When I should have to pick one must-have item out of my wardrobe, I would choose a oversized blazer. Blazers can be incorporated into every style: elegant, casual, sporty, etc.
When it comes to creating a sustainable wardrobe, that is to say, buying timeless pieces instead of trendy ones it is important to choose certain neutral blazers. Once this is done, you can start adding more blazers to your closet, blazers that are representative of your personality and unique style.
A sustainable wardrobe, full of pieces of clothing that will stay with you for a very long time, is possible. You just need to draw up a plan considering your personal style, your necessities, and, sometimes, the weather of the place you are living in.
This brief guide goes from the most basic, timeless and necessary blazers to the trendier ones, which represent some aspects of my personality that maybe you do not share. I highly recommend that you start your sustainable wardrobe by acquiring these blazers in order—do not skip items in this list, if you really want to make sure that you have all the essentials. This way, you will make sure that your money is well invested, and that you will have items that will come in handy for creating casual outfits easily.
Check this out: Herbstlookbook 2022
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1. The oversized black blazer.
Nobody deserves to live without a black blazer, they are indeed the cornerstone of the sustainable wardrobe. Not only can they be incorporated into a wide variety of outfits: but they will also elevate them. A basic t-shirt, your favourite pair of jeans, and some trainers: this combination may seem basic, but it will be instantly cooler and more fashionable just by adding a black blazer. The important part is the fitting: it must be a little bit oversized, but not excessively. You must fit comfortably in it. It would be wise to consider the weather in your country, as you might need a larger size if you normally wear thick sweaters under your jackets. This is the perfect item for layering, so you should not worry about the fabric being too light for colder days.
2. The neutral/beige blazer.
Of course, white blazers are also part of an essential wardrobe, but I can assure you that you will be using a beige blazer much more frequently. It can be worn both with light and dark colours, which makes it very easy to combine. As beige is a subtone of brown, and we will be incorporating a brown blazer as well, it may be a good time to play with different fabrics and textures. In my case, I prefer having a beige blazer in a regular fabric, and a brown/camel blazer in a thicker one, but it is perfectly fine if you decide to do it the other way around. If I had to choose just one of these two, I would go for the beige blazer, but that entirely depends on your personal style.
This garment is perfect for both formal/informal contexts: wear it with a classic shirt (white, black, striped, etc.), some tailored trousers, and loafers or kitten heels, and you will have an office look; wear it with a t-shirt, jeans, and trainers, and there you have a casual everyday look.
3. The grey blazer.
Grey blazers are the first thing that comes to mind when we are trying to pull off an office look—this garment gives their owners an unmistakable air of reliability and professionalism. What about a grey speckled blazer? I personally do not want the speckled part to be too obvious—but grey fabric speckled with withe looks very classy and office-like. I do not really recommend buying the grey suit as a whole, as its trousers are normally too tight, and I prefer a loose fit. However, I love creating my own co-ords: that is why I suggest keeping the speckle to the minimum—it makes it easier for you to find a pair of matching trousers. A grey blazer is also a great option for casual outfits—throw it over a white tee and faux leather pants, add some nineties trainers and a bright-coloured bag, and watch the magic happen.
4. The dark green blazer.
Now that we have the three main basic blazers in our wardrobe, it is time to incorporate some colour. Maybe you love pastel colours or brighter ones: this is your chance to add them to your wardrobe—you should always focus on what you like. As you can see in the pictures below, this is a sober and elegant piece of clothing that can be worn over a neutral outfit to offer some moderated contrast: it looks simple and tasteful. It is this high on the list because I think that the fourth place should be occupied by a blazer in a colour that is not as neutral and simple as black, beige, or grey. This must be a colour that suits you—your skin and hair tone should look really good when wearing it. I do not recommend investing in matching trousers for this fourth blazer, at least not before you have this kind of item in black, beige, white, brown, or grey.
5. The tattersall check blazer.
It is time to incorporate some patterns into our collection of blazers. I have listed these patterns according to my personal liking, and you should do the same. You might prefer houndstooth or gingham rather than tattersall, so go for these kinds of patterns then. If you are considering adding one of these to your wardrobe, you should take the weather into account. If you are used to cold weather, you could either buy this blazer in a light fabric and use it as part of your layering, or a thicker one, and use it as some kind of transitional “coat”. Regarding the colour, I would keep them sober, but excluding grey and black, as you will be acquiring a houndstooth blazer soon. Therefore, take this opportunity to add some colour: brown, burgundy, rusty orange, dark green, etc. —basically, everything that reminds you of the best season of the year: autumn. And do not forget to pair this blazer with turtlenecks, monochrome shirts, tailored trousers, boots, loafers, or ballet flats—your best dark academia looks are fully granted from now on.
