Riva
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Something I wrote to help newbies buy a jacket that can be used for work, formal, casual occassions and would last forever. May contains tips vets may feel useful as well:
1. FIT: For first time buyer (fresh graduates etc), you need to know what fits you well. So go to an actual brick mortar shop or dept store and try out a popular brand that you can easily find on Ebay. Note your size. I recommend LBM, Boglioli, Lardini or Tagliatore if you can find them as these are on Ebay on massive discounts. First time buyer just buy a plain navy jacket making sure to avoid black.
2. BUY: Once you know your size on certain brands go Ebay and find your jacket. Now here’s the key: look for a brand new half lined or unlined jacket that’s 100% wool without any polyester blend. If you’re not sure what that is look here (https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/unlined-vs-lined-jackets-men-style-tips/). Try not to buy wool blends with linen or cotton as they wrinkle more. So that rules out Zara and Mark & Spencer as they always have polyester blend. There are several reasons for this choice which you don’t need to read and can skip to No 2 but I’ll explain anyway for veterans.
First, finding a cheap full canvas jacket that’s high quality is tough in this time and age. Sure you can go the easy route and just buy an Ehaberdasher Benjamin $550 full canvas suit but that’s over budget. Even old respected brands have unlined offerings now to follow the trend of wearing cooler garments. If a guy’s not used to wearing a jacket daily to work he’ll most likely feel too hot. If it’s cold enough he would need an outerwear anyway which is a styling plus. So skip the whole canvas vs fused deal and go unlined. Secondly, unlined jackets tend to have modern unpadded or minimal padding shoulders so stylewise he’s automatically covered.
3. UPGRADES: Once you got your brand new jacket do the following
- DO THIS OR ELSE TOTAL FAIL. You must replace the crappy logo printed plastic buttons that come with most jackets regardless of price. Head to Ebay again and buy a suit set of genuine / real horn buttons for $14 shipped and give to the guy doing the hemming. Dirt cheap but this is the main key component in making your $250 jacket into a $1500 one (assuming you got the fit down). Do a search on “real horn suit set button” and you’ll see plenty of choices. Even matte black horns are better than logo buttons. I recommend playing with style perhaps using a flatter styled or lighter cream colored buttons for a more modern look. Or you can settle with black that has brown streaks or plain dark brown. Whatever, your imagination is the limit. Just avoid real MOP for now as they break easily during dryclean.
You can do this with a suit jacket, sportjacket, casual jacket, bombers, basically anything with buttons instead of zippers. Hell you can upgrade those decade old Burberry jackets and make them look like some serious Norwegian Rain sartorial stuff. Really nobody would know they’re Made in Macau Burberrys. Or turn those Armanis into something bespoke looking. Even the most expensive casual jackets (think Loro Piana) now use technical fabrics so normal people can’t tell the difference without logo or branding outside. What’s the difference? They all use real horn buttons even for the rain coat. So remember plastic buttons = instant fail.
- Then proceed to cut out any protruding threads outside and inside the jacket. The very best sartorial stuff have none or very little loose threads so you’re aiming to look that clean. Even brands like Isaia or Canali I usually have to cut 4-5 times. Also open all the pockets if they’re sewn shut. You can also tell whoever is hemming your sleeves to do this.
You’re basically done once doing the above and can do No 4 later on.
4. The rest are styling tweaks that I recommend just to add some flair to the jacket:
- 1 linen pure white pocket square is all you need. I don’t recommend silk or satin as too flashy. Plenty of choices again online dirt cheap. Play with pocket square styles and colors later on as needed. Nowadays I consider this the comfortable replacement for ties.
- Lapel pin. A very small dot of contrasting color helps a lot. Think Isaia and Lardini lapel pins. Makes the jacket more formal. Avoid big pins and flowers except for certain events and ceremonies.
- This is uncommon but you can tell whoever is changing the buttons to also change the color of the button thread. I usually give a red one on the very top front button and the last sleeve button. Very small little things that people notice when everything else is solid color. It makes the jacket more casual.
