The navy blazer is a timeless and classic wardrobe piece that every man can utilize to significant effect in his closet. The blazer has remained an iconic men's wardrobe staple for several decades and can afford the wearer virtually endless outfit combinations. Though not required in every man's closet, a blazer can quickly elevate any man's look year-round, provided that they wear the garment in tasteful and intelligent ways.
WHAT IS A BLAZER?
A blazer is between a suit jacket and a sport coat. It is a standalone piece with similar characteristics to typical suits, such as padded shoulders and canvas constructions (though they can also be unstructured). What makes a blazer fundamentally different is that it does not come with a matching set of trousers and typically has contrasting buttons and additional features that make it more casual.
Blazers can be made of materials such as flannel, hopsack, etc. Flannel, which comes from wool or cotton, is much softer and more casual.
Hopsack is a type of weave for wool or wool-cotton blends that is basket-like and quite breathable, making it an ideal choice of fabric year-round. Due to its construction, hopsack adds a more visible texture and is thus considered less formal than a shinier suit jacket made of worsted wool.
PATTERNS
Blazers can come in various patterns, but in the purest sense, there aren't as many pattern options for them as for sport coats. Blazers can be a solid color (most notably navy blue), striped, or even a solid color with contrasting piping along the edges. In the old days, many blazers possessed some ornamentation, such as a crest, but you won't find many left outside private institutions.
WHEN TO WEAR
As previously mentioned, blazers are less formal than suits but still formal enough to be worn for specific occasions that warrant dressier clothes, such as networking events, business settings, dates, and even weddings (depending on the type of wedding).
HISTORY OF THE BLAZER
The blazer's precise origin has been somewhat lost to history; however, the garment can be traced back to a variety of organizations:
- The boating team of St. John's College in Cambridge, England, during the 1820s.
- The HMS Blazer, whose captain had his men wear navy-blue, double-breasted jackets with bright brass buttons for when Queen Victoria would visit around 1837.
Perhaps the most notable of origins for the blazer garment is that of the Lady Margaret Boating Club in Cambridge, England, which was founded in 1825 and is often charged with kickstarting the jacket's initial popularity (maybe even before that of St. John's). Each of the club members was described to have worn bright red flannel jackets that were said to have been "ablaze," thus the rowing regatta blazers were born as well as a stylish menswear staple meant to stand out.
12 WAYS TO WEAR A NAVY BLAZER
OUTFIT #1: ULTRA CASUAL
This first look is not one I would typically gravitate towards, but it is undoubtedly a proof of concept for dressing down a blazer with a t-shirt. Many other traditional men's style enthusiasts will tell you that they disagree with pairing a t-shirt with a blazer, suit, or sport coat, but I believe it can be done if tasteful and intentional choices are made.
In this look, I'm wearing a hopsack navy blazer with a white crewneck t-shirt, classic khaki chinos, and some sporty German Army Trainers (GATs). Including the GATs is a tasteful way to stand out due to the pedigree of these sneakers within the fashion world and their lux materials. The gray suede paneling in the sneakers offers some nice contrast and some great texture that jives with the hopsack weave of the blazer and leans heavily into the casual nature of this look. As always, ensure that each garment piece fits and flatters your frame. Ill-fitting clothes will negatively impact your outfit, even if the individual pieces are of quality construction.
This look is great for casual social events with friends and family.
OUTFIT #2: STREET REBEL
This particular outfit is as casual as I would go with a navy blazer. Similar to the previous outfit, I only include this look as a proof of concept. The bottom line is that not every man can pull this off (I hardly know if I even can). But for those of you who like this type of street style, understand that the fit of each item will make or break this outfit. It's okay to have a bit more of a straighter cut of jeans to augment the casual nature of the look, but focus on proper length and color coordination.
Speaking of which, the ballcap I have included compliments the blazer and shoes very well. I opted for a minimal pair of white sneakers instead of the GATs from before because I wanted to stick to a cleaner silhouette. Not including sneakers with contrasting colors is essential to prevent the ensemble from looking too loud or fussy.
This look is also perfect for casual days with friends and family.
OUTFIT #3: ELEVATED DAPPER
This look is also very casual but decidedly elevated. I think that this ensemble is a masterclass in lightweight layering. You'll see I have a white dress collar polo shirt as the thinnest of layers, with the navy v-neck sweater over top and the navy blazer as my outermost layer.
When it comes to layering clothes, three layers are typically perfect from a visual standpoint, with each outer layer needing to be thicker than the preceding inner layer. The stone-colored chinos pair well with the clean white sneakers, and the texture of the navy sweater looks charming when coupled with the hopsack blazer. Gray, blue, and white always look smart. Cuff the trousers to show a little ankle and to further showcase the casual nature of the look.
This outfit is excellent for church, brunch, errands, or casual dates.
OUTFIT #4: SMART CASUAL
Stepping up the formality but remaining casual nonetheless, here is another look that follows the same guidelines and general color scheme of the previous outfit, but instead, I have a lovely gingham pattern for the dress collar polo and a heather gray quarter-zip sweater. I've swapped the light chinos for darker and more textured denim jeans, but the clear statement piece is the pair of oxblood service boots. Oxblood is a color of footwear that I don't see many men rocking these days, but I'd say it's time for a resurgence. You'll find that oxblood can replace conventional brown-colored footwear (depending on the style of shoe/boot) and also elevate your look altogether.