6. The houndstooth blazer.
Your monochrome looks are about to be elevated—it is time to add the classiest pattern to your wardrobe: houndstooth. The houndstooth blazer is one of the most chic, timeless garments you will ever wear. It never goes out of trend, and it instantly adds glamour to your basic outfit. It is absolutely necessary to buy this item in its purest version, which is the black and white houndstooth. This way, you can make appropriate use of your bright-coloured bags: green, orange, yellow, etc. It also pairs nicely with fall tones such as burgundy or purple. Another great idea is to keep your bag black or white, adding a pop of colour to your knitted sweater—monochrome, of course. When it comes to choosing a houndstooth blazer, you can play with textures and fabrics: why not purchase one in tweed, or in a thicker fabric? After all, this is a wintry pattern—you will not be wearing it all year long.
7. The white blazer.
Before adding more colours and prints, it is necessary to complete our spectrum of neutrals. Although we commonly associate white blazers with summer—and romantic trips to Italy, this item is a great option for your fall/transitional outfits: you just have to pair it with knitwear, boots, and/or fedoras. In fact, it offers you the possibility of making your winter outfits instantly cooler and elegant. However, when it comes to creating this kind of outfits, I have to admit that it presents a higher level of difficulty, if compared with the previous blazers on the list, you will learn, though. Besides, you will not have to put it away in summer: I assure you that you will wear it all year round. I highly recommend buying the usual two-piece set of white blazer and palazzo trousers: it is a must-have for summer, but that does not mean that you can not wear them in autumn as well.
8. The brown/camel blazer.
If, by this point, you think that this place of your wardrobe—that is to say, the part that encompasses brownish shades—is already occupied by your beige and tattersall blazer combined, just skip this item. However, if you can afford it, I suggest that you incorporate a brown or camel blazer into your wardrobe. When it comes to creating fall and winter outfits, these shades are key. If you skipped the beige blazer because it was not your cup of tea, do not skip this one—it will be one of the cornerstones of your wardrobe. Both the beige and the brown blazer can be styled in similar ways: just throw them over one of your basic outfits, and it will instantly elevate it. As I do have a beige blazer, I am skipping the camel one—but its darker brown version will be mine someday, for sure. It is really chic, and it makes your outfits look more vintage and retro, which is a style that I personally love.
9. The black faux leather blazer.
Leather has always been associated with rock n’ roll—then, it is not difficult to explain why I love it so much. (Please note that every time that I make allusions to leather, I am actually referring to “faux leather”, as I strongly disagree with killing animals to obtain anything). Once you have covered the main colours and some of the most popular prints (regarding your blazers), it is time to play with a completely different texture. The black leather blazer became a trend again some years ago when we were used to finding leather in items that were less informal than a blazer, such as a biker, for example. Now, the edginess that is so typical of leather garments is combined with the classier, more elegant fit of the blazer: its outcome is still edgy, but with a twist. I love to pair my black leather blazer with ripped jeans, simple t-shirts, combat boots or trainers, and a lot of jewellery that states that I am not that lazy. I simply adore wearing simple, casual outfits, while having polished makeup on, and properly styled hair. In these cases, a black leather blazer, instead of the typical black leather jacket, makes you look like a complete fashionista.
10. The faux leather blazer in camel.
I know, I know, there is a lot of brown in this list—you are kindly invited to skip this one if you want, though. But, if you are still here, let me explain my reasons for adding this one to the list: it is simply one of the coolest garments we will ever wear. The only reason that this blazer is on the tenth position is that there are more basic pieces which offer more outfit possibilities (and that is exactly the main goal of the sustainable wardrobe). However, having a sustainable wardrobe does not just mean buying neutral, basic things—it also means having clothes that are representative of the personality of their owner. This garment is one of my favourite autumn pieces ever.
I hope that you find this article useful. My goal is to make it easier for you to organise your future sustainable wardrobe. It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to guide you through this journey of creating a closet that is representative of your unique style, and at the same time allows you to use your clothes to their fullest potential. Our final goal is to avoid money waste at all costs, as well as to make the most of the space that you have at home. This list has been oriented to my personal taste—but I hope it serves you as well. Thank you for reading me!
