Summer jackets - introducing a new feature on the best blazers for warmer weather

Worn casually with open-neck linen shirt and jeans or shorts, or more formally with a tie and chinos, the summer jacket or blazer is an essential part of a man's wardrobe. We've set out to find a cross-section of styles, fabrics and prices to guide you through the types available to you. We will introduce these to you, grouped by brand, over the next week.

Grey Fox (front): Jacket Hardy Amies, shirt Thomas Pink, hank Deji George, chinos Spoke. 
Shaun Cole: Jacket Favourbrook, shirt Tripl Stitched
All product links below

Sarah Gilfillan introduces the project:

What is it that makes some blazers look effortless and contemporary and some look more tailored and formal, yet sharp?  For our latest collaborative post I styled Grey Fox and Shaun Cole in a range of light summery blazers. 

The details that give a fresh twist to the classic blazer are high cut armholes, slim sleeves, fitted shapes and unlined styles with little shoulder padding. When worn with slim-fit chinos and jeans plus colourful accessories it gives a sharp, modern and contemporary look (see Grey Fox's Hardy Amies jacket above). Traditionally-cut and structured jackets give a more tailored, formal, conventional yet sharp style (see the Favourbrook jacket above). I love both looks, but the choice is yours.

We chose mainly linens and cottons, but wool is also used which can be crisp in appearance and cool to wear.  

We will show examples of what is available at different price points. Follow our feature over the next few days. 

Grey Fox: shoes from Ohw, chinos Spoke 'Bulletproofs'

In these images I also wear Spoke chinos, old favourites of mine, whose wide range of sizing suits all (OK, most) men. My shoes are from a brand new to me, Ohw; they have proved to be the most comfortable casual shoes I've worn for a while. Other accessories were lent to us for the shoot and will appear over the next few days. Socks (not always visible, but definitely there) are from Pantherella. Other items are our own and are not specifically listed here.

I'm extremely grateful to the brands from Marks & Spencer to Brunello Cucinelli, for lending their products to the project. As with our previous shoot, I wanted to show how clothes normally advertised using younger models can look stylish on men over forty. I asked one of the many friends I've made though this blog to join me for the photo shoot. Dr Shaun Cole, Course Director, MA History and Culture of Fashion at London College of Fashion, has a distinguished academic record but this didn't include modelling, so I was delighted to ask him to join the shoot. 

Once again Sarah Gilfillan, personal stylist sans pareil, has helped style this feature. Her sure touch and instinctive understanding of what makes a man look good brings out the best in the jacket and the wearer and her introduction above sets the tone for our coverage. The photographer was Nick Maroudias, who shot our previous shoot and whose patience and help for a couple of complete amateurs was impressive. 

Please visit over the next week and let us know what you think of our choices.

Suppliers of clothes featured in the images above:

Hardy Amies

Favourbrook

Thomas Pink

Spoke

Ohw Shoes  (this pair was donated to Grey Fox for the shoot)

Deji George

Pantherella

This feature was not sponsored.