As we approach the end of the summer, the extreme hot/sticky weather is behind us, making it the perfect time to pull out those summer-weight blazers.

If you already have a solid base of basic staple blazers, I suggest investing in a jacket with some color, pattern and texture. This loosely woven linen/wool/mohair jacket has a multi-color windowpane pattern in red/orange/yellow/brown. I chose this fabric to stand out from the sea of boring, everyday suit jackets, and I designed it with a soft shoulder, patch pockets, and white mother-of-pearl buttons.

The safest way to pull off a bold jacket is to pair it with neutral solids – a white shirt and navy trousers,  for example. However, you don’t have to be afraid to wear patterns together, just keep a few guidelines in mind:

1. The patterns should be different color intensities. Notice that this jacket is relatively pale/washed-out in color, while the brown gingham shirt is darker/sharper in color. This difference allows the eye to distinguish the two patterns from one another, cutting down on visual “blur”.

2. The patterns need to be different proportions. One check big, the other check small. Or one stripe wide, the other stripe narrow. If you are wearing three or more patterns together, they should all be different in size/proportion.

3. Don’t go pattern head-to-toe. It’s usually a good idea to wear at least one item (shirt, pants, jacket, tie, etc) in a solid/neutral base color. In this case, it’s the stone grey cotton pants.

4. Keep your shoes classic. The jacket is already making a statement, so don’t do the red loafers too. You don’t want to be overly loud; show confidence, not flamboyance.

Linen/wool/mohair windowpane jacket, brown gingham b-d shirt and cotton/linen pocket square all by Michael Andrews Bespoke (custom made). Cotton pants by Helmut Lang (size 33). Cordovan tassel loafers by Johnston & Murphy. Tortoise shades by Persol. Watch by Montblanc. Bracelets by nyc street vendor.

If you aren’t comfortable in all that pattern, stick to solids – but this doesn’t mean your look has to be boring. When wearing solid, conservative colors, you can still intrigue the eye with interesting fabric and texture combinations.

Grey peak label linen/cotton blazer, white poplin b-d shirt, and navy cotton trousers all by Michael Andrews Bespoke (custom made). Handmade leather boat shoe by Rogues Gallery. Navy tipped linen pocket square by Robert Talbott. Black/grey gradient shades by Persol. Watch by Montblanc.

This heathered linen jacket contrasts nicely with the sharp white poplin shirt, cotton/linen pocket square, dark cotton trousers and quality leather boat shoes.

I also just noticed that this look is channeling two influential American designers simultaneously. Tom Ford (wide peak lapels, longer jacket) and Thom Browne (cropped pants).

Yes, you can wear a suit jacket as a blazer. The only real difference is not wearing matching pants.

Although a blazer is usually differentiated by fabric selection (blazers usually have more texture/color/pattern and less luster than suit jackets) as well as a number of stylistic choices (pocket style, vent style, buttons, lapels, etc), the basic elements and the fit are ssentially the same.

The brown jacket below is part of this suit that I featured this earlier this year.

Brown is a forgotten color – and that is what I love about it. Although many men shy away from it, brown is masculine, conservative, looks great on a wide range of skin tones, combines well with many colors, and offers an awesome tonal play with khaki pants.

Cotton/silk jacket (part of this suit) by Hugo Boss (size 40R). Purple check b-d shirt and cotton paisley pocket square both by Michael Andrews Bespoke (custom made). Khaki chinos by Ralph Lauren Polo (size 34×32). Tortoise aviator shades by Ralph Lauren Purple Label. Suede captoe lace-ups shoes by ToBoot NY.

Thanks for reading.

Yours in Style,

SB