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Cream suit Jacket with Smart Blue Jeans...What colour shirt?

devonwelsh

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Hi

I hope I'm in the right place.

I'm off on a trip to Milan and don't want to look a total idiot!

I have a cream/sand coloured suit jacket that i'd like to wear with jeans and dark brown leather shoes.... but what shirt shall I go with?

Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance!
 

Millerp

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I don't think you are going to find many people on this forum who would approve of wearing a suit jacket with jeans. A cream jacket may work though. Try a pale blue shirt.
 

devonwelsh

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Yep, sorry should've said it's more of a 'sports' jacket (i've been told) as it was never part of a suit and isn't formal enough as a full on blazer style, if that helps.

If not jeans (they are smart - no rips, not colour not worn etc), what would you recommend?

Thanks for the response!
 

size 38R

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Yep, sorry should've said it's more of a 'sports' jacket (i've been told) as it was never part of a suit and isn't formal enough as a full on blazer style, if that helps.

If not jeans (they are smart - no rips, not colour not worn etc), what would you recommend?

Thanks for the response!

ok, let me start by saying from here on, learn it for yourself. because all you will hear is grey pants and brown ties.

as you heard, a pale or wedgewood blue, even mint green will work. giving you many accessory options. here is a recent fit if that helps. pm me if you want more detailed help. because only a few guys here wear jeans.




of couse it depends on the environment you will be in. but at the meeting i was in that day, i was over dressed.
 
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Holdfast

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I don't think there's a need to have a chip on your shoulder either way on the issue.

Cream, beige or sand linen or cotton casual jacket with denim has been photo'ed by several members successfully in WAYWRN over the years (I'm think T1, TTO and a couple of others) and I think is generally moderately accepted as a casual summer outfit... provided of course that it is executed in a pleasing manner. Summer looks, being more relaxed generally, tend to have greater latitude for variety. I do think it helps massively if the jacket is relatively unstructured but a slightly structured one is OK too. I do think that wearing it with a tie is visually jarring for such an inherently casual combination, and frequently omit a square too if I do it myself. Any open-neck pale colour shirt will be fine, though. The jeans and jacket create such a strong visual contrast between them anyway that you'd typically want to go pretty easy on everything else, esp. given how casual it is an outfit.

You can also go for T-shirt underneath. If you do that, you can add stronger colour & pattern back in as a T-shirt is already casual enough to carry that without clashing. Again, T1 does this kind of fit very well. Once you get into T-shirt & denim jacketed looks, it's probably also worth browsing the SWD forum as well as this one, to broaden your sources of inspiration.
 

Claghorn

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Depends on the fabric. Linen or cotton, it'll work with jeans. Wool, particularly worsted wool, is tougher. If it's smooth, it probably won't work. The less formal it is (unstructured, patch pockets, etc), the easier it'll be.

Shirt: go with a light blue button down. Or a patterned shirt based in blue (though depending on your complexion, other colors may work as well)
 

size 38R

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Depends on the fabric. Linen or cotton, it'll work with jeans. Wool, particularly worsted wool, is tougher. If it's smooth, it probably won't work. The less formal it is (unstructured, patch pockets, etc), the easier it'll be.

Shirt: go with a light blue button down. Or a patterned shirt based in blue (though depending on your complexion, other colors may work as well)

Listen to the man
teacha.gif


he is spot on here.
all things have different levels of difficulty. and on this site there is no general consensus. but he nailed it on this one.

colors, textures, environment. accessories.
 

devonwelsh

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Thank you all!

That's great advice. I'm posting an image of what i've got so far...... please be gentle with your comments.... I spend most of my time in RAF uniform or combats!! I'll probably go with a brown belt??

 

size 38R

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brown belt, brown shoes. godspeed.
cheers.gif


edit: before you get jumped on, that's a strong suit jacket, but perhaps only we can see it. at first glance it looks a little long . if you shorten a little. (cheap mod) go hard.
icon_gu_b_slayer[1].gif
 
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Holdfast

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Thank you all!

That's great advice. I'm posting an image of what i've got so far...... please be gentle with your comments.... I spend most of my time in RAF uniform or combats!! I'll probably go with a brown belt??


Sure, brown belt/shoes would be fine.

