HOT FALL BLAZERS
/by Brian Hampton / Dress Like a Gent
With Fall officially here and colder weather headed our way, there are still plenty of options for you to stay both stylish and warm. One of the simplest ways for a guy to accentuate their look is by choosing the right blazer. The blazer, as a staple piece for men, with over a century of history and functionality, is the ideal item to spice up your fall wardrobe. Here are a few hot blazers for the fall to consider investing in:
THE CHINO BLAZER
The Chino Blazer although more commonly worn in the warmer seasons of the year, can also be worn in the fall and winter. The key behind pulling off a blazer such as this guy is to choose a more muted and less intense-colored chino blazer.
Typically, a muted color is any color that is dulled such as pastel shades and paler versions of bright shades. This gives you the opportunity to still wear a variety of colors in the fall without appearing out of season. This is subject to interpretation and does not mean that you cannot incorporate bright colors into your ensemble, but ideally, it's best to use color as an accent rather than a primary during the colder seasons.
You could very tastefully wear your ideal chino blazer with a pair of cream, khaki, brown or gray pair of chino pants depending on the color of the blazer or dress it down with a pair of tailored-fitting jeans.
THE TWEED & WOOL BLAZER
Another fabulous blazer that is a very versatile piece to own is the Tweed Blazer. Tweed, as an extremely warm fabric, allows for gentlemen to also wear it as a coat. In this manner, the blazer could be layered over a sweater and scarf for the fall and winter seasons to give a more thorough and sophisticated look to your ensemble. Both Tweed and Wool Blazers are more conservative fabrics, which a lot of people tend to shy away from for fear of not wearing it properly. If you do choose to wear the blazer with matching tweed or wool slacks, it is advised to make sure the slacks are tapered, slim-fitting and even cut short with the right pair of boots to top off the look as a whole.
THE ROWING BLAZER
The earliest blazers began as flannel coats with patch-type pockets and no vent in the back. Originally, these garments were totally for practical utility to keep oarsmen warm during rowing sports. These blazers were first worn in the 19th century by college oarsman at Oxford and Cambridge and were bright in color and sometimes laced in ribbon and contrasting colors to distinguish one team from the next. To date, rowing blazers have become iconic here in the U.S. and can be worn in every season giving gentlemen a more distinguished and refined look for any occasion.
THE CORDUROY BLAZER & ELBOW PATCHES
The corduroy blazer also makes for the perfect casual addition to your blazer collection. The fit, as with any blazer you invest in, should be tailored-fitting and is best paired with crisp slacks or tapered jeans. Elbow patches are also a very appealing touch to a corduroy blazer and gives the blazer a more retro, youthful look. Polo Ralph Lauren has been a leader brand in incorporating elbow patches into their blazer and sports coats for many years now. To date, you will find that this is more and more common in conjunction with blazers of multiple fabrics.
