Rowing Blazers by Jack Carlson: a book review for Henley

ROWING BLAZERS is a celebration of the jaunty symbols of team spirit flaunted by rowers at Henley (which starts this week) and other regattas. Written by Jack Carlson, who has rowed for the USA and Oxford in the Boat Race, so will know a blade from a rigger, the book is beautifully illustrated with photographs by F.E. Castleberry. Incidentally, although billed as a book about the blazer, it's also a fascinating history of many rowing clubs of the world.

I rowed at one of the schools mentioned in the book and remember the magnificence of the blazers sported by the 1st and 2nd Eights. Like war paint, a garish blazer is designed to strike fear into the opposition before their boats are even in the water. It does this by oozing tradition, history, club and sporting elitism and privilege - and why not; as long as it's not taken to seriously? The bright colours also helped spectators to identify crews in the confusion of a busy regatta. 

Two things struck me. Firstly, how little the blazer has changed since worn by early crews in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In this, of course, blazers reflect the slow evolution of classic menswear. Indeed, some of the blazers shown look old enough to have been worn by the grandfather of the present owner. Secondly, I had assumed that rowing blazers would be a UK and US thing. However, I was surprised how wholeheartedly they have been adopted, humour and fun included, by rowing clubs all over the world.

I particularly appreciated the note on tailoring of blazers; 'relatively unstructured, with patch pockets and a soft shoulder' just about sums it up. There is also brief mention of the adoption of the blazer by mods and the preppy movement. Today blazers form a part of menswear collections such as Hackett and Ralph Lauren - I hope they will never go away.

A big change in the rowing scene since my day is the welcome arrival of women to the sport - and they are shown wearing blazers as well as, if not better than, their male counterparts.

A book not only for every lover of rowing and its history, but for every lover of classic menswear and (of course) blazers. Published by Thames & Hudson, price £35.