In this Issue No. 4 - Neutral blazer + Cornflower blue shirt

No. 4: Like most wardrobe pieces that snag spots in publications' annual "Top 10 Items You Should Have in Your Closet" lists, the blazer is a multifunctional piece of apparel. It can be dressed up or down, paired with dresses, skirts, pants, or shorts, worn in the summer and the winter, it's complementary to any body type, can match various styles; the list of its diplomatic qualities goes on. Simply put, it can work well in many situations.

I, however, have harbored a secret fear for the longest time in which I believed that no matter what other pieces of apparel or accessories that I paired my blazer(s) with, I would look too corporate business-y. I yearned for the duality of a look that could be relaxed, yet structured. Every so often I would glance at the tan linen blazer hanging in my closet and feel a twinge of guilt at not having worn it very much while its fellow closet-dwelling brethren got to see the light of day every so often.

Then I spotted two editorial pages that inspired me to pair said linen jacket with a light blue button-down shirt, thus removing me from my blazer rut.

This look, courtesy of Lucky magazine, has a very subtle layering of the neutral blazer with the blue shirt. The shirt's hem and cuffs are barely peeking out from under the dusky rose sweater, but the easy mesh of the two colors made all the difference to me.

I saw this InStyle feature on how to wear a single piece of clothing in several different ways, and again the color duo served as a flash of inspiration.

And as for me,

The shirt first started out as a lightweight denim chambray number, but was quickly replaced by a heavier-hewn Joe Fresh oxford, my first - but certainly not last - purchase from the brand.

And so I created my own non-cubicle-inspired masterpiece with rose-colored corduroy pants and nude flats, thereby easing my conscience of inanimate object, blazer-issued guilt.