Better Blue Blazer

[gamelan]

might want to try one of the Southwicks at STP if they've got your size. i think there's a 20% coupon floating around here somewhere. pretty classic navy blazer with brass buttons.

also, i just picked up a bunch of navy blazers from Yoox (Chester Barrie, Piombo, Costume National, and Lardini). hopefully one of them will do the trick for me. those were all in the $150-300 range. there were more options if you want to spend more.

-Jeff

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by The_Foxx

oh, no! not patch pockets! Too trad, too trad!

I much prefer an italian take on the english blue blazer, with flapped pockets.
Nah, nobody in Italy would wear a blazer with flaps. Patch only.

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by iammatt

Nah, nobody in Italy would wear a blazer with flaps. Patch only.

I don't recall ever seeing brass buttons in Italy, either, but perhaps I was being neglectful.

- B

 

[chapunso]

I have searched for a navy blue blazer extensively. I hear some of the members of this forum talking about the BB blazer. there are two categories though. the regular bBB blazer, whose quality is average at best, and the country club, loro piana, who is o a much better quality. If I were you, I would wait for the BB sales, and purchase the country club one, for less than 500$. I followed the advice from a memeber of the london lounge, and I am very happy with my decision

 

[Scrumhalf]

Originally Posted by gamelan

might want to try one of the Southwicks at STP if they've got your size. i think there's a 20% coupon floating around here somewhere. pretty classic navy blazer with brass buttons.

-Jeff

I picked up a 40S Southwick blazer from STP myself. I like it a lot - I had to get the waist taken in because I have a 12 inch drop and it now fits nicely. Beware - the brass buttons on the Southwick are really a bright gold - I didn't care for them at all. So, I picked up some antique silver buttons on ebay - the jacket is now at the tailor getting the new buttons sewed on.

 

[ajs317]

Century 21 in NYC has a bunch of Corneliani blue blazers in larger sizes marked down to something ridiculous like $139. The buttons are pretty hideous IMO, but that's easy enough to change out.

 

[The_Foxx]

Originally Posted by iammatt

Nah, nobody in Italy would wear a blazer with flaps. Patch only.

nobody? I guess my view of italian style comes only from the Milan-italian designers and columnar-Roman style-- but I like these fellows' take on the blue blazer in the ol' country.





I'd sure like to see napoli one day, though, to see what it's really all about!

 

[EL72]

Originally Posted by iammatt

A blue blazer looks wrong without patch pockets IMO.

+1.

And Foxx: The guy in your first pic has patch pockets.

 

[dexsteel]

Originally Posted by The_Foxx

oh, no! not patch pockets! Too trad, too trad!

I much prefer an italian take on the english blue blazer, with flapped pockets.

You could always have both! A navy sportcoat made with heavier material and texture (not sure if this still qualifies as a blazer) looks better with patch pockets, I think. If it's a light wool with a smooth hand, I think slanted flapped pockets look a bit more congruent.

 

[The_Foxx]

Originally Posted by EL72

+1.

And Foxx: The guy in your first pic has patch pockets.

Yes, I thought it would be an example of both patch and flap pockets. I guess all the Zegna, Brioni, and Kiton I see have flap pockets-- maybe to appeal to the WASPy Americans, I suppose.

 

[englanderjk]

Thanks to Foxx (especially) and others. FWIW I ended up buying a NM Isaia offered on E-Bay. Three button, double vent, flap pockets, 150's wool. Here's a pick for those interested:

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by The_Foxx

Yes, I thought it would be an example of both patch and flap pockets. I guess all the Zegna, Brioni, and Kiton I see have flap pockets-- maybe to appeal to the WASPy Americans, I suppose.
More often than not, Kiton and Brioni reps will suggest patch pockets to clients at trunk shows, but I think flaps are easier to sell for the reasons you mention. In Italy, at least south of Milan, you see many more patch than flap for the simple reason that sportcoats are sportswear, and details that are less formal are generally better suited than more formal detailing. Obviously, that is not 100%, but when you see photos of well dressed older men in Italy, you tend to see patch pockets. It is true that the English tend to have flap pockets, and neither is right or wrong in an objective sense.

Look at the recent picture of Luciano Barbera on the Sartorialist for a good example. He is from Milan and wearing a lovely patch pocket jacket. You will see the same thing on Sergio Loro Piana who often wears his DB suits with patch pockets. Some people prefer two patch, and some three. I am agnostic on this point.

 

[Fade to Black]

that photo looks great. i need a patch pocket jacket in my life, i get frustrated when reaching for my cigarettes then having to re-adjust the flap afterwards.

 

[Gus]

Originally Posted by englanderjk

Thanks to Foxx (especially) and others. FWIW I ended up buying a NM Isaia offered on E-Bay. Three button, double vent, flap pockets, 150's wool. Here's a pick for those interested:

Nice jacket. Isaia does a very good job on their jackets. I have a number of OTR and MTM Isaia that I enjoy and I hope you will too. Most of mine have patch pockets but some have flaps.
I just bought a Cucinelli blue blazer the other day with flap pockets and a ticket pocket. I like flap pockets for the old school country club preppy style and patch pockets for a more casual international look. Both can be stylish and dressy.

 

[Cantabrigian]

I can't tell what sort of fabric these are made of from the photos, but I'd just say that you'll be happier avoiding the so-called blazers that are just smooth worster suit jackets with different buttons.

IMO A blazer should have some texture - whether that's fresco, hopsack or flannel.