer and looks exceptionally good with pencil skirts and straight-fit trousers.
Solid/Coloured Blazer
A solid blazer is simply a blazer in a single colour. These days, pastel or summer colours are more in trend but if dark colours like the classic black or navy blue are your calling, then don’t hold back.
Printed Blazer
As against a solid blazer, a printed blazer is one with all-over print on it. Think florals, polka dots, animal print, tropical print when buying a printed blazer. They’re an excellent way to add some drama to your OOTD.
Pattered Blazer
Among all patterns, stripes and checks are the most popular blazer patterns. When it comes to stripes, vertical stripes are the most common style, whereas micro-checks are hot among blazers for women. While striped blazers have limited colour options ever since monochrome came into being, checked blazers come in a variety of colour combinations. For an AM to PM look, pick one right away.
Blazer Without Lapel
There are some blazer styles that don’t come with a notched or peaked lapel. Just like casual shirts, there are collarless blazers too. If you are looking for a blazer strictly for a non-work purpose, one that can go well with all your casuals and partywear alike, we suggest a blazer without a lapel.
How To Wear A Blazer: Casual Blazer Outfits
The best thing about blazers is that you can wear them with so many different looks! From an everyday T-shirt and jeans combination to wearing one as a top for a party, from wearing it over shorts to teaming it with a saree, there are enough options for you to club your blazer with. Take it from your favourite celebrities and stylists.
With Jeans
Want to know how to wear a women’s blazer with jeans? There are so many ways to do so! Take cues from Athiya Shetty if you want a casual chic look. She paired a striped neutral-coloured blazer with bright distressed jeans and took the combination to new levels of chic with a satin top, a chain sling and patent leather boots. Or you can do it like Kriti Sanon by teaming your blazer and skinnies with a slogan tee and sneakers. Shraddha Kapoor showed us how to take baggy jeans to a party by teaming it with a velvet blazer, a statement-making top with matching belt and heels.
You can pick any jeans with your blazer as shown above, but you should also decide your look based on the occasion. You can also wear it with jeggings/leggings in a similar fashion.
With A Dress
The easiest and most stylish way to wear a blazer with a dress is to wear a printed blazer with a solid dress or a solid blazer with a printed dress. For example, Karisma Kapoor wore a grey checked blazer with a black shirt dress. How effortless, no? Dress length will be the least of your concerns when layering with a blazer. But remember to pick shoes that go with the dress, rather than the blazer.
As easy as it is to put together a colour-on-colour look, print on print can be a bit tricky. But if you are looking for tips to nail the trend, follow the link below!
With Shorts
When wearing a blazer with shorts, go for one which is either regular or longline. You can style your favourite denim shorts with a cool T-shirt or top and throw over a blazer, or do it like Ananya Panday and team it with a matching set. A playsuit can be styled in a similar way. When wearing cycling shorts, you may want to trade a regular blazer for a dad blazer. That’s one of the hottest trends, Internationally speaking.
With A Skirt
If it’s a mini skirt, you can style a blazer just as you would style your shorts with it. With midi and maxi skirts, you can wear a fitted blazer. A well-fitting blazer will ensure your outfit has structure along with the flair. Style your outfit with the skirt as the hero piece and throw on a blazer to complete the look as Sonakshi Sinha did.
With A Suit
This tip will come in handy for all Indianwear lovers, especially now when colder days lie ahead. One way is to do it like Sonam Kapoor by ditching the dupatta. For this, go for a blazer that matches your kurta, if not the whole suit. Another way is to drape your dupatta around your neck like a scarf. So high-street!
If you’re wearing just a kurta with jeans/trousers, you can even wear a bolero. But with a proper suit, try and go for a blazer in a longer length.
With A Saree
You can either do your saree pallu over the blazer like Karisma here or under it like Vidya Balan. While the latter looks simple and neat, the former look is bold and dramatic. Another great blazer styling tip for Indianwear lovers! Put this to great use this wedding season, won’t you?
