How to Wear a T Shirt with a Blazer

Co-authored by Paul Julch, MA and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: August 28, 2022 References

Pairing a T-shirt with a blazer is an easy breezy look that’s great for the summertime. While this look isn’t hard to achieve, picking out each piece in your outfit so they complement each other can be a bit tough. If you keep a few guidelines in mind while you pick out your outfit, you can look modern and stylish this summer in your blazer and T-shirt.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Styling Your T-Shirt and Blazer

1
Pick a navy, gray, or white T-shirt to keep it simple. When it comes to picking out a shirt to wear with your blazer, the simpler the better. Stick with a solid-colored neutral shirt, and avoid graphic T-shirts or bright, bold colors.^{[1]
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- Pair a navy shirt with a black or cream blazer, a gray shirt with a dark gray or navy blazer, and a white shirt with a plaid, gray, or tan blazer.
- Don't be afraid to play around with colors and patterns—a brightly-colored or striped T-shirt under a blazer can turn into a really great outfit.^{[2]
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  Expert Source
  
  Paul Julch, MA
  Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
  Expert Interview. 16 November 2021.}
Variation: If you want to add a small pattern, choose a thin-striped T-shirt in a neutral color, like blue.
2
Choose a crew neck T-shirt to stay modern. Wearing a V-neck underneath a blazer was popular in the 80s, but it doesn’t look as modern nowadays. Keep your shirt sweet and simple by picking out a crew neck or scoop neck.^{[3]
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- On the other hand, a plain white V-neck T-shirt can look really cute under a printed blazer, especially with a statement necklace.^{[4]
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  Expert Source
  
  Paul Julch, MA
  Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
  Expert Interview. 16 November 2021.}
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3
Wear a slim-fit shirt for a sleek, well-fitting outfit. It’s important that your T-shirt fits you really well so you don’t look too bulky up top. Pick a shirt that fits snugly around your arms and is tapered at the midsection.^{[5]
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- Your shirt can be any length since you’ll be tucking it into your pants.
4
Tuck your T-shirt into the waistband of your pants for a tidy look. Keeping your shirt untucked can make you look a little too casual, and it doesn’t pair well with the formality of a blazer. Once you’ve picked out your shirt and pants, tuck the shirt into your waistband and smooth out any wrinkles.^{[6]
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- Tucking your shirt in gives a nod to the formality of the blazer without dressing it up too much.
5
Stick with a form-fitting, unstructured blazer for a casual look. Blazers that aren’t structured don’t have as much stiffness or definition in the shoulders or waist. The sleeves should hit slightly above your wrists, and the bottom of the blazer should fall below your hips.^{[7]
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- A suit jacket usually has more structured shoulders than a blazer, so it doesn’t look great with a casual outfit.
6
Add a pocket square to your blazer for a pop of color. If your outfit is too neutral and you’re dying to spice it up a bit, pick a patterned or brightly colored pocket square and fold it up. This will draw attention to your blazer (in a good way!) without overwhelming your outfit.^{[8]
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- Yellow pocket squares look great with gray or navy blazers, while red and orange ones pair well with brown or tan blazers.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Picking Pants and Shoes

1
Wear jeans or chinos to match the style of your blazer. You can pick out slim-fitting jeans or straight leg chinos. Jeans are much more casual, while chinos could still be worn to an office function.^{[9]
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- If it’s a super hot day, you can even throw on a pair of slim-fitting shorts.
- To go for a high fashion look, choose wide, flowy linen pants instead.
Tip: You can choose to wear a belt or not. If you are wearing a black blazer, stick with a black belt. All other colors can be paired with a brown belt.
2
Pick bottoms in a neutral color so you don’t overwhelm your outfit. If you choose plaid or striped pants, you may overwhelm your outfit. Stick with neutral colors, like blue, cream, or brown to complement your blazer.^{[10]
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- You can try pairing some plaid pants with a neutral blazer, but it may overwhelm your casual outfit.
- Tan chinos look great with any brown or cream blazer, while dark wash jeans complement navy and black blazers.
3
Avoid matching your blazer to your pants to keep your outfit modern. While you can stick with the same color scheme throughout, you don’t want to entirely match your blazer to your pants. This can look too much like the style of the 80s, and it may not look right with a T-shirt on underneath.^{[11]
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- For example, if you are wearing a brown blazer, complement it with some tan chinos. Or, if you are wearing a gray plaid blazer, keep it neutral with some gray trousers.
4
Throw on some sneakers to stick with a casual vibe. White sneakers pair well with almost any color, while black ones keep your outfit more muted. You can wear sneakers with your outfit if you’re going to the beach or out to a party with your friends.^{[12]
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- Avoid wearing running shoes, and instead stick with skater or more casual sneakers instead.
- For a more streetwear look, wear some tall socks with your sneakers and roll your pants up above your ankles.
5
Put on a pair of loafers to dress your outfit up. If you’re going for a more business casual look, slip on a pair of loafers to make your outfit into a faux suit. Although this won’t be enough to wear to a red carpet event, you could take this look to the office on a casual Friday.^{[13]
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- Black loafers complement darker colors, like navy and black, while brown ones go well with lighter colors, like cream and brown.

Expert Q&A

Question

Is it OK for guys to wear a T-shirt with a blazer?

Paul Julch, MA
Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
Paul Julch is a Personal Wardrobe Stylist, Speaker, and the founder of Urbanite | Suburbanite, a wardrobe styling business in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 25 years in the fashion industry, Paul works with clients to make getting dressed easier, less time consuming, and more enjoyable. Paul has years of experience in retail visual merchandising - styling windows, displays, and floor sets for Banana Republic, Gap, and Express. He also has experience styling fashion photo shoots and corporate videos. Paul holds a BS Degree in Management from State University of New York at Binghamton, an MA in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University. He also studied Interior Design at the University of California, Berkeley.

Paul Julch, MA

Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker

Expert Answer

Absolutely! Just think about switching out your standard white T-shirt for something a little more colorful and dynamic.