Previously, blazers were only considered to be similar to a man’s blazer. This piece now belongs in every woman’s wardrobe because it is inspired by menswear. Blazers are the ideal piece to add a touch of elegance and timelessness to your appearance because they are both versatile and elegant. And guess what? I believe our attire is superior. While pairing a blazer with a white top and blue jeans is a classic outfit choice, there are other ways to dress this essential piece in a more feminine and contemporary way. Find out how to wear a blazer dress with these fashion advice and outfit suggestions.
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The Different Styles of Blazers
We must first lay the groundwork before moving on to the styling suggestions. Understanding the two main blazer styles on the market is the first step in doing that.
Single Button (Breasted) Blazer
A jacket with one button is not much different than a jacket with two buttons, since most button-two jackets are designed for only the top button to fasten. The main idea of the button-one jacket is to do away with the unused bottom and thus give the jacket a more streamlined look.
Double Button (Breasted) Blazer
A double-breasted garment is a coat, jacket, waistcoat, or dress with wide, overlapping front flaps which has on its front two symmetrical columns of buttons; by contrast, a single-breasted item has a narrow overlap and only one column of buttons.
On most modern double-breasted coats, one column of buttons is decorative, while the other is functional. The other buttons, placed on the outside edge of the coat breast, allow the overlap to fasten reversibly, the left lapel over the er right lapel. To strengthen the fastening, a functional inner button, called the jigger (or anchor button), is usually added to parallel-fasten the over-lapped layers together from the inside.
Double-breasted suit jackets, sports jackets, and blazers typically have one to four rows of buttons (each row containing two buttons), one or two of the rows are functional. Each fastening method is identified using “number-on-number” terminology; the first number is the total number of front buttons, and the second is the number of fastening buttons below the lapels (i.e. the second number also is the number of corresponding buttonholes). Six-on-two and six-on-one (as shown in the picture on the right) are the common button stances, but others exist. Stylistically, double-breasted suit jackets usually have peaked lapels and fasten the left lapel over the right lapel as usual for men’s jackets. Some may find that six buttons overwhelm their shorter torso, a four- or six-button configuration in which only the bottom one fastens may be a better option.
Ways to Style the Blazer Dress
Belt It
Belting a blazer dress is one of the key styling suggestions. Any clothing that cinches at the waist creates an optical illusion that makes you appear taller. Most blazer dresses come with a belt, but if you find one that doesn’t, you can belt it with a fabric belt or a regular belt. Aim to get the belt right under your bust or around your mid-line. This will help to maintain the open breast area while also giving the illusion that your legs are longer, emphasizing them—something the blazer dress trend is great for.
Layers
The blazer dress comes in many different styles and features a variety of details. When shopping, you might come across double-breasted blazer dresses, sequin blazer dresses, or dresses that appear to be oversized blazers but are actually dresses. Whatever the style, layering becomes crucial if you want to wear the blazer dress during the colder months or simply to cover up the neckline. During the colder months, I like to layer the blazer dress with a mock neck or turtleneck top to keep the chest and neck covered while still making the blazer dress the focal point of the outfit. Then, when you add some statement jewelry, like a multi-layered necklace, your neckline is further layered, giving the impression that you are wearing a cold-weather dress with the blazer dress. You can layer similarly during the warmer months, but choose tops with more open necklines, such as a v-neck that is not as deep as the dress’ neckline or a scoop neck top.
Boots & Pumps
There are numerous ways to style your blazer dress when it comes to shoes. Actually, this dress works well for both casual and dressy settings. However, boots and pumps are generally the best footwear choices for this dress. The ‘lesser’ the shoe, in my opinion, the longer the dress. Therefore, if you have a blazer dress that is more of a midi dress, I would choose pumps that match your dress’ color. Boots or booties are a great alternative for the mini dress though.
Get Leggy
The blazer dress likes to highlight your legs along with belting, shoes, and accessories. In terms of styling, the higher the belting, which raises the waistline, the better. Secondly, try to keep your shoes just above the knee if you’re wearing boots. There are some mid-thigh boots that go well with blazer dresses, but depending on your height, it may end up overlapping and appearing as though the thigh-high boot is actually your entire leg, which detracts from the overall look of the trend.
Wear It as A Jacket
If you prefer to style your blazer dress as a blazer or jacket instead of a dress, of course. The blazer dress is more form-fitting than an oversized blazer, making it a dress instead. In order to wear it as a long-line blazer or jacket, it can simply be unbuttoned. It’s very simple to convert your blazer into a dress or vice versa thanks to the blazer dress’s versatility.
Oversized
You can purchase the oversized blazer in a variety of stores. Find a long-line oversized blazer and wear it alone or with layers to create an oversized blazer outfit. To create your oversized blazer outfit if you can’t find an oversized blazer, find a jacket that looks similar to a blazer and style it like an oversized blazer dress.
What Blazer for Your Body Type
The blazer you feel most comfortable wearing is the best. White House Black Market blog suggests that an hourglass body type can get away with almost anything, while an inverted triangle body type should avoid shoulder pads, have defined shoulders, have a blazer with buttons, and have a fitted and tailored style.
Personally, I wouldn’t worry too much about the ideal structured fit, as elongated blazers have become more and more popular recently, and oversized is cool rather than tacky! To those who value structure, a few rules can be helpful.
If you intend to wear your blazer over a sweater, another consideration is that it needs to be a comfortable fit. Nobody wants their arms to be too tight, and you don’t want to look too bulky either!
Simply going one size up in the woman’s section might not always work when shopping oversized. A woman’s blazer is typically cut to have a more feminine and slender silhouette, so sizing up might just make it look bigger—not oversized on purpose. Instead, look for a purposefully oversized blazer or shop in the men’s section.
Where to Shop for the Blazer Dress
It’s much easier than you might think to shop for blazer dresses at any time of the year. I have a lot of blazers and blazer dresses in my wardrobe because I was able to visit any of my favorite affordable fashion boutiques and find a variety of blazer dress styles. Dresses with blazers come in a variety of sleeve lengths and are readily available in all sizes, from petite to plus size. Furthermore, since oversized blazers are currently very fashionable, it will be simple for you to find one if you want to put together your own oversized blazer outfit. So, whether you’re looking for a dress to wear to a party or you need one for a wedding, here are some shops I suggest visiting to find the blazer dress to add to your closet.
