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If you really want to add some panache to an outfit, the best blazers for men can do that and then some. Tailoring now is vibrant, vast, and, thankfully, the most fun it’s been in decades. From a classic gold-buttoned navy blazer that's invulnerable to trend cycles, to swaggering sport coats with exaggerated shoulders and flowy fabrics that recall Giorgio Armani’s golden era to slim-fit jackets that have stuck around since the 2010s (see patron saint John Mulaney), men’s blazers have more range—and energy—than ever. (And yes, we know we're using “blazer,” “sport coat,” and “jacket” interchangeably; more on that here.)
The Best Blazers Shopping Guide
- →The Best All-Around Blazer: Sid Mashburn Kincaid No. 3 Jacket, $1,450
- →The Best Budget Blazer: Uniqlo AirSense Jacket, $80
- →The Best Casual Blazer: Alex Mill “Mill” Blazer, $225
- →The Best Travel Blazer: Bonobos Jetsetter Unstructured Italian Wool, $400
- →The Best “Actually, It's a Sportcoat” Blazer: J.Crew Kenmare Blazer $498
- →The Best Double-Breasted Blazer: Polo Ralph Lauren Doeskin Jacket, $1198
- →The Best Linen Blazer: Todd Snyder Italian Linen Sutton Jacket, $498
- →The Best Blazer for a Big Night Out: Gucci GG Cotton Viscose Formal Jacket, $3,900
A lot of that is because the blazer's been revived as its most versatile self. As ever, you can wear one with a dress shirt and tie, but blazers and sport coats are returning to their casual roots. T-shirt and jeans, fuzzy sweater and wide-wale corduroy pants, no shirt and some leather pants—the blazer’s range is only limited by your closet and your imagination. It’s the one garment that can get you into a fancy restaurant, land you a dream job, and round out a streetwear-heavy outfit that'll be immortalized in mood boards forever.
While you're working up your next great blazer-based looks, don't forget to accessorize freely: kooky jewelry is cool, while a tie is even cooler. A trucker hat is kosher—ditto a ribbed beanie. Pair a sport coat with everything from knit polos to vintage tees (or go full Richard Gere and buy one just a smidge oversized), and no one will assume you're phoning it in on a casual Friday.
The best blazers for men have got a Meryl Streep-level of range of utility, which is the whole selling point. We've done the hard work of finding the ones you can trust: quality craftsmanship for the price, a dialed-in fit (whether that's intentionally oversized to ride the 2024-slash-1992 wave, or more tailored), and right-now details. (You can read more about fit, styling, and terminology down here.)
Below you'll find the absolute best blazers for men on the market right now, from capital-D designer versions to fresh-vibed options from undersung menswear upstarts. It's time to blaze up, baby.
The Best All-Around Blazer: Sid Mashburn Kincaid No. 3 Jacket
We've extolled the virtues of Sid Mashburn's tailoring at length for years now, and the Atlanta haberdasher's signature Kincaid blazer is exactly why. No design flourishes or distracting aesthetic tics—it's built with the kind of sartorial details that quietly demonstrate tailoring mastery, like full canvassing, pick stitching, spalla camicia sleeves. (And the Italian fabric—mamma mia!)
The Kincaid No. 3 is slightly less structured than the other jackets in the Sid Mashburn repertoire, and that more natural-shouldered fit lends itself towards easy mixing and matching. A Kincaid No. 3 in navy English high-twist wool is the kind of does-it-all blazer that belongs in every man's closet (though Mashburn also makes it in flannel and mohair). Most importantly, its timeless design and quality construction means it'll look just as good tomorrow as it will ten years from now—and ten years from then, too.
The Best Budget Blazer: Uniqlo AirSense Jacket
Your buddy's wedding is this weekend and the “semi-casual” dress code (what even does that mean) requires you to do more than chinos and an Oxford. Or you get the call back for that in-person job interview and…it's tomorrow. You need some respectability in blazer form. Rather than speedrun the mall and drop $300 or more on a sport coat of dubious quality and debatable future utility, do the smart thing and hit up Uniqlo. Problem solved in 20 minutes, max. The Japanese retailer's sport coat is made with a lightweight polyester that is by no means Italian-made wool, but does read as more expensive than it is. The classic—but not frumpy—silhouette and broad sizing range means you can probably avoid a tailoring rush job (though it wouldn't hurt if you've got the cash or the time). For less than $100, it's the rare quick fix you'll actually reach for again (and again) in the months that follow.
