A vintage blazer will change your life! Okay, I won’t go that far, but it will definitely upgrade your wardrobe!

There are some vintage pieces that never go out of style and if you choose to wear a simple blazer it can take your outfit from meh to classic chic no matter what era. I’m the type of woman that loves a good blazer and vintage pieces are my favorite. There are a couple of reasons why starting with the fit.

Well MADE

No matter what era, the jacket will most likely be extremely well made, how else could it have stood the test of decades? Many of the jackets weren’t cranked out like the fast fashion of today which doesn’t last nearly as long.

Thrift tip: If you are thrifting vintage jackets make sure to try it on prior to leaving the store or just be okay with it not fitting regardless of what the label says. Different eras have vastly varying sizes and usually the earlier the era the smaller the jacket. A size 10 blazer from 1980 will not fit the same as one from 1998

While fast fashion did start in the early 1990’s with the first Zara’s, it is nothing like the beast that is today’s fast-fashion world. If you want to read more about the dawn of fast fashion you can read our article here.

Also, as someone with larger arms I truly (truly) appreciate the room I find in vintage 80’s and 90’s blazers like this blue and white striped blazer. If you have the same issue, then you totally understand my plight of trying to fit your arms into a jacket that otherwise fits but makes your arms look like stuffed sausages. Which, if you can’t tell by now is one of my absolute favorite new additions to my wardrobe.

Structure

Shoulder pads can add a bit of structure to the jacket that you won’t find in some of the jackets today. The majority of the vintage blazers I find from the 1980-90’s have shoulder pads. While I’m not quite at the Anne Hathaway shoulder pad level (see below), I do enjoy the structure they give my jackets.

Shoulder pads were initially put into the clothing of both men and women to give the illusion of having broader and less sloping shoulders. Some of them were even stuffed with sawdust! I don’t know how I would feel walking around with sawdust on my shoulders.

The goal was a look of power and apparently, power is in the shoulders!

Thrift tip: This vintage Escada jacket had a stain on the arm that would not come out. Unfortunately, this meant that I couldn’t list it for some lucky buyer, but it did mean that she could live in my closet! If this is something you encounter, simply wear it with the sleeves rolled up. Or another option is to get the blazer tailored so the stained part is cut and hemmed, or if you’re good at sewing do it yourself!

Unique

This vintage Maren Blazer was so unique that I couldn’t pass it up. It had a small tie in the front so that you could really accentuate your waistline. Plus the colors were amazing. You can find it on my vintage site!

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Timeless

You would never think that many of the blazers in my closet are vintage because they are pretty timeless and so well crafted that have lasted almost flawlessly for years until they reached my little hands. I enjoy picking up vintage blazers because I know they are (usually) pretty well made and will never go out of style depending on the pattern and look.