Trail Blazer

I have a new co-worker who wears a blazer to work every day. I have long since given up on such formalities, but her attire inspired a little fashion challenge. I decided to see if I could wear a blazer every day for a week. Without looking like Hillary Clinton from the 1990s. Here's how it went.

Day 1: Compare and Contrast

I decided to start my little experiment off with a bang and do some pattern mixing.

First came a light, colorful floral blouse.

Then a summer stand-by, the seer-sucker blazer.

With all that excitement on top, I went a little more conservative on the bottom with a simple navy pencil skirt.

Finish it off with a colorful pair of flats and voila!

Get the look: floral blouse or floral blouse/seersucker blazer/navy blue skirt/yellow flats

Day 2: The Finishing Touch

Blazers are really easy to add to otherwise stand-alone outfits. It's a super simple way to have dress up/dress down options all in the same ensemble.

Por ejemplo.

Start with a favorite dress. A nice detail to spice things up is preferable.

Add a subtly patterned blazer, with some nice details of its own.

And you're done! Throw the blazer on for a meeting, and shed it for a lunch-time walk. Perfection. If you're feeling really bold, add a statement necklace or a hairpiece.

Get the look: teal cap sleeve dress/blazer/hair piece

Day 3: The Classic Neutral

I started out with a pretty simple color palette, but there was a wide variety of textures at play.

So I went with a dark neutral to pull everything together. The detailing on this blazer added the final dimension of texture, but wasn't too overpowering or distracting.

Get the look: blouse/skirt/black blazer

Day 4: Solids

I built this ensemble from the bottom up.

I started with a really colorful, patterned skirt.

Sort of the opposite of Day 1, with all that business on the bottom, I went for solids on the top. Both the coral and the charcoal are in the skirt, so it pulls together nicely. The detailing at the neck of the shirt adds a little flair and keeps the top from getting too boring.

Get the look: shirt/floral skirt/gray blazer


Day 5: The Right Stripes

This was another dress/blazer combo, which I really think is a great way to go.

First, a little black dress with some dainty detailing.

Then, a coordinating but distinct striped blazer.

And, for a little extra punch, I added some leopard print flats. Because is there ever such a thing as too much pattern? Well, probably yes. But, in this case, no!

Get the look: black tuxedo dress/striped blazer/leopard flats or leopard pumps

I am totally out of blazers, but I would say the week was a success. And, of course, each of these blazers could be transformed once again as part of a non-office, more casual chic outfit. Perhaps that should be my next fashion challenge?

What do you think of the blazer? And what is your favorite way to wear it?