What Would Grace Wear - Blazer and Jeans

 Hello my lovelies. 

In my last style post I talked about the frock coat’s value on the portly figure .  My frock coat is of a heavyish fabric.  So what about an outer layer as spring hots up?

Well a blazer is the obvious answer.  And a blazer and jeans is classic smart casual dressing, in retirement or otherwise. 

But sometimes, and especially for my life right now, a blazer feels way too formal. 

A pretty cardi and jeans then comes to mind as a spring layering option. 

Or a faux leather biker.  I continue to be amazed how these little complex pleather constructions can provide adequate warmth and go with just about everything that I wear, day to day.  

But there are days when a blazer somehow calls me. 

And brass buttons call me!

The addition of some brass buttons elevates a blazer.  Here something as simple as a white jumper and jeans takes on a smarter role when a brass buttoned navy blazer is quickly thrown on as an outer layer. 

But who is even bothering to throw on a blazer these days?

For most of us in lockdown, going out for our daily chosen exercise is our only “going out”.  And a blazer is not the go-to outer layer for that.  A puffa, gillet or cardi is the instinctive layer and maybe I need to look at those in another post. 

So I’m wondering, will I even think to throw a blazer over a denim shirt and white jeans when I come out of this pandemic? 

Is the classy blazer and jeans combo now a relic of the past?

Has the “smart” been irretrievably removed from “casual”?

What is it going to take for us (me!) to get back into a smarter casual look?

Will smart casual return?

Look, I’ve been a retiree who’s put on her make up and slipped into something presentable each day most days. 

For ten whole years. 

Yet I’ve got to admit that in the last month, as we switched back into our second lockdown, I’ve done neither of those things.  Quite the reverse actually, I’ve actual bought myself some sweatpants!!

And they have barely left my body since I bought them. 

Yes, I’ve caught the “working from home” slobby bug even though I’ve been effectively  ”working” from home for the past ten years and yet have been tarting up and showing up each day most days.

I had zero interest in the emerging leisure wear trends.

Heavens, I felt I’d sold my soul to the devil on the rare occasion I wore a fleece when out walking!

Yet here I am, writing this wearing dreadful sweatpants.

So what has happened to style in 2021?

Is the blazer and jeans thing now a relic of the past?

And with it, smart casual?

Is this slobby bug highly contagious, just as the latest Covid variants are?

You know, I really think it’s a Thing. 

Discuss. 

Hugs, Mary x.