Advice needed on sport coat

[stevie_wonderful77]

While I'm pretty used to wearing (mainly linen) jackets in spring and summer, so far because of my age I've (rightly or wrongly) declined from doing so in autumn/winter, choosing leather jackets and woollen coats instead. At 32, I now feel that the time has come for one or possibly two sport coats (two-button). I'm wondering about what the best colour, material, brands, etc. would be. My budget would be about £300/$600 for one jacket, or £450/$900 for two. (Am budgetting for alterations separately.) If I get two I think I'd quite like one of them to be corduroy, which seems to have the advantage of usually not being very expensive. Re colour and material, I think navy or plain black is a bit boring. I quite like Prince of Wales, and am not averse to more adventurous plaids like this to my mind really cool Dunhill jacket: http://s7images.sierratradingpost.co...Post/48421_70? (I think I've read somewhere on this forum, though, that the quality of Dunhill isn't quite what it used to be.) Otherwise brown camel hair or cashmere like this Ralph Lauren jacket:

would also be OK. Cashmere will be nice and warm (more so than corduroy) and presumably also relatively durable. Brand-wise, I've realised that it's quite easy to snap up a RL bargains, although I'm a 44L (6'6'') so it'll probably require some intensive surfing. There's a Gieves and Hawkes store in town that I could check out, as well as Hugo Boss, and Selfridges and Harvey Nicks aren't too far away either. I'm also wondering about Brooks Brothers, though again in that case I'd have to order online. Thanks a lot for your advice!

 

[chorse123]

If you're going to get corduroy, I'd just get something inexpensive (high street brand), as it's hard to find very nice corduroy jackets in your price range, in my experience. For the other(s) I really think you should try to get full canvas coats. Even the better fusing can feel stiff and uncomfortable, at least for me. In your price range, and since it sounds like you have time, you can do very well online (ebay, Sierra Trading Post, Yoox, here) Can you shop the outlets? Are you in London/Cambridge/Oxford or close by? If so, you could try Ede & Ravenscroft, which is pretty good quality and goes on sale every season. For style, I'd get one blue and one earthtone coat (brown or green). It doesn't have to be a blue blazer--my favorite blue coat is a sort of brighter shade than navy with a light blue windowpane, and it is surprisingly versatile. And the earthtone could be tweed or cashmere or camel hair if you wanted. That RL jacket is not going to be very good. Dunhill made in Italy is going to be better than Boss. Cashmere is going to be less durable than wool unless it is high quality, which will be tough to do in your price range, but not impossible. Edit. This is nice, albeit probably too much for a used coat. http://cgi.ebay.com/3600-New-Isaia-N...QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Tomasso]

Originally Posted by stevie_wonderful77

one or possibly two sport coats ........ navy or plain black is a bit boring. I quite like Prince of Wales, and am not averse to more adventurous plaids !
Actually, I would recommend more subdued color/fabric choices if you're only going to keep one or two jackets in your wardrobe. Bold and distinctive jackets tend to be memorable so people will recall you wearing the same one or two jackets time after time, not a good thing.

 

[dokelroth]

Originally Posted by Tomasso

Actually, I would recommend more subdued color/fabric choices if you're only going to keep one or two jackets in your wardrobe. Bold and distinctive jackets tend to be memorable so people will recall you wearing the same one or two jackets time after time, not a good thing.
I feel that this is very bad advice. Subdued sportcoats stink of the business casual revolution and have no place at all in the classic wardrobe. They are a fashion of their own and have no relation to enduring style.

Blue blazer excepted.

 

[Tomasso]

Originally Posted by dokelroth

I feel that this is very bad advice.

 

[dokelroth]

Originally Posted by Tomasso

Do you ever have a response other than this?

Oh yeah, I remember, sometimes you go into your stockpile of pictures of your internet enemies

 

[gnatty8]

I was never a huge fan of corduroy sportcoats until I came across this one. I am still not a huge fan, but one can find some exceptions. The thing I like most about this one, and its evident in the middle pic, is the relative lack of tons of construction. I would think you should be able to find something acceptable in your price range, maybe a little higher.

 

[Tomasso]

Originally Posted by dokelroth

sometimes you go into your stockpile of pictures
Just for you.

 

[JR88]

Originally Posted by dokelroth

They are a fashion of their own and have no relation to enduring style.

What does this mean?

