As dress codes become increasingly more casual, menswear is embracing the blazer with zeal. Funny how, once you didn’t have to wear a suit to work, you started eyeing up tailored pieces more than ever. Just like when you shrugged off that hand-me-down your mum insisted you wear to school, it’s all about rebellion, really.
"A blazer these days doesn’t necessarily need to be formal," says Thom Scherdel, Browns Fashion’s buying manager for Men's RTW. He’s right: if you only associate this jacket with boardrooms or events, you’re missing out on the best in-between bits. There’s a whole new world of nuances when it comes to blazers and tailoring. "Unstructured styles in techy fabrics have become more popular in recent years and are a cool way to change up the traditional ‘smart’ look."
If you’re grappling with the ever-confusing smart/casual boundaries, fear not. The blazer's history is conformist and contrarian – it's both an establishment uniform and a subcultural signifier.
A short history of the blazer
This blazer’s origin is attributed to both royal naval officers (the crew aboard Queen Victoria’s HMS Blazer wore navy double-breasted styles with brass buttons) and rowers (the Lady Margaret Boat Club at Cambridge University wore red flannel) in the early 19th century.
In the decades that followed, similarly straight-laced styles have uniformed cricketers, polo players, country club golfers, school children and probably your history teacher. It wasn’t until the Sixties that someone challenged the blazer’s buttoned-up aesthetic: teddy boys and mods managed to subvert its smart reputation with slim trousers, even skinnier ties, rolled sleeves and an all round give-a-fuck attitude.
This relaxed take on such a tailored piece was echoed in the Eighties, when Giorgio Armani’s fluid, unstructured blazer re-wrote the stiff, corporate dress codes dominating capitalist America. Check out Richard Gere's wardrobe in American Gigolo (1980) if you want to witness the exact moment in history.
How to wear a blazer now
How to introduce a bit of attitude into your everyday looks without going overboard? It’s all in the styling, which means you don’t have to tap into the catwalk buzz to look on-trend. Invest in something with longevity, then make it work for whatever situation you’re in.
If you really must whittle it down to one, Scherdel believes it should be a formal blazer in navy: "It will go with just about anything, from jeans to chinos to dress trousers, so every guy should own one."
Beyond that, it completely depends on your lifestyle. If you work in a formal office, buy something smart and simply loosen it up on the weekend with trainers and a T-shirt. If by contrast you live in jeans, we implore you to try an understated blazer instead. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s a high-maintenance way of life: casual styles actually look better when a bit dishevelled.
And if you’re an unabashed traditionalist who thoroughly enjoys the pomp and performance of British events, treat yourself to a velvet number ahead of the winter party season (what's left of it, anyway).
It’s never too soon to break free from a selvedge-denim-plus-sweatshirt rut and invest in a blazer (or two). Keep scrolling to the five key styles every man should have on his radar.
Casual blazers
If you can just about peel yourself from your favourite overshirt, then the next step up is a casual blazer. They come in all shapes and sizes: workwear-inspired, unlined and just a little bit crumpled, cut from faded cotton twill (it only gets better with age).
Although it always pays to invest in staples, with these, you can get away with shopping on the high street – the minor details become ever so slightly less important.
Smart(er) blazers
The world is undeniably a more informal place today, and even smart blazers often come unlined and a little less structured. Perfect examples of this are Zegna and Brunello Cucinelli’s wool and silk numbers, loved by the Pitti Uomo crowd – as we all know, the Italians invented the casual blazer game.
If you’re not a chino-and-tan kinda guy, though, go Japanese or Eastern-inspired for a dose of drama. Or, tap into this season's fasciation with all things preppy and go for double breasted styles.
Velvet blazers
Yep, that’s right, the velvet blazer gets a big shout out here. As black tie and tuxedo-wearing opportunities have dwindled (whose office Christmas party isn’t in the pub?), this plush jacket has stepped up and given winter events a new level of dandy.
Tom Ford has been the king of this look since his Gucci heyday, so one of his peak-lapelled pieces is top of our wish list. If you don't have three grand knocking around, Reiss is excelling in velvet tailoring this season across both menswear and womenswear – the brand's Bordeaux-hued blazer will work for casual dinners underpinned with a turtleneck jumper but looks deliciously Seventies with a bow tie and dress shirt at winter events.
The more versatile take on velvet? Anything woven from cotton, or this season's favourite pin-corduroy will create a dustier, matter finish. We love Oliver Spencer's and Paul Smith's take.
Black blazers
Quietly making a statement amongst a rainbow of neon hues and bold prints on recent runways was funereal tailoring. Yes, black is back – although for style editors, Yohji Yamamoto and the Olsen twins, it never really went away. Which is, to say, the chicest people in the room are always in head-to-toe in the stuff.
Don’t think you can shove any old thing on: the secret with this one is in the cut. Filippa K's, with its boxy silhouette and peak lapels, feels elegant but modern. For a smarter take, go for anything with asymmetric fastenings.
If you can’t afford to invest in this season's new-gen tailoring, stick to wool or nylon (they hold inky hues best) and simply make yourself look more expensive with styling. Fasten top buttons, then pop and close your collar – as seen at Dior.
Checked blazers
Ah, the checked blazer. On one end of the scale is the traditional tweedy type – the stuff of shooting trips to home counties estates and bespectacled professors – on the other, are the playful colourful plaids worn by golfers and Martini-drinking country clubbers in the Sixties (type ‘Mad Men checked sport coat’ into Google and Don Draper will show you the ropes).
Somewhere in between is the ever-elegant Prince of Wales weave, which pairs just as well with a roll-neck as it does a white shirt. It’s been loved by the likes of Gary Cooper, Gianni Agnelli, Ralph Lauren and the infamous but influential Duke of Windsor for good reason.
With the rise and rise of Ivy Leaguer cool, you can go full-blown collegiate (elbow patches and all) in a timeless single breasted iteration – just freshen it up with wide-leg trousers and trainers.
While you're at it, check out our guide to the best men's suits under £500 here.
