The Thrifty Six: The Trail “Blazers” of Preloved Fashion
“Don’t follow in my footsteps. Be original, and create your own path. Be a trailblazer! Do you! Be better than me. Do you! Be happy and have joy in your life.”
Tracy Morgan
The Thrifty Six is back for Women’s History Month and I want to celebrate and honor all the women who blazed the trail for us to wear what we like, how we like, when we like. As a female member of society, I appreciate those women who came before me and dared to be different, had the courage to push the boundaries and break the rules, and possessed the confidence to forge ahead into a world that had a predetermined set of gender rules. Cheers to the women who have been challenging these gender rules and roles for centuries before me. This post is for all the women who made it possible for me to do what I love, say what I feel, and wear what I want. Women supporting women is one of the greatest gifts that we can give to one another!
March was my month to choose the theme for this thrifty group. Although we just styled preloved suits in February, I wanted to stick with a theme that spoke to the powers within all women. And there is always something powerful about a structured blazer. This wardrobe staple was once a mens’ sporting garment, but it has certainly made its way into the daily fashions of both men and women whether they are sporting, working, or simply putting on their best street style fashions.
The Thrifty Six is a group of six international fashion and lifestyle bloggers and influencers coming to you from all around the world. We span at least three different decades of life and we each have our own unique and individual style with a shared passion for preloved clothing and second hand shopping. Our goal is to share a variety of ways to be stylish while doing a little something good for the environment.
With our focus on preloved and second hand items, we want to share ways that you can stay stylish on a budget while also making a small contribution to helping our environment. Every month, one member of the group chooses a theme and we share our outfit creations with you to hopefully inspire you to shop more second hand and less fast fashion.
For purposes of this group’s style challenges, at least one outfit item that satisfies the chosen theme must be preloved or thrifted. So for this month, our blazers are all preloved. So let’s get to it…starting with a bit about the history of blazers.
There are several origin stories about the blazer. One story dates the beginning of the blazer to the 1820’s when the boating team of St. John’s College at Cambridge donned bright red sporting jackets, or blazers, as part of their team uniform.
Another story says that blazers were first introduced in the year 1837 when the captain of the HMS Blazer dressed his entire crew in navy blue double breasted jackets that featured distinguished Royal Navy brass buttons for welcoming Queen Victoria on board.
Yet another story claims that jackets of this style became known as blazers in the 1870’s from the striped country club jackets that were worn at the time. One definition of the word “blaze” is “a white or light-colored spot or stripe on the face of an animal, such as a horse” and it is believed by some fashion historians that the stripes on these country club jackets gave this garment its “blazer” name.
Regardless of where the blazer got its name and when it became a fashionable wardrobe item, the blazer has grown far beyond its original intention as a sporting jacket for men. Modern blazer styles come in a variety of shapes and silhouettes, color ways and patterns, fabrics and textures for any gender or age group.
The blazer first appeared as a men’s fashion statement in an 1893 Vogue article that focused on a new trend in men’s yachting costumes. It was during this time at the turn of the century when the blazer also made its way into women’s fashion and the New Woman’s wardrobe. The first women’s blazers were generally styled with a shirtwaist and tailored skirt. But as sporting activities became more accepted and more popular amongst women, they eventually abandoned the blazer in favor of cardigans and sweaters as a more casual option for leisure and sports activities.
In the 1950’s, the blazer had a resurgence in popularity among British students who began altering their school uniform jackets to make them more fashionable for the time. In 1975, Georgio Armani released a new version of men’s blazers on the runway that took this once formal jacket and transitioned it into casual wear for men with unlined and un-ironed styles. While this casual version of the blazer was still professional, it was a precursor to the more informal professional dress code that exists today.
In today’s fashion, we can see blazers styled in limitless ways. From casual to business to formal attire, the blazer has become a mainstay in both men’s and women’s fashion. And there is nothing cuter than a kid in a blazer, in my opinion.
