How To Pull Off The Oversized Blazer Trend All Year Round
We're only a little more than two decades into a new century, but we'd argue the blazer is the clothing item that defines this time. From the 1890s through the 1980s, the blazer was a wardrobe staple that identified the wearer as professional and modern, with the jacket quickly becoming a part of everyday wear (via Vogue Australia). But, like so many other fashion trends, the blazer evolved into something cooler, more casual, sexier, and yet somehow still sophisticated over time.
Blazers have been seen warming the shoulders of many style icons throughout history. Princess Diana, for instance, was often seen sporting structured blazers — a trend Diana started that we're thrilled is continuing. Dana Mortada, the founder of Dāl the Label, informed Harper's Bazaar that today's evolution of the blazer is inspired by 1980s style — oversized and boxy — but with a more flattering silhouette, made for mixing with casual and formalwear alike.
For 2023, designers have pulled influences from everything from goth to grunge, creating a color palette for the coming year that while softer than in previous seasons, still offers a broad spectrum to choose from (via Vogue France). Pastel blues, golds, and browns are all featured heavily in many designers' Spring/Summer 2023 collections — a notable shift away from the volume of Barbiecore pink, but no less vivid and inspiring. Whether you're heading back into the office or going out on a date, you can easily style the oversized blazer for any occasion in any season.
Wear your oversized blazer over these spring 2023 wardrobe staples
In case you missed it, the airy fashion aesthetic is in, and with it, fresh outfit inspiration for how to style oversized blazers. During Fashion Week 2022, across multiple countries, Vogue saw designers using blazers in romantic-inspired outfits, in particular, by layering the jacket over slip dresses or pairing blazers with skirts.
In their Spring/Summer 2023 fashion shows, Maire Claire reports that Bottega Venta and Christian Dior both heavily featured ruffles, florals, and other feminine details that can add playful contrasts to the androgyny of an oversized blazer. Meanwhile, Cosmopolitan noted two major trends that are incoming for spring: Sheer layers and lots of shine — two things that pair perfectly with an oversized blazer.
To style yours for spring, we'd recommend grabbing something like Madewell's Brushed Oversized Dorset Blazer, which can just as easily be worn with jeans and a t-shirt as it can be thrown over a dress. Personally, we're fans of the By Anthropologie Floral Maxi Dress. But, if florals are a little too on-the-nose for your spring fashion tastes, try an oversized blazer over the About It Black Mesh Long Sleeve Bodysuit and Core Black Vegan Leather Mini Skirt from Lulus.
Your oversized blazer will be your go-to layering piece for summer 2023
While throwing on an oversized blazer to fight frigid office temperatures is an easy summer fashion choice, designers showcased looks meant for the resort as much as for the workplace. If you think blazers and the beach don't go together, Chanel would beg to differ; their classic boxy blazer in tropical hues is a staple of the label's 2023 resort collection, per Vogue Runway, giving us major Princess Diana vibes.
Fans of bright, bold colors can play with more of the vibrant trending palettes Vogue France spotted during Fashion Week 2023. Balengica, Fendi, and Bottega Veneta all heavily featured fluorescent hues in their Spring/Summer 2023 collections — a trend ASOS mimicked with their Oversize Longline Blazer, which is available from Nordstrom. Meanwhile, Etro, Ferragmo, and Courreges were just a few labels that leaned on dramatic sunset colors (think: red, gold, and orange) for their designs.
If softer colors are more your style, we recommend pairing an oversized pastel blazer with a sheer white, tight top layer — or even forego the base layer altogether since skin is in. We're personally drooling over the idea of wearing the Oversize Blazer by Open Edit with the Level of Love Ivory Lace Long Sleeve Two-Piece Jumpsuit from Lulus. Or, you could opt to make your base layer the pop of color for your whole outfit, throwing a black or neutral-colored blazer on as a finishing touch over Free People's Ellie Mesh Long Sleeve top.
The oversized blazer will be an essential part of fall fashion
We can't blame you if autumn is your favorite season to break out your oversized blazer. Between classes starting and the ushering in of colder weather, nothing walks the line between cozy and sophisticated quite like an oversized blazer. According to Elle, loose-fitting boyfriend blazers and other staples of the Gen-Z light academia aesthetic were the core of New York Fashion Week's street style this year.
To bring an edge to your autumn wardrobe, try wearing a leather blazer over a dress or with a chunky knit and jeans. We're huge fans of BLANKNYC's Oversize One-Button Faux Leather Blazer and BB Dakota by Steve Madden's Rock Star Faux Leather Boyfriend Blazer, both available through Nordstrom. Tweed oversized blazers are another great autumn fashion staple that's easy to copy.
According to L'Officiel, tweed micro-skirts and dresses in airy, pastel colors are having a moment and pair easily with oversized blazers in different fabrics. We love the look of SHEIN's SXY Plaid Asymmetrical Tweed Skirt with the Veluro Oversized Velvet Blazer in Cabin Red from Banana Republic. For more of a student-rather-than-secret-society vibe, try J. Crew's Cecile relaxed sweater-blazer.
Try these easy ways to wear an oversized blazer during winter
Just because the weather is cold doesn't mean your layers can't be cozy and chic, which is why the oversized blazer is one of our favorite pieces to wear in wintertime. For 2023, Vogue points to the reinvention of the double-breasted blazer in padded jackets, the puffer coat's not-as-voluptuous cousin. But blazers aren't just outerwear in winter.
Forego a cardigan in exchange for a blazer over second-skin and slip dresses, like Free People's That Girl Sequin Slip dress with Express's Satin One Button Notch Lapel Blazer in Sandshell or Plum. According to Vogue, long sleeve midi dresses and turtlenecks are other standout fashion trends that will be getting the metallic treatment for winter, both of which are easily paired with a blazer. Where sheer layers dominated spring and summer, lush fabrics like velvet and corduroy will be your go-to for the colder months.
As with the other seasons, going bare is a great, bold option under a buttoned-up blazer, especially when it's velvet, like Banana Republic's Veluro Oversized Velvet Blazer, which we also mentioned above. Velvet turtlenecks can also add a subtle sheen under an oversized wool blazer. We recommend pairing something like SHEIN's EZwear High Neck Solid Velvet Tee with Everlane's The Oversized Blazer in Glen Plaid to capture this look.