Help! Unstructured jacket with formal cut + fabric?

[Jthaeler]

I'm curious if anyone has any experience wearing unstructured (light shoulder padding but otherwise no lining/canvas) suits and if they drape properly for more-than-casual occasions.

I'm looking at some double breasted jackets in what I would deem to be more formal patterns from 150s wool but am worried that they won't maintain enough of a body to look the part beyond casual engagements.

In my experience unstructured garments are typically made from a cotton or linen blend to play to their lithely applications.

I would imagine a Neapolitan sartorialist could opine on what's permissible.

I'm attaching pictures of sample patterns to illustrate my dilemma.

Any help would be appreciated

 

[Jthaeler]

bump

 

[ter1413]

Top one looks horrible!

 

[breakaway01]

I think there are two questions here.
(1) The depicted suits are terrible, not because of whether they are structured or not. They are tight all over and short.
(2) unstructured jackets will inherently look more casual, and the lighter the fabric the more poorly they will drape.

 

[Jthaeler]

I think there are two questions here.
(1) The depicted suits are terrible, not because of whether they are structured or not. They are tight all over and short.
(2) unstructured jackets will inherently look more casual, and the lighter the fabric the more poorly they will drape.

Thank you. These are just illustrative of patterns and cuts (ie double breasted). These are some random photos I found online, but your point about light fabric is well taken.

 

[emptym]

I have a few unpadded, uncanvased jackets from Luxire, and I would say that they're pretty casual. They're made of cotton twill, heavy linen, even heavier (upholstery) linen, and hot-washed wool flannel, in order:

Edit: Actually, the jacket above has some canvas, which is probably why it doesn't have the wrinkles that even the heavier one below does. But the heavy flannel at the bottom doesn't have any canvasing and it remains pretty wrinkle free due to the heavier, more tightly woven fabric.

 

[Jthaeler]

I have a few unpadded, uncanvased jackets from Luxire, and I would say that they're pretty casual. They're made of cotton twill, heavy linen, even heavier (upholstery) linen, and hot-washed wool flannel, in order: View attachment 1887747 View attachment 1887743
Edit: Actually, the jacket above has some canvas, which is probably why it doesn't have the wrinkles that even the heavier one below does. But the heavy flannel at the bottom doesn't have any canvasing and it remains pretty wrinkle free due to the heavier, more tightly woven fabric.
View attachment 1887745 View attachment 1887751

Amazing - thanks!

 

[maxalex]

Even most Neapolitan “unstructured” jackets have some canvasing as well as some shoulder padding. It’s a question of degree. And some Naples tailors, like Rubinacci, actually cut a very English style with full drape in the chest.

If you look at the Neapolitan jackets and suits worn by Toni Servillo in The Great Beauty (all made by Attolini) they clearly have structure. But even his formal navy suits are soft, with limited shoulder padding and very suppressed waists in the Neapolitan style.

More extreme would be Boglioli jackets which are completely unlined with no padding or canvas, much like the pics above.

I own a couple Boglioli jackets, mostly for summer vacations—you can toss them in the back of the car, drape them over the beach lounger, then put them on at sunset when it cools down and you head out for aperitivi. (This is Italy, it’s how we do summer.)

But I don’t think they work well “in town” which for me is Rome. Others can disagree; it’s just a style preference.

In the end, jacket structuring exists along a continuous range—it’s not a yes/no. While I would avoid completely unstructured and unlined in a DB, there are plenty of minimally structured versions. In fact it seems to me that most OTR tailoring these days leans toward that soft style—the trick is avoiding the ridiculous. Fortunately the skintight PeeWee Herman look seems to be in retreat, but almost all OTR jackets today seem to be cut too short, which is a hard problem to avoid.

 

[Jthaeler]

Even most Neapolitan “unstructured” jackets have some canvasing as well as some shoulder padding. It’s a question of degree. And some Naples tailors, like Rubinacci, actually cut a very English style with full drape in the chest.

If you look at the Neapolitan jackets and suits worn by Toni Servillo in The Great Beauty (all made by Attolini) they clearly have structure. But even his formal navy suits are soft, with limited shoulder padding and very suppressed waists in the Neapolitan style.

More extreme would be Boglioli jackets which are completely unlined with no padding or canvas, much like the pics above.

I own a couple Boglioli jackets, mostly for summer vacations—you can toss them in the back of the car, drape them over the beach lounger, then put them on at sunset when it cools down and you head out for aperitivi. (This is Italy, it’s how we do summer.)

But I don’t think they work well “in town” which for me is Rome. Others can disagree; it’s just a style preference.

In the end, jacket structuring exists along a continuous range—it’s not a yes/no. While I would avoid completely unstructured and unlined in a DB, there are plenty of minimally structured versions. In fact it seems to me that most OTR tailoring these days leans toward that soft style—the trick is avoiding the ridiculous. Fortunately the skintight PeeWee Herman look seems to be in retreat, but almost all OTR jackets today seem to be cut too short, which is a hard problem to avoid.

fanstastic! Thank you

 

[Mr Tickle]

What is the difference between "unstructured" and "deconstructed" when it comes to jackets?

 

[DapperPhilly]

The two suits in your pics do not look unstructured to my eye. As the OP said, too tight.
I have one completely unstructured Boglioli wool DB. Very soft material and light which works well in south Florida where I live. That said, I probably would not opt for another unstructured DB.
I also have a couple Boglioli unstructured SC's (not DB) in linen which I do like.
I feel like a DB needs structure.

Here is my unstructured DB

 

[Jthaeler]

The two suits in your pics do not look unstructured to my eye. As the OP said, too tight.
I have one completely unstructured Boglioli wool DB. Very soft material and light which works well in south Florida where I live. That said, I probably would not opt for another unstructured DB.
I also have a couple Boglioli unstructured SC's (not DB) in linen which I do like.
I feel like a DB needs structure.

Here is my unstructured DB

View attachment 1891407 View attachment 1891409

Thanks for the pictures, very helpful.

Agree that DBs, being a more formal cut, likely need some structure. But your pictures show good drape despite the apparent lack of canvas.

What's type of wool is used in your unstructured DB?

 

[Jthaeler]

What is the difference between "unstructured" and "deconstructed" when it comes to jackets?

I use them interchangably.

But then again I am probably wrong.

 

[DapperPhilly]

Thanks for the pictures, very helpful.

Agree that DBs, being a more formal cut, likely need some structure. But your pictures show good drape despite the apparent lack of canvas.

What's type of wool is used in your unstructured DB?

The label just says wool. Doesn't give a "super" number.