The navy blue blazer is often mistaken by men as a suit jacket and at first glance you can’t blame them.
Both jackets come in 2, 3 and 6 button varieties and share many of the same characteristics.
So what sets the navy blue blazer apart from the suit jacket?
Let’s break it down:
- Matching Trousers – The navy blue blazer is a standalone article of clothing that does not come with a matching pair of trousers. This sets the blazer up to be an excellent pairing tool with other clothing and accessories.
- Nautical Inspired – The navy blazer was inspired by the reefer jacket of naval origin. This double-breasted jacket was originally worn by sailors under extreme weather conditions to perform reefing duties during sailing. You can still see the influence the sailing profession has on the navy blue blazer today.
- Use in Clubs – Yacht and rowing club members are also know to sport a blazer with navy blue being a popular choice. Some clubs strictly differentiate themselves by their colors and patterns. Take the regatta blazer is the perfect example of this. This makes the blazer a more formal option compare to the suit jacket.
- Color and Fabric – blazer come in multiple fabrics and colors but the most popular is the navy blue variety in worsted wool. This version is iconic in menswear and a popular choice by men for a reason.
What’s the difference between a blazer, suit jacket, and sports jacket?
Click here to discover the differences between suits, blazers and sports jacket.
How to Match Your Navy Blue Blazer
So you decided to take the plunge and purchase a navy blue blazer.
Now what?
This is the fun part. Figuring out what matches best with your new purchase.
Dress Shirts & Blazers
Pairing a dress shirt with a navy blue blazer is a sharp, classic look for men.
The first thing you want to do is create a contrast with the navy blue color. The easiest ways for you to day that is to stick with dress shirts in light tones.
You cannot go wrong with either a white or light blue dress shirt to go with your blazer.
In addition to creating a contrast also aim to make it subtle.
What I mean by that is avoid any extreme patterns and stripes.
Avoiding them altogether is recommended if you are wearing your navy blue blazer in a semi-formal setting.
The addition of patterns on your shirt will takeaway from the subtle sophistication the blazer provides.
Polo Shirts & Blazers
If you prefer to wear your navy blue blazer in a casual setting – you are in luck.
A high-quality polo shirt worn under a navy blue blazer is an excellent option when not required to dress formally. Keep in mind some rules when incorporating a polo with your blazer:
- Like the dress shirt, the polo should be in light colors with white and light blue looking the best.
- The polo shirt should have a similar collar style as a good dress shirt. Look for a collar that is not flimsy. A flimsy color does a bad job of framing your face and creating an impression of sloppiness.
- Look for polo shirts that are 100% high quality cotton.
Long Sleeve Sweaters & Blazers
When the weather is colder or you just want to spice your look up a bit, you can also look at pairing a blazer with a sweater.
This is harder to pull off then the others pairings mentioned and should be left to men who have a great sense of style.
If you feel up to the task of paring your sweater with a blazer you should know a few key tips first:
- The sweater should by lightly knit or woven to remove bulk.
- Darker colored sweaters are solid choices but should not blend in too deeply with the navy blue blazer unless you have a darker complexion or dark hair. Grey to light-grey is an ideal sweater color.
- Avoid matching a turtle-neck with a blazer.
Trousers & Blazers
The beauty with the blazer is how well it can pair with a variety of pants.
Keep in mind that still have to be mindful of the do’s and don’ts of matching them up. Here is a list of some key pants and that can be matched up with the navy blue blazer
- Blue Jeans – Blue jeans look best when they lighter than the blazer jacket. The problem arises when the hues match up too closely as from a distance it can look like a suit. Click here to learn how to wear jeans with a blazer.
- Classic Chinos – An excellent contrast to the navy blue blazer. Classic chinos blend well with a light colored dress shirt with matching brown accessories such as shoes and a belt.
- Grey Flannel Trousers – Grey flannel trousers are a classy way to match the navy blazer. Experiment with light or dark shades of grey; it’s difficult to mess up coordinating this combination and I recommend a man owning three shades of this trouser type if he lives in a cooler weather area.
- Moleskin Trousers – This fabric is named based on its heavy cotton construction, which resembles the fur of a mole. The last few years saw designers experimenting with moleskin blazers which pair especially well with trousers of the same construction.
Shoes & Blazers
Last but but definitely not least are pairing your shoes with the navy blue blazer.
If you are into men’s style at all you will know that shoes can make or break your look. This is true when pairing with the navy blazer as well.
If I had to choose shoes to pair with my blazer, here are the types I would recommend to you:
- Derby Shoes – Thinks of the derby shoe as a “casual dress shoe”. The versatility of a pair of derby’s are only match to the navy blazer itself. Pair with classic chinos or moleskin trousers for the best look.
- Monk Strap Shoes – Both the single and double varieties apply. Monk strap shoes are identifiable by their buckle and leather enclosure compared to laces. Given the lack of lacing monk strap shoes are better worn in a casual environment. Brown shades are by far the color of choice to grant you multiple pairings with trousers.
- Chelsea Boots – Chelsea boots are another casual shoe that looks great with the navy blue blazer. You will often find it difficult to find a pair in black which is not the most ideal color when matching with navy blue. With that said, grey flannel trousers are the exception.
- Driving Moccasins – If you are one of the adventurous ones that want to pair their blazer with jeans than the driving moccasins will be your best bet. As with most of the shoes on this list – brown will be your color of choice.
Accessories to Pair With Your Navy Blue Blazer
Men love to show off their personal style and accessories are a great way to pull it off.
Accessories to wear with a Navy Blazer:
- Pocket Square
- Necktie
- Classic Watches
- Boutonniere
- Cufflinks
- Specialty Blazer Buttons
The thing about a navy blue blazer is it’s equally sharp with a tie or pocket square yet you can pull it off without them if you want to go casual. This rule changes a bit when you’re wearing a double-breasted blazer as you should always wear a tie with one.
If you want to guarantee you look great with accessories – you can never go wrong with a white dress shirt and pocket square.
In conclusion – every man that is interested in style should own a navy blue blazer.
Source: http://www.realmenrealstyle.com/navy-blazer-matching/
