Take note: SS25 will go down in style history as the season the blazer truly came into its own. Once defined as a brightly coloured sports jacket worn on balmy summer evenings by members of cricket and rowing clubs, the modern blazer has evolved into the ultimate wardrobe essential. Whether you lean towards classic shades of grey or black and style your blazer with other tailored pieces for a broken suit (look to the spring collections from Dries Van Noten and Gucci) or dress it down with denim for ease (Saman Amel is the brand to watch), the blazer is the most versatile piece of spring tailoring. Without further ado, here are the five best ways to style yours.

Four-button suits – part worker jacket, part traditional blazer – are big news for spring. Defined by their high-gorge lapels, the silhouettes of such jackets offer a sleek, slightly military edge, combining sharp-shouldered style with everyday comfort. Gucci presented a rich claret interpretation of the four-button blazer, while Japanese brand Sacai leaned into deep, inky tones. No matter where you’re wearing yours, elevate your new four button with a brooch.

“What makes the four-button blazer so good is the high neckline,” says Angelo Mitakos, fashion editor at GQ. “It almost frames the brooch, making it feel like you’re wearing a small piece of art. If you’re feeling extra camp, add multiple brooches for some serious sparkle.”

Double-breasted blazers are everywhere this season. Heritage brands such as Brunello Cucinelli, Brioni and Polo Ralph Lauren offer slim-cut takes, while on the more avant-garde side, Dries Van Noten and Rick Owens are pushing the style into more directional territory. Whichever design you choose, the key to making it feel modern is simple: wear it open.

“If you’re going for a low-key double-breasted look this spring, channel the nonchalance of Giorgio Armani, A$AP Rocky or Austin Butler,” says Zak Maoui, style director at Gentleman’s Journal. “Let it blow in the wind, layered over an open-collar shirt and worn with an IDGAF attitude. Open and unbuttoned, it transforms a traditionally stuffy, business-leaning piece into something fresh and effortless for spring.”

There’s an undeniable confidence to a wide-lapel blazer – a bold, edgy kind of style that echoes Mick Jagger getting hitched to Bianca in an ultra-wide lapel Edward Sexton suit, or David Bowie in his Thin White Duke era. The good news? For SS25, brands from Dolce&Gabbana to Kingsman are embracing the wide lapel – and these blazers are surprisingly easy to wear.

“Blazers with wider lapels offer a distinct point of difference from the 99 per cent of people wearing a jacket just to signal ‘smart,’" says Johnny Davis, style director at Esquire. “There’s something brilliant, decadent and even dangerous about them – a throwback to the edgy glamour of Pierre Cardin or Giorgio Armani in the mid-1970s. For spring, they’re the perfect transitional piece. Casual enough to layer under when the weather misbehaves, but distinct enough to encourage experimenting with colour and pattern underneath, making the entire look feel intentional.”

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know that oversized tailoring has been the direction of travel for the past few seasons. Think Richard Gere lounging in relaxed, roomy cuts in 1980’s American Gigolo and you won’t go far wrong.

“There’s nothing chicer than wearing a blazer a size too big,” Maoui says. “Just look at the original arbiter of cool, Yves Saint Laurent, or Serge Gainsbourg, the king of Gallic insouciance. Gainsbourg often sized up, adding a laid-back, undone vibe to his looks.”

The beauty of the four-button blazer lies in its ultra-high V, which offers the perfect opportunity to wear nothing underneath it. It’s a look that exudes confidence – a bold, modern approach to tailoring for SS25, especially in more formal settings.

"We’ve seen a surge of celebrities embracing the bare-chested suit on the red carpet, and the four-button blazer allows this look to be pulled off with a touch more modesty,” Mitakos says. “If you're going for it, my top tip is to wear the blazer directly on bare skin but add a subtle body oil to the chest for an understated hint of sex appeal. Just save this look for nights out – it’s definitely not office-appropriate.”

Mitakos also offers a practical note: “Avoid silk blazers for this look, as body oil could leave stains and land you with a hefty dry-cleaning bill.”