The Blazer- An Absolute Essential

Padded shoulders and stuffy staples worn strictly to the office, may be your definition of "blazer." Well, those days are history! These structured jackets are now a fashion-approved essential for pretty much every occasion. While the traditional black blazer may be hanging in your closet and labeled: funeral attire only, rip that label off immediately!! What your wardrobe is missing, is a selection of game-changing and outfit-transforming blazers that you will actually want to wear!

Chic and versatile, a blazer can be dressed up for work and paired with pants, a skirt, or over a dress and simultaneously be dressed down with jeans, for a chic and polished weekend style. I am a firm believer in incorporating color and brighter hues into your wardrobe. A pop of color leaves an everlasting impression. Throw caution to the wind and choose a jacket that has a bright color, print or embellished design over traditional black. Dare to be different and style your tailored jackets with chokers, long chains, and scarves too! Your blazer will tie any look together effortlessly.

A poorly fitted blazer, however, will just have you looking bulky and larger so be sure to choose the perfect one for your personal shape.

Straight Shape: This pretty much means that your bust, waist and hips are proportional and in line. Luckily, most styles will suit you well. The key to finding the perfect blazer is to find ones that cinch in at the waist to create and hourglass figure.

Pear Shape: If you are pear shaped, this means that your hips are wider than your upper body so avoid longer styles that fall to your hips. These will create a larger illusion and make your hips look even wider. Opt for blazers that are cropped and fall just above your hips. An embellished collar or statement necklace is also an option because it will draw attention upward and give you a longer and leaner neckline and balance out your shape.

* If you have wider shoulders, finding the perfect blazer, may be more of a challenge. Avoid ones with shoulder pads because this feature will only accentuate your upper half. Blazers that are less structured and a bit longer will give your body a more feminine appearance.

Apple Shape: Those that are apple shape, tend to be wider and rounder in the midsection and hence should opt for longer and sleeker styles that fall below the hips. This will do a good job of evening out your torso. Avoid anything bulky because this will only enhance your waistline. Don't wear tight-fitting tops under your blazer but rather favor tops that have some draping or ruching. These work best at concealing those problem areas.

"The Joy of Dressing is an Art. " - John Galliano

*Below are some of my favorite blazers and lightweight jackets in different colors, lengths and styles. I paired all of mine with skinny jeans, a slouchy white top and pumps but they could easily be worn over dresses or with pants too! I will post all outfit details separately:)