Clothing > Jackets
Wardrobe Essential: 12 Best Blazers for Men
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.
- A reliable go-between: Blazers aren’t quite suit jackets, nor are they sportcoats – they’re meant to be worn with contrasting pants, be it dark blue jeans, tan chinos or corduroy pants.
- No longer just navy: A navy blazer might be the style that springs to mind right away, but blazers now come in shades of charcoal, olive, tan, grey and more.
- Comfort is king: Once made almost entirely of material like wool or cotton or even linen, the best blazers now often feature seriously comfortable modern stretch for ease of movement.
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.
So, what’s 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.
Try these:
Jack Reacher, James Patterson, Brandon Sanderson
Wills Stretch Wool Blazer
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.
Faherty Brand Inlet Blazer
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.
Kato Brand Screw Blazer Rip Stop Jacket
The blazer can be reinvented in about as many ways as you can dream up, and Kato Brand took up that mantle in casually rugged fashion with its Screw Blazer.
The three-button build and front button chest pocket were inspired by classic military field jackets, while the durable indigo cotton-nylon fabric is crisp and flattering.
Brooks Brothers Archive Blazer
It wouldn’t be a piece diving into one of the more essential items a man can own without covering Brooks Brothers, right?
The iconic menswear brand helped bring items like the chino and the Oxford shirt to more consumers, and this wool blazer harkens back to stylish days past in a flattering three-button design.
Uniqlo AirSense Blazer
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.
Eddie Bauer Ultimate Voyager Travel Blazer
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 Flyweight Flex Blazer
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.
Relwen Heritage Trap Blazer
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.
Bonobos Knit Blazer
Bonobos used to be all about the best men’s chinos, so it’s impressive to watch how the New York company has grown.
Now, they make a full line of complementary pieces, from blazers to handsome sweaters, which I personally love. And the use of stretch fabric in a wide array of rich colors and patterns is a winner here.
Quince European Linen Blazer
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.
James Perse Double-Breasted Cashmere Blazer
It’s always a treat to see how a designer like James Perse takes on the classics, be it the California brand’s ultra-soft T-shirts, or this hybrid take on the blazer.
It’s both a handsome cashmere knit piece and a double-breasted blazer, yet it wears exceptionally well with a T-shirt or an Oxford buttondown.
Rhone Commuter Blazer
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.
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