The Best Casual Blazer: Alex Mills “Mill” Blazer
Okay, you might be thinking to yourself. I get it. I need a blazer I can wear with more than just dizzying geometric ties and pebble-grain brogues. But I’m still struggling to wrap my head around this whole “casual tailoring” thing. We hear you and we see you, friend—and that’s exactly where Alex Mill’s rough-and-tumble riff on the sport coat comes in. The Mill blazer's silhouette skews closer to a chore coat than a tux, particularly because it's cut from the same garment-dyed cotton that the brand uses to make its famous chinos. The fabric is crisp but soft, the fit is structured but not stuffy, and the Mill comes in a duo of easy-wearing colors that could become the bedrock of your casual tailoring rotation. Think of it as putting a little bit of workwear in your work wear.
The Best Travel Blazer: Bonobos Jetsetter Blazer
Bonobos' tailoring has always been a noble go-to pick for the office, and its best-selling Jetsetter suits and blazers show off what the brand does best: value-priced clothes with thoughtful specs and no-funny-business style. As the Jetsetter's name suggests, it's especially well-fashioned for frequent flyers who need to feel comfortable on the plane and still look presentable when the wheels touch the tarmac.
The jacket's Unstructured version—available in three fits—is our favorite of the group, since the natural shoulders and lack of lining keep things light and spry. The button sits right at the natural waist (as it should), and the 3.25" lapel is trend-proof—neither too wide nor too narrow, so the jacket should last for years. (Whether you'll still fit into the same jacket in a few years is another question.)
The Best “Technically a Sport Coat” Blazer: J.Crew Kenmare Blazer
For well over a decade, J.Crew's Ludlow suit defined—and reigned over—the affordable suiting category, and for good reason. The fabrics well-sourced (shoutout mall-brand economies of scale), the fit impeccable, the construction impressive, the price point just right. GQ editors spent an entire decade telling their suit-needing buddies to just get a Ludlow.
But as tailoring proportions gradually swung away from slim-and-snipped, the Ludlow lost some luster. Wisely J.Crew quietly introduced the Kenmare, a few seasons ago as a response. Its looser, more relaxed silhouette appeals to anyone who both needs to wear a suit and wants to wear a suit. The cut is still trends preppy enough to pair with an Oxford-cloth shirt and brogues (c'mon, this is still J.Crew we're talking about), but its less-tailored shape and ever-rotating roster of high-energy herringbones and plaids naturally lends the Kenware jacket to solo duty, paired with a faded pair of jeans and cowboy boots or a scuzzy mohair cardigan and derbies. As with the Ludlow in its heyday, the Kenmare's price-to-quality ratio is only matched by its panache.
The Best Double-Breasted Blazer: Ralph Lauren Doeskin Blazer
In the finger-wagging parlance of classic menswear, a blazer is a specific thing, defined by two distinguishing details: a solid-colored cloth, often in navy, and contrasting metal buttons, often in brass. Ralph Lauren's expertly-crafted wool blazer, as per usual, is both the platonic ideal and a subtle departure. Cut with soft shoulders and brash peak lapels, the brand's double-breasted blazer also features a lower button stance that makes for a universally flattering shape, no matter your build. It's a high-quality riff on an enduring American silhouette that'll anchor your most formal fits just as ably as it'll elevate your most casual ones. In other words, it's quintessential Ralph.
The Best Linen Blazer: Todd Snyder Sutton Jacket
Todd Snyder's top-notch tailoring is like watching your favorite band play all the hits. You've got the classic starter suit, the glitzy red carpet tux, the endless variations on a sport coat, and a set list that keeps heating up. And when things are literally heating up, you'll be grateful that Todd Snyder's linen take on its stalwart Sutton is available. The breathable all-linen fabric is woven in Italy and cut into an unstructured jacket that pairs with some billowy vacation pants, jeans, shorts, or the matching pants to class up your warm-weather outfits while making sure you don't boil. It's yet another banger from Snyder.
