Like many menswear staples, the blazer has its roots firmly in the world of sport. “The first blazers were meant to be worn in boats by rowers at Oxford and Cambridge,” writes Jack Carlson, the author of the definitive book on the garment, Rowing Blazers (published by Thames & Hudson). “They were very loose-fitting, sort of the equivalent of a modern-day windbreaker, and were meant to keep rowers warm during chilly training sessions and races on early mornings.”

Nowadays of course, the blazer is just as comfortable at the water cooler and the watering hole as it is by the waterside. It’s a sartorial failsafe that can span the dress codes from casual to smart with ease, equally at home dressed down with jeans and sneakers as it is smartened up with pleated trousers and brogues.

It’s a good thing, then, that you no longer need to be six foot three and training with the Oxford First VIII to get your hands on one. Here are our five favourite places to buy a blazer on the high street…

Reiss

The London-based brand made its name on updating classic tailoring with modern cuts and unique details, and its current blazer range – at over 40 items deep – demonstrates just how seriously it takes that reputation.

The collection includes workwear staples like the Harry B navy blazer in pure wool and the Victor – a charcoal unstructured style with on-trend patch pockets – as well as statement pieces like the double-breasted burgundy Island blazer with its notch lapel. There’s even room for a modern take on the smoking jacket, a softly-worn velvet blazer in dusky ochre red that lends a timeless and rakish slant to black-tie dress codes. Best for: contemporary twists on the classics How much? from £160

Reiss AW16

Topman

The ever-reliable Topman has placed a growing emphasis on tailoring in recent years, and its collection of formal jackets demonstrates a know-how that belies its relatively modest price points.