Finding a single light layer, something you can toss on over almost anything, something you can wear when you fly, when you land, and out to dinner — that’s not an easy ask. The most versatile of the options is a blazer. This blazer is one I’ve been eyeing for quite some time, and after getting some hands on time with Relwen items — I picked this up in Navy.
It’s a very nice blazer, and walks that perfect line of something built to not be thought about, working across a wide range of scenarios, while also looking great.
Materials
This blazer is a bit deceptive with the materials, it’s 98% cotton, with 3% spandex. It’s a stretch sateen twill, says Relwen, which comes in at 190gsm. It’s thin and light, with a very smooth visual appearance. This is a 4 button jacket, which can be worn with a 2-button/3-roll look. There’s a through tab closure as well.
There’s no structure/padding to this, and it has a tapered waist. All in all, I’ve found it to resist wrinkling well, but picks up lint quickly and requires a more firm shake to get it back off the blazer.
Fit and Style
The fit on this is perfect for me, I grabbed this in a Large — my default size — and it’s spot on. The sleeves are cut longer than you might expect for a blazer, and have a slight articulation to them so that they flow very nicely.
The style of this is that of a heritage hunting blazer, complete with a working game pocket on the back (though Relwen notes that you shouldn’t actually use this for dead animals). This isn’t a blazer you’ll find in most stores, nor is it a true hunting blazer you’ll take into the woods. What it is is something that can be worn as a two-button blazer you toss over a button down. It’s a blazer with functioning buttons you can button all the way up, flip the collar up and button over your throat.
Essentially the style is a modern take on a classic a versatile blazer.
Performance and Durability
I’ve been wearing and using this blazer since late May, and I’ve been pretty blown away by how well it performs. The temperature range on this is something like 50°F – 75°F for a comfortable range. I’ve worn it up to 78°F and started to get a touch warm, where 48°F was a bit chilled — nothing too bad though.
The subtle stretch, and well designed sleeve shape, create a blazer you move freely in without restriction. Even with the jacket fully buttoned up, collar up turned, I was never restricted by the jacket itself. I am quite impressed with the overall comfort of this.
Another area this jacket nails is travel. I wore this through the airport, on a Houston – London flight, taking it off half way through and wadding it up at my feet. It’s been stuffed, rolled, and folded in various areas of my personal items. All it takes to get it back into commission is a strong shake, and you are ready to roll.
The only annoyance I’ve found is that it does tend to collect lint more than I would like. Not nearly as bad as a waxed jacket, but the lint certainly doesn’t brush off easily. It’s best to have a lint roller, or space to shake out the jacket hard — either works and gets you back on the move. Certainly lighter colors would avoid this trap entirely.
This is a thin cotton garment, there’s not a lot of wind resistance, or water resistance — it has more than your average poplin or OCBD would, but not much more than that. However, because it is cotton and extremely well made, you’re not likely to need to worry about the overall durability of this jacket. This was a huge selling point for me, as I am able to treat it pretty rough, without a care in the world.
Overall
I’m a huge fan of this, the weight is tremendous for general wear. I take it to the office, and it’s likely to be my go to jacket for travel. It’s easy to wear across a huge range of situations, while still being a useful layer for keeping the chill off, or adding to your outfit.
I highly recommend this.
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