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Sure, we all know what basics professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.
I think a classic piece every woman should have for summer is a linen blazer. As noted in our last summer blazer roundup, there are other lightweight options for summer — silk, seersucker, cotton pique, etc — but nothing breathes quite like linen, and there are a ton of great options for linen blazers in stores right now.
Ladies, what is your favorite fabric for a lightweight blazer? Have you bought any linen blazers recently that you’re loving (or have any from previous years that you can’t wait to break out of your closet)?
Hunting for lightweight blazers in linen and other fabrics? As of 2023, J.Crew’s Parke blazer is available in linen, as is this super affordable Quince blazer. Along related lines (all machine washable!), check out Uniqlo’s Airsense jacket (lightweight and stretchy), Madewell’s Drapeweave line (lightweight and drapey) and Brooks Brothers’ Soft Icons line (lightweight and drapey).
April 2023 Update: These are some of our latest favorite white blazers...
 I like linen for breath-ability, but “affordable” linen can sometimes be scratchy — so I like the Tencel blended with this soft blue linen blazer. I like the deep shawl collar, and while I wish it had a button, the price can’t be beat — it was $98 but you can take 40% off (no code needed). (At one point they did have matching Marisa cuffed pants, but they seem to be sold out online now.) Other cute linen blazer options at Loft: Linen Canvas Jacket and Striped Linen Cotton Moto Jacket. Pictured: Loft Tencel Linen Open Jacket |
 Seven color options (it’s pictured in navy at the top of this post) and a super affordable price tell me that this would be a great bet. Although it’s available in sizes XS-XL (regular and petite), Nordstrom advises to order one size up. It’s $79. Olivia Moon Three Quarter Sleeve Linen Blazer |
 Plus sized ladies, I’m sorry to say this is the only option I found for you: this happy pastel blazer at Talbots (available in misses, petites, woman, and woman petites sizes in four colors). It’s $149-$169, depending on size. Talbots Cross-Dyed Linen Blazer |
 This dark evergreen linen reminds me of the other green linen jacket I picked for a TPS report a while ago — the color looks fresh and cool, and I like the staggered pockets (two on one side, one on the other). J.Crew has the blazer in white, dune, and “bright kiwi” as well. It’s $175. JCrew Schoolboy Blazer in Linen |
 Yes, yes, I remember that no one liked this jacket back when I posted it in a more fun leopard print. I still like it, though — and this nice brown “fatigue” color seems like a great wear-with-everything option. (It’s also available in “picnic pink,” a light blue, an ikat print, and, yes, the animal print). The blazer ranges in price from $178-$298 (the pictured one is $278) at Nordstrom. (Also in this pretty-expensive price range: the Majestic Linen Blazer and the Theory Lousine Linen Blazer.) Pictured: Joie Mehira Linen Blazer |
 Wow — gorgeous. I love the windowpane print on this linen blazer, and the little details like the piping on the pockets and lapels. I think the close fit and the print will be great ways to distract from whatever wrinkles come from the 100% linen jacket. It’s pricey, though: $995 at Nordstrom. Le sigh. Max Mara Hodeida Windowpane Linen Jacket |
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LH
Sort of related topic – what fabric blazer do I wear with a tweed dress? I have ponte and suiting fabric blazers and neither looks quite right to me. And can I only wear the tweed dress (its a dark color) in the winter? Or can I wear it with a light colored jacket or sweater in summer? FWIW, I live in northern California, so the temperature doesn’t change that much between December and June.
Mountain Girl
I put on tweed trousers this morning and thought they looked too winter-ey. And there is snow on the ground so obviously it is weather appropriate. But I changed pants and will put the tweed away until fall arrives. YMMV but for me it doesn’t work in the summer.
Aggie
In a pinch, I wear my tweed dress with a wool blend blazer, but to me it looks best with a cardigan. However, my spring-summer tweeds are all bright hues so they are more business-casual.
In the winter, I have an Italian fleece blazer that pairs very well with tweed. There’s something about a heavier weight fabric that strikes me as a great fit with tweed.
S in Chicago
I think linen is the worst fabric known to man. That green blazer looks like a wrinkled mess and it’s still on a model (with probably a full team of photo stylists and their professional-grade clothing steamers looking on). I can’t even imagine what that would look like by 3 p.m. on a typical work day.
Linen Lover
I love linen.
