Four Blazer Staples for an Autumn Wardrobe

One of my favourite parts about the shift in seasons from summer to autumn is the opportunity to play around with my wardrobe a little more. In particular, it gives me an opportunity to start reaching for a blazer as a layering piece – one of the style staples I usually have to put on ‘hiatus’ during the warmer months.

Wearing COS turtleneck sweater (similar), ONLY denim skirt, Friend of Audrey wool blazer (also here), Everlane square toe flats, Charles&Keith black tote

I’ve mentioned this a few times, but a blazer was a huge part of my style identity during my early 20s. I made a couple of serious investments, including one from Helmut Lang and a handful I managed to snag on sale from Karen Walker. At a time when I was obsessed with my wardrobe wear count, cost-per-wear and how many items I owned, I found myself incorporating a blazer into the majority of my outfits.

Somehow, we’ve come full circle. Living in a warmer climate means I’m a little limited by how often I can wear them, but they’ve become a big part of how I like to dress during the transitional seasons. A well cut blazer can finish off an outfit, or act as a layering piece in place of a coat or trench.

So today I’m touching on the four types of blazers that I keep in my closet and why. Plus, I thought I’d share some of my blazer favourites from high street to high end, in case you’ve been thinking about adding a blazer as a layering piece to your own wardrobe.

THE WOOL BLAZER

It’s usually around mid-autumn that I start to pull out my wool blazers, as they’re the perfect styling piece to complete an outfit, especially while the weather is relatively mild. These can look particularly sharp when tailored to skim over the contours of your body, and are the perfect accompaniment to a pair of wool trousers once winter hits. For something a little bit more relaxed, I like an oversized option (this is the one I have). This gives a little bit more room to add additional layers underneath, and often I’ll reach for a wool blazer in place of a jacket.

The newest addition to my wardrobe is the woollen blazer I’m wearing above which was kindly gifted to me from Friend of Audrey. The deep olive tone is a nice change to my usual autumn/winter uniform of all black, and the belt at the waist is an unexpected style detail. I’m looking forward to wearing this over a cashmere knit sweater and skinny jeans, belted at the waist once we get a little deeper into the season.

THE BLACK BLAZER

Now I couldn’t do a blazer wrap-up without touching on a classic: the black blazer. This to me is as quintessential as a basic white shirt, and just as versatile too. I found a black blazer was indispensable as part of my work wardrobe during my time in corporate because it paired with everything, and depending on the style it can easily do double duty for the weekend too. My investment purchase from Helmut Lang is still going strong close to eight years later, which I recently decided to complement with a similar – but more lightweight – style from Rag & Bone that I picked up pre-loved.

This is usually the answer for me if I want to dress up a simple white tee and blue jeans combo. Pair them with a black blazer and you’ll be set – regardless of your shoe choice. The best part is that you can find a good quality black blazer at pretty much any price, and I highly recommend checking out somewhere like The Real Real if you’d like to invest in a designer piece but are on a bit of a budget.

THE LINEN BLAZER

Aside from a nice quality wool blazer, I also like to have one in a lightweight linen too. Linen is considered to be more of a high maintenance fabric option, so I’ve got a few tips if you’re looking for one that doesn’t crease (much!). First, try a blended fabric; something with cotton, silk, viscose or tencel mixed in. Second, go with your gut. A good washed linen that has a soft hand-feel will generally be quite wrinkle-resistant. Third, make sure the style is lined – generally these are more robust than linen blazers which aren’t. And finally? If you’re still skeptical, opt for more of a cropped style that cuts off higher up on the hip. This will be less prone to creasing around the hemline than a longer style.

THE CHECK BLAZER

The check blazer had a serious moment in 2018, but I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to ‘move on’ from that trend. To me, it’s the ultimate classic print, and a great option to jazz up your work wardrobe. I find it’s best paired with colours that are visible in the check, which for me means throwing it on over my classic black and white outfit combos.