How To Wear A Casual Blazer For Men
While a blazer may be your go-to for formal occasions, the classic jacket can work surprisingly well for a variety of looks, including those that are casual. So, if you’re looking to achieve a relaxed yet refined appearance, a blazer can make a perfect choice. Of course, to nail a casual blazer outfit, there are several factors to consider, including color, material, fit, and styling. Thankfully, we can provide guidance on all these aspects. All you need to do is follow our advice, and you’ll soon be rocking a casual blazer with confidence and style.
A blazer is a type of jacket that is considered suitable for formal occasions. Although blazers are similar to suit jackets, they do not technically feature matching pants. Likewise, blazers also often feature less structured shoulders than suit jackets. They were originally worn by the British Navy and date back to the early nineteenth century.
To wear a blazer casually, start by choosing a relaxed style. To do so, try opting for lightweight materials, such as linen, and unstructured designs that project a relaxed aesthetic. Once you have your casual blazer, keep the rest of your look on par with informal items. Jeans, chinos, and shorts all work well on the bottom while T-shirts and sweaters suit up top.
Men’s blazers come in many fabrics, styles, and colors. As such, there are plenty of choices and options available. To find the right blazers for your needs, be sure to know your options. While some blazers are best suited to formal ensembles, others are perfect for casual outfits. You just need to be able to tell the difference.
Cotton blazers are a summertime staple and an excellent option for casual dressing. Thanks to their lightweight fabric, cotton blazers sit comfortably on the body, achieving a relaxed yet smart aesthetic. They are available in a variety of colors but are most versatile in classic hues like navy, grey, and beige. Just be sure to pick one that flatters your skin tone. While cotton blazers can suit a variety of looks, they work particularly well with jeans, chinos, T-shirts, and sneakers.
While wool and wool blend blazers may be too heavy for summer, they are ideal for other seasons. When buying a wool blazer, stick to shades of navy and grey to maximize versatility and longevity. Also, be sure to try it on before purchasing to ensure the cut and quality is right. Once you have your ideal wool blazer, you can pair it with jeans or chinos and sneakers or boots for a stylish casual look.
Thanks to their lightweight and breathable fabric, linen blazers are perfect for keeping cool in summer without sacrificing style. They are particularly suited to casual and smart casual ensembles and look best unstructured. To wear one, keep your overall appearance light and breezy. Also, avoid heavy footwear and opt for sandals, sneakers, or loafers.
Thanks to its heavy weight, the tweed casual blazer is best suited to winter outfits. In fact, a tweed blazer is an excellent option for fashionably staying warm in cold weather. Although tweed jackets are known for their classic charm, they can work surprisingly well with casual ensembles. To rock the look, try pairing a brown tweed blazer with dark blue jeans and a white shirt. Or, go monochrome for a sharp, contemporary aesthetic.
When selecting a blazer, you have the option of either a structured or unstructured design. Structured designs feature sharp, clean shapes and shoulder pads and are ideal for more formal events. Unstructured blazers are softer, more flexible, feature minimal or no shoulder pads, and are more suitable for casual occasions.
Men’s blazers are available in many different styles. Along with standard blazers, there are also sports coats and suit jackets. While it can be difficult to differentiate between the three, there are differences. In particular, a traditional blazer is more formal than a sports coat and less formal than a suit jacket.
Also known as a sports jacket, a sports coat is similar in cut and length to casual blazers and suit jackets. However, they are generally more casual and less structured. Sports coats do not feature matching trousers and are often designed in thick, sturdy fabrics, such as tweed and flannel. They were initially designed for outdoor sports, such as shooting, and are looser than suit jackets to accommodate layers.
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The main difference between a blazer and a suit jacket is that a suit jacket features matching trousers. However, suit jackets are also typically more formal than standard blazers. As such, they aren’t always ideal for casual looks, but it is possible to make them work, especially if the style is unstructured. To do so, try breaking the suit up and teaming your jacket with chinos; alternatively, embrace the whole suit and wear it with a T-shirt and sneakers.
Pairing a blazer with jeans is an excellent option for men who enjoy a smart casual style. The look is especially ideal for dinners, parties, dates, and more. To wear it, try opting for a black, casual blazer. Then, either pair it with black jeans for a contemporary appearance or blue jeans for a classic style.
For a polished appearance, a blazer and chinos is an ideal combination. To relax things down a little more, opt for a T-shirt instead of a collared shirt and stick to sneakers for your feet. In particular, pairing a traditional navy blazer with white chinos can create a stylish look with a fun, nautical twist.
Looking to have a little fun with your casual blazer? Why not team it with a pair of shorts? A blazer with shorts is a playful take on the style and perfect for summer. To wear the look, pair your blazer with chino shorts in a matching color. Then, add a contrasting T-shirt and finish with casual footwear, such as sandals, sneakers, or boat shoes.
