If I had to play favorites with fall outerwear, I’d pick blazers. I live for cooler weather where you can throw on a third piece to layer and not start sweating immediately. Any blazer can easily elevate your look beyond just the office, but I tend to lean toward plaid blazers because each pattern adds a little special touch of visual interest. Need some outfit inspo? Here are 12 ways to style a plaid blazer this fall.
How to Style a Plaid Blazer for Fall
Update Your Silhouette
Plaid blazers are classic fall staples. Here’s the deal with plaid blazers in 2022: they are slightly boxier and more oversized than blazers of years past. Look for slouchy styles, straight cuts, and styles that go below your hip to mid-quad.
Longer, looser plaid blazers are not only more comfortable than their slim counterparts, but they give off an effortless cool girl vibe, regardless of how you wear them.
Invest In a Good Fit
When purchasing a plaid blazer, sleeve length is important. Invest in a tailor to ensure a proper fit; your blazer sleeve should end just below your wrist, right above your top thumb joint when your arms are by your side. I promise the right sleeve length will make any plaid blazer look expensive. (If you want to wear your blazer ASAP, scrunch the sleeves up to your elbows until you can tailor them.)
The O’Hara Blazer from M.M.LaFleur is one of my all-time favorite blazers. I love it so much, I now own it in three different colors/patterns!
Plaid Blazer Outfit Ideas
Jeans and a Graphic Tee
I worked in the denim industry for years, so in the fall I will pair literally anything and everything with jeans. The most natural and therefore common way I style a plaid blazer for fall is with jeans.
While heel booties add a touch of dressiness to the look, the graphic tee dresses things down so that this outfit is the perfect mix of both. This is my go-to look for fall business meetings or when I just want to elevate an otherwise plain outfit.
Belted with Heels
Another great way to dress up denim and a plaid blazer is to belt your blazer. I absolutely love how Carolina chose a thin black belt to cinch the plaid blazer, then added straight cropped jeans and heels.
With Leather Pants
Take your plaid blazer to the next fashion level with some faux leather or leather pants. There is honestly just something so chic about this combo that truthfully, I can’t explain.
Kathleen grabbed a plain tee, straight leather pants, and sky-high heels for a fashion it-girl vibe. This would work for both a business meeting and dinner.
With Wide Leg Trousers
Trousers and wide leg pants are making a big fashion statement this year, and yes – you can wear a plaid blazer with them.
I love the simplicity of this outfit: matching a black and white blazer to black pants, a white top, and white sneakers for a slouchy street style feel.
Over A Slip Dress
We love a feminine/masculine outfit over here at Charmed by Camille! Ditch your pants completely and pair your plaid blazer with a slinky slip dress and strappy sandals. I love how Jessica styled this, and it’s a great look for cocktails or even a fall wedding.
Try Something Short
Style your plaid blazer in the fall with shorts, a skirt, or mini dress. All of the outfits above are perfect for a warmer fall day, but if it’s cold or you’re going out at night, wear sheer tights for some added warmth!
The trick when you style a blazer with something short is to make sure you nail the proportions. You want the bottom of your plaid blazer to fall almost in line with the hem of whatever you’re wearing on the bottom. If you’re wearing your blazer over a short dress, you’ll want it to hit at the hip.
Try Monochrome Colors
I really loved the dark brown stripes in my blazer, so I accentuated the color by pairing it with jeans in a similar color.
Alina did something similar with her plaid blazer by wearing pants, a top, shoes, and a bag in varying hues in the same color family.
You don’t have to go complete matchy-matchy when wearing monochrome. Unless your plaid blazer comes as a matching set, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to match colors exactly. Instead of trying to do this, pick colors that are noticeably different so that your color pairings look intentional and deliberate.
With Black Bottoms
When in doubt, pair your blazer with black bottoms. The colors and print of your plaid blazer will really pop, making it the star of the show.
I love these turtlenecks for any kind of layering. They fit snug but comfortably to the body and don’t add bulk. You can also pair your blazer with a simple white tee. These ones from M.M.LaFleur have been a favorite of mine for years! To keep this look modern, I paired my all-black look with black chunky loafers.
See more of my M.M. LaLaFeur favorites here.
Head-to-Toe Suiting
Suit sets are no longer just for the office. Look for slim or loose fit trousers, which have a more effortless feel. Then, swap in white sneakers for a modern take on academia dressing.
Print Mix Your Plaid
If you’re one for bold dressing, then try going all in and print mix with your plaid blazer.
The look above works because she kept the same color palette between her blazer and bottoms, and also played with the proportion of the plaids (the blazer has a slightly smaller pattern than her pants). All it takes is a little bit of confidence to pull off this fun plaid on plaid look!
