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Sometimes a cosy fleece just doesn’t cut it. Before spending three months in fashion-conscious Italy, Simon upgraded his look with the Bluffworks Blazer, a wrinkle-free and machine washable men’s travel blazer.
Bluffworks was founded by Stefan Loble who is committed to making clothing that both looks great and can be worn for multiple days everywhere from the office to the mountains without needing special care. Their clothes are perfect for travel.
Simon is a huge fan of Bluffworks pants and has been travelling with them for years. They look way better than most travel pants yet share the same technical features.
However, he was a little resistant to trying the Bluffworks Gramercy Blazer when they first offered to send him one for review.
His style is usually more casual, and he doesn’t have much need for a blazer when we’re in the steamy tropics. But for Europe, he decided it would be good to have a more stylish look.
Well, it didn’t take long to convince him. He was immediately impressed with the blazer and it was perfect for sipping prosecco in the piazzas of Italy.
Contents
- Bluffworks Blazer Features
- Bluffworks Blazer Downsides
- Pair the Blazer with a Dress Shirt
- Pair the Blazer with Bluffworks Pants
- Do We Recommend the Bluffworks Blazer?
So what’s so special about the Bluffworks Blazer?
Bluffworks Blazer Features
Bluffworks has created their dream blazer that combines impressive technical features with the look and feel of wool.
Wrinkle-free travel blazer
The wrinkle-resistance is what sets the Gramercy Blazer apart from other blazers. It doesn’t need to be kept on a hanger or packed in a special garment bag.
You can dump it in a pile on the floor or stuff it inside your backpack and it still looks great.
Suit bags might be OK for business travellers, but for long-term travellers with just a carry-on bag like us, they are not at all practical.
The Bluffworks Blazer opens up the possibility of travelling with a blazer to many more travellers as it’s so low maintenance and easy to pack.
Sometimes Simon wears the blazer on travel days (it fits under his packable down jacket for chilly days), but it also packs well inside his luggage. He just folds it and lies it flat on top of everything else.
I’ve read reviews that say they pack their blazer in a compression packing cube and it still emerges without a wrinkle.
Stylish Design
It’s unbelievable that the blazer is made from 100% polyester. It’s such a lovely soft fabric that feels luxurious and looks classy.
Comfortable
The blazer is very comfortable, even on six-hour train rides or seven hour walks around Paris. It has enough stretch that it doesn’t feel confining and is made from a breathable fabric so you don’t overheat.
Hidden Pockets
The Gramercy Blazer has an incredible number of hidden pockets. One of the things we love most about Bluffworks is how they always include zipped security pockets where you can keep your phone and wallet.
It’s pockets like these that saved Simon losing his phone when he was pickpocketed in Costa Rica.
The blazer has 10 pockets, some of which are so hidden he didn’t discover them for weeks!
There are three pockets with flaps on the front, two pockets on each side of the inside (one zipped and one buttoned), a pen pocket on the inside, a hidden velcro pocket inside the left hip inside pocket, and a large zipped pocket in the lining of the back.
Whatever you want to squirrel away in the jacket, you can be sure there’s a pocket for it.
A travel jacket with hidden pockets is especially helpful when trying to reduce the weight of your carry-on when flying on airlines with strict weight limits—you can even fit an iPad mini in the inside pocket.
Simon often wears his blazer on travel days as the pockets are so useful for storing everything. At airports they can hold his passport, wallet, phone, Kindle, boarding pass, and even snacks.
Machine-Washable and Quick Drying
There’s no way we’re going to dry clean anything while we’re traveling, so the best travel blazer doesn’t need special care.
Impressively Bluffworks has created a machine washable blazer (they recommend 40ºC) that can either be hung dry or tumble dried on low. As it’s made from polyester it will dry quickly.
We haven’t washed the blazer yet despite over a year of wear! Yes, we really should do that, but honestly it just doesn’t seem like it needs it.
It looks as immaculate as when it arrived and doesn’t smell at all. We’ll report back when we do wash it.
Durable
The jacket is made from high-quality materials (including never fall off MMS thread-wrapped buttons), and if it’s anything like Bluffworks’ trousers, then we expect it to last for many years. After a year it still looks perfect.
Versatile
This men’s travel blazer is very versatile. Simon has the Northwest Grey colour (no longer available) and has worn it in seven countries for a funeral, birthday party, Paris sightseeing, fancy dinners, theatre performances, and climbing Italian medieval towers.
It’s even comfortable enough for hiking or cycling.
The jacket can be dressed up or down—he has worn it with a t-shirt and jeans, with his brown Bluffworks original pants and dress shirt (see below), and with a white shirt and black tie (for the funeral). It’s an easy way to make any outfit look good.
Lightweight
As we travel carry-on only, weight is a major concern for us.
I thought carrying a blazer might be impractical, but it’s surprisingly lightweight for a jacket at 1lb 6 oz (624g).
And if you wear it on travel days (it’s never a bad idea to look well-dressed at immigration), it won’t add any weight.
Range of Colors and Sizes
The Gramercy Blazer is available in the following specs:
- Colours: Blue Hour (navy), Gotham Grey (dark grey), and Asphalt Black.
- Fits: Classic and Slim
- Chest: 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48
- Lengths: Regular, Long and Short
Simon got the 40R slim and I think it’s the perfect fit but, if he’s being particularly fussy, he thinks the sleeves are a quarter of an inch too long.
He could get it tailored if it really bothered him, but after a year he doesn’t notice it any more.
See the instructions in the fitting guide to determine your sleeve length and chest size.
