4 Ways to Wear the James Bond Navy Blazer

At Iconic Alternatives, we try to focus on affordable clothing that will help us get the Bond style we want without emptying our wallets. So it doesn’t make a whole lot of financial sense to invest in a piece and then only use it with one “screen accurate” look. Versatility is the name of the game. That’s where our “4 Ways to Wear It” series comes in. We take one piece of iconic Bond clothing and combine it with other affordable 007 inspired alternatives to extend our wardrobe and get the most bang for our buck. In this post we look at the classic James Bond Navy Blazer.

In our post on alternatives for the James Bond navy blazer, we discussed the fact that wearing such a classic garment in today’s casual environment can be challenge. Of course, the most traditional way to wear this jacket is with pressed grey flannels and black dress shoes. If you feel comfortable with that look, then something like the Mason & Sons navy serge blazer (shown in the featured image for this post) is going to be worth the investment.

But how can you bring this Bond-style staple into your wardrobe when your personal style is a more relaxed jeans-and-chinos kind of look? That’s what we’re going to explore in this 4 Ways to Wear It.

Classy and Casual Sir Roger Style

Options

• Blazer: SuitSupply Havana Navy Jacket in Super 130’s Wool( $499.00/£329.00)
• Shirt: Banana Republic Slim Fit Linen Shirt in Light Blue (on sale for $26.99); alternative for the SPECTRE Orlebar Brown linen shirt. We have more alternatives in this post.
• Trousers: Selected Homme Tapered Twill Denim Jeans in Ecru (on sale for £35.00/$61.00); alternatives for the Quantum of Solace Haiti Levi’s STA-Prest 306s. There are more alternatives in this post.
• Shoes: Dune London Bertie Barage in Navy Suede (£75.00/$99.00); alternatives for the Roger Moore For Your Eyes Only espadrilles. Check out this post for more options.
• Belt: Torino Leather Co. Italian Woven Elastic Cotton Belt in Khaki ($70.00); alternative for the For Your Eyes Only surcingle belt.
• Watch: Steinhart Ocean 1 Vintage Red ($460.00/€395.00/£355.00); alternative for the Connery Bond Rolex Submariner 6538. You’ll find more options in this post.
• Watch Strap: Esprit-NATO Goldfinger Strap (€12.90). Alternative for the Goldfinger Rolex strap.
• Sunglasses: Serengeti Leandro in Tortoise ($259.99/£206.90); alternatives for the Roger Moore A View to a Kill sunglasses. We have more alternatives in this post.

Notes:

In terms of color combinations, this may be the most classic look in this post. Think Roger Moore in Corfu in For Your Eyes Only. What we’re trying to do here is use the colors from the original as inspiration, but replace its highly tailored style with more casual pieces. So Sir Roger’s double breasted blazer becomes a lightly structured single breasted jacket. The blue dress shirt shirt is changed to a more relaxed linen. And his cream pressed trousers and brown leather loafers become ecru jeans and espadrilles. It’ll take some attitude to pull off this look. And nailing the fit of the jeans is key. But if you feel like pushing the envelope a little, I definitely think it could work. Just google “Navy Blazer White Jeans” for more inspiration.

Brosnan Bond at the Yacht Club

Options

• Blazer: SuitSupply Havana Double Breasted Navy Jacket ($399.00/£259.00); alternative for the James Bond double breasted blazer.
• Shirt: Kamakura Maker’ Shirt White Broadcloth Slim Fit Tab Collar Shirt ($89.00); alternative for the Skyfall and Bond 25 Tom Ford tab collar shirt. More alternatives in this post.
• Trousers: Marks & Spencer Italian Slim Fit Travel Chinos in Natural (£45.00/$78.00); alternatives for the SPECTRE Brunello Cucinelli Aged Gabardine Chinos. Check out this post for more alternatives.
• Shoes: Allen Edmonds Plymouth Plain-Toe Monk Strap Shoes ($395.00); alternatives for the Goldeneye Church’s Westbury 173 monk straps.
• Tie: Aklasu Navy Blue Grenadine Tie ($80.00); alternative for the classic James Bond navy grenadine tie.
• Belt: Nordstrom Carter Leather Dress Belt in Cognac ($69.50); alternative for the Goldeneye “Manticore” belt.
• Watch: Tissot Heritage Visodate (on sale for $259.49); alternative for the James Bond Dr. No dress watch. You can find more options in this post.
• Money Clip: The Douglas Pell Sterling Silver Money Clip ($169.00/£89.00); James Bond’s money clip from Casino Royale. We have more alternatives in this post.
• Sunglasses: Hugo Boss Boss 0921/S Sunglasses in Black (on sale for $87.00); alternatives for the Bond 25 black Barton Perreira “Joe” sunglasses. See this post for a couple of other options.

Notes:

Another look with roots in traditional styling, this time inspired by Pierce Brosnan’s Bond in Goldeneye. Again, we’re exchanging the classically tailored pieces of the original outfit with more unstructured and relaxed alternatives. Even with the double breasted blazer, the use of the darker taupe chinos in this look will probably make it easier to wear than the higher contrast “white jean” outfit above. But the more formal DB blazer also means getting the fit right is even more important with this one. Remember, casual does not equal “sloppy”. So, at the very least, make sure the trousers are hemmed to give you little to no break. Heck, you may even want think about busting out the iron and giving them a light center crease!

