Double Breasted Blazers
Men's double-breasted blazer
The men's double-breasted blazer from Hackett London is one of the most architecturally deliberate pieces in British tailoring: a wide lapel, overlapping front panels and a button stance that gives the wearer a presence no single-breasted cut can match.
Construction and build
The men's double-breasted blazer is where construction quality is most visible. Hackett London, with over four decades of continuous presence in British menswear, builds its double-breasted models with a floating canvas chest piece: an unfused internal layer that allows the fabric to move with the body rather than against it, producing a blazer that improves in fit and drape with each wear. Peak lapels — broader and more elevated than the notch lapels of single-breasted models — are finished with hand pick stitching along the outer edge, a detail that is both decorative and a reliable sign of sartorial construction. Fabrics run at medium to medium-heavy weights: pure wool at 300–340 g/m², brushed wool flannel and occasional tropical wool for warmer-season cuts. Below 280 g/m² a double-breasted front tends to fall open; above it, the overlapping panels sit with natural authority.
The anchor button on the inside — present in Hackett London models — keeps the underlying panel in place even when the blazer is worn open, preventing the front from twisting across the body.
How to wear a double-breasted blazer
The men's double-breasted blazer has more range than its formality suggests. Two concrete combinations:
Double-breasted blazer in navy wool with grey flannel trousers, white shirt and a silk tie in a thin stripe: the classic code that requires no footnotes and holds from morning meeting to evening dinner.
The same blazer worn open over a grey merino roll-neck, heavy cotton chinos and tan leather oxford shoes: the formal register drops, the character of the cut stays, the look reads as considered rather than costumed.
The double-breasted blazer in charcoal flannel is the model that best absorbs a more casual lower half without losing coherence: its soft hand and contained weight allow it to be worn open without the fabric losing its hang.
Buttoning and silhouette
Hackett London men's double-breasted blazers come in two primary configurations: six buttons with four working — the classic arrangement, where the lower buttons remain open — and four buttons with two working, a more contemporary proportion with a slightly less structured silhouette. The correct fastening in a double-breasted is always the upper working button or the central one; closing every button is a common mistake that locks the fabric across the chest; leaving all buttons undone removes the point of the cut. The slim fit configuration available in the more current models has working sleeve buttons — three or four — completing the construction with internal consistency.
How to find your size
The men's double-breasted blazer from Hackett London tends to run slightly more structured across the chest than the equivalent single-breasted model. Those who usually wear a 40 in a slim-fit single-breasted may find a 42 more comfortable in the double-breasted if they carry width in the shoulders or chest. The length of a classic double-breasted fully covers the trouser waistband: this is an intentional proportion, not something to correct by choosing a smaller size to shorten the jacket.
Is a double-breasted blazer appropriate for a formal professional setting?
Yes, and in many environments it is the more distinctive choice. A double-breasted blazer in navy or charcoal wool communicates authority without ostentation. Paired with a white shirt and a restrained tie, it is fully appropriate across most formal business contexts. Away from the office, in a flannel version with relaxed separates, the double-breasted gains character without losing its stature.
How do you button a double-breasted blazer correctly?
On a six-button model with four working, fasten the upper centre button and leave the lower one open. On a four-button model with two working, close only the top button. Closing all buttons creates unnecessary tension across the chest; leaving all of them undone loses the structure that defines the cut. The internal anchor button keeps the underlap panel in position in both cases.
What should you wear with a double-breasted blazer?
A Hackett London navy double-breasted pairs naturally with grey or beige trousers, an Oxford shirt and leather dress shoes. For a less formal register: neutral cotton chinos, a fine roll-neck and a loafer. Avoid light-wash denim and trainers with a classic double-breasted: the contrast between the formality of the jacket and the informality of the lower half rarely resolves well.