It’s no secret that I’ve been feeling less connected to this blog since the pandemic started. To change that, I started looking through old posts from the golden years (2013-2015) to see if any of the old features caught my eye. And there, like a shining beacon of light, bathed in Hallelujah Chorus, was You Have, You Need ready to be reborn.
The premise of You Have, You Need is simple: We all have great pieces in our wardrobe that don’t get enough love. YHYN gives you outfit ideas that help your staples, favorites, and best items live up to their full potential. So let’s go!
A Camel Blazer // This J.Crew Regent Blazer in camel was the best purchase of 2019. Full stop. I’ve worn it a lot since then and it still looks beautiful. It’s perfectly tailored, relaxed but also dressy, and it works with business clothes or casual pieces. It is a true unicorn. J.Crew has inclusive sizing, so this jacket is available in 00-24, also petite and tall.
Need something for under-$100? This Nasty Gal longline blazer is modern and cool. I also like this Gibson blazer (also in plus-size).
Not feeling a full blazer? Grab a camel sweater jacket. I own this Juliette Coatigan and it is ah-may-zing. I also like this shorter sweater blazer style with a college professor look to it.
A Silk Blouse + A Distressed Jean // This blouse is also from J.Crew and I adore the soft camel color. I just ordered it. So excited to get it. It’s going to look amazing with my camel blazer, black separates, and so much more. Bring it.
Pairing two camel pieces together might seem like too much brown, but the slight variation in color gives you a great monochromatic look. Prefer a simpler blouse? Try this stretch silk t-shirt or this camel square neck blouse.
I chose a distressed boyfriend jean from Kut from Kloth for the bottom half of this look because they’re the most wearable option in our current climate where pants with buttons just feel wrong. I also like this pair from Old Navy. And file under “Things I Learned About Myself During the Pandemic,” I am not too good for a pull-on jean.
A Black V-Neck Sweater + An Onyx Pendant // Hey, Abra, there’s only a sweater and necklace here, where are the bottoms? Oh, darling, this outfit is for Zoom calls. It’s meant to be worn with whatever bottoms you want — leggings, pjs, etc. — or dress it up and put on real pants. I’m loving these straight leg ponte pants from Spanx right now (also in flare leg). They look like work trousers, but feel like sweats.
As for the sweater, I chose a simple cashmere v-neck ($59!) to complement the neckline of the blazer. Need cotton? Gap has you covered. Plus-size? This Naadam Cashmere sweater is half price on QVC (available in straight and plus sizes).
The onyx pendant is a great piece. I adore the star accent in the middle. The necklace complements both the color of the sweater and the neckline. Other options? This Madewell chain set gives you the on-trend, layered look without the work.
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Do you own this J.Crew blazer or another camel jacket? What do you wear with it? Leave your favorites in the comments.
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Agree to this blazer – full stop. I own it in camel and navy. A classy and casual work horse.
Yes! This is such a helpful series! Thank you for restarting it.
Love this feature and both these looks! Though I keep looking at all the blazers in my closet wondering when they will have their time in the sun again…
Oh man, I love the idea of pairing the camel blazer with a lighter camel top. What a lovely look. Monochrome dressing has been a lightbulb moment for me recently!
As a blazer alternative, I’m pretty happy with the JCrew Factory version of this blazer (the “schoolboy” blazer). I don’t wear it often, but the quality is fine and it’s <$100.
Yes to bringing back YHYN, yes to more monochrome outfits that are not B/W/G and heck yes to a camel blazer! I can’t decide which outfit I like more.
If you bought it in 2019, that means I’ve been hemming and hawing about this blazer for 2 years now! Can you give a sense of the color tone? I’ve found that a warm camel color is nice, but things that lean too beige tend to wash me out. I’m assuming since the blazer contrasts with the blouse, it’s more of a true camel tone?
It’s warmer on color, not beige. Think camel, medium caramel.
Love both of these combos. Thanks!