Why a blazer should be part of every man’s wardrobe

Positioned as “a pivotal link between formal and casual menswear”, blazers are available in a range of materials – from double-faced cashmere to high-twist yarns.

Taking its inspiration from members of the British Royal ­family, who are avid blazer wearers, dunhill is granting the blazer a cross-generational appeal. Courtesy dunhill

A blazer is an indispensable part of every man’s ­wardrobe – a must-have, a go-to, an essential. We’ve heard these phrases a thousand times, but what exactly is a blazer? And why is it so important?

In short, a blazer is more relaxed than a suit jacket, but smarter than a sports jacket (although it owes its heavier fabric and looser fit to sporty beginnings). The blazer started life as a jacket worn by boat crews at ­Oxford and Cambridge in the 1800s. Made from heavy flannel to keep those dapper sportsmen warm, and loosely cut to allow easy movement, these blazers were rendered in bright fabrics or bold stripes, to help identify teams out on the water. Lady Margaret Boat Club of St John’s ­College, Cambridge, was partial to wearing vivid red, earning them the nickname “blazers” (as in blazing red).

As the use of the warm jacket spread, so did the name, until the term lost its association with Oxbridge, and became a general description for a jacket for sports. A remnant of this remains today in the spheres of cricket and tennis, where blazers are worn by captains. Around the same time, the word spread to incorporate school uniforms, no doubt because of the use of the same heavy flannel. Now, in Britain at least, a blazer usually refers to a navy blue jacket, either single- or double-breasted, with brass naval buttons to echo its boating history.

That’s not to say that the style hasn’t evolved. Taking its inspiration from members of the British Royal ­family, who are avid blazer wearers, dunhill is ­granting the ­blazer a cross-generational appeal. It currently offers blazers with a classically structured shoulder, a more rounded, English-style shoulder and an unstructured, relaxed shoulder for less formal occasions.

Positioned as “a pivotal link between ­formal and ­casual menswear”, the dunhill blazer is available in a range of materials, including double-faced cashmere and high-twist yarns that will spring back into shape (after an extended period tucked into a suitcase, say).

Dunhill’s pièce de résistance is the Camdeboo ­Blazer, crafted from mohair sourced from South Africa. The material can be stretched by up to 30 per cent and will spring back into shape, resisting wrinkling and sagging, and making it the perfect travel companion. It is also rumoured to be stronger than steel, and easily absorbs and releases moisture, making it ideal for both hot and cold climates. The dunhill blazer can also be personalised, with four main styles, including single- or double-breasted cuts, peak or notch lapels, and a choice of one to six buttons, made from gold, silver or horn.

In the United States, the term blazer has wider usage, referring to any jacket that is not part of a suit. ­Ironically, it is this open definition that has helped reintroduce the blazer as a wardrobe essential. No longer restricted to a set way of being worn, blazers are becoming the mainstay of a more relaxed sartorial approach.

As opposed to a suit, which can only be worn as a unit, a blazer can be paired with different tops and trousers. It is now an acceptable alternative to a suit on office dress-down days; it can be worn with dark trousers to the theatre; or with an open-neck shirt and flat-fronted ­chinos to a garden party. Those who want to push it a little further should look to the men of Rome, whose aversion to socks is as legendary as their propensity for casually slinging on a blazer. Teamed with a crew-neck tee over dark jeans, a blazer offers an easy effortlessness.

This has translated across genders, too, as the blazer, in its many forms, has crept into women’s wardrobes. In a further blurring of traditional rules, women are often seen sporting blazers, over a summer dress, with the sleeves pushed up, or simply draped off the shoulder. The blazer, it seems, is here to stay.

Read this and more stories in Luxury magazine, out with The National on Thursday, October 6.