Jae Tests the Trend: The Boyfriend Blazer

(My inspiration - TopShop)

If you're like me, you sit in your bubble bath nightly with a glass of lemon water and peruse through your fashion magazines. Oh, what's that? You're not like me and don't do that ever? Well, you should try it. It's great.

While I look through my mags, which are in order of faves Glamour, Elle, Redbook, Jane, InStyle and occasionally Cosmo when my stomach isn't turning over their gross articles, (But never Vogue; the advertisements molest my eyes.) I see trends and think "Hey, I like that! I wonder if I could pull it off." Pulling it off is a delicate balance of confidence, body type and personal style, and so more often than not I will go shopping with the notion of a trend I want to try, to see if I actually can pull it off.

Last Friday, after looking at pictures of the new "boyfriend" style blazer; one that is longer, more oversized, tailored and casual than your usual blazer, I decided to go shopping for one. I brought along the Blackberry so I could snap pictures of the good, the bad and the ugly of my trying on clothes. (Can I point out that it makes a snapping noise when I take a picture, and I couldn't figure out how to turn it off, so EVERYONE in the dressing room could hear me? So embarrassing. They probably thought I was taking nakey pics to send to my skeezy teenage boyfriend)

This is me, providing a valuable service to you. I learned what works on a boyfriend blazer, and what so, so does not. And you get to see pictures of me looking bad in a blazer in the dressing room at Nordstrom. YOU'RE WELCOME.


This was the first one I tried on. While I didn't MIND it, I didn't love it. The first problem was that it didn't have a button, which left it hanging open all of the time and meant no locking and loading effect for a better body shape. The other thing I wasn't so sure about was the ruched sleeves. They were meant to be pushed up to the elbows but I have raptor-like arms and they just ended up looking too short. I did love the color and the fabric was awesome and very mensweary. I was very undecided - hence the "undecided" face.



The second was so, so very bad. The first thing I realized is that boyfriend blazers are cut VERY generously. While they are supposed to be more loose, I was positively swimming in this one, and it was a small. The next thing I learned was that too long is bad when when you are only 5'4". I look like I'm wearing my daddy's jacket. The last thing I learned, as references by the picture, is that rolled up sleeves make me look like Jerry Seinfeld. "What's up with BLAZERS?" Very sad.



Finally! I found a good fit. What works about this blazer over the other two? Mostly the length. It stops at the hip, so it's not cutting my body in half unnaturally across my thighs. The sleeves are a much better fit, even for someone as short armed as me. AND it featured a button, which tightens up the midsection and makes me happy. If you must know, I bought this one and left the other two hanging out in the dressing room. THUMBS UP!

PS if you're wondering why you can't see my legs in the pics, it's because I was wearing my Fryes and they totally don't go with boyfriend blazers. There's another tip for you.

So, what I learned about my experience and what you can take away from this is:
1) Watch your length. A long boyfriend blazer is great on a leggy model, not so great on a vertically challenged mother of two.
2) Make sure the sleeves fit properly. If you love the blazer anyhow and still want it, you can have them tailored to fit better.
3) Wear flats when trying on blazers. Dirty boots look out of place.

One last lesson though is to not be afraid to try on several different styles of the same trend. If I had only tried on the first blazer, I would have left empty handed (HEAVEN FORBID). That is what dressing rooms are for, ladies. You might look like Seinfeld in one outfit, but get over it, move on and don't be discouraged. Because now my perseverance in the dressing room has paid off and I have a hot new blazer.

If there's another trend you want me to test out, drop me an e-mail. I HAVE NO SHAME!