By Martin van Dop
With the restrictions that airlines nowadays put on both check-in and carry-on luggage, the modern frequent traveler has turned packing light into an art form. Being able to get by on just a small trolley or bag makes life so much easier. Packing light to me means picking outfits and garments that can be combined for various social occasions. A blazer with jeans or other more casual pants, with a nice shirt and the right shoes, work perfectly for me as a business casual outfit. In comes the Bluffworks blazer. Our friend Mike had previously reviewed their pants and raved about them. Recently, Bluffworks asked me to try out their blazer. Here are my impressions.
The Challenge
For me, being ‘tall and slim’ (6’9”) finding the right blazer can be quite a challenge. I want something a little tailored, with the right sleeve length and, since it has to endure quite some folding and stowing, made of a material that is easy to clean and preferably wrinkle free. I know, that’s a “tall” order.
Choices, choices..
Bluffworks specifically makes “versatile travel clothes designed to go anywhere and still look great”. Perfect for what I was looking for. Their website is easy to navigate and I was grateful for a little advice on whether I should go for the Classic or Slim Fit. Again, I am tall but I definitely do not want a baggy blazer. After communicating my measurements to their team, the advice was to go for the classic fit and that turned out to be spot on.
About the Fit
It goes without saying that my arm length is not average, and I am very sensitive about having the right sleeve length. Ideally, the sleeves on my Bluffworks blazer could have been half an inch longer, but I have not made any alterations and I feel confident with the sleeve length as is. Mind you, there is plenty of fabric to have that half an inch laid out by a tailor. Perhaps I will send it to a tailor in the future but for now I happily wear it as is.
Bluffworks Blazer on the Go…
When traveling I like to keep my possessions close, and the Bluffworks blazer features a staggering 10 (!) pockets. Cell phone, passport, business cards, wallet, plenty of space to carry them. Within a time frame of two months I was able to wear my Bluffworks blazer on three very fitting occasions: a networking barbecue at the Dutch embassy, the very fancy Virginia Gold Cup horse races and a wedding in Bavaria Germany, where temps exceeded 90F. The blazer has the look and feel of wool yet is breathable and the fact that it’s wrinkle free made it perfect for a 2 week trip through Europe.
Photo Credit: Bluffworks
The Verdict
A good blazer is an investment piece. At $295, the Bluffworks blazer falls into that category. However, I guarantee you that you will get your money’s worth out of this versatile piece. Having traveled with the blazer in my garment bag several times, it’s impressive that all I have to do is shake it out and wear it. For more information about Bluffworks, click here.
Disclaimer: Bluffworks sent me the blazer at no cost, but as always, opinions are my own.
[social_warfare]
Sounds like this would work well for my hubby, as he’s always looking for smart but comfortable pieces. All those pockets are an added bonus!
The “Dutchman” loves it, especially since it packs so easily. Also, being tall he’s always frustrated with shopping. He was shocked that it arrived in the mail and it was 90% perfect. He will take it to the tailor to get the sleeves lengthened but for now he just wears a shirt with french cuffs to complete the look.
So glad to read your review of the Bluffworks blazer. My husband has the Bluffworks pants and he LOVES them. Actually, I love them too and want a pair for myself. All the pockets in the blazer and the pants really make them special for a traveller, I think!
I always carry so many loose items; keys, passports, cell phone, charger, etc. so those pockets definitely come in handy !
This looks like the perfect blazer. I never owned anything by Bluffworks but the clothing does look good and comfortable.
Give it a try!
It looks good on you and it practical — WIN! Will keep in mind for the man in my life 🙂
Thanks!
Sounds like the perfect practical travel blazer. I should look into these for my tall brother!
Tall dudes unite. If he has any tips about travel or buying clothes, let us know !
My husband has been wanting a new blazer for a while now but he can never decide on one. We travel a lot and had not even thought about packing it. I will definitely pass this along to him. Thanks!
Absolutely! This packing video remains a fan favorite too, some handy tips for packing a suit/jacket: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h6X9z4EiAc
These look really nice! I will have to tell my husband about these brazers if he ever finds an occasion to looks so snazzy abroad! They look like they fit really well!
Abroad, and wherever really. I feel comfortable wearing it to a slightly fancier restaurant too, without feeling overdressed.
I think you have a great body frame. The blazer looks perfect on you.
Merci beaucoup, I too was really pleasantly surprised with the fit! Nothing beats a garment that just instantly feels right.
Looks like a handy dandy travel blazer to spiffy up any men’s outfit. Love shake and wear items that can handle being packed away and worn in an easy fashion.
Exactly!
It does look pretty stylish! And 10 pockets, that’s a lot more than I was expecting! I think the best feature though would be that it is wrinkle free. There’s nothing worse than unpacking and having to iron your clothes!
Sometimes you just don’t have time to iron, right? And I also like to look ‘half-decent’ when flying, you never know who’s in the mood to give you that upgrade.. 😉
It looks so classy, yet it has a simple style! For me, it’s always quality over quantity. If this can be used for years and handy for many occasions, then I think it’s worth it!
Agreed! Can see myself wearing this one on many future occasions.
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