Navy Blazer

Navy Blazer - a jacket with more than 175 years of history.

Historical background

Navy Blazer, is a blazer with two rows of 6x2* buttons. Its history began in 1837 when, the captain of the frigate HMS "Blazer" upon hearing of the new queen's visit to his ship, decided to dress his crew in blue and white cross-striped sweaters and navy blue blazers with six gold buttons. In this way, he wanted to distinguish himself from other crews. It is worth knowing that in the 1830s there was a lot of freedom in the choice of uniforms in the Royal Navy, and the captain of a given ship always had the final word. Uniform of HMS "Blazer" sailors met with approval of Queen Victoria. Since then, the combination of navy blue jacket and white pants has become the new standard, which was adopted a few years later on other ships.

Photo. H ship crew.M.S. ADRENT. | Source: Internet.

There are many stories about how the Navy Blazer ended up in "civilian" life. One of them is inseparable from the club jacket, which differed from the blazers by its colored piping, patch chest pocket and a single row of buttons. Other elements were common: pockets without patches, two slits in the back, navy blue color of the jacket and gold buttons. The history of the club navy, is the history of the rowing clubs of 19th century England. It is worth remembering that navy blue was not their original color. A kind of standardization appeared around 1880, where the color navy blue was adopted as the most appropriate color. To distinguish themselves from other clubs, they sewed coats of arms onto the breast pocket and used trimmings in different colors.

Photo. Club jacket with crest teams and distinctive piping. | Source: Internet.

In 19th century England, the choice of sportswear was dictated by sartorial rather than practical considerations, as it is today.

Navy blazer today.

Navy Blazer has evolved slightly over the years. Among other things, colorful piping was dropped, and patches began to be added to the jacket's side pockets to give it an even less formal feel. To this day, it is not clear how it was juxtaposed with gray flannel pants, although it would seem to be a very natural combination.

Photo. A scene from the James Bond film Dr. No. | Source: thesuitsofjamesbond.com

It is likely that the combination of blazer and gray flannel pants was made for purely practical reasons. Gray as a neutral color goes well with navy blue. Flannel, on the other hand, has long been considered a very graceful material for pants due to its low "crumpling", thermal properties and markedly better durability than, for example, worsted wool. Many believe that virtually any shade of blue (jacket) and gray (pants) is acceptable, so that such a set can be called clubby. In our opinion, they are wrong. Sports yes, club no, why? History obliges, although some deviation is permissible. The navy blue color, gold buttons and patch chest pocket are the elements that distinguish it from other sports jackets. In the past, sports jackets were made exclusively of tweed and, combined with gray flannel pants, were used by hunters during hunting as sportswear.

Photo. Norfolk Jacket - histioria | Source: internet.

It is worth remembering that hunting in England was considered a sporting event. Today, sports jackets are characterized primarily by their relaxed style and informal nature.

Navy Blazer vs. degree of formality of the outfit.

The degree of formality of a club kit ranks somewhere between a classic suit and a sports (coordinated) kit. A lot depends on whether the jacket will be single or double-breasted and what kind of pants and accessories you choose. It is assumed that double-breasted blazers are by definition more formal than single-breasted blazers. Thus, the degree of formality of the entire styling can be determined by the very arrangement of buttons and such details as patches or their absence or the way the lapels of the jacket are finished. It is also known that overlay pockets are less formal than cut pockets. Another element that has a huge impact on the degree of formality of the whole set is the pants. Navy Blazer we can combine with chinos or even jeans and get a styling with a very informal character. On the other hand, combining it with gray flannel tailored pants will make the whole set get "serious".

Photo. Navy Blazer paired with colorful chino pants. | Source: Internet.

It is worth remembering that much depends on the accessories. In our opinion, the most appropriate would be striped ties (ang. Regimental Tie) or one with a micro pattern. A good alternative to a tie will be a fly.

Photo. Navy Blazer, shirt and accessories by Dignito.

The club set will be suitable for such occasions as going to the theater, cigar club or a corporate event. Huge versatility makes the club set a must-have item in the closet of any elegant man, alongside the navy blue and gray suit.

*the designation used for double-breasted jackets - 6 buttons, but only 2 functional, other designations related to the arrangement of buttons, such as 4x2, 2x1

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IdoSell Trusted Reviews
4.91 / 5.00 44 reviews
IdoSell Trusted Reviews
2024-07-04
Everything is fine.
2023-01-22
Good quality.
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