When I gave you a roundup of trends a few weeks ago, part of me wondered “What’s the point when bust-friendly brands can produce so few options?” And then I realized a personal value: when I’m shopping and have a choice between two items, it helps to know if one of them is trendy. All things being equal, why not go for the trendy item to make sure I’m not getting stuck in a rut? Case in point, this colored python print jacket from Anne Klein that I discovered at my favorite discount store for only $14.99. It checked a box on my trend list, AND I won’t regret spending the money when colored animal prints are passe. I have a lot of “classic” blazers in my closet, so this was a fun way to update my wardrobe.
Besides the flattering color, I love how it follows the curve of my back.
However, it’s definitely guilty of the big bust profile problem that so many of us encounter with blazers. First, it doesn’t fasten (there aren’t any buttons, so I don’t even have to pretend that I chose to go the unbuttoned route). Second, it hangs out from my chest, completely obfuscating any curves in front.
Actually, there IS a hook and eye at the neck, but why would I fasten it there? With a large chest, it’s simply going to splay out like a teepee.
I wondered if I could restore my frontward curves by moving the hook and eye to my waist, so I experimented with a safety pin.
This gave me an exaggerated bust line–I essentially looked like my chest extended from my collarbone to my waist–so I added a second safety pin.
Haha! Not any better. This solution would definitely work with a lapel-less blazer, but not a flappy one like this.
Still, I love the color and print too much to get rid of it, and my husband complimented me when I wore it on Sunday.
It’s a great layering piece that will work well with jeans and skirts and over my Campbell & Kate shirts, and I’ll forget about the profile issues.
What would you do?
I would do the opposite: go for the piece which isn’t trendy but classic, and make sure it fits me well so I can get 5+ years of use out of it. These days I prefer to buy less, but high quality.
I’d actually love to see blogs show how certain pieces held up over time, rather than new purchases. Of course the exact item may no longer be for sale, but companies often produce similar items and the construction quality can be rather consistent as long as they haven’t changed their sourcing.
I’ve been going for classics since I was in middle school, so this is a different approach for me–I think being 52 makes me concerned about accidentally looking stuck in a certain time period, so I have my eye open for a few strategic pieces that will keep me current. I love your idea of showing how certain pieces hold up over time!
The drapey sweaters/blazers I do wear tend to have less structure/volume in the drape – so it doesn’t add /that/ much volume to my torso although I do tend to wear them with a fitted bottom – skinny jeans, snugger sheath dress, etc. My go-to blazer is one of those ubiquitous drape blazers in cheap rayon-like woven that has like 30 variants on Amazon, I will probably upgrade when I get a real job but it’s perfect for a grad student.
Also- It’s probably not the least bit flattering but one of my favorite sweaters is bright, cropped, and only has one button at the neckline. Then I err on the side of a fuller bottom to balance out the exaggerated top.
That cropped sweater sounds exactly like something I would gravitate to.