One Ginger lesson I remember well is “Buy less but buy quality.” Well, back at the time when I bought this wool blazer – over 30 years ago – I was certainly buying less. Even at a younger age, I must have recognized the value of such a classic, well-made piece, discovered while shopping with my mother at the Ralph Lauren outlet in Kittery, Maine. It’s a traditional Harris tweed, masculine and collegiate, yet with fitted feminine styling. Love that mix!

When you buy a jacket like this, it’s not meant to be worn with heavy sweaters underneath…a cotton or silk shirt, or a sleeveless shell as seen here works best. All buttoned up it is comfortably snug and nicely accentuates the waistline. Lesson from Candy: don’t buy your blazers too baggy!

So many accessory options – so how’s a gal to choose??? Since I decided to wear the camel suede boots, I tied in the color scheme with a mink pin (from a yard sale) that looks pretty on the tweed…and to contrast the masculine fabric of the jacket, a bright floral scarf…

Here’s the treasure that’s underneath the great blazer: a fabulous sleeveless ‘soft touch’ turtleneck by Majestic. It may not look very special, but I assure you, it is.  Super soft, so comfy, a terrific layering piece. Also a great feature for a white top, it is machine washable.  Don’t poo-poo turtlenecks that you may consider frumpy or associate with only cold weather gear – a turtleneck is a very chic look that is especially flattering on a more mature face, especially so if your face is slim/little.  This top also looks cool with jeans and a leather jacket.

When Peter saw me in this outfit, he said I looked like I was ready to ride a horse – “very equestrian”. Quite true – except for the skirt, haha…Timeless tweed paired with classics for an understated look of elegance.:-)

A question for you:  What’s the oldest piece that you have in your closet that you still love and wear regularly?