Jens wrote a piece about Navy Jackets for the online publication Ragazzo Magazine a couple of months back.

“There’s three things in this world that you need: Respect for all kinds of life, a nice bowel movement on a regular basis, and a navy blazer.” - The Fisher King (1991)

Before I tell you what to keep in mind when deciding on attire, and before I start recommending pieces of well tailored clothing, I’ll introduce myself shortly. My name is Jens Beck and I’m 24-years old. I’ve worked with ready-to-wear, made-to-measure and bespoke menswear for the bigger part of my adult life and I have long had an interest in both classical and contemporary dressing.I’m going to start my first contribution to Ragazzo by writing about what should be the corner stone of every man’s wardrobe, the navy jacket. It’s without doubt one of the most important pieces of the modern man’s uniform, and it works in almost every imaginable situation. It’s made in an endless variety of styles and it’s continuously  featured in countless designer collections and magazines from year to year.

Okay so how to wear this essential jacket? A basic navy jacket, your first odd jacket, should be something that you wear the heck out of. A jacket that you could wear on any given occasion. A jacket to be worn with a vintage t-shirt and ripped denim. A jacket to be worn with grey flannels, a white shirt and a grenadine tie. In other words, a jacket you can wear with absolutely anything. It should also be a jacket filled with memories, a jacket you shed a tear for when it rips. A jacket you patch up until it disintegrates in front of you.

If you’re acquiring you first jacket, there are a few things to keep in mind in order to make it as versatile as possible. Go for all wool fabric that has a visible texture, for example a stronger twill or a beautiful hopsack. When it comes to weight, choose something that is suitable all year round. Furthermore a soft shoulder will keep the jacket contemporary and make it clear that the jacket isn’t part of your first suit. Regarding the visible details you should go for flap pockets, a welted breast pocket and full lining. It might seem a bit boring but it’ll make the jacket work at anything from the most formal, to the most informal events. The lapel of the jacket should be a notch one with a width that compliments your shoulder width, please leave the skinny lapels to kids clothes and Saint Laurent models that weigh 60kg. When it comes to the buttons go for dark ones in horn or plastic, it’ll make the jacket even more versatile. Oh and stay away from brass buttons.

For a navy jacket that is worn during the summer months or in a warm climate I’d recommend going for an unlined one, preferably made in fresco or tropical wool. Fresco fabric is made of multiple yarns with a high twist, which results in a fabric with quite an open weave. Due to the open weave, which let’s air pass through very well, it makes for an ideal summer fabric.
The construction of the jacket should be very soft and a soft or unconstructed shoulder paired with an unlined inside to keep it light.Regarding the jackets details I’d choose patch pockets and a welted breast pocket. I’ve always felt that jackets with three patch pockets belong on jackets worn at sporting grounds. For the button aspect of the jacket a 3/2 roll buttoning feels very contemporary, as does a 3 or 1 button sleeve. All of the above mentioned details make this jacket very casual, which is something I think a young guy has more use for.And in fact, if you just change the fabric to a navy flannel, tweed or a heavy worsted wool, you’ll have the perfect winter odd jacket.



Link to the original publication is here