 

[stevie_wonderful77]

The advice so far is much appreciated. A few things: I'm not necessarily planning to keep only one or two sport coats -- it's just that that's what I can afford right now. Still, to get through this autumn/winter it probably is important that I go for something really classic. I'm wary of buying stuff on eBay. I know of people who have sold used items of clothing as new, and have got away with it. Yoox seems to have an incredible collection but it's not clear that any of their jackets can be ordered as long rather than regular (which with my height is really important). As for my whereabouts, I'm in Liverpool -- quite far from the tailoring paradise that is the south east (well, far by European standards anyway

). Chorse123, you say that canvas is often uncomfortable but then suggest you'd go for it anyway? I'm not sure I understand. I'd like to be able to wear the jacket with a pocketsquare sometimes -- would you say this is possible or does canvas look too informal? And Gnatty8. I like that corduroy jacket too but perhaps the elbow patches could be a lighter shade. Forgive me the ignorance but when you say it doesn't have lots of construction, do you mean seams etc? If so, is this something you avoid because it's irritating to wear, because it's not durable, or? It's something I've never paid attention to in buying jackets and suits, but which perhaps I should. Thanks a lot for your thoughts again!

 

[chorse123]

I have learned to stick to "New With Tags" tailored clothing on ebay, but would also buy from reputable sellers I know.

Yoox is a clearance site. They may not get longs. Sierra Trading Post does.

As for canvas--whaaa? I meant sewn (whether hand or machine) rather than fused construction in the jacket front. There are probably 1000 threads on this in the archives.

If you can't get quality in your area, you'll have to go to it, or have it come to you.

 

[Gus]

I found a nice cord sportcoat in a moss green. It has a nice casual dressy color/style that gives you a very different look than the khaki's and a blue blazer uniform. Plus, is there anything as comfortable than an old, broken in corduroy jacket?

 

[epa]

Originally Posted by Tomasso

Actually, I would recommend more subdued color/fabric choices if you're only going to keep one or two jackets in your wardrobe. Bold and distinctive jackets tend to be memorable so people will recall you wearing the same one or two jackets time after time, not a good thing.

I do not worry about that. I like nice sport coats. I do not mind that people recall me wearing the same nice sport coat once and then. My favourite one is a mauve herringbone one from last year's Zegna MTM book ("Giacca"). (I am glad I got it, in this year's book there is not cloth that I really like for a sport coat).

 

[Rolo]

You might want to take a look at Bookster1UK's store on eBay:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/BOOKSTER1UK

This seller has introduced his own line of tweedy goods which were favorably reviewed by Andy on the Ask Andy forums. I haven't purchased any of these from this seller, but I've dealt with the seller in the past and received excellent service.

 

[stevie_wonderful77]

Thanks again for all your views. I'm now looking at Sierra Trading Post and am finding some canvas coats in the right size and within budget, such as this one by Samuelsohn: http://s7images.sierratradingpost.co...0,0&iccEmbed=0 Other posts on SF seem to suggest that this brand is decent quality, and the jacket looks quite versatile (if perhaps a bit too boring for my taste). Chorse123, re the term canvas, apologies for minsunderstanding -- in my ignorance I'd never heard this term before. I've now done a search of the forum now and have found the following description by DocHolliday that other (similarly inexperienced) members may also find useful:

Construction quality is the key to a great suit. Best-quality suits have a "floating" canvas inside the jacket, to give the coat its shape and help it mold to the body. Lesser suits are fused, meaning they are held together with a glue-like fusible. Poor quality suits feel stiff and hard because of this fusing, which can even "bubble" and render the suit fit only for the trash bin. In between you'll find suits that combine fusing and canvas. A suit might have canvas lapels, for example, to give the lapels a more attractive "roll." Not all fused suits are bad -- some can be very decent -- but full canvassing is a prerequisite for a truly exceptional suit. You won't find a fully canvassed suit at Men's Wearhouse or low-end department stores. Those are fully fused. Even partially canvassed suits don't come cheap these days. Some of Polo's suits, the made-in-Italy ones with the blue Polo label, are partially canvassed, and can often be found at bargain prices at stores such as Marshall's. They can make for a good starter suit. To tell if a jacket is fully canvassed, pinch the fabric below the bottom buttonhole on the inside and outside. Gently pull the cloth apart. Can you feel a separate third layer inside? The layer in the middle is the canvassing. It won't be there on a fused suit.

(see http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=20374) The quest continues

!