Tuesday 5 July 2011

This month's feature: Business Wear, Part 1: The Black Blazer

It's amazing the difference a good quality suit makes. We've all noticed it. Even if a particular person's style is not to our taste a top quality, well fitting outfit gives off the immediate impression of success, competence and business know-how. This kind of stereotyping should, in a dream world, be considered a little inappropriate but rather than fight it us canny bargain hunters can use it to our advantage by avoiding the horrendous costs of expensive first hand business wear and buying second hand and vintage. 


Take a look at these jackets:


All three are standard, run of the mill, black blazers and show quite clearly that you wont even find a quite good quality one for under £65, or under a couple of £100 for the very best. Fortunately for us, the good quality blazer is a wardrobe staple for a whole lot of ladies and thus regularly finds it's way into local charity shops and onto ebay. Just today I purchased a perfectly fitting, practically unworn French Connection Blazer for a mere £4 from my local Marie Curie charity shop (see below).


[Jacket, French Connection, £4, charity shop, Broach £2, charity shop, Blouse, TopShop about 6 years ago, approx £30, Necklace £4 on sale, Eclectic Eccentricity, Belt £18 TopShop, Lace Covered Vintage Skirt, £3, charity shop, Shoes, vintage heeled brogues, £3.50, charity shop. Total cost of outfit: £64.50, the price of one new blazer.]


Some retailers (such as Topshop http://tinyurl.com/67m8xlh ) have even started selling the style of late 80's/early 90's double breasted suit jackets that have been somewhat out of favour with younger shoppers for the last decade or so. Whilst I'm not necessarily saying that this is a trend that is going to catch on, if you like it you'll certainly be able to find a fair few vintage examples down your local charity shops for a fraction of the £65 price tag.


H.B.




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