Jackpot!

Well, I was wrong - my new blazer goes with tons of stuff in my closet!  I took a little look in there the other day and was able to pull eight dresses that go with it.  I didn't even move on to tops and pants and skirts in an organized way, but I've been able to come up with some ideas just in my head.  I'm really happy to know that this make won't be an orphan.

I was also very psyched to discover that it goes perfectly with three of my older and most beloved dresses that I rarely wear because I had nothing to pair with them (none of them have sleeves)!  So today I did a little dress-up session while waiting for the laundry to be done.  Please ignore the fact that my legs are unshaven and my makeup is hurriedly slapped on!  Actually, you probably can't even tell because my camera is so lousy at focusing!

First up is a deep brown halter dress from J. Crew, circa 2007.  Don't you love how they put the date on the label?  I do!  Because it's a halter and there's pretty much no way to wear a bra with it, I always felt too exposed in this dress.  So even though it looks pretty great on, I never really wore it because I just didn't feel comfortable.  But I love it with this jacket, and I think I'll actually wear it now!

I paired it with these old Sam Edelman shoes (Delicia, from about the same year as the dress) - all the interest here is on the heels:

While I had on this outfit, I took some extra pictures to give you an idea of the fit.  Remember, I made a size 4, which is where I fell on the pattern envelope based on my bust measurement.

back

It's a teensy bit fitted on me in the shoulders and across the upper back, but not so much that I can't move.

lapels and cuffs

and my cute lining!

Next I have a silk dress from Anthropologie's "We Love Vera" line that I bought a few years ago.  I bought as many pieces as I could from that line, because I also LOVE Vera - this one was called the Changing Canopy Dress.  I love the colors in this dress but was never sure how to wear it.  Enter the Victoria Jacket! (And some leopard print pumps.)

Sadly, my camera isn't showing you that the jacket is a perfect match for the pink patches in the print of the dress.  The other colors are grey, brown and orange - lovely!

And finally, one of my all-time favorite dresses, also from Anthropologie many, many years ago.  I have worn this one several times to weddings and such (and our 15th anniversary a few years ago!) but it's great to have a little something to put over it for cooler weather. 

This is a gorgeously floaty turquoise silk chiffon with a white and hot pink floral motif and a beautifully draped bodice.  I always feel like a princess when I put on this dress!  Again, the jacket is an exact match for the pink of the flowers!

And just because so many of you suggested denim, here's one look with "skinny" jeans, and another Anthrolopologie "We Love Vera" top - this one is called the Bubbly Parfait Blouse.  I think it looks OK with the jacket, but not stellar - the pink is a little off.

And I'm not convinced that wearing a cropped jacket over a longer top is quite "me."  I think I'd feel a lot more comfortable if the jacket were the longer version for a look like this. 

I'm hoping that my next Victoria will be the longer version, but I bought the fabric with the cropped version in mind, so I'll have to do a layout and see.  I felt like I had a fair bit of fabric left over from this jacket, so I'm hoping I can squeeze it out.

And now, a funny from Hubby.  When I showed him my finished jacket the other night and said, "Look at my new blazer," he answered:  "Oh - it's a shrug* blazer!"  Hahaha!  He's right!

*the back-story is that several years ago, after I'd knitted a shrug, he said, "Don't you have like a thousand of those?"