In concept, a blazer with jeans is an endlessly-wearable marriage of tailoring and workwear; a high-low hero. In execution, though, it can quickly go wrong. Witness the cursed combination of skinny-lapel jackets and aggressively stretchy denim beloved by slick-talking realtors. Or the Boomer penchant for a one-size-too-big suit jacket with puddled dad jeans. (All of them, for some reason, love those unholy hybrid dress shoe-sneaks.)
But I’m here to tell you that when you get it right, you realize why the look has endured for decaeds. Like peanut butter and jelly, gin and tonic, or Mick and Keith, blazers and jeans are just a legendary high-low handshake. And thankfully, it really doesn’t take much beyond a little forethought to get the blazer-and-jeans combo right.
The main thing to know is: a suit jacket does not a blazer make. The differences are subtle but perceptible. A suit jacket is usually cut from smoother, finer wool, and often has flap pockets. (When worn solo with jeans, it typically looks like you’ve lost the matching trousers.) A blazer or sport coat, on the other hand, is softer in structure, made from more textured cloth, and finished with details designed to dress it down, like patch pockets. Those are what you want to pair with denim. As for the jeans: Too skinny and the proportions skew awkward, too baggy and the jacket starts swimming. Opt for a straight or slim-straight cut, to keep things balanced.
If you’re still not sold on the look, please acquaint yourself with a raft of ’80s and ’90s airport paparazzi pics. You’ll find men who wore slightly oversized blazers and free-flowing jeans, not to meet some vague business casual dress code, but simply because it was cool. This summer, the flag is being flown by the likes of Jonathan Bailey on the red carpet, Jonathan Anderson slipping several blazer-jean looks into his debut Dior collection, and even your friendly neighborhood GQ staff. Below, we’ve assembled five head-to-toe permutations that nail the blazer-and-jeans duo.
In This Guide
The Neo-Prep Look
The so-called neo-prep revival isn’t really a revival at all — it’s just how men have been dressing for decades. Campus classics like checked blazers, repp ties, and Oxford shirts have never actually left the syllabus. Anchor them with a pair of dark-wash 501s — straight, simple, unfussy — and some trusty penny loafers, and you’ve got cool T.A. down below, adjunct professor up top.
The Urban Cowboy Look
Wearing a jacket and jeans isn’t always about seeking business casual, wannabe academic vibes. It can, to paraphrase Alan Jackson, go country. Push it even further with a rich suede blazer, plaid western shirt, belt, and some proper shitkickers, and you’re ready for the rodeo. A combo so good, you’ll feel like the best-dressed guy at the honky-tonk—or at least the natural wine bar. Just don’t be surprised if this combo leads to nights so late, you’re telling the Uber driver to “have a good morning” as you get out.
The Blue-ish Collar Look
The blazer–jeans pairing isn’t always about dressing down something smart. Sometimes it’s about lifting the weekend wardrobe a notch. An unstructured, patch-pocket cotton blazer has the ease of a French chore coat with no intention of doing any chores. Swap in white denim, a chambray shirt, and a pair of moc-toe Paraboots, and suddenly you’re saying, I’ll be spending the weekend eating oysters and drinking Chablis. It’s simply taking casual gear and adding a touch of tailoring, while the white denim makes it clear you’re off the clock. It’s a weekend uniform worthy of a café terrace.
The Undercover A-Lister Look
You have to wonder if, back in the ’90s, Hollywood’s handsomest stars knew the paparazzi-dodging blazer, jeans, and ball cap combo would end up on present-day Instagram moodboards. More likely, they just wanted to be comfortable while still looking vaguely put-together. Either way, the look’s remained relevant, and you don’t need to be dodging the press to pull it off — just throw a double-breasted blazer over your comfiest jeans and most toasted dog-walking kicks. It’s not dressing up, but it’ll drag your laziest fits into entirely new territory. And of course, a blazer on a plane is always a good idea—you might even get that rare upgrade.
The New-Wave Classic Look
Pairing your shirt and tie with jeans lets everyone know you’re knotting up by choice, not necessity. If you want to nail this particular combo, a good place to start is with a simple blue single-breasted blazer that has patch pockets—an eternal cheat code, whether worn with a point-collar poplin shirt or thrashed tee. Suddenly, you’ve unlocked half your closet. Keep everything else in the navy and blue family, throw in a dark pair of jeans (like this selvedge pair from J.Crew) and you’d have to try incredibly hard to mess things up.
