Blazers and sports coats are two jackets that are similar in many ways.
Both jacket types can either be worn as business casual or smart casual outfits, with jeans, casual chinos, and all forms of dress shoes.
Although blazers and sport coats look similar, they actually have many distinguishing features that set them apart.
Sports jackets are more casual than blazers. They have the most informal features when compared to suit jackets and blazers. It’s important to remember that you should not pair a sports jacket with matching pants, and it’s not suitable to wear one to a formal event.
Blazers, on the other hand, are dressier than sports jackets, but not as formal as suit jackets. You could say that blazers are ‘casual’ suit jackets.
A blazer’s shoulder padding can be either structured or unstructured. Structured padding gives a more defined and strong shoulder line, while unstructured padding creates a more relaxed look, similar to a jacket or cardigan. While sports jackets normally have soft shoulders with neither structuring nor padding. The jacket is cut to sit at the base of the hips, thereby giving off a super stylish look
To conclude, as much as both jackets share similar features, sports jackets are slightly more casual than blazers.
