Balmain's hero piece season after season is the double-breasted blazer.  They've done it in just about every fabric and colour.

When it comes to luxury ready-to-wear I’m not usually a huge spender.  I tend to put my money in shoes and bags.  However, I have one major weakness which gets me spending BIG TIME and that’s Balmain blazers.

I’ve chatted about my love affair with Balmain many, many, many times.  Despite talking about this obsession endlessly I’ve never done a proper review on their blazers.  I’ve blogged about me shopping for them (catch it HERE and HERE), my Balmain x H&M experience (read that HERE) and the best way to style them (see HERE).

It is obvious I think these blazers are amazing and worth the money, so instead of doing my usual of discussing the overall wearability, quality and price, I’m going to talk individually about the 3 types of Balmain jackets I own: mainline, vintage and Balmain x H&M.

Mainline

Balmain’s hero piece season after season is the double-breasted blazer.  They’ve done it in just about every fabric and colour.

I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again, if you want to invest in a blazer which you’ll wear time and time again, Balmain is the ONLY option.  Honestly, you won’t regret it.  I wear mine with everything, whether it be for meetings when I need to look smart or I’ll throw it over a pretty dress when I’m catching up with the girls at brunch.  There is no occasion this jacket isn’t perfect for.

The fabric, cut and weight of the buttons cannot be replicated.  I don’t care how good a dupe is, you’ll never be able to reach the same level of quality and fit.  Nothing fits like a Balmain blazer and this is due to the incredible cut which nips you in at the waist and fits perfectly across the shoulders.  It provides a stunning silhouette without making you look bulky.

The price of these are a little scary and they go up every year.  They’re currently around the £1500 mark.  You just have to justify it by thinking about that cost per wear!

Finally, I thought I’d touch on sizing.  This grey one is a size FR40, which translates as a UK12 and is about 2 sizes too big but I got it for a steal, so I had to make do.  I mostly wear it thrown across my shoulders so I just about get away with it.  As a general rule of thumb, these come true to size.  You can size down if you prefer a more fitted and accentuated silhouette.  Alternatively, if you’re like me and tend to wear jackets over your shoulders then consider sizing up a size.  You can read more about sizing and how to work out the correct fit

As a general rule of thumb, these come true to size.  You can size down if you prefer a more fitted and accentuated silhouette.  Alternatively, if you’re like me and tend to wear jackets over your shoulders then consider sizing up a size.  You can read more about sizing and how to work out the correct fit HERE.

Outfit details: Dress – ASOS (find HERE or very similar HERE) | Jacket – Balmain (similar HERE) | Shoes – Pretty Little Thing (find HERE) | Bag – Sadie Stone (find HERE & use code thatnewdress to get 10% off)

Vintage

My first ever Balmain jacket was a vintage find from my favourite preloved store (you can read the full story HERE).

I wanted to mention vintage styles and archive designs as it’s much easier to find these at a bargain price.  Just because certain styles are not “current” doesn’t mean they should be dismissed.  I often find there’s a tendency to feel the need to buy the latest and hottest design if you’re investing a sizable amount of money.  However, with a brand like Balmain their designs are so timeless and the quality is so fantastic, it doesn’t matter if it’s a few years, or even a decade old.  It will still feel and look just as amazing.

If you’re interested in finding a vintage Balmain jacket these are a few of my favourites HERE, HERE and HERE which I’m currently crushing on! You shouldn’t expect to spend more than £600-£800 for a vintage; anything more is overpriced!

My only word of warning with vintage is sizing can be a little precarious.  I’m wearing a FR38 which is my usual size and it is so tight around my arms and back.  I usually only wear it when I’m having a “skinny day”!

If you’ve seen one online and can’t try it on, seek advice either through a fashion forum or always feel free to message me with any questions (all my social handles are below).

Outfit details: Dress – New Look (find HERE on SALE or similar HERE with sleeves and even more gorgeous) | Jacket – Balmain (find HERE & HERE preloved or similar HERE if you’re not a fan of preloved) | Shoes – Saint Laurent (find HERE & HERE) | Bag- Givenchy (similar HERE & HERE)

Balmain X H&M

Despite the Balmain x H&M collection being 3 years old (where has the time gone?!) I couldn’t fail to give it a mention.  If you don’t want to spend big but love the “Balmain look” then try and find something from this collaboration rather than buy a copy from the likes of Missguided or Pretty Little Thing.  If you search Depop, eBay or Vestiaire Collective, they do pop up every now and again.

I bought this, which is technically a dress but I only ever wear it as a jacket, from another blogger on Depop about 6 months ago.  I paid £240 for it.  This collection has really held its value and some sellers are still asking for big money. However, I wouldn’t recommend spending more than £300 on one of the blazers, especially if it’s already been worn.

The quality of this collection blew me away.  Obviously, it is not the exact same as the mainline but it’s pretty close.  The gold buttons are weighty, the satin lapels feel similar to my vintage Balmain jacket and the cut is perfection.  Without a shadow of a doubt, you are getting the Balmain look and quality for a fraction of the price.

Apart from this blazer, I also have the leather jacket, satin dress, leather trousers and suede trousers from this collaboration and every piece comes up small, so I highly recommend sizing up.

I hope this rundown on everything Balmain blazers has been helpful.  I’ve tried to cover everything from pricing, to sizing, to quality but if I’ve missed anything please let me know.  Ultimately, the point of this post was to show whatever your budget, whether it be £1500, £700 or £200, you can have a stunning Balmain jacket in your wardrobe which you’ll wear over and over again

Outfit details: Dress – ASOS (find HERE on SALE) | Jacket – Balmain x H&M (Currently there are no preloved versions of this jacket available but similar from the mainline HERE & HERE) | Booties – Chloe (find HERE or the black versions HERE on SALE in limited sizes or this season’s terracotta version HERE & blue HERE) | Bag – Christian Dior (find HERE in black and HERE in tan)

Don’t forget you can also keep up with me on Instagram @thatnewdress, Twitter @thatnewdress, Bloglovin That New Dress, Snapchat thatnewdress and Depop @dominiquew.

More you'll enjoy

Share this post

Don’t forget you can also keep up with me on Instagram @thatnewdress, Twitter @thatnewdress, Bloglovin That New Dress and Snapchat thatnewdress.

Please note this post contains affiliate links. This does not affect you, the consumer, in the slightest. It simply means the retailer provides a small percentage of the sale to the individual who influenced the sale.

Previous post Next post

102 Responses to “REVIEW: BALMAIN BLAZER (THE ULTIMATE RUNDOWN WITH EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW!)”

  1. You look simply fantastic, all your outifts are great but my favourites one are the first and the second one. You seem a true princess in the second outfit, the dress and the blazer are gorgeous!
    Have a beautiful evening.
    Regards,
    Flo

  2. I have always wanted a Balmain blazer too, one in black. I think they’re so gorgeous! And obviously fitted to perfectly, but I can’t justify the price yet. Your vintage one is absolutely stunning though, the shoulder detailing is so cool!

    Raindrops of Sapphire

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Close