Vintage blazers offer a timeless style that looks great no matter how they are worn. If you're tired of wearing the same "modern" blazer day after day, perhaps you should upgrade to a vintage blazer. Like all blazers, they feature a semi-formal style that can be worn for both casual and formal occasions.
Vintage blazers are unique, however, because they are designed in classic colors and patterns. As a result, they are able to weather the hands of time for countless years. If you're planning to include a vintage blazer in your outfits, though, you should follow these nine essential fashion tips.
#1) Real Leather Matters
Don't make the mistake of wearing a vintage blazer made of faux leather. Faux leather blazers have an artificial appearance, as well as texture, that's not particularly attractive. You'll get better results by sporting a vintage blazer made of real, genuine leather. Genuine leather blazers have a uniquely soft and supple texture, combined with a distinct appearance that's not found in faux leather.
#2) Match With Your Footwear
When wearing a vintage leather blazer, you should choose shoes or boots in an appropriate. If you're wearing a black vintage leather blazer, for example, you should choose black footwear. If you're wearing a brown vintage leather blazer, you should choose brown footwear. Matching your blazer with your footwear creates a more cohesive outfit that reflects positively upon your personal style.
#3) Wear the Right Shirt or Top
You'll need to wear the right shirt or top with your vintage leather blazer. Even if you zip or button up the front of your blazer, your shirt or top will likely remain visible. If it doesn't match your vintage leather blazer, it could lead to a mismatching outfit that's not particularly attractive or stylish.
What type of shirt or top should you wear with a vintage leather blazer exactly? For starters, you should choose a shirt or top in a different color. Unlike with footwear, your shirt or top shouldn't feature the same color as your vintage leather blazer. Instead, you should choose a shirt or top in a different color so that it will contrast with your vintage leather blazer.
#4) Consider a Double-Breasted Style
Vintage leather blazers are available in both single- and double-breasted styles. Of those two options, however, you should consider choosing the latter. Double-breasted vintage leather blazers offer a more traditional appearance that's synonymous with vintage apparel. They are characterized by the presence of two columns of buttons on the front, which is in stark contrast to single-breasted vintage leather blazers, which only have one column of buttons on the front.
#5) Accessorize Your Outfit
Accessories can complement the appearance of your vintage leather blazer, but you need to choose the right ones. A leather belt is an all-around great accessory that works well when worn in conjunction with a vintage leather blazer. The key thing to remember is that your leather belt should feature the same -- or at least a similar -- color as your vintage leather blazer. Along with a belt, you can accessorize your outfit by wearing a wristwatch with a leather band, also in the same color as your vintage leather blazer.
#6) Go for Peak Lapels
When shopping for a vintage leather blazer, go for peak lapels. Also known as pointed collars in the United Kingdom, peak lapels have been around for over a century. In the 1920s, they began to emerge in business suits. Since then, they've widely recognized for their traditional, vintage style. As a result, it's recommended that you choose a vintage leather blazer with peak lapels.
#7) Check the Size
Something else to consider when shopping for a vintage leather blazer is the size. You can't expect a vintage leather blazer to offer an attractive appearance unless it fits. If you've ever worn an oversized or undersized coat before, you probably know just how awkward they look. More importantly, though, wearing a coat in the wrong size can be uncomfortably, especially when you're forced to wear for multiple hours. You can avoid these and other related problems by choosing a vintage leather blazer in the right size. Even if it's just a size too small or too big, it can cause serious problems later down the road. So, check the size when shopping for a vintage leather blazer to ensure it fits.
#8) Condition It
You should condition your vintage leather blazer to preserve its original appearance. Conditioning helps to moisture leather products, including blazers, so that they don't dry out. If not regularly conditioned, your vintage leather blazer will gradually dry out. Eventually, this may result it in cracking open or experiencing other forms of dryness-related damage. You can keep your vintage leather blazer hydrated, however, by conditioning it.
There are leather conditioning creams and oils that you can use on your vintage leather blazer. Regardless of which one you use, though, don't apply it too frequently. At most, you should condition your vintage leather blazer once every other month. If you apply a conditioning cream or oil too frequently, it may saturate your vintage leather blazer with an excessive amount of moisture.
#9) Keep It Clean
Finally, don't forget to clean and care for your vintage leather blazer as needed. All genuine leather garments are generally considered low maintenance -- and vintage leather blazers are no exception. With that said, you'll still need to occasionally clean your vintage leather blazer to protect it from superficial stains. To clean your vintage leather blazer, simply use a washcloth with some warm water and gentle dish soap. For harder and more stubborn stains, you may need to use a special leather detergent. However, dish soap should suffice for most small and superficial stains on a vintage leather blazer.
