Fashion Tips for Men's - Blazers Buying Guide

Some of the most popular men's clothing items include sportcoats and blazers, but they can be tricky to choose. Some men aren't sure when to wear sport coats. It's not a suit jacket, and it's not a hoodie; a sport coat is somewhere in between, not really casual and not totally formal either. How do you walk that fine line while staying stylish and appropriate? This men's blazer and sport coat buying guide will show you how to buy sport coats and blazers that will suit your needs and your style.

Blazers vs. Sportcoats:

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, blazers and sport coats are two (subtly) different things. Blazers have nautical roots, and the details of a blazer reflect it. Think sea captain: brass buttons, decorative crests on the chest and fabric of either navy blue or something bright that would make a sailor easy to find if he were to fall overboard. Sport coats, on the other hand, have their roots in hunting. The time-honored muted tones of tweeds and wools have a woodsy foxhunter look, and the traditional leather patches on the shoulders (decoratively matched on the elbows) were there to protect the jacket from shotgun kickback.

Today, the details and colors of blazers and sport coats aren't limited to their pasts. Unless you're wearing a navy blue blazer with brass buttons on your yacht or a leather-patched tweed sport coat in the woods, you can call it whichever you like.

Likewise, the difference between a men's sport coat and a suit jacket is also subtle but worth noting. The main difference: A suit jacket has a matching pair of pants and a sport coat does not. Also, the sport coat is usually made of more casual fabrics than a suit jacket, and sometimes a sport coat has a looser, more casual fit.

Blazer Details and Differences:

1.      Vents. Blazers may have one center vent, two side vents or no vents at all. Single vents are the most common, while double vents allow more freedom of movement. Blazers without vents are uncommon and can restrict movement.

2.      Breasts. You'll see more single-breasted blazers than double-breasted. Double-breasted blazers have a very traditional nautical feeling which is fairly formal.

3.      Buttons. You'll see some single-button blazers, but double- and triple-button blazers are the ones you'll see most. Double button blazers have a classic look that will always be in style. Triple-button blazers used to be worn only by the more fashion-forward, but are becoming more common. Men'sblazer buttons will either be metallic (like those brass buttons on traditional blazers), or they'll be a color that matches the blazer color. For everyday wear, you'll probably want blazers with the more subtle buttons.

Blazer Sizes:

1.      Numbers. The first part of a blazer size is a number; this is your chest measurement or your over-arm measurement minus 7 inches. If these two numbers are about the same, you'll use your chest measurement as your sport coat size. If the measurement over your arms is larger than your chest, use your over-arm measurement (minus 7) as your size.

2.      Letters. The second part of the blazer size is a word or letter; this designates whether the sport coat is short, regular or long, and it may just be the first letter: S, R or L. The letter or word refers to your overall height, but these measurements are flexible. Be aware of your overall body proportions and choose the sport jacket length that covers your rear end without going any farther. For example, if you're 5'10" but you have a long torso, then you may want to shop for a long sport coat. If the sizes don't fit you perfectly, remember that you can take your blazers to a tailor. As long as the shoulders fit, your tailor can adjust the waist, the length of the sleeves and the overall length.

Short: 5'5" to 5'7"
Regular: 5'8" to 5'10"
Long: 5'11" to 6'2"

Blazer Fabrics:

1.      Corduroy. Every man could use a corduroy blazer in his wardrobe. A corduroy blazer is the perfect jacket when you want to be casual but smartly dressed. Even if you don't wear sport coats too often, you'll want to have one of these.

2.      Camel. Camel hair sport coats are a classic, and they work well for cooler weather. Better for lunch at the country club than an evening out with friends, a camel hair blazer can be worn over a polo shirt or a button-down shirt. The light brown color lets these blazers work well with dark brown or navy pants.

3.      Navy. If you're looking for the preppy, nautical look that typifies blazers, a navy blazer -- with or without brass buttons -- is the perfect choice. Wear a navy blazer with almost any color of pants: grey, brown, tan, even olive. If you do opt for the brass buttons, be sure to wear a gold watch and belt buckle to coordinate.

4.      Grey. Grey blazers have a bit more of a dressed up feeling (unless you choose one of the modern distressed sport coats). If you need a men's sport coat you can wear to the office or to a holiday party, look for a grey blazer in wool.

5.      Velvet. Many men bemoan the lack of excitement among men's clothing, but velvet blazers are one of the few times men can indulge in fashion. Try wearing a velvet blazer with corduroy pants to a holiday party.

6.      Linen. Linen is the perfect weight of fabric for hot weather, so if you need to wear a sport coat when the temperatures are rising, a linen blazer would be perfect for you.

Caring for Blazers:

1.      Every sport jacket and blazer should be dry cleaned. Unless you've spilled on your sport jacket, try to only dry clean it every five or six times you wear it. Otherwise, just brush it off before you hang it back in the closet. Make sure you have quality hangers for your blazers and sport coats, like wooden ones with a wide shoulder bar. No wire hangers -- they won't support the shoulders well enough.

Tips:

1.      Now that you know how to choose your men's blazer, you'll want to shop for pants to wear with it. From the casual twill cargo pants you'll wear with a grey sport coat to the smart wool trousers to wear with your corduroy blazer, you'll find the men's pants that will complement your new blazers when you're shopping on Overstock.com.

2.      A blazer needs some kind of men's shirt underneath it, and you can find the shirts you want to wear when you're shopping online on Overstock.com. No matter what look you're going for, you'll be right in style when you shop for men's clothing here.

3.      While you're updating your wardrobe, make sure you have some great men's shoes to wear. If you're dressing up in a blazer, then you won't want to wear worn-out sneakers. Find a new pair of loafers, some stylish athletic-inspired shoes, a pair of classy oxfords or any other men's shoes you may want.