A letter from a reader

At 58, I finally own a blazer that doesn't feel like I'm trying too hard

Karen Jennings
Hobart, Tasmania · October 2026

I have never written one of these before, so please forgive me if it rambles a bit.

I wrote this letter for Bruny Boutique after something happened last month that made me want to thank them properly. They asked if they could share it, so here it is.

The blazer problem I had quietly accepted

For years I believed I had to choose: either a blazer that felt comfortable and moved with me, or one that looked polished enough to wear anywhere that mattered.

I owned two. One was stiff and formal, bought for a wedding years ago, and I felt like I was playing dress-up every time I put it on. The other was soft and easy but looked so casual I only wore it at home.

Nobody ever sits you down and tells you this is the choice. It just becomes the choice, quietly, over time.

I thought I had to choose between comfortable and polished, so I chose neither.

The afternoon my niece arrived wearing exactly what I had been looking for

My niece turned up for Sunday lunch in March wearing a striped blazer that somehow looked both relaxed and put-together. I asked her where she had found it, half expecting her to name somewhere in Melbourne.

She told me about Bruny Boutique, a small boutique here in Tasmania that she said was quietly doing this sort of thing really well. They do dozens of designs, but she thought the Roxy blazer might suit me.

I looked it up that evening. The Roxy is an open-front blazer with a relaxed fit and classic stripes. I chose the black and brown one.

It arrived four days later, and when I lifted it out of the tissue paper at my kitchen table, the weight of it felt right straight away. Substantial but not stiff. The sort of thing you could wear all day without thinking about it.

The family lunch where three people asked about it

I wore it the following weekend to another gathering in my sister's garden. Just the Roxy over a plain top and trousers, nothing fancy.

Three people asked where it was from. One of them was my brother-in-law, who has never once noticed what anyone is wearing. My sister laughed and said it was the first time she had ever heard him comment on clothing.

That is when I knew it was working.

Three things I have learned about the Roxy

One. The open front means you never feel buttoned in. There are no fastenings to fuss with. You slip it on, and the soft, unbuttoned drape skims the figure without clinging or pulling.

Two. It works for more occasions than I expected. I have worn it to work, to lunch with friends, and then dressed it up for an evening out. The description promises you can move comfortably from the office to evening, and that has been true.

Three. The relaxed fit is genuinely comfortable all day. The lightweight shape keeps you comfortable, and the silhouette is forgiving without looking slouchy. I forget I am wearing it, which is exactly what I want from a blazer.

The price made me pause

I will be honest: when I saw the sale price of $91.95, down from $306.95, I was suspicious. That felt too good, and I have been caught out before by things that seem too cheap.

So I read the reviews first. The Roxy has 4.8 stars across 777 reviews, which is high but not a suspiciously perfect five. That made me trust it more, not less.

The only catch I found was that Bruny Boutique is a small operation selling directly, so they can price things more fairly. The sale is on because it is their 22 year anniversary. There is a 30 day returns policy if it does not suit.

No other catch. I ordered it.

What I would tell you over tea

If you have been looking for a blazer that feels easy to wear and still looks polished, go and have a look at Bruny Boutique while the sale is on.

I am not a fashion writer, and I am not trying to sound like one. I just wanted to tell you about something that solved a problem I had been living with for years without realising it could be solved.

The Roxy did that for me. It might do the same for you.

The anniversary sale is on now, so the price is lower while it lasts.

I finally own a blazer I reach for without thinking twice.

Karen

Roxy | Striped Open-Front Blazer

★★★★★ 4.8 out of 5 from 777 reviews

$306.95 $91.95

• Open-front design with no buttons or fastenings
• Relaxed fit that skims without clinging
• Classic stripe pattern in black and brown
• Lightweight and comfortable for all-day wear
• Pairs easily with trousers, skirts or jeans

See the striped blazers

The anniversary sale is on now, so the price is lower while it lasts.