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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Columbia Barnard chapter.

For my past three semesters of college, my very few blazers have always been in the back of my closet, used only for professional events or interviews. Shopping for professional attire has never been my forte, and until recently, I did not feel comfortable wearing such attire unless I absolutely had to. I felt that my dress pants were unflattering, and my blazers made me look too boxy.

Three years ago, I vividly remember panicking in the dressing room of Black House White Market with my mother while picking out an outfit for my Barnard interview. I thought the blazer and dress we picked out were both ugly, and I did not want to show up to my dream school in an outfit I felt uncomfortable in because I did not feel like myself in. 

I recently started interning at a jewelry company on the Lower West Side, where I work in sales and merchandising. This is my first job where I have to dress more formally than a pair of jeans and a nice top with clean sneakers. I was told by my boss that most people come into the office wearing jeans, a nice top, and a cool blazer.

Having never taken much thought into this look, and only owning very bland, formal blazers in my wardrobe, I decided to visit Zara and Ann Taylor to see what I could find. To my surprise, there was a crazy sale at Zara, and I found myself shuffling through three huge racks of blazers ranging from $30 – $50 each.

I came across a pink, long blazer with gold detailing. The material was very light and more unstructured than a typical blazer; this made it look more informal and casual, perfect for many occasions. I bought the blazer envisioning I would just wear it to work with nice jeans and flats, but I realized soon after purchasing it that this statement piece could be worn outside the workplace.

Blazers can be styled with many different kinds of outfits for occasions ranging from interviews to parties. In this photo, I am on my way to my best friend Sara’s 20th Birthday Brunch, wearing my pink blazer above a romper paired with a cool pair of shoes. Coincidentally, the shoes are from Zara and the romper is from Bershka, Zara’s sister brand. I buy all of my Bershka clothing in Mexico, but there is currently a Bershka Pop- Up in Soho. They have a collection of trendy blazers to choose from.

This outfit is elegant, put-together, mature, and most importantly: affordable. While this pink jacket may seem to be a statement and hard to match with things, it has been really easy to work it into different outfits. So far, I have worn it to a party, to dinner with my parents, and to Sara’s Brunch. I also have found myself grabbing it to tie around my waist in case it gets cold because it looks good with almost anything.

Overall, this blazer was an incredible purchase and addition to my wardrobe. The blazer can tie any kind of outfit together, and will always catch attention from others. This statement piece is comfortable, flattering, and a unique style to be embraced by all.

Recommendations of where to find your statement blazer:

  1. Zara

  2. ASOS

  3. Revolve (Lovers & Friends or Stradivarius)

  4. Ann Taylor

  5. Banana Republic

  6. Black House White Market

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Gabriela Martin is a Sophomore at Barnard College of Columbia University. She is majoring in Sociology and is very interested in Education Policy. She currently interns at a jewelry company called Roxanne Assoulin.
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