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Question Regarding Suit Coats

post #1 of 33
1/19/12 at 2:54pm
Thread Starter 

Hello all,

 

First post here. Nice to meet you all. If I buy a suit, is it okay to wear the coat with non matching pants (i.e. as a sport coat)? I was thinking about buying a navy suit and using the coat for general wearing and having the matching pants for more formal events (or if I feel like wearing something a bit more elegant).

 

Thanks,

 

Segev

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post #2 of 33
1/19/12 at 3:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sega18 View Post

Hello all,

First post here. Nice to meet you all. If I buy a suit, is it okay to wear the coat with non matching pants (i.e. as a sport coat)? I was thinking about buying a navy suit and using the coat for general wearing and having the matching pants for more formal events (or if I feel like wearing something a bit more elegant).

Thanks,

Segev

The challenge is that suits are typically made of finer, smoother cloth than typically used for odd jackets. It can be done, but the degree to which you are successful depends on the suit you're starting with. If it is made of a rougher cloth, like a hopsack, than the top might as well be a blazer from many respects.
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post #3 of 33
1/19/12 at 3:06pm
Some here will tell you it's an absolute abomination, but particularly if you're on a tight budget, it's not terrible. The issues are 1) your jacket will probably look like a suit jacket that you're wearing as a blazer, which some find inelegant, 2) the fabric on your jacket will wear a lot faster than the fabric on your pants, so after a while you won't really have a suit anymore. If you're not on too tight a budget, the items you're looking for are common enough that a little searching and patience on ebay or B&S should get you both a navy suit and a decent blazer for a reasonable amount.
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post #4 of 33
1/19/12 at 3:20pm
Thread Starter 

So there is some fundamental difference between a suit jacket and a sport coat. Thanks for clarifying.

 

Also, what's the difference between a sport coat and a blazer? I tried to google it, but I couldn't find a straight answer. One person suggested that a blazer is a subset (or an element) of "sport coat".

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post #5 of 33
1/19/12 at 3:23pm
I've read lengthy arguments about the differences between the two...it doesn't really matter in my opinion what you call them. To me, a blazer is basically the navy thing, often with metal buttons or patch pockets and a rough textured fabric (as foo.gif described above) (there used to be brightly colored and striped jackets that were referred to as blazers but nobody wears these anymore). A sportcoat is something that's not a suit jacket but not a blazer. But I'm sure someone will tell me this is wrong.
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post #6 of 33
1/19/12 at 3:23pm
As far as I am aware, sport coat is just the American term used for a blazer. I hope this helps
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post #7 of 33
1/19/12 at 3:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by unbelragazzo View Post

there used to be brightly colored and striped jackets that were referred to as blazers but nobody wears these anymore

the regatta blazer is the only one of these that remains in any sort of use as far as I know
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post #8 of 33
1/19/12 at 3:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sega18 View Post

So there is some fundamental difference between a suit jacket and a sport coat. Thanks for clarifying.

Also, what's the difference between a sport coat and a blazer? I tried to google it, but I couldn't find a straight answer. One person suggested that a blazer is a subset (or an element) of "sport coat".

There isn't necessarily a fundamental difference, but they are usually distinguishable and there are features characteristic of odd jackets. Patch pockets, double stitching, and more contrasting horn buttons, for examples.

A blazer is a single-color odd jacket that historically signified membership in a club or organization. Today, blazers are almost always blue odd jackets, often with golden buttons (but alternatively with plain horn or mother of pearl). A navy suit jacket made with a cloth of rougher texture and heavier weight can easily pass as a blazer and may, for all intents and purposes, be indistinguishable from one.
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post #9 of 33
1/19/12 at 5:16pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks for the replies, all. I think I'm simply going to use the term "sport coat" when I talk with people about this.

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post #10 of 33
1/19/12 at 9:58pm
While in many circumstances you probably can pull off a suit jacket with, say odd wool trousers or jeans, to people w/ an eye for or knowledge of clothes, it will probably look odd, due to the difference in materials. If you want a jacket to wear as a separate, it's best to get something that is more obviously meant to be worn as such; that is, something with more texture or a definite pattern. It's often more of a continuum than a strict either/or thing, but I'd say if the jacket belongs to a conservative navy suit, I'd leave it as such, and get a blazer and/or sportcoat for other occasions.
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post #11 of 33
1/20/12 at 4:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nelton View Post

As far as I am aware, sport coat is just the American term used for a blazer. I hope this helps


The difference is in the pockets.

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post #12 of 33
1/20/12 at 6:20am
Thread Starter 

Last question: My new blazer doesn't have a split in the back. Why not?

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post #13 of 33
1/20/12 at 6:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sega18 View Post

Last question: My new blazer doesn't have a split in the back. Why not?

Cheap and/or old, in all likelihood.
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post #14 of 33
1/20/12 at 7:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sega18 View Post

Last question: My new blazer doesn't have a split in the back. Why not?

Are you talking about a vent? if so that is just the style of the jacket you bought, it does not necessarily mean it is cheap or old
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post #15 of 33
1/20/12 at 10:53am
Thread Starter 

Yes, a vent. I did not know that was the term I was looking for. I found a discussion on the topic, and it seems fine.

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