Item of the week: the oversized blazer

What it is:

The blazer is a garment with a number of differing origin stories, however the term itself was said to have been coined by a Cambridge university rowing club back in the early 1800s. Over its lifetime, the blazer has remained as a wardrobe staple for both men and women, often appealing to the latter as a sign of both femininity and power. While it has also gone through periods of becoming simply a generic piece of office wear, the oversized blazer specifically is currently having a resurgence in popularity due to the rise in vintage shopping and alternative tailoring. The fit is often of a softer silhouette and provides a more casual take on the workwear item, making it suitable for occasions both in and out of an office environment.

Why you’ll want it:

While the current reincarnation of the oversized blazer is often credited with the rise in thrifting, a regular complaint from shoppers is that it can be tricky to find a preloved oversized blazer that is the perfect fit. Brands have taken this feedback on board, offering up blazers that take into account both the trend and the silhouette shoppers are looking for. Additionally, many oversized blazer options provide customers with the perfect transeasonal garment, allowing them the option of both a summer evening jacket and an added winter layer. The blazer also fits in with the ongoing trend that has seen workwear become increasingly casual, an offset of working from home restrictions from over the past two year.

Where we’ve seen it:

The oversized blazer was spotted on multiple runways for the AW22 season, including Louis Vuitton and Acne Studios that each presented deconstructed versions of the silhouette, giving it a whole new look and feel through twisted proportions and abstract fastenings. Burberry, Prada and Michael Kors, on the other hand, offered up more clean-cut iterations, each showing styles with prominent shoulders and paired with matching bottoms or similar coloured garments layered underneath. Naturally, Balenciaga took oversized to all new lengths in its snowstorm presentation, during which it displayed knee-skimming blazers, with dramatic proportions and elongated sleeves. A similar look was adopted by Lemaire, evident in the brand’s gender-bending blazers with rounded silhouettes.

How to style it:

There are a multitude of ways to sport the oversized blazer, many of which involve layering and experimenting with this versatile garment. For cold days, the blazer can be worn under thick, long-line coats as an added boost of warmth. Under the blazer, pair the look with a cropped t-shirt for casualwear or layer it up with a sweater vest and loose-fit shirt. An oversized blazer can also be worn with both skirts and trousers, either in a co-ord set or mix-and-match. Alternate materials like faux leather can help bring a bit of an edge to the style or take it one step further with contrasting prints if you are looking for something a little more daring.

The oversized blazer is a genderless, seasonless piece that holds significance for a wide customer group and presents a lot of styling opportunities for both fashion-savvy and safe shoppers. Its resurgence falls in line with current lifestyle trends as it continues to storm runways worldwide.