As we approach the end of the summer, the extreme hot/sticky weather is behind us, making it the perfect time to pull out those summer-weight blazers.

If you already have a solid base of basic staple blazers, I suggest investing in a jacket with some color, pattern and texture. This loosely woven linen/wool/mohair jacket has a multi-color windowpane pattern in red/orange/yellow/brown. I chose this fabric to stand out from the sea of boring, everyday suit jackets, and I designed it with a soft shoulder, patch pockets, and white mother-of-pearl buttons.

The safest way to pull off a bold jacket is to pair it with neutral solids – a white shirt and navy trousers,  for example. However, you don’t have to be afraid to wear patterns together, just keep a few guidelines in mind:

1. The patterns should be different color intensities. Notice that this jacket is relatively pale/washed-out in color, while the brown gingham shirt is darker/sharper in color. This difference allows the eye to distinguish the two patterns from one another, cutting down on visual “blur”.

2. The patterns need to be different proportions. One check big, the other check small. Or one stripe wide, the other stripe narrow. If you are wearing three or more patterns together, they should all be different in size/proportion.

3. Don’t go pattern head-to-toe. It’s usually a good idea to wear at least one item (shirt, pants, jacket, tie, etc) in a solid/neutral base color. In this case, it’s the stone grey cotton pants.

4. Keep your shoes classic. The jacket is already making a statement, so don’t do the red loafers too. You don’t want to be overly loud; show confidence, not flamboyance.