Men’s Fashion Essential – The Blazer

Following on the heels of the essential waistcoat comes another men’s fashion essential which ties in very nicely – The Blazer. Like I mentioned on the waistcoat article, there has been a massive movement toward more smart casual and even formal wear within many stylish and fashion forward cities within the UK (and world even). On any night out now in London, Birmingham, Manchester etc. you will see a lot of stylish men rocking a blazer. I’m not talking what you used to wear to school or even the really formal suit jackets you wear for work – I am talking a more relaxed blazer jacket which has a bit of flair. Enough to make you look smart, with clean cut lines, but with a more relaxed, fashionable feel.

Today I will tell you a couple of basic ways you can wear the blazer, and suggest some great new blazers in a variety of colours, designers and prices.

How to wear a blazer

Always make sure the fit is still slim and fitted. When you buy “off the rack” most of the big designers like Vivienne Westwood or Ralph Lauren will still come with a great cut and it’s just about getting the right size. If you go for a more budget fashion store then the fit might not be perfect, but you can easily get a local tailor or seamstress to take the blazer in at the right places and give it a perfect fit on you. These services literally only cost around ten to twenty pounds normally for a great job and will make it look like the blazer has cost hundreds more!

You can wear a blazer in a casual or formal way quite easily. I am talking about relaxed formal though for a night out, not business smart. For a relaxed formal look; wear either relaxed cut trousers or a nice slim fit pair of dark jeans. A nice shoe is a must (but a topic for another day) and you can wear either a plain t-shirt underneath or a nice fitted shirt unbuttoned slightly. Separates are good for a relaxed formal look – meaning you can wear a nice dark trouser/jean with a lighter colour blazer (greys, white, beige etc.). This helps you break out of the business formal impression that one solid colour can give off. Next week’s look will address this perfectly and give you a great idea of how to pull it all off. This formal look is great for upper class bars/clubs, champagne bars, restaurants and meetings etc.

For a casual look that many will wear out on a night out you can go a completely different way; wear normal fitted jeans, a graphic tee and throw the blazer on over the top. You can rock this with a nice relaxed flat shoe, deck shoe or even a pair of trainers – think canvas more than Nike Air Max! This gives off a definite relaxed vibe but will make you come across as stylish just from the fact you have put that little extra effort in with the blazer setting it all off. It adds smarter, clean cut style to your outfit and even the impression of wealth.

So take a look at some of this season’s greatest blazers below. You need one of these in your wardrobe this year!

Recommended Blazers

Luxury Blazers

Beige Linen Blazer by Vivienne Westwood £388	Blue Striped Twill Blazer by McQ Alexander McQueen £434	Navy Cotton Patch Pocket Blazer by CP Company £288

Mid Priced Blazers

Black Cotton Blazer by Cold Method £132	Grey Cotton Blazer by Cold Method £132	All Saints Balham Jacket £160

Low Cost Blazers

Grey Puppytooth Blazer Jacket £40	BLACK JERSEY SKINNY BLAZER £65	GUNMETAL GREY SKINNY JACKET £85