Give blazers the bold shoulder this autumn

There’s a touch of irreverence in the air this season in the form of blazers so oversized they seem to poke fun at the concept of workwear. At Isabel Marant, an ivory double-breasted jacket so large it was worn as a dress was styled with wine-coloured cowboy boots and a tasselled bag as part of a collection that combined ’80s power dressing with cowgirl cool. Yohji Yamamoto super-sized a slouchy black tweed jacket and paired it with ripped leggings and combat boots for a gothic feel. At Roksanda, extra-baggy suits came in sherbet tones of mint and camel, fuschia and burnt sienna or in sporty grey jersey – an easy-going, upbeat take on the back-to-the-office suit. And at Louis Vuitton a frothy pale-pink gown layered underneath a monochrome blazer riffed on the theme of “coming home from the party in a borrowed jacket”.

The oversized blazer lends a youthful air to formality, and accommodates the current desire to feel more comfort in our workwear. “As our customer starts to head back to the office, we have noticed a trend for styles that offer a more relaxed silhouette,” says Liane Wiggins, head of womenswear buying at MatchesFashion. “Tailoring is still popular, however there has been a shift towards styling blazers with denim rather than as part of a suit.” Wiggins notes that over the past six months, blazer sales have increased by 25 per cent compared with the same time last year.

Brands powering the increase also include The Row, with its perfectly proportioned long-line jackets, Totême’s double-breasted wool cuts and Italian brand Blazé Milano’s smart tweed styles. “We thought of a collection with softer, less structured lines that could also adapt to our new way of life,” says Delfina Pinardi, one of the three fashion editors turned designers behind Blazé Milano. One of its new designs is the Anyway Blazer, an oversized double-breasted style in wool and cashmere that gathers slightly at the sides. “Clothes must adapt to our needs,” adds co-designer Maria Sole Torlonia, “whereas perhaps in the past, it was the opposite.”

Whether you’re borrowing from your father’s suit collection or investing in a new style, go big and boxy this season.