The Essential Blazer of a Colourful Wardrobe

Back in the day when I watched What Not to Wear and heard Stacy and Clinton rave about blazers, I was skeptical.  I was also a student in one way or another and wasn’t getting $5000 of free clothes, so I never even bothered trying a blazer until I graduated OT school and got my Interview Suit in 2002.  That remained my only blazer until I started thrifting ten years later and discovered that most blazers are in perfect condition and cost about as much as a latte.  Ever since then, I’ve been collecting blazers!

Neutral blazers are a no-brainer for both a casual wardrobe and easy work style, and don’t bother trying to tell me you can’t wear one to work (unless you, er, wear a uniform) because “it will get dirty or ruined.”  I work in PRESCHOOL with nose-picking paint-loving wonderfully schmeary children – if I can work a blazer, I bet you can too.  Sure, if you paid $200, you might be a bit more cautious, but thrifting prices make blazers accessible fashion for the everyday woman.  Hence this week’s Tuesday Try AND week-long challenge: Bright Blazer Week!  Yesterday, I rocked that heavy orange wool blazer…

But for the Tuesday Try, I endeavoured to select *the* essential blazer, the one you should never pass up in the thrift store, the one that will work in every season with every colour…

I scored this unstructured blazer at Goodwill in Montana for $2 (and that was back when the Canadian dollar was on par).  Why coral?  Why not red or cobalt?  Aren’t they “essential?”  Well, sure, but they’re also a bit more obvious and common, and they run the risk of trying to look like a suit if worn with the essential pants!  If I had to choose just one, I’d choose coral.   

There’s something special about coral.  It’s bright but warm… it’s not pink, not orange, not red but the perfect melange that takes up almost half the colour wheel which is why it works with so many other colours.  Green is not the obvious choice but like I warned on Instagram, I’m feeling contrasty!  And I’m feeling inspired by my colour muse, Elisa Nalin.

I absolutely LOVE how Elisa (we’re on a first-name basis) mixes colours and textures and details.  Just scrolling through Elisa pins sparks joy!  All the colour!!  Her style exudes happiness!  You can’t help but be inspired.

You know you’ve stumbled on the right colourful pieces when wearing them begets wearing them…

I might wear this coral blazer again tomorrow; I might not.  You’ll have to tune into Instagram to find out and follow along with the rest of Bright Blazer Week!