Cheryl Shops

One of the many reasons I'm glad it's finally spring is that it's now warm enough to wear a blazer as a jacket. (You can normally get away with doing this most of the year in San Francisco, however we just had one of the coldest, wettest winters since I've lived here.) As I've said many times before, nothing makes me feel more pulled together than a blazer. If you're going to invest in an item of clothing, I always recommend channeling your funds toward a good one. That said, a few years ago when I was looking for the perfect double-breasted blazer, I discovered that even the mid-range designers (like Veronica Beard and L'Agence) made theirs in polyester. So when I found my Zara double-breasted blazer, which was a very reasonable $90, I thought, why bother spending $800 for practically the same thing? I am clearly not alone in loving this blazer, because Zara is still selling the exact same style more than a year and a half after I bought mine; in fact, they've even added more colors. I wear mine all the time IRL, and it literally goes with everything, but here are 7 of my favorite ways to wear it. 

With black jeans

This is my little trick for when I want to look like I'm wearing a suit but in a more casual way. It works best with a black blazer and jeans because the colors are easier to match. This is a great outfit for days when you have to go into an office—it's a little businessy, but super comfortable. 

OUTFIT DETAILS: Zara double-breasted blazer | Proenza Schouler tee | Isabel Marant Lecce belt | Madewell jeans (current version) | Fe Noel x Target bag | Chanel ballet flats (dupe here) 

With a black sweater

I am a bit busty and have a short torso, and I tend to gain weight around my waistline. Those three things can add up to a top-heavy situation, so one of my techniques for dealing with that is wearing all black on top with a lighter-colored bottom. I look much more balanced and feel way more confident this way. 

OUTFIT DETAILS: Zara double-breasted blazer | Equipment cashmere sweater | Isabel Marant Lecce belt | Quince silk slip skirt (get $20 off) | Isabel Marant Dernee boots

With blue jeans

This would make a fantastic travel outfit, especially because the Spanx jeans I'm wearing here are so comfy (as are the loafers). I wore a button-down shirt with this outfit instead of a T-shirt because it felt a little more dressed up; this reminds me, I should wear that shirt more often!

OUTFIT DETAILS: Zara double-breasted blazer | Banana Republic shirt | Spanx straight leg jeans | Gucci Brixton loafers 

With a mini dress

This was a Galentine's Day outfit, but it could totally work for date night too. There's definitely a masculine-feminine contrast in this look, with the soft and flowy dress under the more structured blazer. I almost wish I had worn tights with such a short dress (and my legs are so pasty here!), but that might have looked weird against the white. 

OUTFIT DETAILS: Zara double-breasted blazer | IRO dress (current version) | Jerome Dreyfuss Bobi bag | Isabel Marant Dernee boots

With a floral skirt

This look got a lot of love in the comments; like the white dress above, there's definitely an unexpected element to the pairing. The floral print on this skirt can definitely skew a little cutesy, so I'm always cognizant of wearing it with something tougher and more cool—in this case, all black (again, slimming on top!). 

OUTFIT DETAILS: Zara double-breasted blazer | Athleta top (current version) | Isabel Marant Lecce belt | La DoubleJ skirt | Balenciaga first bag (current version) | Birkenstock Arizona EVA sandals 

With shorts

My outfit is a little hard to see here (sorry!) but hopefully you get this gist—I wore it to Joshua Tree National Park, and Sean shot this one on film. I am a huge fan of wearing blazers with shorts; it makes them feel so much more polished and not so sloppy. I would have worn a low heel with this look normally, but since we were in the desert, Birkenstocks were a better choice.

OUTFIT DETAILS: Zara double-breasted blazer | Farysays top | Isabel Marant Lecce belt | Free People Chelsea shorts | Birkenstock Arizona EVA sandals 

With boots

I wore this outfit on Christmas Eve, and this time I have tights on with the boots. (Clearly I love these boots, as this is now the third outfit in this post that features them!) It's a little hard to tell from this photo, but the skirt I'm wearing is quite sparkly and this was definitely more of a dressed-up look, which proves that this blazer literally does go with everything!

OUTFIT DETAILS: Zara double-breasted blazer | Wolford Colorado turtleneck bodysuit | Isabel Marant skirt | Wolford velvet de luxe tights | Isabel Marant Dernee boots