The weather has been crazy here in New York. It’s freezing one day, then women are hopping around in their mini-skirts, attempting to stay cool in the heat the next day.
Well, if it gets cold out and you have to wear a jacket, might as well be damn stylish. How about a blazer?
Blazer Fit-ness
A blazer doesn’t have to look flashy but it should still look damn good on you, and to make sure of this, pay attention to the FIT.
If the jacket is drapes over your shoulders like a curtain, or your blazer looks more like a cape, then it’s obviously not the right size for you.
Not having the right fit can make a jacket look cheap and tacky. This is not an area where you can afford to be “ghetto” and wear bigger sizes.
Although sometimes I rather like big jackets because you can hide a girl in there.
But I digress.
Any blazer will look 10x better if it fits and hugs your body.
If you’re picking one up at the store, do NOT leave the store until someone measures you and absolutely makes SURE it’s a great fit.
Be meticulous about it and take advantage of their job is, after all, your bringing money into their store. At least leave with certainty that the blazer fits well enough for a tailor to tweak in the future if needed.
Tip: Cultivate a great relationship with a great tailor. He/She will eventually get to know your body and can make your clothes look PHENOMENAL. The faith you now have in your tailor will save you hundreds of dollars through your new opportunity to take inexpensive clothing and magically alter them into stylish masterpieces. Everyone will believe you spend a fortune on clothes because of how damn good you look.
Why It Peacocks
At any social gathering, the guy with the “upgraded” piece of clothing is always noticed over those wearing just shirts and pants alone.
At the least, you should be a step ahead. A blazer is one of those great items that give you that edge. If blazers aren’t for you, the key is to have a shirt that is way different that the rest. The least you can do is wear a vest, it stands out!
You COULD also go shirtless to get noticed, but don’t tell anyone you got that secret from me.
The blazer is a loaded fashion piece. It’s a “sportscoat.”It’s a renegade suit jacket. It’s a cultural symbol for intelligence and wealth. It’s suave, classy, formal. Now, take it out of context, add graphic tees, wear it casually with a hoodie or jeans. You will stand out from the other clubheads.
If you really want to stand out and have a refreshing look, try sporting a WHITE blazer. Over half of the people in an event wear dark colors to stay safe, and your absence of color will transform you into the angelic, life of the party that you are.
A good way to tell if someone is confident or not is their willingness to get NOTICED. It conveys that they are used to the attention - social proof.
If you’re going to stand out back it up with confidence, make sure you’re being social. You are bound to get all the other girls in the room staring, and they’ll see all the others girls staring too. You will be the Glorious Lord of the party.
My Wallet Is In Pain
Trust me when I tell you that a blazer is a good investment. Every man should have one in his closet. It commands women to look and compliment.
If a blazer costs you about a hundred bucks, would you pay a fee of twenty dollars every outing to make a clearly better first impression?
This is something you can wear for YEARS. Just keep it clean and store it safely. After five parties of looking like a stud and getting the entire venue’s attention, you’ve already reaped on your investments.
It’s tough to find quality blazers at a reasonable price, but here’s what krypos had to share with us on the Kinowear forums:
“I wanted a sick blazer for a while, but I only wanted it to screw around in, just casual wear, and I don’t come from money…… so I was always on the lookout for something decent, but cheap. heres how I did it:
I went into mens warehouse to get measured and see what size I was. they did this for me when I walked in and asked. They also had me try on about 5 different blazers. It was nice, I got to see what looked good, etc etc. and I had someone in the know telling me about it.
I didn’t buy anything there. instead, I went out bargain hunting. I have found Ross to be excellent for bargain hunting. about 2 weeks after i got measured at MW, I was in a Ross, and I found a Perry Ellis 3 button black blazer, my exact size. retail price: $120, Ross price: $35. I tried it on, it fit perfectly, and so I bought it.
I’ve done this with a few different types of things. I wear a lot of dress shirts, so I figured out what size I was, and then I went and bought a bunch of different ones for cheap at Ross. They usually have mid-level brand names there. depending on what you’re looking for.
I suggest everyone at least go check them out, its way cool. note* it does take some time and patience to do….. since its like…… bargain hunting. its different is all I’m saying.”
krypos, I respect you a lot for taking the initiative to go out and find great bargains, along with paying detail to your look. This is the attitude everyone should have!
Thanks for sharing with everyone krypos!
How Many Buttons Do I Close?
Unless it’s a 1-button suit, never, ever, button the bottom button. It’s just for decoration and it’s too low on your hip to button properly without making the jacket buckle and make it difficult to walk.
On a 2- button suit button on the top button. On a 3-button suit button the top 2 or the middle 1 (Resist all temptation to button just the top button or risk arrest by the fashion police)
On a 4-button suit button the top 3 or the middle 2.
6 or more buttons? Either leave the coat open or button all but the lower buttons placed where the coat begins to flair out near your hips.
If you button all the buttons you just look a little too buttoned-up. Most of you aren’t going to wear a jacket with 6 buttons just forget that and remember to NEVER button the bottom BUTTON!
When you sit down unbutton your buttons, so that your jacket hangs better. This is proper etiquette.
I think I said “buttons” a million times.
BUTTONS!
How to Rock It In a Full Outfit
Theory says try this:
“Rock a bold graphic tee, a tasteful charm necklace, some dark designer jeans, a white belt with a daring belt buckle, some sleek white shoes/sneakers, and grace it all with a sweet white blazer. see if that gets you some looks.
For the stylishly adventurous: Try pairing a nice hoodie with a blazer. Let the hood rest evenly on the collar, giving you a confident, unconventional, yet damn stylish look. Remember this rule: those who dare to gamble with clashing styles and pull it off come off as extremely fashion-savvy & attractive. However, those who miss, fail miserably and loudly. so tread carefully..
Collar In or Out?
Trust me when I say keep it in. Unless you have a time machine and the dial says 1975, shirt collars are meant to be kept in under the lapels of your jacket.
Here is a female opinion:
“Do not wear collars on polo (or any)shirts ‘up’ or out. It does not look cool, ever. It shouts, ‘look at me, I have extra time in my day to turn my collar straight up so I can feel cool.” It’s not the ’50’s and you are not the Fonz. (And doesn’t he look stupid in Happy Days now, what with his cameltoe or balltoe in those tight pants?)The guy beating your ass for your upturned collar,…he’s cool.”
Uhm…yeah.
Just keep it in, don’t be a fool.
Here are some kick-ass blazers if you really want to “peacock” and where you can get them:
Dragonfly Clothing Navy Blue Velvet Blazer
This blazer might look normal at first glance, but the satin lapels and the unique design in the back gives it those extra suave touches.
Tattoo Art Winged Skull with Crown Cotton Rocker Blazer
These are all great for the guys who sport the ‘rocker’ look, but what about the other guys?
You don’t have to get a blazer with a design on it, I put these up because they aren’t easy to find like your normal blazer.
These blazers definitely “peacock” and make you stand out. If you walked into a club or a party with one of these on it would definitely turn heads and gain admiration.
Most of these blazers don’t come in enough sizes, which is why sometimes shopping online is a pain.
Next time you are at the store go try some blazers on to see what styles look best on you. At least get yourself measured like our friend krypos.
If you’re short on cash, the GAP has some blazers that are in the eighty dollar range. My buddy Method somehow managed to coax the manager in to giving him the last one on the manikin for $40!
For low prices:
check these sites for low prices:
1. BizRate
2. NexTag
3. AOL Shopping
What other questions do you have about blazers? Comment on the forums.
Stay sharp,
Jae
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