If every man is allowed one piece of tailoring that does everything, navy is it. Not grey, not charcoal, not black. Navy. It reads as smart without trying to be formal, pairs with more colours than anything else in your wardrobe, and looks correct whether you’re wearing it with a tie or a white t-shirt on a warm evening. The problem is that not every navy jacket earns that versatility. Lapel width matters. So does the weight of the fabric and whether the shoulders sit cleanly without padding that looks like it belongs in a different decade. We’ve been looking specifically for jackets that work as hard separated from their trousers as they do as part of a suit. The ones in here have structure where they need it and give where they should. Own a grey suit if you want. But this is the jacket you’ll actually reach for first.