The jacket’s blaze(r) of glory
Dressed up or down, a blazer will work whatever the occasion, says Charlie Gowans-eglinton
On a sunny, 17C day during Paris Fashion Week last month, at lunch with a group of other editors, I realised that four of the five of us had dressed in an unplanned uniform of jeans and blazers with a miscellany of smart flat shoes (crucial for walking between appointments) and blouses.
It’s a simple formula, but one that’s become something of a uniform for chic French women. Emmanuelle Alt, editor in chief of Vogue Paris, rarely strays from the blazer/jean/ sexy shoe combination, and she’s in good company: Inès de la Fressange, Caroline de Maigret and Isabelle Huppert are all blazer aficionados. But you needn’t stick to their blueprint.
Blazers look great with tailored trousers in a contrasting colour, over pleated skirts or chiffon dresses.
They have all the chuck-on-ability of a leather biker jacket, but with none of the niggling fear that you look a bit try-hard.
I own six or so blazers, three of which are navy. My favourite is a two-year-old double-breasted style from Frame, in lightweight wool.
Lisa Armstrong
compliments it every time I wear it, which is a lot, but she never clocks it as a re-wear, which is the magic of a really good blazer.
Of course, not every cut of blazer will suit every shape. The French circumvent this fact by wearing theirs open. That way, you need only worry that your blazer fits well in the shoulders, and stops at a flattering length – generally, your hip bone, or the top of your thigh if you plan to wear heels or have long legs. Sleeves can be shortened by local tailors, which will trick appraising eyes into thinking your blazer is made-to-measure.
If you plan to button your blazer, single-breasted styles should button at your natural waist. I find them hard to wear with much of a bust, though, as the lapels bow out around my chest. Try doing up only the top button of a doublebreasted blazer instead (avoid styles that only fasten on the bottom).
Navy is classic, and easy to wear for smart and casual occasions, unlike black, which only really works for the former. Grey wool, tweed and checks are also very versatile. Bright colours and prints will date faster, but make great occasionwear coverups for weddings or parties: Blazé Milano does the best around, if you’re tall, though admittedly with the price tags to match; and Zara has just about every colour under the sun in store at the moment, plus a rather fab black doublebreasted one with rhinestone buttons (£89.99, zara.com). At that lunch in Paris, the fifth editor and odd woman out was Marianne Jones, editor in chief of our own Stella magazine. She charged me with finding her the perfect blazer. I’ve done her two better: here are my top three. For summer A white blazer might need more frequent dry cleaning, but it will instantly freshen up your look as a crisp white shirt would. Frame’s update on my old faithful is this white cotton-mix blazer with a scalloped-edge collar (top, £604, frame-store.com): wear with navy tailored trousers, or over a pretty pastel skirt or floral dress for a wedding. For evening
Single-breasted styles can look particularly smart – think tuxedo. A satin lapel in the same shade is a great party update. Me+em’s satin back crepe jacket looks incredibly polished, and the drawstring waist makes for a flattering shape. It comes in three shades: emerald, navy and merlot, which are all less harsh than black, but the merlot is currently on sale (middle, £160, meandem.com) and still available in all sizes, which makes it my pick. Forever Navy is the best choice for longevity. For big budgets, try Joseph – I have two of their blazers, and despite repeat-wear, both look brand new. Otherwise, I can personally recommend Marks & Spencer, which offers classic cuts and colours alongside more “fun” options. This navy (bottom, £79, marksandspencer. com) is très chic, non?