We’re Calling It: This Is The Blazer Of The Season

From sweater vests and shirt-dresses to Tennis Core-approved skorts, items of clothing that aren’t just one thing are always a sartorial flex. This season, there’s a new addition to this multitasking crew and it’s chicer than ever: the collarless blazer.

This sleek, minimalist style isn’t exactly a jacket, but it’s not just a top either. It’s a fitted blazer (or waistcoat) that’s usually cinched at the waist, designed to be worn buttoned up and on its own. The style is a wearable iteration of a classic tailored jacket and comes in suit fabrics like linens and wools, and trendier renditions including denims. For months, this classy look has been making waves from the runways to TikTok, thanks to micro-trends like “corporate core” and the return of the waistcoat.

Across the spring/summer 2024 runways, designers who have long favored the tailored suit showcased their takes on the collarless blazer. COS debuted a strapless, longline waistcoat styled as a top and paired with a mini skirt and boots. Stella McCartney’s cropped military-style blazers made a case for an evening wear aesthetic, while Tibi’s sculpted blazers offered summer-appropriate styles with single button closures and matching shorts. 

Trend forecaster Angela Baidoo calls it the waistcoat “repackaged for a new generation. Its popularity is down to the more relaxed fit, which makes these items easier to wear, especially as separates. The collarless blazer is an easy summer item that can be thrown-on and dressed up or down for the office or for brunch,” she tells Refinery29. 

Baidoo also spotted the style in the past two runway seasons, and credits contemporary lines like British brand Aligne for being ahead of the curve. “Add this to the emergence of the "quiet luxury" trend, with smart blazers, wide leg trousers, and tailored mini skirts [which] have become a new go-to uniform.”

Back in August, when TikTok creator @oklaurizzle predicted a rise of the trend this spring, she noted a growing desire for comfort as its potential catalyst. “While low rise pants are gaining more popularity, I feel like people are really longing for longer silhouettes on the top,” she said in a video. Around the same time, a collarless COS blazer — with a cinched waist and exaggerated shoulders — made rounds on the app, with creators styling it as a top for both formal and casual looks.

As far as trends go, the collarless blazer and longline waistcoat offer utility as well as sophistication. Plus it’s the perfect transitional style while we shed our layers in favor of lighter coats and jackets. Beyond its aesthetic wins, this blazer style gets a strategic bonus as a versatile addition to any capsule wardrobe. For those who prefer buying trends secondhand, may the vintage suiting odds be ever in your favor.