3 Ways to Style a Blazer for Spring

Happy day, dear reader!

Wow! I can’t believe it’s already May! When our youngest was born, my husband’s parents came out to meet wee one (Now married and expecting a wee one of his own.). We were still wrestling with the baby-party-at-all-hours phase of parenting and trying to prevent the other two boys from killing themselves, as small boys are wont to do. My mother-in-law looked at me in the living room of our little rented townhome and spoke words I was completely unable to comprehend at the time, but knew in my heart were true. “The days drag, but the years fly by.” And have they.

It must just be getting older, but those years fly more rapidly with each that passes. It’s freaking May, peeps. When did that happen? What does this have to do with style? Well I could wax poetic (Ha!) about fads, trends, and fashion cycles, but no. The style muse took me to that place of how to get more wear out of our wardrobes across seasons. Blazers are often thought of as more of a winter piece, especially here in the south, but I like to style them year round. So, here we go!

This season we are seeing blazers with shorts, and blazers with really feminine midi-dresses and heels. I love this last look, but don’t find it particularly friendly to my height or lifestyle. But I am keeping my eyes open when I hit the consignment and thrift stores for a nice midi with which to play with that look. We are used to seeing blazers for work, but let’s get them out to play!

Blazer + Shorts (1 Colored!)

Here, I am pairing my grey blazer (neutral) with pink shorts. If I had a colored blazer, I might choose neutral shorts. Why? Because my Color Contrast is N+1. If my Color Contrast were higher, I’d wear colored shorts with a colored blazer! Read more about color contrast and how to figure yours out, here.

Since this is paired with shorts, to relax the blazer, I would definitely push up or roll the sleeves!

Blazer + Tee + Jeans

This combo is a totally classic look, that can be shifted to suit (See what I did there!) Choose any tee you like, any jeans that make you happy, and toss on a blazer and (again) push up the sleeves. If you like a more crisp and structured look, leave down the sleeves, make sure to tuck in the tee, and wear a leather belt. Pair it with loafers or ballet flats, and small earrings… Maybe pearl studs, if that’s your thing!

I’m keeping mine softer and more relaxed with the tee out, a drapey silk scarf, fisherman sandals that play off the striped in the tee, and HUGE hoops.

Blazer + Blouse + Shorts (Knee Length)

If your workplace is casual, or you like your shorts to look more polished, pair them with a blouse rather than a tee, and top it with that blazer. The very neutral and high contrast first look reads as professional. Even though shorts say relaxed, this pair’s trouser like structure and dark color give them a more serious look. The second look’s pink blouse and daintier details create a softer vibe that says more approachable yet still polished and ready to go.

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Who wears shorts to work? Some school districts allow shorts during the hottest months of the year. Retail, interior designers, hairdressers, photographers, and others in creative fields can be found in shorts. On the casual side of the shorts spectrum are those working in sporting professions and other outdoor activities, but they aren’t likely to be grabbing a blazer, are they?

Bonus: Blazer + Tee + Full Skirt + Pumps

If I had this skirt in my closet, you can bet I’d put it in an outfit with my grey blazer! I love this skirt and would wear it with a white tee and my grey blazer above, or with a denim shirt, blazer and pumps.

How about you? Are blazers only for work? Or are shorts only to be worn with sandals? Many of us have internalized a lot of fashion or style “rules” that really aren’t rules at all! It took me ages to adjust to the look of jeans or pants with sandals. (I’m still trying to figure out where that issue came from!) It’s worth taking a look at the rules we dress by to see if they are still serving us, or is it time to shift into another way of thinking! What style rules are you living by? (An easy way to figure them out is to ask yourself what you think looks funny… Or how you would finish: I would never…) Do share; I love to hear from you!

Stylishly yours,