 I'm Brian Sakawa, you're watching He Spoke Style, and today we're going over the differences between a suit jacket, a sport coat, and a blazer. Today these terms are used pretty much interchangeably, and that's especially true when we're talking about a blazer versus a sport coat. Personally, I feel like it's not such a big deal. Arguing over words like that often has a tone of pretentiousness and exclusivity, and one of the things I always try to do here is to make men's style and men's style topics approachable to as many people as possible, which is my way of saying that if people use the wrong term, it's fine, it doesn't mean that they don't belong in the club, it doesn't mean they're stupid, and it's something we shouldn't think too hard about. However, anyone who gets into anything with any sort of passion always likes to learn as much as possible about that topic, and that is the spirit with which this video is presented. Going to keep it short and sweet, let's get to it first with some simple definitions. The suit jacket. So a suit jacket is exactly what it sounds like. It is a jacket that is part of a two or three piece outfit that has a matching pair of pants, and in the case of a three piece suit, a matching waistcoat as well. All of the pieces are in the same fabric, making up the suit, and that is why that jacket is called a suit jacket. In general, and we're speaking in very broad terms here, there are certainly many exceptions to this. Typically, a suit jacket is the most formal. It has the most structure and generally more conservative in terms of color. Make your classic suits like navy and gray. Suit jackets can have a pattern, and the most common you'll see are pinstripes, glen checks, and window panes. Next we have the sport coat. A sport coat, also called an odd jacket, is a jacket without a matching pair of pants. Originally, as the name suggests, sport coats were worn while sporting, hunting, clay shooting, horse riding, and so on. In many ways, the sport coat is the exact opposite of a suit jacket. It's very casual, made from fabrics that have a lot of texture and generally a pattern like houndstooth. They typically lack any kind of padding or structure, and often with patched pockets, as that's a very casual pocket style, a sport coat is the coat you wear to a more informal occasion. Finally, the blazer. In the purest sense, the blazer is the most specific type of jacket, and it's also the term that is most commonly misused. It's okay, I say it all the time. The first blazers were created for the Lady Margaret Boating Club in Cambridge, England. These were made in red flannel and meant to be seen. There are striped versions of the blazer called regatta blazers, which are also quite bold. Typically, they've got some sort of ornamentation, like a crest, for example, and the buttons will have a very stark contrast to the fabric. With navy blazers, you'll often see brass buttons or very light colored buttons like a mother of pearl. Today, people tend to use blazer and sport coat kind of interchangeably, but even with just a simple definition, you can see that there are some pretty big differences. Speaking of differences, now what are the differences between a suit jacket, a sport coat, and a blazer? Well, one difference is the level of formality. A suit jacket is typically the most formal, blazer is somewhere in between, and a sport coat is the most casual of the three jackets. Another difference is whether they have a matching pair of trousers, a suit jacket does, a sport coat, and blazer do not. Now, a very common question is, can you wear a suit jacket as a separate? And the answer is that it depends. It depends on the fabric, and it depends on the level of structure that the jacket has. A suit jacket that is made in a fabric that has a bit of a sheen to it, and some more structure in the shoulders and body will not work as a separate. It'll look really disjunct and out of place, especially if you pair it with more casual pants like chinos or jeans. Now, some people, like Ralph Lauren, for example, can make this work, but not everyone is Ralph Lauren. Suits and fabrics like hopsack or linen or tweed are much better suited, no pun intended, for wearing the jacket as a separate, especially if they're styled in a more casual way with patched pockets, maybe a half canvas, and a more natural shoulder. And now, if you wear your suit jacket as a separate, does that also make it a blazer? Technically no, but this is an instance where I think we can get too wrapped up in terminology when it really doesn't matter all that much. So if you want to call it a blazer, go for it. While a suit jacket, a sport coat, and a blazer all have their differences, the bottom line is that they're all men's jackets. And what they all have in common is that if you're wearing one, you're going to look put together. Leave your comments down below, give a thumbs up. If you learned something in this video, subscribe if you haven't already and hit the bell to get notified every time we publish a new video. Until next time, thanks for watching and stay tailored.