intro to blazers-- material, fashion?

[BerniniCaCO3]

Hi,

I am new to this...
Just to be sure, a sport coat and a blazer are the same thing?

As a student, a full suit is too formal to not stick out like a sore thumb. But a casual blazer, that could be done.

I have a closet full of pleated khakis and cotton button-down shirts, mostly casual (i.e., not pure white, but some patterns and colors).

Can I easily wear a navy blue blazer over that? I'd want to wear it casually, open, so two buttons then? Other colors, too; beige blazers, or a warm grey?
Do I need wool dress pants to be successful; or do cotton khakis work?

Finally-- material.
When I purchased most of a wardrobe off of craigslist, the widow also had a blue wool blazer. But unlike my formal suit that I've only worn 5 times, it was thin and light, and with a silkier rather than a felt-like texture. However, she wanted $60 more for it alone, which I didn't have, or more to the point, don't yet know enough about blazer fashion to have risked spending on the spot until I know what's going to be right.
I overheat in thick clothing; a casual blazer has to be more decorative than insulating, or I'll find myself taking it off as soon as I enter any building from outdoors.
It didn't say anything special; just wool. What should I look for to find just such a thinner, silkier wool? Is it a particular method of weaving, or treating the fibers, or species of sheep? I'll be buying used, of course, to lower price--but that doesn't affect the question. Or other materials, too; silk, corduroy, what else might a casual sport coat/blazer be made of, that would be lighter in weight and not quite so warm?


thanks!
-Bernard Arnest

 

[DocHolliday]

A blazer is a sportcoat, but not all sportcoats are blazers. Blazers are navy, and traditionally have brass or gold buttons. A blazer is really the most versatile sportcoat a guy can buy, and would work well for your purposes. It will pair nicely with khakis and a buttondown, or with wool trousers for a dressier look. Two or three button, your choice, though I prefer two.

You'll probably want a lightweight wool -- silk, despite its reputation as a summer cloth, is pretty hot. Linen is a common cloth for a cool, lightweight sportcoat, but it is prone to wrinkles and is really a summer fabric.

After navy, you might consider something in brown. It's another versatile color. Maybe a tweed or corduroy, or something with a pattern. Would work well for fall.

 

[Joel_Cairo]

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

A blazer is a sportcoat, but not all sportcoats are blazers. Blazers are navy, and traditionally have brass or gold buttons. A blazer is really the most versatile sportcoat a guy can buy, and would work well for your purposes. It will pair nicely with khakis and a buttondown, or with wool trousers for a dressier look. Two or three button, your choice, though I prefer two.

You'll probably want a lightweight wool -- silk, despite its reputation as a summer cloth, is pretty hot. Linen is a common cloth for a cool, lightweight sportcoat, but it is prone to wrinkles and is really a summer fabric.

After navy, you might consider something in brown. It's another versatile color. Maybe a tweed or corduroy, or something with a pattern. Would work well for fall.

Good advice, just one thing to add. Knowing that you are kind of a big guy, Bernard, I'd recommend you steer toward a 2 button. 3 Button jackets often give the illusion of making a heavy-set guy look heavier, because you get a small triangle of shirt and tie atop a comparatively large expanse of Navy. A two button, by comparison, will look more flattering, because the V-shape of the lapels and shirt triangle will stretch longer down your torso, giving a sense of verticality to counteract your width.

 

[alliswell]

You'll want to wear any jacket or coat closed; it looks much better. It may make the fit a little harder to find if your waist is a little out-of-proportions with your shoulders, but it'll definitely be worth the effort.

Good luck - and did you get the Flusser book yet?

Originally Posted by BerniniCaCO3

...

Can I easily wear a navy blue blazer over that? I'd want to wear it casually, open, so two buttons then? Other colors, too; beige blazers, or a warm grey?

...

thanks!
-Bernard Arnest

 

[BerniniCaCO3]

One more question, then--

My chest measures 45" around, just with a measuring tape. It doesn't feel like fat, although my stomach obviously is.

If I buy a 46S or R jacket (again, a used find at a superior price if it can work-- I'm a college student), should this fit well, and continue to fit well even if I drop 30 lbs and 2" on the stomach? Maybe even look better?


My shoulders are kindof narrow, just genetic bone structure, but what fits my shoulders won't fit my chest, and if the jacket is firm at the shoulders, it might even make them look broader than they are (and not just fall slack, in an ugly way).
With weight lifting, and my 1-2 hours of pistol practice daily, maybe bulging deltoids will make my shoulders broader too... hahaha, well, only my right shoulder


thanks!
-Bernard Arnest

 

[alliswell]

Like I mentioned before, lose the weight now and buy afterwards. Money spent on clothes that fit the new you is a powerful incentive not to return to the old you

Originally Posted by BerniniCaCO3

One more question, then--

My chest measures 45" around, just with a measuring tape. It doesn't feel like fat, although my stomach obviously is.

If I buy a 46S or R jacket (again, a used find at a superior price if it can work-- I'm a college student), should this fit well, and continue to fit well even if I drop 30 lbs and 2" on the stomach? Maybe even look better?


My shoulders are kindof narrow, just genetic bone structure, but what fits my shoulders won't fit my chest, and if the jacket is firm at the shoulders, it might even make them look broader than they are (and not just fall slack, in an ugly way).
With weight lifting, and my 1-2 hours of pistol practice daily, maybe bulging deltoids will make my shoulders broader too... hahaha, well, only my right shoulder


thanks!
-Bernard Arnest