With A Lehenga
Just like a saree, there are two ways to wear a blazer with a lehenga–with the dupatta on top of or underneath the blazer. Rhea Kapoor shows us how to nail both the styles this wedding season with a solid blazer as well as a printed one. You can wear one straight off-the-rack or get a special blazer stitched according to your lehenga. Are you taking notes, ladies?
With A Button-Down Shirt
Wearing button-down shirts casually can be a challenge. But not for you! To wear a women’s blazer with a shirt in a casual manner, opt for a shirt that is printed like Sonam’s. If you love wearing solid shirts, invest in a nice printed summer blazer that’s versatile enough to complement every kind of top wear.
With Casual Trousers
Got a pair of palazzos, chinos or anti-fit trousers? Don’t restrict styling them with just tees. Take a hint from Karisma here and layer it up with a chic blazer. When wearing a blazer with trousers, trust basic tees. You can also team up your top and blazer and opt for statement trousers such as a black polka-dotted shirt with a black blazer paired with pastel green trousers.
As A Top
We love how Deepika Padukone’s stylist Shaleena Nathani wore her peplum blazer as a top! It looks so sexy, doesn’t it? To wear a blazer as a top, go for a fitted number. A single-breasted or single-button blazer will look the best when worn as a top. And since blazers are thick, you don’t have to worry about the bra situation!
As A Dress
All you need to do is invest in a good blazer dress (as mentioned above), preferably in a double-breasted style like Priyanka Chopra’s. It’s perfect for a party and you know it. Accessorise with fine jewellery and carry a clutch or a minaudière to complete the look.
Tucked In
We have Sona Sinha and her stylist Mohit Rai to thank for this brilliant styling of a simple blazer that’s making the whole outfit look anything but basic, single-handedly! The actress wore a blazer bodysuit but you can get the look without spending any extra money. Just tuck your blazer in your bottom wear and that’s about it! Make sure your bottoms are of a thick material and not too tight so your tucked-in blazer doesn’t show any impressions from the outside.
With A Belt
This is the easiest way to style your blazer look. All you have to do is cinch a statement belt around your waist over the blazer. Whether you are wearing a blazer with jeans, a dress or a saree, this style hack comes in handy adding oodles of oomph to your OOTD. Take it from Parineeti Chopra, won’t you?
Tips To Buy A Blazer
Now that you know what type of blazer you want and how to style a women’s blazer with different outfits, here are the three important questions you should keep in mind to find the right answer to how to buy a blazer:
How Should A Blazer Fit A Woman?
If you can’t comfortably drive your car, wave to a friend, or lift your arms up to fix your hair, your blazer is too tight. If the shoulder pads weigh you down or your sleeves get in the way of pretty much everything, your blazer is loose.
Your blazer should be fitted across your shoulders. That’s what your point of focus should be when going through the size chart. It should not be too tight or too loose. When in doubt, make sure the seams match up directly with your shoulders. As long as that’s happening, any type of blazer will look flattering on you. Go for one that best complements your body type.
What Colour Blazer Is Most Versatile?
Black (surprise surprise!) is the most versatile colour for blazers. It is the easiest to style and goes with pretty much everything! You can effortlessly replicate all of the above-mentioned blazer styling tips with just one black blazer in your closet. Experiment with different types and silhouettes such as with a black front-open, a black longline, a black cape or a black peplum style blazer.
Other versatile colours are grey and navy-blue. Among women’s blazers, shades of white are also popular in blazers.
Which Fabric Is Best For Blazers?
You can choose the fabric based on the occasion or the weather you’re planning to wear it in. Wool and blends, polyester and cashmere are more suited during the cold months. These fabrics are not only warm and soft but wrinkle-free too. Cotton and blends as well as linen are summer-friendly fabrics. Not to mention, they are comfortable and breathable. Silk and velvet are party favourites owing to their luxurious touch and temperature regulating quality.
Ready to blaze(r) yourself in 3…2…1…
Featured Image: Instagram
POPxo is now available in six languages: English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Bangla.