Mountain Girl
I have yet to figure out how to wear linen and look appropriate after wearing the seatbelt during my morning commute. Even linen blends seem to leave that nasty seatbelt crease so I’ll stick to cotton and cotton blends for now.
AIMS
Why not hang it in the backseat or leave it folded until you get to work?
Mountain Girl
It’s the skirt that tends to wrinkle the most. I probably better keep that on while driving. ;)
Wildkitten
JCrew Factory has linen blazers too.
BB
Always, always go for the linen blends! It helps so much with the wrinkling.
I have a matte golden/flax-ish colored blazer that I love that is a linen/silk/cashmere blend from Brooks Brothers a few years ago. It got pulled out for the first time this year last week. I’m thinking of changing the buttons on it as it came with these dull gold Brooks Brothers branded buttons.
TO Lawyer
I really like the look of the Olivia Moon blazers! I actually bought the blush pink linen blazer from ASOS that someone recommended here a couple weeks ago – waiting for its arrival but if it fits, I can picture it being the perfect summer blazer.
Baconpancakes
I’m really happy with it, but I’m debating whether I should invest in tailoring – it’s very boxy.
Senior Attorney
I just ordered the Olivia Moon blazer in two sizes and several colors. Hopefully one or more of them will be a keeper!
Spirograph
I want to, but I’m on a shopping hiatus until I decide whether I’m going to keep my jacket-required job much longer…
I’m confused about this blazer, though: the description says it’s 3/4 sleeve, but they look long on some of the models. (I’m actually wearing a 3/4 sleeve linen blazer today, and the sleeves are mid-forearm, not approaching my wrists.)
Julia
I have the talbots blazer in blue…and no, I’m not a plus size. I did size down in it. But, living in New England, I haven’t had the chance to wear it yet! Soon, I hope.
NbyNW
I love the look of linen but refuse to wear it. Besides having to be dry cleaned, I look like a wrinkled mess before I get to work. Most cotton also wrinkles too much but at least it can usually be washed if something spills on it. I have made exceptions though for tencel/linen blend, as tencel is really soft and can ameliorate the linen wrinkles a bit. Linen/silk/wool blend is also good if you can find it.
Kat, thanks for including a plus size. I’ve taken to looking at the plus size photos on store websites because it gives a more accurate idea of what it will look like on me (borderline plus-sized) compared to what it looks like on the 5’10” reed-thin model. At 5’3″ and carrying some extra weight, the models just look unrealistic to me.
Ellen
I agree. Linen look’s bad on me b/c it is all wrinkeley in the SUMMER, especialy when I walk and sweat. This one is cute, but b/c it is so short, my TUCHUS would show to much. I need a longer blazer to partialy cover my tuchus so that men won’t stare at it so much. I think Rosa looks good with this kind of blazer, but she work’s out all day after Ed goes to work and has a trainer come in 2x a week to their HOUSE to help her keep her tuchus size down to a mininumum. That is what I need–a tuchus trainer. FOOEY! b/c I work at a desk all day and that is why my tuchus is what it is. Dad kept talking to the accountant about MY tuchus. What in the world does he need to do that for and what is the accountant to do anyway? He is a numbers guy who know’s nothing about workeing out. He has a fat stomach, and his tuchus is also big. So him lookeing at my tuchus and laffing with my dad about my tuchus seemed to be ENTIRELEY unnecessary. DOUBEL FOOEY! After all the talkeing about my tuchus, he STILL wanted to set me up with his son, who lives in NYC and is studeying accounting at Pace. TRIPEL FOOEY. That’s all I need is another college kid who want’s to do naked pushe up’s on me. NO WAY, HOZE!
Mountain Girl
I will say I do have a few cotton/silk/linen blend sweaters and they are absolutely wonderful in the summer. The easy feel of the sweater seems to make any of the wrinkles seem okay and they are so light and comfortable for the summer. Absolutely my favorite summer sweaters.
Anon
I had no idea that you were supposed to dry clean it. I always wash linen and iron it while it’s slightly damp.
Aggie
I think linen is dry clean, not dry clean only. I only dry clean linen when I am too busy to iron it right away or the cleaners are running a coupon.
Lisa
The Ines de la Fressange linen blend jacket at UNIQLO is great – a little boxy, but stylish and totally affordable.
Basia
I can’t stand wearing linen because it doesn’t take long for it to look like a wrinkled mess. I avoid it at all costs.
kag
It is true that linnen wrinkles, but I just embrace it. My beige blazer from Zara adds a nice touch to black dress or white pants. I really like it.