The Best Blazer for a Big Night Out: Gucci GG Formal Jacket
It’s a balmy evening and you’re staring at a closet jammed haphazardly with the clothes that helped you survive winter. The Aperol’s flowing freely, Robyn’s wailing balefully about her ex on the speaker, and the air is sweaty with opportunity…to get a really big fit off. When that time comes, Gucci's got what you need: a tour de force of sexed-up tailoring doused in the brand’s signature ‘70s glamour—all somehow channeled through the comfortable, airy fabric of our lives. The pitch-black cotton canvas is covered in a tonal GG motif that’s just iridescent enough to catch the club's lighting. Those broad, roped shoulders and nipped waist give the wearer (you!) the unbridled power of a disco icon, all gyrating hips and groovy moves. Just don't leave Gucci's blazer out on the dance floor alone: this thing's crying out for flared trousers and sleek boots—and a “night's not over until the sun rises” attitude.
Plus 9 More Blazers We Love
Banana Republic
Signature Italian Twill Suit Jacket
J.Crew's not the only mall brand enjoying a renaissance. Banana Republic's comeback is very real, and its range of tailored jackets—often cut from top-notch fabrics sourced from pedigreed European mills—is a big part of the reason. The Signature Suit Jacket reads as a classic blazer with the usual notch lapel, flap pockets, and tailored fit—but the Italian twill brings wrinkle-resistant properties and a dash of elastane-based stretch for ease-of-movement without making you look like an influencer for an athletic brand.
COS
Unstructured Blazer
Too many men (in our opinion) believe that black suits are best reserved for the extremes of dressing: funerals and weddings. But the right option is absolutely an every-day affair, and this take from COS is that option. The brand's Unstructured blazer is relaxed and unstructured, but still defined. It's the rare black blazer that can elevate a plain white tee without making you look like an investment-seeking tech CEO.
Barena
Double-Breasted Unstructured Cotton Blazer
Ryan Reynolds may have championed Barena's popular shirt-jackets, but the Italian label's tailoring is a head-turning proposition that can compete with the big boys of the tailoring world. Where a lot of cotton tailoring fees too relaxed or—weirdly—too uptight, Barena's double-breasted blazer walks the dividing line like a Cirque du Soleil performer on a tight rope. It's the kind of blazer you'd see on a deeply confident older dude who's just minding his own business (in first class). With some luck and this blazer, you could too.
Mfpen
Patch Pocket Blazer
The cult of Mfpen continues to grow as the Scandinavian brand infuses its distinct branch of minimalism with corp-core sensibilities. Who knew that officewear could look so geezer-y and so cool? This patch pocket blazer from the brand's latest collection eschews the usual navy, grey, and tan, opting for a desaturated chocolate color—an unsung tone that's quickly ascending to “staple” status. Not unlike Mfpen.
Mr P.
Garment-Dyed Stretch-Cotton Twill Blazer
In the same vein as the Alex Mill “Mill” jacket, Mr P.'s chore-coat-leaning blazer is among the most casual options on the market. The cotton-twill fabric and high button stance aren't built for a dress shirt and tie—they're here for hardy work pants, denim, or vacation-ready shorts and sandals. Ideally soaking in the sun off the coast of Italy.
Buck Mason
Italian Three-Season Wool Graduate Blazer
Buck Mason has been on a tear for the past several seasons, and still team GQ's eyes went wide when the Graduate blazer showed up. It’s difficult to enter the arena of classic navy blazers and compete against the stalwarts on the first shot, but Buck Mason swished it. The fabric is a three-season Italian wool, cut into a classic silhouette with a full-canvas construction and slick Bemberg lining. (The 3-roll-2 button front—get your terminology down here—and soft shoulder will impress any Ivy style obsessives.) Oh, and it comes with matching trousers, too, if you want the full fit. Trust us, you do.
Thom Browne
Classic Sport Blazer
Thom Browne's obsessive iteration on the gray suit has earned him legions of fans and unending praise from the fashion industry. The shrunken silhouette made waves in the 2000s when Browne first launched his label— and 20 years later remains fresh and singular, unaffected by fashion's shifting tides. It's a testament to what makes a jacket like this worth the money: you'll always stand out, but never look like a trend-hopping sucker.
Paul Smith
The Kensington Slim-Fit Velvet Two-Button Blazer
Paul Smith’s royal accolades aren’t just fluff. The iconic British designer honed his tailoring skills on Savile Row, and it shows. If you’re headed to a formal event,but a tuxedo seems aggressive, this velvet single-breasted blazer will look fabulous in a full red-carpet-worthy get-up—yet can easily transition into less glamorous situations. The Kensington jacket is slim but not skinny, and would look just as smashing with a starched dress shirt and proper trousers as it would a graphic tee and vintage Levi’s 501 jeans.
