Best blazers for women - where to shop?
A blazer with a classic fitted style can be an investment piece that will be a much-loved go-to for many years. The best blazer brands for women looking for beautifully cut tailoring in premium fabrics are Reiss, MaxMara and Whistles.
If you’re on a mid-sized budget, try high street stores such as Mint Velvet, M&S and White Stuff. Department stores such as John Lewis and House of Fraser are excellent places to try on lots of blazer brands in one place too. However, don’t discount online shopping as it’s possible to find some gorgeous fashion-led pieces at affordable prices.
You can also head to Amazon and check out Roman Originals for classic shapes, House of Cavani for a country look and Joe Browns for bold colours and patterns. To ensure the perfect fit, check the measurements listed before you order rather than going with your standard dress size.
Best women’s blazers to suit your shape
There are many different styles of blazers available now. What used to simply be ‘the top half of a work suit’ can now be a cocktail dress or a casual jacket with insouciant rolled-up sleeves. However, whatever the occasion, outfit or aesthetic, one rule is still valid,: to look good your blazer needs to fit you perfectly. Here are the different shapes to consider:
Fitted: A fitted blazer can look smart or sexy, depending on the design. It should fit comfortably across your shoulders without restriction, the fabric should curve at your waistline, and the sleeve hem should sit at your wrist.
Oversized: An oversized or boyfriend blazer has a more relaxed fit with broader shoulders, less of a curve at the waist, slightly longer sleeves and wide lapels.
Longline: Longline blazers sit much further down the body, usually below the hips. They can be structured, like a tuxedo jacket or loose fitting. Linen is an excellent fabric for this style of blazer.
If you buy a gorgeous blazer that isn’t right, you could also take it to a tailor or dressmaker for a customised fit.
How to look after your blazer
A blazer can be an investment piece worn with pride for decades. Here are some tips on how to look after your new blazer and ensure its longevity.:
Use a high-quality wooden coat hanger that fits into the shoulders of your jacket without stretching them. Throw out wire hangers; they can ruin clothes.
Don’t hang your blazer on the back of a chair, as it can stretch and leave ugly marks on the fabric of the back and shoulders. Take a wooden hanger to work to avoid the need for this.
If your blazer is only worn occasionally, store it in a garment bag to protect it from dust, moisture and moths.
Gently brush your blazer after every use, removing dirt, dust and skin flakes.
Use a lint roller on the fabric parts that will be subjected to friction, such as under the arms and on the shoulder where your handbag sits.
If your blazer becomes wrinkled and creased, or needs freshening up, use a clothes steamer to iron them out. Start with a gentle setting to test the resilience of the fabric. Never iron a blazer.
Dry cleaning can be damaging as it uses chemicals to lift dirt and stains. Even if you wear your blazer every day, only dry clean it a couple of times a year.
How we selected the best blazers for women
Recommendations from real Mumsnet users
A comfortable and stylish blazer is a wardrobe staple for many of the busy members of the Mumsnet community. So we weighed the blazers and brands they have worn, loved and wholeheartedly recommended. Their experiences, including sizing advice and styling, have informed our choices of the blazers you should invest in.
Expert opinions
Blazers need to be easy to wear and long-lasting, and they can be expensive, so we wanted to be confident that the designs we picked would perform well. To do this, we’ve investigated the opinions of fashion journalists and stylists we trust the most.
Authentic customer reviews
We then evaluated bestseller lists and investigated authentic reviews from various retailer sites to see which styles were best rated. Lastly, we weighed up the pros and cons of each choice to determine which were best suited to multiple outfits and occasions.
Why you should trust us
Mumsnet has been helping parents make their lives easier since 2000 and, in that time, we've investigated, tried and reviewed thousands of products.
As a fan of stylish yet comfortable clothing she can wear throughout the year, our writer Gemma values a blazer that is well cut and practical. So, she was determined to provide honest and independent advice on the best blazers to make you feel confident and happy at work and play.