Women's Blazers
cocktail dress. A fashionable blazer can take the place of a sweater on a cool night. Ever the versatile wardrobe item, a wise woman will add one or two of these to her closet. Check out the assorted styles and find something that works for you.
How to Fit
* Make sure the jacket buttons, even when you move your arms.
* Throw your arms out and check the sleeves again. Too short? Try another jacket and read up on petite resources for clothes at our
Petite Clothing Shopping Guide
* Taller women may have trouble here, and, unfortunately, larger sizes don't mean longer arms. Check out the guide to
Tall Women's Sizes for help finding retailers for tall gals.
* Slimmer women should go with a single button style, while curvier women look more put together with two.
* Want to look leaner? Get a body skimming blazer that hits the bottom of your hip.
* Wide lapels emphasize the bust.
* A lapel-free jacket will keep you looking slim and trendy.
* A duster-length blazer will lengthen any torso.
* Tailors can alter sleeve length but taking in shoulders is a tricky alteration.
Trend Notes
* Cropped blazers are everywhere. Pair them with a longer shirt underneath for an exciting contrast and and a longer-looking torso.
* With the re-emergence of more romantic styles, unstructured blazers often have a hint of puffiness in the shoulders and arms. Women with bulky arms should skip the Victorian inspired blazers. Any women who can pull this off this look should make sure to keep the rest of her style slimmed down, so as not to overload the Victorian accents.
* Sashes are everywhere this season. Get a blazer with a bowminute design.
** Dress up an old style with a ribbon around your waist, covering the first button.
* The current unstructured styles make for a looser, more relaxed appearance while the more traditional, structured blazers are fancier, more dapper, and usually more professional looking.
* Pair a masculine jacket with more feminine accents, like a great necklace or a flirty top.
* A blazer can take you from day to night with a change of pants. Sober black pants during the day turn into skinny
jeans at night.