Rugged But Refined for Fall

Options

• Blazer: 8 By Yoox Blazer in Blue (on sale for $59.99/£69.00).
• Sweater: N.Peal SPECTRE Cable Turtle Neck Cashmere Sweater in Fumo Grey (£339.00). We’ll be updating our post on alternatives very soon!
• Trousers: Edwin Slim Tapered Kaihara Indigo Selvedge Denim Jeans (£139.00/$183.48); alternatives for Daniel Craig’s selvedge jeans. Our post on buying selvedge denim will be updated shortly!
• Shoes: Herring Canning II Rubber-Soled Brogues in Mahogany Calf ($352.00/£350.00); alternatives for the Daniel Craig wingtip derbies. More alternatives for those shoes are in this post.
• Belt: Orvis Woven Leather Belt (on sale for $59.00): alternative for the SPECTRE Brunello Cucinelli Morocco belt. We’ll be updating that post with new alternatives in September.
• Watch: Edox C1 Diver Quartz (on sale for $219.99); alternative for the Omega Planet Ocean 600M Co-axial. Check out this post for more alternatives.
• Sunglasses: Persol PO 3210S in Tortoise (on sale for $216.00/£165.00); alternatives for the SPECTRE Tom Ford Henrys. You can find more alternatives in this post.

Notes:

This is probably my favorite thing to wear when the weather cools down. It’s simple, comfortable and very easy to pull off. No individual piece really shouts “Look at me!”, like the white jeans or double breasted blazer do in the looks above. Instead, we’re getting a more relaxed, almost 1970s Robert Redford vibe. Just two things to note. This outfit really isn’t going to work if you use super faded, loose fitting jeans that are piling up around your ankles. And please: no “jeggings”. I don’t care what the guys behind the “Men With …” accounts on Instagram are telling you. Skintight jeans on adult men look ridiculous.

What we want is for the jeans to look almost tailored. So something in a darker wash, in a slim-straight or tapered fit and cuffed (or hemmed if you prefer) so there’s just a slight break. If you need some help nailing your jean fit, our article on selvedge denim includes plenty of good examples.

I also think this look needs an unstructured blazer with patch pockets and a more textured fabric to coordinate with the jeans and sweater. Blazers made from a smoother or shinier suiting, such as worsted wools or linen and linen blends, are just going to be too refined. In other words, a blazer that looks as little like an orphaned suit jacket as possible.

Inspiration from the Italian Masters

Options

• Blazer: SuitSupply Havana Navy Jacket in Super 130’s Wool( $499.00/£329.00)
• Shirt: Sunspel Classic Cotton T-shirt in Charcoal Melange (£59.00/$90.00). Bond’s grey t-shirt from Casino Royale.
• Sweater: J.Crew Mercantile 100% Cotton Cable Knit Sweater in Cream Marl (on sale for £19.00); alternative for the Steve McQueen The Thomas Crown Affair aran knit sweater. We’ll be updating our dedicated post on the sweater in September.
• Trousers: Banana Republic Athletic Tapered Core Temp Cargo Pants in Cargo Green: $98.00); alternatives for Bond’s Goldeneye “Cuba” fatigue pants. There’s more alternatives. in this post.
• Vest/Gilet: Vedoneire Quilted Gilet in Navy (on sale for £30.00); alternative for the Roger Moore For Your Eyes Only gilet. You can check out more alternatives in this post.
• Boots: Meermin 101504 Wingtip Boots in Dark Brown Country Calf ($245.00); alternatives for the Skyfall Crockett & Jones Islay boots. Our dedicated post on alternatives for those boots will be ready in September.
• Belt: Orvis Woven Leather Belt (on sale for $59.00): alternative for the SPECTRE Brunello Cucinelli Morocco belt. We’ll be updating that post with new alternatives in September.
• Socks: Smartwool Larimer Crew Socks in Everglade ($25.95).
• Watch: Tissot PR 100 Chronograph (on sale for $245.00/£325.00); alternative for the On Her Majesty’s Secret Service Rolex Ref. 6238. You’ll find more alternatives in this post.
• Sunglasses: Persol PO3135 S in Havana: on sale for $180.00/£143.24); alternatives for the Goldeneye Persol 2611-S. You can find more alternatives in this post.

Notes: 

This is the style that Italian design houses such as Brunello Cucinelli, Zegna and Kiton have mastered. There are three key components to making this work. First, keep the colors muted and use natural tones. Second, mix together refined, tailored pieces with minimalist details (note the streamlined look of the cargo pants) and more rugged, heavily textured elements (the aran knit sweater, vest and boots). And third, the effective use of layering. In this case, the blazer goes over the sweater and the gilet goes over the blazer.

I’m the first to admit it’s a difficult style to do well. There’s a lot to juggle. But when you nail it, it won’t look forced or pretentious and it really takes your personal style to the next level.

Have some suggestions for how to wear the James Bond navy blazer? Tell us about them in the comments! And don’t forget to check out our Guide to Contemporary Casual Style and our article on How to Dress Like Bond if you want more suggestions for updating your personal style. You can also visit our Facebook page, Instagram account, Twitter account and Pinterest Boards for more James Bond style advice and inspiration!