When you’re at work, there are all kinds of specific dress codes. You may have to wear a suit every day. You may be forced to delve into the always confusing business casual look. But when you are at home, there’s no dress code. You can wear whatever you want. Some of us are keen to wear sweatpants and hoodies. The same T-shirt and jeans we wear to mow the lawn are the choice of others. But for us who prefer to sit in our elegance, we look to something more elevated. We look to the smoking jacket.
While languid sessions of pipe smoking may have fallen out of fashion, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t invest in a smoking jacket all your own. Sure, it might not be the most practical investment, but there’s no denying it’s an incredibly luxurious menswear essential. Plus, it can be an excellent addition to your arsenal of men’s travel clothes or work-from-home jackets, which can make for a perfect conversation starter at your next party — virtual or not.
What is a smoking jacket?
Often associated with a particular class of debonair jauntiness (think: monocles, mustaches, and glasses of port), it rose to popularity in the late 1800s as an overgarment for tobacco fans who wanted to protect their suits from the substance’s potent aroma.
When smoking pipes or cigars became the social activity preferred by men in casual settings, the need for a garment to protect their clothing from the smell of smoke was needed. Of course, once Prince Albert adopted it, it drove the trend into the elite areas of society, cementing its status into sartorial history. It often features wide quilted lapels and is made from luxurious fabrics like silk, wool, and velvet.
It didn’t take long to be adopted into literature and cinema, with characters like James Bond and Hercules Poirot depicted wearing them to up their casual elegance. In America, Hugh Hefner is almost solely responsible for their explosion. To get you started finding your own jacket, check out some of our favorites below.
How should a smoking jacket fit?
Now, you typically won’t find a smoking jacket in an easily accessible place like one of the best men’s subscription boxes, so nailing your measurements and the fit is critical. A smoking jacket should fit more relaxed than your blazer or suit jacket, with a roomier, straight cut through the body. The front tie or button-front area shouldn’t necessarily pull or strain, but your smoking jacket shouldn’t be wildly baggy, either.
Your smoking jacket should appear tailored without being too tight, so it would be wise to take your usual jacket size. The jacket’s seams should end at your shoulders, and the sleeves should end at about your wrist, but not too much longer or too much shorter. When in doubt, size down if necessary, but taking your normal jacket size is a safe bet.
As far as the fit is concerned, above all else, think casual, cool, refined, and easygoing.
Oliver Brown Caversham
Located in the heart of London’s Chelsea district, Oliver Brown became one of the premiere clothiers in England. From bespoke tailoring and ready-to-wear to top hats, you can pick up anything you could ever want. This Caversham smoking jacket is the most classic look you can opt for. Beginning with its burgundy color and double-breasted style, it is adorned with frogging buttons and will make the Hugh Hefner style look slobbish.
Indochino Hartford Velvet
A men’s smoking jacket is designed to elevate your style no matter where you are or where you go. Because it was adopted by royalty and later the British elite, it shows a level of sophistication. Oftentimes, sophistication is mistaken for wealth. Indochino believes you should be able to show sophistication and elegance without being wealthy, and this made-to-measure smoking jacket will elevate your style without draining your wallet.
Derek Rose Tartan
Derek Rose is focused on improving many things in your life. First and foremost, they believe that the time you spend doing anything is important, and you should always feel good. Their style is designed to keep you looking good and feeling good, and this smoking jacket is no different. They ditch the stuffy burgundy that every other smoking jacket is in exchange for a tartan look and pattern. No matter what you are doing, this one will help you stand out in the smoking crowd.
Turnbull and Asser black double-breasted
Do you know what a Royal Warrant is? It means a company has given top-notch service to the Royal Family consistently for long enough that the family believes it deserves recognition. Founded in 1885, Turnbull & Asser provided the best shirts in England to the Royal Family and every influential person in England for a century before HM King Charles III bestowed one of his first Royal Warrants on them. With that kind of endorsement, you better believe their black double-breasted smoking jacket is one of the best in the world.
Now that you have the perfect smoking jacket picked out for you, all that is left is throwing as many parties at your house as you can, so people can see you don it in style and wear it with distinction.