Free Shipping and Exchanges
US shipping and exchanges are free. You can get a refund on unworn items within 30 days or exchange unworn items within 90 days.
The customer service team are very responsive so do reach out to them if you’re not sure about sizing or anything else.
Bluffworks Blazer Downsides
It’s difficult to find much to fault with this jacket.
- It’s expensive – At $340 it’s not cheap, but for the quality and technical performance it’s good value. As always we value quality over quantity and this is the only blazer you’ll need.
- No women’s version – I could hardly wear my fleece next to Simon looking all elegant, so I had to pick up my own blazer. But Bluffworks currently only makes a men’s travel blazer, so I had to make do with a vastly inferior one from a charity shop (which didn’t last long).
Check out the Bluffworks Gramercy blazer here. Use the promo code NEVENDVOY for 10% off.
Pair the Blazer with a Dress Shirt
If you are looking for a practical yet stylish dress shirt to go with your blazer, a Bluffworks dress shirt is ideal.
Simon always travels with one long sleeved buttoned shirt, but the last one he had was always a mess once he unpacked it, and we rarely have access to an iron (or can be bothered to use it).
Bluffworks shirts are so much more practical. They are perfect for travel because they have all the usual brilliant Bluffworks features:
- Wrinkle-free – No iron needed!
- Soft and comfortable and a bit stretchy
- Lightweight, breathable fabric
- Anti-microbial and odour resistant – Simon has worn it for days without it smelling.
- Machine washable
- Quick drying
Are there any downsides?
- Limited designs – They used to be available in checked patterns but are currently only available in plain (white and blue) and light blue stripes.
- It’s pricey at $98 – But, again, as it’s the only shirt Simon needs, it’s worth it.
Check out Bluffworks dress shirts here.
Pair the Blazer with Bluffworks Pants
Did we mention we’re a big fan of Bluffworks?
Simon has been travelling with Bluffworks pants for years (sometimes as his only pair of trousers)—see our Bluffworks pants review. They are lightweight, quick-drying, wrinkle-free, and have hidden zipped pockets for security.
He used to have the originals but now travels with the Ascender 5-Pocket Pants.
The Bluffworks chinos are similar.
They both pair perfectly with the blazer when he wants a more dressed up look.
If you want to really dress up, you can pair the Gramercy pants with the same colour blazer for the perfect travel suit.
Browse Bluffworks’ pants selection here.
Do We Recommend the Bluffworks Blazer?
Yes, absolutely. There’s no need to coddle the Gramercy like with other blazers—wear it on a plane for 20 hours or shove it in your luggage and it will come out wrinkle-free and ready to wear.
It looks stylish and feels comfortable, and the pockets are perfect for keeping your valuables safe.
The Bluffworks Gramercy blazer isn’t going to work for every traveller—if you are beach hopping around Thailand it won’t be very useful—but if you travel for business or just want to upgrade your look for stylish cities, I can’t imagine a better travel blazer.
Check out the Gramercy blazer on the Bluffworks website. Remember to use your promo code NEVENDVOY for 10% off.
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Thank you to Bluffworks who sent us a blazer, shirt, and trousers for review. As Simon only owns 10 items of clothing, there is no way he would still be travelling with them if he didn’t love them.
Have they shared with you any info on sustainability or ethics? I’m disturbed by the lack of transparency on their website.
Here’s what Bluffworks says:
Sustainability in apparel is a huge issue. We consider Patagonia to be the gold standard. It’s our goal to be on par with them, but it will take us time and scale for us to get there.
Our ladder of sustainability looks like this:
a. Product Design – There are a few aspects in product design related to sustainability:
– making garments that are durable and will last a long time, to mitigate the high environmental impact of producing a new one.
– developing garments that are able to be worn multiple times in-between washes to reduce impact of caring for them
– in general, we encourage people to own fewer things (and never dry clean!)
b. Chemicals and Treatments – Our technical capabilities (like wrinkle resistance) are accomplished through the yarns and not harsh coatings (like Formaldehyde).
c. Dyeing – One of the most significant stages of the process. We use (and pay more for) dyeing under OEKO-TEX standards, which limits human and environmental impact.
d. Recycled Materials – Our goal is to use a high percentage of recycled materials in our products (but this is difficult to do). Our first product to incorporate recycled content is our Horizon Vest, which has 100g PrimaLoft® synthetic insulation made of 60% post-consumer recycled material.
e. Closed Loop – This would be us taking back 100% of what we produce – it’s a challenge, but it’s a goal.
Regarding ethics:
Labor and environmental standards are extremely important to us. In order to ensure we source from a network of responsible suppliers, we use a US company that is an expert in product development. This partner, who has run manufacturing for apparel companies for more than 30 years, is able to apply their longstanding relationships, experience and buying power to make sure conditions are ethical. Our partner has a team on the ground in Hong Kong, who visits factories, to ensure they are compliant and meet our standards.
I tried the jacket the sizing is incorrect, 42 regular always fits me at the store and it was too short. Plus, there is absolutely no structure and it just hangs on the body poorly, as you can see in some of the photos. Matching pants are a little baggy even with the tailored fit. I like the shirts because they are wrinkle free, but the patterns are not great and they are overpriced. I cannot wear Bluffworks into a corporate meeting and feel confident. I returned the jacket and kept everything else for casual meetings.
Thanks for the feedback Mike and sorry the jacket didn’t work so well for you. I agree it would be great to see more patterns for the shirts.
I’m with you on wishing there was a women’s version! It would be perfect for my carry-on only work travel.
Absolutely! Let’s hope they make it happen!