Don't sleep on oxblood boots! This look is also great for church, brunch, errands, or casual dates.
OUTFIT #5: POLO POWER
Here is a classic blazer look that you might already be familiar with. A classic ensemble of a navy blazer and white pique polo shirt tucked into a pair of khaki chinos with brown leather loafers and a matching belt. The texture of the hopsack blazer pairs well with that of the knit pique polo shirt. There's not much else to say for this one; it's as timeless as it is classic.
Wear this for a casual job interview or an equally casual work or family event.
OUTFIT #6: WHITE DENIM
This look is excellent for the Springtime. I'm pairing the navy hopsack blazer with a denim dress shirt, white jeans, brown leather loafers, and a brown matching belt. The white jeans are a bold way to stand out without overdoing it. Blue and white look so clean and handsome together. The denim dress shirt adds a lovely shade of blue and has an excellent texture that compliments the hopsack blazer basket weave and the jean trousers' denim fabric. Throw on some shades, and you're ready to hit the town.
Great for lunches, work events, dates, casual get-togethers, etc.
OUTFIT #7: TEXTURED NEUTRAL
This outfit is all about texture and a neutral color palette. I use blue, beige, and olive green to affect this look significantly. Blue and green sit next to each other on the color wheel and thus are analogous colors, so the blue of the blazer and the denim button-down shirt pair well with the olive green chukka boots.
In addition to the color coordination, each piece has a lot of texture. The hopsack weave of the navy blazer pairs well with the lighter blue denim chambray button-down shirt. The dark beige corduroy trousers pair well with the dark olive suede boots. Texture is a powerful way to add intrigue to any outfit, and mixing textures well with colors takes things to a whole new level.
Wear this ensemble to church, for dates, or brunch events.
OUTFIT #8: COZY CONTRAST
This look provides warmth and intelligent use of texture for the late Fall and Winter months. Once again, I am showcasing dark blues, whites, and browns. The navy blue turtleneck sweater pairs well with the similar colored blazer and white corduroy trousers by adding an intriguing set of textures. Each garment pairs well with the chocolate brown capped-toe boots that I've added, the beanie for warmth, and a nice dress watch with a similarly colored brown leather strap to tie the look together.
Given that you might want to wear something like this for the late Fall or Winter months, I recommend adding a long overcoat in similar colors.
Great for brisk days, cold nights out, or a date with the special lady in your life.
OUTFIT #9: CHUNKY SWEATER
This next outfit is perfect for the holidays, especially holiday parties where you want to get some use out of your navy blazer. I have paired my hopsack blazer with a classic, chunky, gray donegal cable-knit sweater, deep gray cotton dress pants, brown loafers, and navy socks. Navy blue looks classy when paired with various shades of gray. This casual and cozy look would also be an excellent option for a Winter date night.
OUTFIT #10: COCKTAIL HOUR
Cocktail attire is historically very formal (at least by today's standards). A black, dark navy, or charcoal suit is usually more appropriate for cocktail events. Still, nowadays, a blazer can do just fine if paired smartly with additional garments.
Here, I have my navy blazer, a black wool turtleneck, and charcoal flannel trousers with black oxford dress shoes. This look creates a sleek, dark silhouette that uses tone and texture to create visual intrigue. It is inherently cozy, so if it is really hot and stuffy where you live, consider swapping out the black turtleneck for a black dress shirt and the flannel trousers for charcoal cotton dress pants.
I think the look speaks for itself. Show up wearing this, and others will notice you.
OUTFIT #11: BUSINESS CASUAL
This is perhaps the outfit category most people think of when considering a navy blazer. Classic business casual.
Here, I have opted for an analogous outfit with my navy blazer, encompassing a powder blue oxford-cloth dress shirt, dark olive green dress chinos, a light blue cotton pocket square, and a navy grenadine tie. Grenadine is traditionally a silk material with much more texture and thickness than conventional silk neckties. This texture is great for a business casual outfit like this one, which features other types of texturing, allowing for cohesion throughout the look. The brown double-monk strap shoes are an intentional and casually elegant choice that will command respect in the workplace.
There are many intelligent and dapper ways to dress in a business casual setting with a classic blazer. This is just one of them.
OUTFIT #12: WEDDING FORMAL
Wearing a blazer for a wedding is a bit of a tricky maneuver. I'll be the first to recommend that all men wear a two-piece suit to a wedding before anything else; however, given the often casual nature of some weddings nowadays, and to further prove this concept, I firmly believe that rocking a navy blazer is entirely doable.
The way that I go about doing this is by sticking to some rules. I almost always wear a white dress shirt, which is the most traditional and formal color dress shirt. I would also opt for dark trousers (charcoal, never black) in a classic fabric such as flannel. I'm choosing a timeless pair of dark brown oxford dress shoes with a dress watch featuring a similar brown-colored strap. For the tie, I have opted for a silk white and navy Prince of Wales glen check tie that looks excellent with the navy blazer and white dress shirt. To top it off, I've added a white silk pocket square to complete this wedding outfit.
A TIMELESS AND CLASSIC MENSWEAR STAPLE
Hopefully, after reading this post, you are better aware of the power of a classic navy blazer. There are so many different ways to style this timeless menswear staple, and provided that you don't gain or lose too much weight throughout your life, it is undoubtedly a wardrobe piece that will stand the test of time by affording you options decades from now.