Resources for the history of the blazer:
Now a little bit about my camel corduroy blazer. I found this vintage men’s blazer on a thrifting adventure back in December. It was randomly hanging on a rack of women’s winter coats and I was immediately drawn to the bright camel color and the tiny waled corduroy. I quickly realized it was a man’s blazer but figured I would try it on anyway. When I realized that it did fit me, how could I resist the $3.50 price tag? Obviously, I couldn’t!
I layered it over a simple black cowl neck sweater dress (also thrifted) then added some black leopard tights and camel colored leather booties (also thrifted). Every once in a while, I try to wear scarves in my hair, but I can never quite get them right and usually just give up. This was one of the few occasions when I didn’t hate the way it turned out so I went with it…Steven Tyler style.
Now let’s check out my trailblazing thrifty pals in their blazer styles.
The Thrifty Six is a group of international fashion influencers who meet once a month in our little space on the internet to share our thrifty outfits. On the third Monday of every month, we will all share an outfit based on a theme that features preloved wardrobe pieces. Shopping and reselling preloved clothing is so much better for the environment and you can find some of the best fashions in thrift or charity shops. The Thrifty Six are here to inspire you to shop second hand!
The Thrifters:
- Emma of Style Splash
- Grace of Graceful Rags
- Jane of Preloved-Vintage-Handmade
- Lucy of Confessions of a Montreal Styling Diva
- Nancy of Nancy’s Fashion Style
- Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge
Emma of Style Splash
“I found this Escada blazer in a charity shop a few years ago for the bargain price of £5.99…I couldn’t believe my luck! For a really bold colour combination I decided to pair it with bright orange trousers – a first for me! I’ve layered the blazer over a paisley blouse and added more purple with a dainty bag – both fab charity shop finds too!”
Emma
Grace of Graceful Rags
“Recognize this thrifted blazer?! I thought you might! I wore it for last month’s collaboration and figured the ‘trail-blazers’ theme was the perfect excuse to style it again in a different way. This time I picked a bold red top, cropped flared jeans (all the rage these days), and snakeskin sandals for a more casual, springy look. Love how it came together!”
Grace
Jane of Preloved-Vintage-Handmade
“Does anyone remember Miami Vice…In this crazy Hawaiian print blazer, I could easily be a little crime-busting side-kick for Crockett and Tubes. There’s definitely something about it reminding me of that cheesy 80’s TV show. Get a load of the colours and the zany tropical print and doesn’t it look sensational against this azure sky. It’s a genuine 80’s vintage menswear piece that works perfectly for Spring / Summer 21 and it truly lifts my spirits every time I wear it!”
Jane
Lucy of Confessions of a Montreal Styling Diva
“It’s trailblazer time in my wardrobe- so let me introduce you to my ‘piece de resistence’ – my very own pioneer when it comes to blazers. This versatile houndstooth beauty with a purple faux fur collar – styled on or off, was a lucky estate find of mine- seriously! I was eyeing this lady who was holding onto it for dear life, until she decided it was just too tight and put it back!! Lucky me snatched it up! It’s actually two sizes too big, but I don’t care; I moved the button and just wear it loosely, with flair. And notice those ribbon latches on the sleeve cuffs- they’re a conversation piece every time. It’s definitely my favourite blazer. Isn’t it just divine?!”
Lucy
Nancy of Nancy’s Fashion Style
“This is my happy blazer! It makes me think of my favorite place Rye in the UK. Because of the cute little sailing boats on it, it reminds me of holiday, the see, ice cream, etc. I have had it for several years now but don’t wear it that often. I think blue and white are not easy to combine!”
Nancy
And me!
“I found this camel colored mini corduroy men’s blazer on a recent thrifting trip for 50% off its $6.99 price tag. I am not sure what decade this blazer came from but it is definitely vintage. I layered it over a black thrifted sweater dress, added some leopard print tights and thrifted leather booties to complete this easy blazer outfit.”
Shelbee
Do you wear blazers? I have a pretty large collection of them as I really do love the way they can change any outfit. You can see more of my blazer styles here.
Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
Linking up with these Fabulous Link Parties.
Shop my look…
Outfit Details: Blazer, Dress, and Boots-Thrifted / Scarf and Gloves-Target / Tights-Old Navy / Necklace-Charlotte Russe / Earrings-Old
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
30 Comments
Nancy
The title is so good! I love it. And it was a perfect opportunity to show this blazer, I don’t think it appeared before on the blog. See you on Wednesday!!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Nancy! That title came to me at the very last minute! I love your blazer! I love all of them actually. Looking forward to seeing you and chatting on Wednesday!
xoxo
Shelbee
Tamar A Strauss-Benjamin
Love a good blazer!! Haven’t found one I like with skirts but had a few when I wore pants to work!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Me, too, Tamar! Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful week!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jennifer
I love your blazer! I’ve been looking for one that colour!
Jennifer
Curated By Jennifer
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Jennifer! This isn’t even a color I would look for because I always assume shades of yellow are terrible on me. But I loved it against the black! I did find a few in this shade on Amazon.
xoxo
Shelbee
mireille
The unexpected finds sometimes are the best ones. That blazer fits you so well and I wouldn’t have guessed it was a men’s one.
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Mireille! I agree with you that the unexpected finds are often the best ones! I have so many thrifted items that were unexpected that have become wardrobe staples. That always makes me feel great when I know that I am repeatedly wearing the things that I buy.
xoxo
Shelbee
Emma Peach
You find the most amazing bargains Shelbee! A camel corduroy blazer is such a useful piece to have in your wardrobe, so versatile!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Emma, thank you so much. I hope I can find more occasions to wear it so that it doesn’t just hang in my closet. You always find some amazing bargains as well!
xoxo
Shelbee
Ellie
What a great buy that blazer was!! I too wouldn’t have guessed it’s a men’s blazer, it pairs so well with the dress and loving the scarf! A really beautiful outfit – so perfect for your theme!
Ellie
Ellibelle’s Corner
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Ellie! I was even more pleased with this blazer after I took the photos!
xoxo
Shelbee
Suzy
Shelbee, I love that you wore a men’s blazer with a womanly dress to show off your curves! And those tights, with that print, are freaking gorgeous!! It’s funny that you wore a headscarf today because the past few days I’ve been obsessively looking at scarves to wear in my hair! My Pinterest boards are full of them now lol! I’ve only got one scarf small enough to use a headscarf though, so I need to find some more!
Hugs
Suzy xx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Suzy, thank you so much! This blazer was so perfectly fitted that it has the perfect taper at the waist. I definitely wanted to keep it feminine though, hence the body hugging black dress. I left these tights behind when I saw them in the store and then I was ordering online and needed a little extra something for free shipping so into my cart they went! Head scarves are really challenging. This is like the only time I made something work. I will be looking forward to seeing how you style some!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lucy Bertoldi
Love your look Shelbee- and I especially loved reading all the history on blazers and how they might have gotten their name. So fascinating! Thanks- this was such a fun styling theme xx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Lucy! Everyone did such a wonderful job styling their blazers. I love how bright and bold all of our outfits are! Looking forward to next month’s theme. It should be Emma’s turn to choose!
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick Weseman
Looking so very sweet. You are a trailblazer and thanks for teaching me the history of the blazer. Love that building.
The outfit and snow mix perfectly together.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Patrick! We have so many really beautiful old churches around here and I love to use them for photo backdrops!
xoxo
Shelbee
Sheila (of Ephemera)
What a fantastic collection of blazers! I love every single one of them. I think your blazer is mid-60s, Shelbee – I had a very similar one that belonged to my dad when he did musical gigs in the mid-60s into the late 70s. Same wide collar and structured shoulder. I used to cuff mine and wear it over a black dress with tall spiky black pumps in the 80s! I thought I was the hottest sh*t in that outfit, lol.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Sheila! Gah, I totally forgot that you would know when this blazer was made! Thank you for sharing that information. I didn’t think it was that old, but it makes me happy! I rarely find true vintage pieces (not 1990’s and 2000’s vintage) that fits me so this blazer is now even cooler in my opinion! And I am certain that you were the hottest shit in your 80’s blazer and LBD outfit!
xoxo
Shelbee
Rena
A camel blazer is such a classic and I adore how your outfit keeps it in the spotlight. Between retirement and COVID, I haven’t been wearing my blazers much and I’m not even sure how they fit into my evolving style. Still, I’m keeping an open mind and each of you six offers great inspiration for styling them.
