Southern Man’s Guide to Properly Wearing Sport Coat’s and Blazers

A more casual look for business and social events is widely accepted these days, yet it’s still vital today’s well-dressed Southern man known which type of blazer or sport coat is appropriate. Below is a Southern Man’s guide to properly wearing sport coat’s and blazers.

RELATED: Best Casual Vests for Men

A guy in a well tailored sport coat or blazer looks unfairly good. These jackets (along with suit jackets) are engineered to make us look stronger, leaner, and more confident. But all of those advantages can be nullified by wearing a jacket that’s either too casual or too dressed up for the occasion. However, this hierarchy, moving from most casual to most dressed up, is not absolute. There are always exceptions, and often, depending on what it’s worn with, one of these jackets could leapfrog another (or others) on this list. Individual suggestions for each type are added in case you want to dive in and get one for yourself.

Dinner Jacket

• Brooks Brothers Fitzgerald Fit Windowpane Dinner Jacket – $299 ($498) (shown above)
• J. Crew Ludlow Shawl Collar Dinner Jacket in Fiore Cotton – $208.60 w/ 48HOURS ($298)
• Suitsupply Blue Velvet Dinner Jacket – $399
• Suitsupply Cream Silk Dinner Jacket – $499

The type of jacket you wear to a black tie event that doesn’t match your tuxedo trousers. For example, plaids and patterns are “in” at the moment, but the risk is they look dated down the road. What won’t look dated? A cream colored dinner jacket. Worked for Rick in Casablanca. Will work for you too.

Classic or Modern Navy Wool Blazer

• J. Crew Legacy Blazer in Ludlow or Crosby Fit – $154.99 FINAL (all but sold out, shown above) 
• Suitsupply Havana Fit Blazer – $399
• Charles Tyrwhitt Wool Slim Fit Blazer – $259 ($300)
• Brooks Brothers Regent Fit Blazer – $274 ($548) (all but sold out) 
• Bonobos “The Academy” Blazer – $398

Classic = brass or silver-tone metal buttons. The more modern interpretations skip the metal buttons but have other details like patch pockets or top-stitching that help it look less like an orphaned suit jacket. We’re pretty far up on the formality scale here, but even at this point, some of these blazers can be worn with jeans. Might wanna avoid the classic version + jeans combo though. Brass buttons and denim really seem to clash.

Wool Hopsack or Wool/Silk/other blends Blazer

• Bonobos Unconstructed Italian Wool Sportcoat – $400 (shown above)
• Spier and Mackay Navy Hopsack in Contemporary or Slim Fit – $272.80 ($358 CAD)
• Lands’ End Wool Blend Regatta Blazer – $198
• Suitsupply Hudson Fit Wool/Hemp Sportcoat – $399
• Brooks Brothers Fitzgerald Fit Wool Silk Plaid Sportcoat – $249 ($498)

Hopsack = a slightly looser weave that breathes extremely well. Has a bit of texture to it, but still is dressed up enough to wear with pressed cotton dress pants or wool trousers. A jacket without that hopsack texture can also fall into this category, as long as it’s not a super sleek wool in navy (we’re about to get there). Something with a pattern yet a smooth feel fits in here too. These jackets can also pull some duty with dark wash jeans.

Polished Cotton Sportcoat

• Banana Republic Italian Made 74% Cotton, 24% Linen, 2% Spandex Blazer – $230 (shown above)
• JC Penney Stafford Signature Cotton Sportcoat – $62.50 w/ TOSHOP8 ($125)
• J. Crew Italian Cotton Sportcoat – $228
• JCF Thompson Fit Chino Blazer – $49.99 FINAL (all but sold out, review here)

A little more structure than the super-casual rumpled cotton options. These are the sportcoats and blazers that can be subbed in for a more traditional, dressy wool blazer in a pinch. Usually a smooth cotton fabric, but they can also have a little texture to them (like the BR option shown above). Just makes sure it’s more of a simple, clean texture, and less work-wear like (think tweed and corduroy).

Unconstructed/Lightly Constructed Linen Sportcoat

• Brooks Brothers Fitzgerald Fit Linen Sportcoat – $224 ($448) (shown above)
• J. Crew Linen/Cotton Summerweight Ludlow Fit Sportcoat – $168
• J. Crew Factory Unconstructed Linen Sportcoat – $80ish – $100
• UNIQLO Linen Cotton Blazer – $59.90 ($79.90)
• Banana Republic Modern-Slim Houndstooth Linen Blazer – $230

Tweed/Textured Wool Sportcoat or Corduroy Sportcoat

• J. Crew Ludlow Fit Corduory Sportcoat – $198
• Suitsupply Havana Red Check Sportcoat – $499
• Brooks Brothers Italian Merino Wool Knit Blazer – $199.20 ($498)
• Brooks Brothers Fitzgerald Fit Wool Sportcoat – $348.60 ($498)

Rumpled, Casual Cotton Sportcoat

• Bonobos Unconstructed Cotton Blazer – $105 w/ SUMMERHOLIDAY ($228)
• GAP Cotton Slub Blazer – $89.95 (and always on sale)
• Hugh & Crye Seneca Blazer – $165 ($195)
• J. Crew Ludlow Fit Blazer in Microgrid Cotton – $228

The most casual by far. These are the sportcoats that have minimal lining, super soft shoulders, and are almost always made from a cotton twill that actually looks better with a few wrinkles and rumples to it. These sportcoats look terrific with jeans and OCBDs, and can absolutely be worn with classic court style sneakers. Remember: Not all cotton sportcoats/blazers are this most-casual type. We’ll get to the smoother, more polished options farther down the list.