It won’t be a surprise to anyone who knows – or follows – me to note that I’m really enthusiastic about black blazers.

 

First off, it’s my belief that the blazer is the most useful item a man can own in the 21^st century.

 

And yes, the navy blazer has a place in all our wardrobes.

 

But, even the most elegant and luxurious navy blazer can look pedestrian – simply based on its ubiquity.

 

The black blazer can be styled in a variety of ways that its navy cousin cannot; black can be chic with blue denim or even tan corduroy. Try that with navy and you will quickly look like a banker from the Mid-West.

 

We make black blazers in everything from Vicuna to cashmere and from flannel to linen.

 

For arguments sake, let’s just say that I most often recommend clients wear a black blazer crafted from a mid-weight wool or cashmere. My reasoning is simple; it’s just so completely versatile. Let me give you an example:

 

Let’s imagine that you’re off on a world tour…

 

Starting out in LA your black blazer is paired with a white oxford shirt, denim jeans and black loafers…

 

then you jet off to NY and wear it with grey flannels, a blue poplin shirt, a silver tie, and brown suede shoes…

 

after that, you are off to Paris and you pair it with tan cords, a sweater and chukka boots…

 

finally, let’s say we finish off with it a black-tie evening in London, and  our imagined traveler wears it as a dinner jacket — with black-watch tartan trousers, a pink pleated dinner shirt ,and monogramed slippers.

 

This last may not be a traditional black-tie ensemble, but for the business traveler commuting to 4 cities in one week (or anyone headed pretty much anywhere), a black blazer saves  a lot of space and worry about what to wear. It’s the all-purpose garment — and executed in our New York Refined style, I think it’s pretty darn perfect.

 

So. Never ditch your trusty navy jacket, but, by all means, do consider the upside of adding a black blazer to your wardrobe.

 

Best regards,

 

Paolo