A blazer. A blazer doesn’t have to be that one item of clothing that only gets a run-out during wedding season. Blazer isn’t just your answer to events with a posh invitation or job interview. Style it right (and invest well…that doesn’t even need to cost a lot of money) and one good piece can take you from desk to bar to nuptials, and everywhere in between.

The All-Purpose Blazer Style

The more ornate your jacket, the less adaptable it becomes. It’s easier to polish something simple than to try and dial down gold buttons and a crest. “A two-button jacket with patch pockets and soft shoulder is versatile enough for any occasion,”

“You can dress it up, or dress it down.”

But colour is key. Brights won’t work in formal settings, so steer neutral. Navy is sober enough for work and you can use accessories to turn the shade to whatever occasion you may wish to dress for. Look for something half-lined, in an open-weave wool, so you can still wear it when the temperature starts climbing.

It’s time to promote your blazer from subs bench to the first name on your tailoring team sheet!
1. With A White T-Shirt, Dark Jeans, And Trainers

Ditching the collar evicts any stuffiness. Try to avoid wearing a printed tee under a blazer! …and most definitely avoid anything too bulky, as it will ruin the sharp silhouette of your jacket.

Swerve them with raw denim a few shades darker than the jacket and a pair of minimalist sneakers. This is no place for anti-fit. Your jeans should be slim, as should your tee, which should also end before your blazer. Don’t even consider tucking it in!!

 

2. With A T-Shirt, Hoodie, Chinos, And Boots

The blazer is your key high-low piece. Since it’s less formal than a suit jacket it plays better with streetwear, so you can pull together disparate pieces without looking like you dressed in the dark. Just cool your palette; it’s easier to blend neutrals than brights when you’re meshing styles.

Again, fit is key. The jacket’s slim, so your hoodie, shirt and chinos need to match. But this is no time for fussiness, so leave the jacket and hoodie open, then opt for boots over trainers to cement the urban explorer vibe, but means you can still go to a pub or bar.

 

3. With Black Skinnies, A Shirt, Sweatshirt, And Chelsea Boots

Your blazer’s formality is defined by what it sits with. For weekends, you need to lose any office ornamentation. Swap the neck noose for an air tie and keep your trousers simple.

Chelsea boots take your jeans up a notch, but trainers will shift your jeans from casual Friday to kick-back Saturday. Just make sure they’re plain, unadorned and crafted from leather.

 

 4. With Flannel Trousers, A Roll Neck, And Chelsea Boots

Playing with texture is a power move that can break up a tonal outfit, and pull together opposing shades. Contrasting your blazer with flannel in a darker shade ups its formality, but keeps you out of suit territory.

“Dress it up by wearing it with dark grey trousers,”

The roll neck helps you outflank that tricky open-collar-or-not conundrum.

Casual shoes turn things too informal for work, but add a pair of chocolate brogues (or even oxblood monk-straps if you’re still a big name in the #menswear forums) and you’ve got a look that can take you straight from desk to double scotch.

 

5. With Jeans, A Tee, Casual Blazer, And Boots

The best way to stand out in a suited-and-booted office is to shun both. “Team it with a crisp sky blue shirt with a bluff point collar, with no topstitching,” says Lee-Anne Solomons, buyer at Austin Reed and Viyella menswear. “This combination will give you a clean and refined base for you to add character.”

Accessories lift your look but silk will drown out your blazer. Instead, think texture; a knitted tie in a darker shade than the jacket and shirt hints at your colleagues’ matchiness, without succumbing.

“Have the outfit ready and then add the blazer, and if that works go with it.” Which means your look still works when you drape your jacket over your chair back.