However, I feel obliged to add that this is a clear case of the wrong jacket with (probably) the wrong jeans. Look, it depends what you want to achieve. As you are, you look like a typical bloke dressing up a notch or two and that's fine in its own way. You won't stand out in any city in the world in a particularly bad way, so feel free to relax and enjoy yourself. But given that you're posting on SF, if you want a look that looks great rather than being passable, this falls a long way short. The jacket is a little large for you, has quite padded shoulders and the 3 buttons only very rarely work well in a casual summer jacket. I can't tell how the jeans fit in the pic, but I have a sneaking suspicion they don't particularly flatter you and are probably not the ideal choice for this kind of look.
 

size 38R

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@Holdfast raises some good points, but if you intend to wear it and have little options, it can't be helped. if you get a chance, wear the fit to a local thrift shop or two. and try on other jackets and such until you get a better fit. if not, run with it. be the man, not the suit.

- the "thrift thread" might help you. unless time is short. stick around, see what works for you.
 

devonwelsh

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So basically I look like a poor man's Jeremy Clarkson?
wink.gif


Looking at the photo, I know what you mean.

To be honest I'm on a corporate rugby trip (as a player) and i'm not looking to look great and walk off the plane as the next David Beckham. I only bought the jacket for £5 from a car boot.

I just thought I'd post on here and make sure I don't look a complete idiot. My station tailors have said the could take it in for me and maybe shorten it (What do you think?)

But I do appreciate the advice from everyone. It's refreshing to have good constructive criticism rather than be shouted down as is normally the case!

fistbump.gif
 

size 38R

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So basically I look like a poor man's Jeremy Clarkson?
wink.gif


Looking at the photo, I know what you mean.

To be honest I'm on a corporate rugby trip (as a player) and i'm not looking to look great and walk off the plane as the next David Beckham. I only bought the jacket for £5 from a car boot.

I just thought I'd post on here and make sure I don't look a complete idiot. My station tailors have said the could take it in for me and maybe shorten it (What do you think?)

But I do appreciate the advice from everyone. It's refreshing to have good constructive criticism rather than be shouted down as is normally the case!

fistbump.gif

yeah man, just get it pinched in. and shortened. maybe change the buttons to something wooden? (dunno)
we don't all wear women's jeans. so enjoy.

also, as it is a 3-button, leave the last one undone. have fun on the trip. and come back to learn the ropes for in the future...

38R
 

Holdfast

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So basically I look like a poor man's Jeremy Clarkson?
wink.gif


Looking at the photo, I know what you mean.

To be honest I'm on a corporate rugby trip (as a player) and i'm not looking to look great and walk off the plane as the next David Beckham. I only bought the jacket for £5 from a car boot.

I just thought I'd post on here and make sure I don't look a complete idiot. My station tailors have said the could take it in for me and maybe shorten it (What do you think?)

But I do appreciate the advice from everyone. It's refreshing to have good constructive criticism rather than be shouted down as is normally the case!

fistbump.gif
Nah. You're doing better than JC; his jeans are absolutely terrible and his jackets are often even worse. Even the Trinny & Susannah couldn't fix him.

For a rugby trip, you're absolutely fine, don't sweat it. I wouldn't even worry too much about alterations. I mean, yes, I suspect it could be fine-tuned a bit, but in the medium term you'd be better off keeping an eye out for a new one that fits a bit better all round and so will need fewer overall alterations anyway. If you start to get more interested in clothes, you'll develop an eye for how jackets should fit; the more detailed threads on tailoring/fit will help if decide to learn about that. In the meantime, the basics are jackets that are as narrow across the shoulder as is comfortable to wear (e.g. size down until it feels too tight, then go one up) but that also are wide enough to allow the lapels to sit flat against your chest instead of bowing outwards, and where the collar holds reasonably snugly around your neck. There's a lot more to it than that, but that alone will get you by in most company. Depending on what your build is (i.e. how seriously you take the exercise/fitness side of the game) you might find it tricky to get all those elements in one ready-to-wear item, so you may have to compromise anyway.

Enjoy the trip (is it the June festival thing?)
 
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devonwelsh

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Thanks for the advice. I will take it all on board.

Tailors said they'll take it in and do the alterations for a fiver and a packet of hobnobs! Gotta love service tailors!!

The rugby tour is for the company I work for (Part time office/part time reservist), so nothing special.
 

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