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Having recently wrapped up a lengthy yet inspiring maternity leave, I desperately needed some new pieces suitable for colleagues and managers (and really, anyone outside the confines of my home). I wanted to refresh my closet not only to inspire my triumphant return to the working world but to also extricate myself from the year-long leggings and sweatshirt rut that has been my pandemic MO. (Though, because I was pregnant during the pandemic, I don't feel too bad about that — at all.)
Actively seeking out new business-casual attire on the interwebs, I came across Madewell's Larsen Blazer in Plaid ($120, originally $175) and just knew I had to have it immediately. While I have a couple of blazers hanging in my closet, none of them really spark joy, and the cut and pattern of this jacket instantly caught my eye. Disclaimer: I'm a sucker for plaid, but my love for the classic checkered print was amplified after taking a trip to Scotland in the Before Times. One could say I caught the plaid bug straight from the source, but c'mon, it's downright timeless. I had seen black and grey plaid a bunch (a fabulous colour combo in its own right), but the unique marriage of brown and pink on this blazer gives it a little something extra, IMHO.