When worn correctly, a T-shirt and blazer can be seriously stylish. To nail the look, ensure both your T-shirt and blazer are slim. Then, partner the pair with slim chinos or jeans. Sticking to neutral block colors, such as black, white, and navy will ensure you don’t go wrong.
A polo shirt is a fantastic option for casual blazer outfits. While the collared style is slightly more sophisticated than a standard T-shirt, it still achieves an impressive laidback aesthetic. Additionally, a polo shirt will add an athleisure touch to your look that’s perfect for right now. Just add sneakers to make things even sportier.
Suits are considered the ultimate staple for a gentleman’s wardrobe as they transcend time and culture. There are many occasions when a man doesn’t want to fit in or wear something traditional or conformist. This is why the ability to style mismatched blazers and trousers will come in handy. Below we take you through the best ways to wear separate combinations for a look that is modern and stylish.
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The bread and butter of separate, navy, and neutral are complementary colors. The biggest issue with the Navy and neutral is that they can be a little too expected. To ensure your navy blazer and trouser combination doesn’t look too clichéd, introduce other colors to switch up your look. Add accessories like pocket squares in emerald green, deep burgundy, and rich brown to amplify a navy blazer and neutral trouser combination.
A Navy blazer and grey trousers are also an obvious pairing but nonetheless easy to perfect. For this pairing, stick to staple colors like white and powder blue for your shirt choices as this will allow a more classic interpretation of the trend. Also, be conscious of the type of grey you select for your trousers. You don’t want a light shade, and you should avoid going for a pair that is too dark so that there is no distinction between your blazer and trousers.
Navy Blazer + Mid Wash Jeans
While this guide deals mostly with different colored separates, our pick for a navy blazer and blue jean pairing rests on the distinction between the materials of the separates. The critical thing to remember is to combine good-quality denim with a casual blazer. This will ensure that the separates don’t look too mismatched with one another, and they will both possess the same level of formality (or lack thereof). For a different take on this color combination, try out mid-wash denim jeans with navy blazers to contrast the separates for a more dimensional look.
Dark-wash jeans work very well with a grey blazer. The key to perfecting this combination is to ensure that the material of your blazer is not too formal. Remember that separates only work if they are similar regarding their level of formality. For example, denim is a more casual material, so opt for lightweight cotton grey blazers to keep things consistent and not too out of place.
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Grey blazers and black trousers project a classic aesthetic, so this pairing is an excellent option for semi-formal looks. The palette that black and grey work from; means this combination is failsafe and easier to style. Stick with monochrome accessories to sustain the simple color story. To acclimate this color combination, pair your grey blazer and black trousers with a white Oxford shirt.
While we advocate a fitted, slim-cut silhouette, it is crucial to sustain youthful tailoring with brown and navy color combinations. Browns and navies are classic and visually work well together and complement a quasi-formal style perfectly. For shoes, opt for an Oxford, brogue, Chelsea boot, or monk strap in dark brown.
Black blazers and grey trousers work tremendously well for formal and casual dressing looks. This separate combination is also a great option if you want to balance out your proportions. As with a grey blazer and black trouser combination, stick with simplistic colors to preserve a classic aesthetic. Patterned pocket squares will brighten up a solemn black blazer, and will breathe life into this color combination.
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The combination of tweed and denim is a balancing act that requires great tailoring and mindfulness of the type of tweed you opt for. Tweed and denim lend more of a traditionalist vibe to your look; think of preppy brands like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger for inspiration. This separate combination is also an appealing option for business casual events. Tweed and denim call for layering and incorporation of cable-knit sweaters and traditionally patterned scarves that work well for the upcoming colder months.
White trousers are a favorite choice amongst bloggers and street style stars. Wear blazers in classic colors like navy or a muted grass green. Pastels can also work, but ensure that you have other darker tones in your look to ground the lighter colors. Also, keep in mind where you will be going. White trousers are a great option for weekend looks and more relaxed days, and a colored blazer can dress your trousers up.
The problem with styling separates is that there is a lot of room for error. You are working with pieces that may not have been designed to complement one another as well as made from different materials and colors. The first thing you will need to ensure is that your color combinations are complementary to one another. Focus on the tones of your separates – some colors will not work with others.
A good rule of thumb is to invest in neutral pieces – this will afford you much more versatility when matching them. Another important tip is to ensure that your blazers and trousers are tailored in a similar manner. You should be going for a well-fitted, streamlined look. This will ensure that your separates look like they belong with one another as opposed to looking like you’re wearing them because you couldn’t find a matching pair of trousers and their corresponding blazer.
