Featuring notched lapels, a
single-breasted silhouette and three brass buttons, this piece has been indispensable to the RL look since our first menswear collections in the 1970s.
Another story suggests the traditional single-breasted blazer likely evolved from colorful club jackets designed by rowing teams throughout the 19th century in England, where these pieces were worn specifically for regattas and other sporting events. With a trimmer silhouette, these pieces mirror the blazers that are used in our Ralph Lauren collection today. Other design elements that are offered—including patch pockets, double side vents and embroidered crests—were also born from this sporty style.
More than 100 years later, the navy blazer remains a modern essential that draws on both of these British influences. In the United States, the jacket became a common choice in the first half of the 20th century among prep school and college students, as well as other east coast gentlemen, who wore these jackets with the grey flannel trousers that were emblematic of 1950s style. Since then, the navy blazer has become an indispensable part of every man’s wardrobe thanks to its heritage, versatility and tailored refinement—all of which are defining Ralph Lauren qualities that will never go out of style.