Q&A: Can I Wear a White Blazer during Fall or Winter?
November 9th, 2007
Q: Is it possible to wear a white blazer casually in the fall and winter months? 
A: As far as I know, there aren’t any “rules†associated with the white blazer; there aren’t any “rules†in general on when to wear clothes, the famous exception being the old-fashioned “Don’t wear white after Labor day rule,†which I tend to ignore. That said, there are plenty on rules associated with what to wear in certain circumstances. So, if you really wanted to, you’re free to wear the whitest white blazer you can find.
To me, though, it seems a bit “off†to wear a white blazer in the fall and especially in the winter even though white has become a year-round color. White blazers feel like summer wear; I’m even willing to bet that you can’t find a ready to wear white blazer made in a winter fabric (i.e. a heavier wool) for that reason. I personally stick to shades of navy and gray for my fall/winter blazers.
If you feel confident and savvy enough to wear the white blazer, be careful not to dress like Don Johnson. Check out Omiru’s feature on how to not give off the Miami Vice vibe and check the great photo in the comments section.
Also, I wouldn’t recommend buying a white blazer– instead, choose a cream or off-white colored white. And, in fact, the best (i.e. highest quality) white blazers are more of a cream color than paper white, since wool itself isn’t bright white. As GQ’s resident sartorialist Glenn O’Brien says, “If the jacket is really white, it’s probably polyester, a fabric that doesn’t breathe well and thus isn’t the best warm-weather option.â€
Pictured: Sleek Blazer | $195 at Armani Exchange.
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4 Comments
1. A | November 11th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
can you possibly point us in the direction of a white blazer that doesn’t have a sheen to it?
2. Trisha | November 11th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Hi A,
We looked far and wide in order to find a white blazer. While blazers that are black, navy, or beige are plentiful, there are very very few white blazers for men. As John said, white blazers feel like “summer wear,” so they’re hardly ever made (if at all) in winter weight fabrics.
When spring rolls around, though, we’ll be able to showcase the best of the new white blazer crop!
Cheers,
Trisha
3. John | November 12th, 2007 at 2:07 am
The white blazer I have is a very casual canvas Marc by Marc Jacobs piece; you could try looking there.
Actually, A, the best coats, whether it’s white or black or blue or gray, actually DO have a SLIGHT sheen to it. The sheen is an indication of high quality wool and a relatively high thread count. You only really notice it if you shine light directly on it though (it’d look really tacky otherwise). If you can make it down to a Neiman Marcus or Saks Fifth Avenue (or just any store that sells higher quality suits), you will notice this slight sheen.
Trisha’s right though; check back with me when spring rolls around and I’ll try to find some blazers online for you.
4. martha king-boyd | February 2nd, 2010 at 9:56 am
yes please help me to find a nice winter white blazer in plus
size size 24 if you can thank you martha Have a good day