Washable blazers: are they worth buying to avoid making frequent trips to the dry cleaner? How can you keep your non-washable blazers fresh and clean? Which are your favorite washable blazers right now?
(Also: whether you’re traveling for work or play, do you prefer to bring washable blazers with you as travel blazers? Do tell…)
Reader S wonders:
Would you please consider doing a piece on washable blazers? (The goal is to avoid dry cleaning costs). Thanks.
We’ve talked about how to cool down quickly, whether short-sleeved suits are appropriate, and the best washable trousers — but not this.
I’m really curious to hear what the readers say here, because for my $.02, I would not spend time or money looking for blazers that are machine washable.
You may occasionally FIND a great blazer that is machine washable, but you might be doing something wrong if you NEED a blazer that is machine washable.
{related: The Ultimate Guide to Business Casual for Women}
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What to Do When You’re Sweating in Your Blazers
I have some thoughts if you are sweating in your blazers…
Can you take your blazer off? If you’re sweating so profusely, so often in your blazers… where are you? I suppose in very limited situations (a small courthouse without air conditioning, maybe?) you have to just keep your blazer on and sweat, but in most situations I’ve encountered (e.g., hot subway trains and commutes) it’s fine to take off your blazer and carry it.
Even for really hot networking events (for example, an event held outdoors), I’d recommend you make your first circuit of the room wearing a blazer, but then — like many people seem to do at these events — find a table where you can sit down for a spell, remove your blazer and put it on the chair, and then go back to networking.
Use clever ways to cool down quickly from your commute. If you’re coming in from a hot commute and need to put your blazer on quickly, you might want to try a product that can help you cool down quickly, such as fans or some of the clever necklaces you can put in the freezer like an ice pack.
These are some interesting products to help you cool down or stay cool on your commute… see more clever products like this in our Amazon shop!
(Also try rubbing something cold, like a cold soda can, on the inside of your wrist!)
Don’t wear sleeveless tops under your blazer. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: one of my favorite tops to wear under blazers is a sleeved t-shirt. The t-shirt should be easy to wash, and the sleeves should be long enough to provide a bit of a physical barrier between your underarms and your blazer.
A shell does not provide that kind of protection, and please, please do not wear only a camisole beneath your blazers. (You should always be able to take off your blazers, and a camisole is underwear only.)
Finally, look to specialty products to help with underarm sweat. For example, Amazon has many “underarm guards”.
{related: do check out our regularly updated list of wardrobe essentials for work!}
Where to Find the Best Machine Washable Blazers
Since we originally wrote this article we’ve covered a bunch of machine washable workwear on our sister blog for working moms. We’ve also done a roundup of the best general brands for washable workwear. Definitely check those out, there are a ton of brands out there with washable blazers.
As of 2023, these are some of the reader favorites that are also machine washable blazers…
Where to Find Washable Suits for Women
Another idea if you’re hunting for washable blazers for women: check out the brands we know making washable suits. These actually do exist… check out our latest favorites, here:
{related: how to wear a blazer with something other than a suit}
How to Wash Washable Blazers
In general, washable blazers need the same care as other structured pieces like pants and sheath dresses, such as:
- hanging the pieces up when you’ve taken them off for the day, both to air them out and prevent wrinkles from setting in
- using proper hangers for them — for most blazers I prefer hangers that have sculpted shoulders instead of the velvet-covered hangers that save space
- washing them as infrequently as possible — just because they can be washed doesn’t necessarily mean they should be thrown into every load of laundry.
- washing them on the delicate cycle, and probably not tumble-drying them… you may want to try letting them go through the dryer for 15 minutes to get the wrinkles out, and then hanging the blazer up to air dry. Use a proper hanger to reshape the blazer as it’s drying (see below)!
- spot cleaning as needed between washes
- spraying vodka or another deodorizer as needed between washes
{related: a great blazer alternative: the sweater jacket}
Can You Wash “Dry Clean Only” Blazers?
So unfortunately, the answer is probably not. “Dry clean” means you can maybe wash it, but “dry clean only” means, you know, only dry clean. I have washed things that are labeled dry clean only — but only sweaters or blouses, and generally only after I’ve gotten a year or two of wear out of them and I’m OK with ruining them if they don’t come out right.
If you do have a blazer that says “dry clean,” you can try washing it — but be wary because it may come out needing to be steamed or ironed, at best. In general, I’d suggest spot cleaning it as well as you can, and spraying vodka or other deodorizers on smelly bits.
There are a number of “dry clean at home” products that you can check out for “dry clean only” blazers or dry clean blazers… these are some of the ones the readers have mentioned in the past:
{related: the best blazers for women this year}
Some of Our Latest Favorite Washable Blazers
A Great Affordable Washable Blazer for Women: Cicy Bell
This blazer from Amazon Seller Cicy Bell has been a best-selling reader favorite for a long while now! You can regularly find it for under $60, and it comes in a zillion colors, in sizes XS-XXL. Nice!
A Great Washable Blazer for Plus Sizes: Madewell
This blazer from Madewell is a great casual option — the cut is looser than a traditional jacket and sports drop sleeves, but it still has a traditional lapel and two-button closure. The airy blend of cotton and linen will take you well into the late spring and beyond (and it’s machine washable for when things get toasty).
Madewell’s Cotton-Linen Relaxed Larsen Blazer is $148 at Madewell and Nordstrom and available in sizes XXS–4X.
A Splurge-Worthy Washable Blazer: M.M.LaFleur
OK, I’ll admit it, I’m fully intrigued by a fabric that professes that it is sufficiently wrinkle resistant that it can be “folded up into a compact shape” for packing purposes.
In the last two years, my work travel has been substantially curtailed, but in my past life, I would have loved to be able to shove a blazer into my suitcase without having to deal with the repercussions.
This olive color would look great with a variety of neutrals, but if you’re looking to make a full suit, there’s also a matching skirt.
The blazer is $295 at M.M.LaFleur and comes in sizes 0P–18.
A Great Travel-Friendly Washable Blazer: Eddie Bauer
As we noted in our roundup of the best blazers this year:
If you’re hunting for a casual blazer to add a layer of polish to business casual outfits or your travel wardrobe, it’s hard to beat the Eddie Bauer Departures blazer.
It’s available in petite, tall, and regular sizes 2-20. In addition to having a secure pocket, the brand notes that it’s “The ultimate travel jacket, and an everyday classic, this unstructured, single-button blazer is a moisture-wicking stretch blend of polyester/spandex. The lightweight fabric packs easily, wears beautifully, and has built-in UPF sun protection.” Nice!
Other great options for travel-friendly blazers include Uniqlo, M.M.LaFleur, Talbots and Travelsmith.
Reader-Favorite Blazers (That May or May Not Be Washable Blazers)
Readers: if you wear washable blazers, have you found any that you would recommend?
Social media images via Stencil.
This post is heavily based off a post we originally wrote in 2014, but we’ve substantially updated it in 2023 and beyond as indicated.
Kat
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