Saman Amel
Slim-Fit Silk and Cashmere-Blend Blazer
Saman Amel's elite-level tailoring boasts generous lapels, easy (but not limp) shoulders, and hand-finished details throughout. The cashmere is stunning. This is what quiet luxury actually looks like: impeccable, top-notch, flawlessly crafted, but not at all boring.
All the Questions You Have About Blazers, Answered
Glad you asked. If you posed the question above to five different people, you'd get six definitions—none of them all that helpful. The terms tend to be used interchangeably—though, as the most knowledgeable and/or pedantic menswear obsessives will point out, that's not technically the case. Here's the historical breakdown.
Blazers: Menswear purists will insist that a blazer should be cut from solid navy wool with gold- or silver-tone buttons. This is the archetypal blue-blooded joint your boat shoe-wearing college roommate rocked to his family reunion at the yacht club. These days, though, the word “blazer” is often used to refer to any standalone tailored jacket that's not paired with matching pants.
Sport coats: For simplicity's sake, let's say that sport coats are just like blazers—they don't have matching pants—but patterned. They also skew a bit more casual, so they're particularly well-suited (sorry) to wearing with jeans, chinos, or your flashiest pair of trackpants, Richie Tenenbaum style.
Suit jackets: Suit jackets are the part of the suit you don't put your legs through. They're also the most formal of the tailoring options here, and in general, we wouldn't suggest wearing a suit jacket that's sold only as part of a two-piece set by itself. Suits sold as “separates”—where you can mix-and-match the sizing of on a matching jacket and pants—are often made from fabrics that let the individual pieces work as well solo as they do together.
The trick to wearing a blazer is treat it like any other (non-formal) jacket you own. A classic white button-up and a pair of well-fitting, non-freaked-out pants will steer you right for most moments when the dress code is asking you to look nice but not fully formal. When you're wearing a blazer just because (in our opinion, the best time to wear a blazer), then just about anything goes. Graphic tee, polo, dress shirt or mesh shirt, tank top (or maybe no top!); jeans to cords to high-waisted trousers; any shoe in your rotation short of your toasted errand-running sneaks—the blazer really can handle it all.
Travel blazers (and, by extension, travel suits) are made for, well, traveling. That means they’re built for comfort when you’re crammed in coach 35,000 feet up. They’ll likely be unstructured, without much shoulder padding (if any) and without the internal canvas layer that usually gives suit jackets a distinct shape. Modern travel blazers also tend to use blended fabrics that resist wrinkling and weave in a bit of stretch (not unlike some jeans) so that the jacket feels—and moves—more like a shirt. The caveat is that a travel blazer that's gone too far done the athleisure road can look chintzy and look too much like a shirt, to the point that it's not really elevating your outfit the way a better blazer could.
We cover this in-depth in our great big guide to suiting, but we'll give the TL;DR here. The two most important details of any tailored jacket are the shoulders and the chest. Those are the most difficult areas for a tailor to alter, so a jacket that doesn't fit right in either place isn't a jacket for you.
Shoulders can be tricky: where the seam lands can be a function of the construction: unstructured jackets that hug the body should have a seam that sits right on, or just beyond, the edge of your shoulder. A more structured jacket may put the shoulder seam there, or slight outside the shoulder, give a more squared-off and formal look. What you never want is a shoulder seam that's much more “in” on your body than the edge of your shoulder, or so far out that you could be in a Talking Heads video. Broad-shouldered or bigger-bodied folks should keep an eye out for “athletic” or “classic” cuts.
For the chest, you need enough room to allow your arms to move freely, but not so much room that you have lots of airspace when you button the jacket—or so little room that buttoning the jacket makes your lapels bows out. It’s very common to have your tailor take in or let out the waist, but you should make sure that you can fit a thumb in your jacket while it’s buttoned without the jacket pulling. And don't forget that blazers come in different lengths, usually short, regular, and long. The back and front hem should cover your rear and line up right around your dangling knuckles.
If you're not sure how to size, here's how you can zero in on the right fit. First, measure your chest with a tape measure. That number should get you to your approximate chest size. As for length, guys under 5'8" will likely need a short size, and dudes above 6'2" will likely need a long size. Keep in mind these are just guidelines to help you narrow down the right size. What matters more is not the number on the tag, but the actual fit of the garment. Try on as much as you can. Go a size up and a size down. Definitely don't assume you'll be the same jacket size between brands, or styles.