I just read a blog post totally devoted to being ” anti-boyfriend clothing trend”. It was somewhat humorous but also spot on about one point. That being that it is a totally brilliant marketing campaign. It denotes a really hopeful, positive image for many women I’m sure. “See, I have a boyfriend and this is his jacket” kind of mentality. And while most women may not recognize it, they will gravitate toward that, even subconsciously. The humorous side of the post was that she said it is a homophobic trend. I’m not sure I buy that one. Another point she discussed was the body type needed to wear this look, tall and skinny. I disagree with that also and I’ll address it below, just know I’ve seen plenty petite women wearing rolled, distressed, boyfriend jeans and they looked pretty cute.
So, to achieve this look, you want to think slightly loose and comfortable, not really a men’s size and not baggy and overwhelming. The whole trend is meant to show a stylish but relaxed look.
For pants, it’s very in style this spring to include khakis and cargos in this look along with jeans. If you are under 5’5, you’ll want to keep the “messed up” roll at the hem right above your ankle bone. Actually, this will hold for all heights but if you are taller, you could roll a little more. Great example below, J Crew has this look down pat. Notice that the jeans while slim, have an “easy” fit, there is room through the thigh. If you do it with heels I’d be so proud but most gals like the flats look best. This is their 2009 fall look, the spring one is just “destroyed” (how funny!) differently with paint splats but I couldn’t download it from the site. Go to JCrew.com for spring styles.
J Crew destroyed jean/ JCrew.com/ around $120
Not to be outdone, sweaters also come in boyfriend style. The key to this look is really just a long (possibly, but not necessarily) slightly, bigger fit. Does that make sense? I wouldn’t go for exaggerated, off the shoulder looks, or real roomy middles. You’ll want to push or roll the sleeve up, usually with a shirt underneath. True petites cannot go too long on this. Keep it 3 to 4 inches below the hipbone, any longer will not work unless you plan to belt it, which is an option. Just remember to do the sleeve, that gets the look.
Ok, when I was looking for the perfect picture for this post Lands’ End kept popping up and I kept ignoring it. Well, I finally looked at the sweaters and I loved them. 100% cotton too! I adore this with the shorts and tank for spring…..comes in 2 other colors.
Gray stripe boyfriend cardigan/ Lands' End/ $59.50
Really the only other “boyfriend” piece is a blazer (oops forgot about the shirt, oh well). This is what started the whole trend a couple years ago. A boyfriend jacket or blazer is really a versatile look. It’ll take you to work and out that night. Spring is a great time to try this trend because the weather isn’t so cold that you want a heavy coat. A blazer can be layered or just throw it on over a fabulous tee shirt or flirty top. When wearing this look the same rules apply; you don’t want it to be overwhelming, either fitted (like below) or loosely fitted. To offset the masculine look, again push or roll the sleeves and show some wrist. And this girl added a cute bracelet. A long chain necklace would work too. The style below combines 2 of my favorites, stripes and the blazer! I like the Converse but these look like high tops, I would have gone with the regular below the ankle style (are they called Chuck Taylor’s?). This is a pretty boyish look but it really works.
boyfriend blazer/ photo by Jak and Jil
I also think this look is fabulous mixed with beautiful dresses and skirts. A blazer always pumps up an outfit! I was picturing a longer much more flirty dress but saw this and thought it fit the bill. Women in their fantastic forties and up should lower the hemline a tad ( 2 or 3 tads really). Love all this color though!!
Coral blazer/ Tibi runway
Final thoughts; go ahead and try it. It’s pretty cute and a cardigan or blazer are versatile anyway. Spring is quickly coming and I’ll be highlighting upcoming trends on future posts. And stay tuned for the item of the week on the next post. Thanks for reading…….
Tags: boyfriend blazer, boyfriend cardigan, boyfriend fit, boyfriend jean, destroyed jean, J Crew, Land's End, Tibi
