How to Wear a Blazer With Jeans: 8 Outfits That Always Work

The short answer: match the shape of the jacket to the shape of the jean. A fitted blazer, an hourglass blazer: both work with straight and flared jeans; an oversized blazer works best with straight and slim jeans; a cropped blazer balances wide jeans. Keep the layer underneath simple, a white T-shirt, a fine knit, a crisp shirt, and choose the shoe for the occasion: loafers for the office, boots for the weekend, heels for the evening.

A tailored jacket with jeans is one of the most worn outfits in any woman’s wardrobe. It is smart enough for most offices, relaxed enough for a weekend and, with the right shoe, good enough for dinner. Getting it right comes down to proportion and a few details.

Which jeans go with which blazer

Eight blazer and jeans outfits

1. The classic: navy blazer, white T-shirt, straight jeans

A navy double-breasted jacket such as the Blazé Milano Everyday Blazer in Resolute Navy, in virgin wool with gold-tone buttons, over a plain white T-shirt and mid-blue straight jeans, with loafers. More in our guide to the navy blazer.

2. The office: check blazer, shirt, dark jeans

For a smart casual office, a grey check blazer with a white shirt and dark indigo jeans. The Everyday Blazer in Bravado Grey and the Blazé Milano Paso in Clapotis Dark Blue, a straight cotton jean, are a natural pair.

3. The weekend: oversized blazer, knit, light jeans

An oversized check blazer, a camel knit and light-wash jeans. Blazé Milano pairs its beige check Everynight Blazer in Saona Beige with light-wash denim in its own styling notes, and does the same for the Everyday in Agape Grey Mix.

4. The tailored flare: hourglass blazer, flared jeans, heels

A defined waist and a flared leg make a long, glamorous line. The Blazé Milano Maline Jeans are high-rise and slightly flared, with a pressed front crease that reads as tailoring.

5. The cropped and wide: short jacket, wide jeans

A cropped single-breasted jacket over high-rise wide jeans. The Shelley Blazer in Joya Black, cropped in soft faux fur, and the wide Java Jeans work well together.

6. The evening: velvet blazer, black jeans, camisole

Swap the T-shirt for silk and the loafers for a heel. A velvet jacket is the quickest way to take jeans out at night; see the velvet blazer guide.

7. The double denim: denim blazer, matching jeans

Done in one wash, double denim looks like a suit. The Blazé Milano Cory Jacket, a denim jacket cut as an oversized double-breasted blazer, matches the Maline Jeans in Nariida Ice. See the denim blazer guide.

8. The heritage: tweed blazer, roll neck, boots

A tweed jacket, a fine roll neck, straight jeans and knee boots: the country weekend uniform. Read about the tweed blazer.

What to wear underneath

A white T-shirt is the most relaxed and the most versatile. A fine knit, crew, polo, roll neck, adds warmth and polish; the Blazé Milano Highland Polo is wool and cashmere. A crisp shirt is the office choice. A silk camisole is for evening. Avoid anything bulky under a structured jacket.

The right shoes

Loafers make the look smart; ankle boots and knee boots make it seasonal; clean white sneakers make it casual; a pointed heel, mule, slingback makes it evening. Make sure the jean hem suits the shoe: straight jeans should graze the top of a loafer, flares should fall over a heel.

Jean wash and blazer colour

Blazer and jeans by body shape

Petite. Choose a blazer that ends at the hip and a high-rise straight jean that grazes the ankle, so the leg looks long. A cropped jacket with wide jeans works well too, as long as the jeans are high rise.

Curvy. An hourglass blazer buttoned at the waist with a straight jean follows the figure. A dark wash is the most streamlined.

Tall. You can carry the long boyfriend blazer with wide jeans, and an oversized jacket with a full leg.

Straight. A shaped hourglass blazer adds a waist; a flared jean adds curve at the hem.

Seasonal swaps

In spring and summer, choose linen, cotton and lighter wool blazers, white and light-wash jeans, and loafers, espadrilles, sneakers. In autumn and winter, move to wool checks, tweeds, velvets and herringbones, darker washes and boots, and add a long coat on top. The formula stays the same; only the fabrics change.

Common mistakes

The wrong proportion. An oversized jacket with very wide jeans looks shapeless unless you are tall. Too-casual denim. Heavily ripped jeans fight a tailored jacket; choose a clean wash. A jacket that does not fit. The blazer has to fit at the shoulder; read how a blazer should fit.

Is a blazer and jeans business casual?

In most offices, yes. Choose dark, clean jeans, a structured blazer in wool, a shirt, a fine knit, and a polished shoe. For client meetings, a check blazer, a navy blazer, reads more formal than a casual cotton one.

Frequently asked questions

What jeans go best with a blazer?

Straight-leg jeans in a clean, dark wash work with almost every blazer. Choose slim jeans with oversized blazers, flared jeans with hourglass blazers, and wide jeans with cropped blazers.

Can you wear a blazer with jeans to work?

Yes, in most smart casual offices. Choose dark, clean denim, a structured wool blazer and polished shoes.

What shoes do you wear with a blazer and jeans?

Loafers for the office, ankle boots for the weekend, clean white sneakers for casual days, a pointed heel for evening.

What do you wear under a blazer with jeans?

A white T-shirt, a fine knit, a crisp shirt, a silk camisole. Keep it simple and close to the body.

Can you wear an oversized blazer with jeans?

Yes, ideally with straight jeans, slim jeans, so the volume of the jacket is balanced by a lean leg.

Should a blazer be buttoned with jeans?

Either way. Buttoned looks smarter and shows the waist; open looks more relaxed. Oversized blazers are usually worn open.

Keep reading

Blazé Milano jeans and denim. How to wear a double-breasted blazer. How to wear an oversized blazer. Browse designer denim and designer blazers.