Rena
http://www.finewhateverblog.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Rena, thank you so much! It’s funny but I don’t think I ever owned a camel blazer when I wore suits every day. I had all sorts of black and brown and gray and navy ones with a red one for something bolder. But I don’t think the variety of blazers was the same 20 years ago either. I do like to style them casually now and I think you are going to find lots of new ways to wear at least some of your work blazers to suit your retired lifestyle!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kathrine Eldridge
Love this color mix of tan and black! The blazer is fabulous and you styled it perfectly!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Kathrine, thanks so much! I hope you have a wonderful day!
xoxo
Shelbee
Anne M Bray
Vintage men’s blazers were my jam in the ’80s. Oversized blazer with sleeves rolled up, stacks of Bakelite and African bracelets, bodycon tube dress, Doc Martins = my ’80’s uniform.
Now I need to check if they still fit.
Released my Armani to Poshmark yesterday, because TOO SMALL. (Wipes a nostalgic tear). That one I got from a college classmate who worshipped Armani. He put the word out that he was giving it away and Nadine and I
“wrestled” over it and I won. It’s a thing of beauty.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Anne, you are seriously my favorite fashion icon! I was wearing my grandfather’s blazers in the 80’s with tights and my dad’s pants turned into cut off shorts. I completed the outfit with my 20 eyelet Doc Martens! That was my casual uniform! In fact, it is what I wore to my grandfather’s funeral to honor him by wearing his stinky old blazer. He had really terrible body odor and you could never quite get the stench out of the fabric. I don’t even know how I tolerated wearing them! So gross. I will take a moment of silence now for your Armani. May the resale gods bless your loss with a nice big price tag when it sells on Poshmark!
xoxo
Shelbee
Anna Marcus
Hi Shelbee, first of all thank you for the very informative story about blazers, it was totally new to me. Second, I really like your blazer and the fact that it was men’s one but didn’t stop you from making a great outfit out of it. Love your head scarf, it suits you nicely
https://lookingfabulousat50.blogspot.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Anna, thank you so much! It was fun for me to learn the history of blazers as well. I am always fascinated by these things! I hope you have a wonderful day!
xoxo
Shelbee
Leslie Susan Clingan
Great fun!! And your photos and look are perfection. You are looking most especially lovely and happy. I absolutely love everything about this outfit. The little scarf, the stockings – swoon – that black dress and your beloved bargain blazer. It was fun reading about the various versions of the blazer’s evolution. Wonder when the Master’s golf tournament adopted their now traditional green blazer? I should look that up. Don’t know about you, but I am so glad to see shoulder pads returning!! Kind of like the powerful feelings they gave me!! The same with wearing red. Thanks for linking up for #AgelessStyle
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Leslie, thanks so much! I get such a thrill from researching these topics! And you made me curious about the Masters Green Blazer so I had to go look it up! It started in 1937 when the Augusta National members started wearing green blazers so they would stand out to members of the public who might need assistance. It was an idea borrowed from Royal Liverpool, but the first jackets were unpopular because the fabric was too thick and uncomfortable for warm weather. From 1937-1948, only Augusta National members wore the green jackets. Sam Snead was the first winner honored with the green jacket in 1949. This article covers it if you wanted to read more! As for the return of shoulder pads, I am not yet sure how I feel about them! Haha. I have always had very broad shoulders so it is not a trend that serves me well. But I can certainly appreciate it on others. I hope you are having a wonderful week, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee