The lightweight jackets to buy – whatever the occasion.

At long last, glorious summer has arrived to these British Isles. It’s real “taps aff” weather, to borrow from the Glaswegian phrasebook, but unlike our friends in the north, we won’t be celebrating by whipping off our shirts. No: this is the kind of weather that has us dreaming of light, unstructured blazers.

While it might seem counterintuitive to add extra layers as the mercury rises, there are plenty of valid arguments for working a lightweight blazer into your summer wardrobe. They’re practical, for a start. Think of all the times you’ve smugly left the house in just a T-shirt and jeans only to later find yourself wishing you had a few extra pockets. An extra layer is invaluable for alfresco evening meals, too, when the temperature has a habit of plummeting as soon as the sun dips below the horizon.

And let’s not forget the dress codes that we’re expected to adhere to even in stifling conditions. Sure, we’d all rather be walking around in a tank top and cut-offs, but how many of us could actually get away with that at a restaurant, in the office or at a wedding? Like it or not, we still have to occasionally dress up in summer, and when those occasions arise it’s good to know that we’ve got something in our wardrobe that’s both weather- and occasion-appropriate.

Those, then, are just a few of the practical reasons for investing in a lightweight blazer. But which should you choose? Read on to discover a few of our favourites.