An Ode to Jackets🧥

Salut !

This week I’m reporting from an exhibition called Vestologie that is on display under the beautiful 19th century dome of the Printemps department store on the Boulevard Haussmann. 'Vestologie' refers to the French word "veste" that I now understand is a sort of an umbrella term for many sorts of jackets, coats and blazers. Confusingly enough, a 'vest' in English apparently doesn't mean the same thing as a 'veste' in French, but is a 'gilet'.🥸

The exhibit was arranged in a fun circular way under the dome, and while it wasn't that big, you still got the feeling that there was a lot to discover in the exhibit. I really liked this idea of exploring the different variations and the history of different jackets, especially since they have become such a commonplace item in all of our wardrobes.

I suppose I've worn jackets and blazers since I was a child, but I remember that I first really fell in love with blazers when I was around 13-14 years old. My parents bought me a couple of blazers at the time, and I actually still use them, although they start to be a bit worn out now so it's time to look for a new blazer or two. I wore the blazers at school usually with jeans, and I felt so stylish and sharp. I guess that's why school uniforms often feature a blazer in many countries or schools.😆 My only bad memory is though that once I heard a girl in my class speaking to others behind my back that she thought it was weird that I wore blazers in school.😀 Of course it hurt at the time to hear that, but fortunately I got over it quite fast and it didn't stop me from wearing blazers.

If I think of all of the different sort of jackets that they showed in the exhibit, in addition to a tailored blazer/suit jacket, my other favorites are smoking jackets, 'saharienne' jackets, leather jackets and pea coats. The ultimate jacket to my mind is the "Bar" blazer from Christian Dior's first collection in February 1947, named the "New Look" by Carmel Snow, the Editor-in-Chief of Harper's Bazaar. I see the "Bar" blazer as a very structured jacket, even stiff, but feminine at the same time, with a delicate and feather-like, yet powerful air. There was a Dior replica of the blazer in question in the exhibit, so it was great to be able to examine its dimensions and structure from up close. I wish I could wear a similar blazer of my own some day – or any made-to-measure or bespoke blazer for that matter.😄

Most of all, I love the sort of jackets and blazers that make you feel put-together, but not too rigid either. And when a blazer looks cool, it also gives you a lot of confidence, and dare I say, even power. I often utilized the power of blazers when I worked as a substitute teacher in my old school in Helsinki. Many times I wasn't much older than my students or pupils, and I certainly wasn't taller than them, so I found that I could get a nice confidence boost through wearing blazers, and in consequence I believe it was a bit easier to win over the respect of the class.📚

As a bonus tip, I'm also a fan of blazers made from materials with some stretch in them, because, obviously, they are comfortable and they don't usually wrinkle. Plus, they make for a perfect item to wear while traveling instead of a more relaxed jacket or a hoodie for example.

So I guess as a takeaway of this exhibition I'll open my closet and check what different types of jackets I own, and I'd love to try to diversify my range of jackets little by little!

Have stylish week!

Bisous,

Elle