1. FIT: For first time buyer (fresh graduates etc), you need to know what fits you well. So go to an actual brick mortar shop or dept store and try out a popular brand that you can easily find on Ebay. Note your size. I recommend LBM, Boglioli, Lardini or Tagliatore if you can find them as these are on Ebay on massive discounts. First time buyer just buy a plain navy jacket making sure to avoid black.
2. BUY: Once you know your size on certain brands go Ebay and find your jacket. Now here’s the key: look for a brand new half lined or unlined jacket that’s 100% wool without any polyester blend. If you’re not sure what that is look here (https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/unlined-vs-lined-jackets-men-style-tips/). Try not to buy wool blends with linen or cotton as they wrinkle more. So that rules out Zara and Mark & Spencer as they always have polyester blend. There are several reasons for this choice which you don’t need to read and can skip to No 2 but I’ll explain anyway for veterans.
First, finding a cheap full canvas jacket that’s high quality is tough in this time and age. Sure you can go the easy route and just buy an Ehaberdasher Benjamin $550 full canvas suit but that’s over budget. Even old respected brands have unlined offerings now to follow the trend of wearing cooler garments. If a guy’s not used to wearing a jacket daily to work he’ll most likely feel too hot. If it’s cold enough he would need an outerwear anyway which is a styling plus. So skip the whole canvas vs fused deal and go unlined. Secondly, unlined jackets tend to have modern unpadded or minimal padding shoulders so stylewise he’s automatically covered.
3. UPGRADES: Once you got your brand new jacket do the following
- DO THIS OR ELSE TOTAL FAIL. You must replace the crappy logo printed plastic buttons that come with most jackets regardless of price. Head to Ebay again and buy a suit set of genuine / real horn buttons for $14 shipped and give to the guy doing the hemming. Dirt cheap but this is the main key component in making your $250 jacket into a $1500 one (assuming you got the fit down). Do a search on “real horn suit set button” and you’ll see plenty of choices. Even matte black horns are better than logo buttons. I recommend playing with style perhaps using a flatter styled or lighter cream colored buttons for a more modern look. Or you can settle with black that has brown streaks or plain dark brown. Whatever, your imagination is the limit. Just avoid real MOP for now as they break easily during dryclean.
You can do this with a suit jacket, sportjacket, casual jacket, bombers, basically anything with buttons instead of zippers. Hell you can upgrade those decade old Burberry jackets and make them look like some serious Norwegian Rain sartorial stuff. Really nobody would know they’re Made in Macau Burberrys. Or turn those Armanis into something bespoke looking. Even the most expensive casual jackets (think Loro Piana) now use technical fabrics so normal people can’t tell the difference without logo or branding outside. What’s the difference? They all use real horn buttons even for the rain coat. So remember plastic buttons = instant fail.
- Then proceed to cut out any protruding threads outside and inside the jacket. The very best sartorial stuff have none or very little loose threads so you’re aiming to look that clean. Even brands like Isaia or Canali I usually have to cut 4-5 times. Also open all the pockets if they’re sewn shut. You can also tell whoever is hemming your sleeves to do this.
You’re basically done once doing the above and can do No 4 later on.
4. The rest are styling tweaks that I recommend just to add some flair to the jacket:
- 1 linen pure white pocket square is all you need. I don’t recommend silk or satin as too flashy. Plenty of choices again online dirt cheap. Play with pocket square styles and colors later on as needed. Nowadays I consider this the comfortable replacement for ties.
- Lapel pin. A very small dot of contrasting color helps a lot. Think Isaia and Lardini lapel pins. Makes the jacket more formal. Avoid big pins and flowers except for certain events and ceremonies.
- This is uncommon but you can tell whoever is changing the buttons to also change the color of the button thread. I usually give a red one on the very top front button and the last sleeve button. Very small little things that people notice when everything else is solid color. It makes the jacket more casual.
