The fun in building out your menswear wardrobe sometimes lies in doing something a bit unexpected, or rethinking what you thought you knew about a category.
Take the blazer, for instance. Once thought of perhaps as a touch stuffy, as the purview of exclusive clubs and often boasting gold buttons or an exclusive crest, the blazer is now more accessible, more comfortable and even cooler than ever before.
Sported by jazz musicians, by artists and style icons over the years, the best blazers are a step down from a suit jacket – the blazer is meant to be mixed and matched, rather than worn with matching trousers. So, a blazer isn’t a suit jacket (although you can style it with suit pants), nor is it a sportcoat.
A sportcoat typically boasts a pattern and thicker, textured fabric – they’re modeled after hunting jackets.
The best blazers are essential, versatile enough to work with jeans or chinos, and ready for date night and work day pursuits. Find your new favorite option here.
The best blazers these days tend to feel fresh and casually cool, rather than stuffy – to me, that’s what the Wills Stretch Wool Blazer gets precisely right.
It’s an accessible update to a classic as sold by Huckberry, featuring wear-with-anything colors and classic two-button build. I’d style this with faded stretch jeans or olive chinos.
When it’s time to trade in your waxed trucker jacket from Huckberry for something more polished, opt for a handsome stretch wool blazer from in-house brand Wills.
From color options like charcoal to its versatile, timeless two-button build, this stretch option gets all the details right.
When I’m looking for one of the best blazers to add to my rotation, I look for a blend of comfort and style – and yes, it’s possible to hit that delicate balance even when going more tailored.
This Faherty blazer is more like an ultra-comfortable sweatshirt than a blazer, made from soft, flattering stretch knit fabric.
Trust in Uniqlo to deliver something more tailored, like one of the best blazers, while saving you plenty of hard-earned cash.
This option is unlike most blazers, featuring quick-dry, lightweight fabric that has more in common with outerwear than a typical blazer. That gives it a durable, versatile feel that should prove handy come warmer weather.
If you prefer to pack light, it’s sometimes best to opt for a stylish blazer you can actually wear comfortably on the go.
For train travel and even business trips, Eddie Bauer developed its aptly named Voyager Blazer. With a moisture-repelling finish, it keeps things functional yet highly mobile.
Relwen tends to lean on military inspiration for its excellent shirt jackets and chinos, but the Ohio brand can go a bit more classy when the occasion calls for it.
Here, they’ve blended the aesthetic of a classic hunting coat with the timeless feel of a blazer, resulting in a four-button style made from soft, stretchy garment-dyed fabric.
It’s hard not to love the stretch-filled, lightweight fabric of the Flyweight Flex Blazer we covered earlier, but when cold weather comes calling, the Relwen Trap Blazer is ready to fight back, too.
Timeless gun-check, wool-blend fabric delivers hearty fall and winter texture, the kind that works particularly well with dark blue jeans and trusty leather boots.
Lighten things up with linen in this sleek two-button blazer from a brand that also specializes in some of the most affordable, comfortable sweaters on the market.
100 percent European linen delivers a super-lightweight, ultra-breathable feel in a polished, tailored design.
Can you truly wear a blazer when out and about on the go? Rhone’s Commuter Collection says yes, and in a manner that’s both refined and yet highly functional.
Its four-way stretch fabric offers up lightweight, comfortable performance best worn alongside the rest of its moisture-wicking, versatile offerings.
There might not be a name more synonymous with prep classics like the Oxford shirt and the navy blazer than Brooks Brothers. The brand has undergone a reinvention in recent years thanks to Creative Director Michael Bastian, but sometimes, the classics still hold strong.
James Perse might be best known for giving a rock n’roll, West Coast edge to everyday staples – like the T-shirt, the henley and even the crisply cut black jean. That ethos is on full display in the SoCal brand’s more tailored efforts, like this stretch cotton blazer with a nicely tailored fit.