Navy Blazer -- Help me pick the right color/fabric

[GreenFrog]

I'm getting a blazer re-made because it was made with the wrong fabric. The maker has sent me two swatch books to pick another fabric to get my new blazer made and I've picked out one from each book.

I also have a navy suit from a year or so ago and I don't want to have a color that is too similar, so I've taken a picture that shows all four fabrics/colors:

1) The blazer made in an erroneous fabric (I actually like the color, just not the very subtle herringbone pattern)
2) Vitale Barberis Canonico Super 140s; this is said to have no luster
3) Loro Piana Super 130s, four season fabric; this is said to have luster
4) The jacket from my old navy suit

In the attached picture below, 1) is the right jacket, 2) is in the upper right swatch book, 3) is in the bottom right swatch book, and 4) is the jacket on the left.

1) is sort of irrelevant at this point because it's going back, but just throwing it in the mix for comparison. I personally am liking 3) the most because 2) and 4) look fairly similar. They both have a more purple-ish hue in my opinion, whereas 3) is more 'midnight blue' to my eyes.

What do you guys think? I'd also like to incorporate fabric quality/reputation as well. What is Loro Piana known for? How about VBC? Are they comparable? Also, a bonus question, if you will: what is the consensus on shoulder pads in jackets?

Thanks in advance!

 

[GreenFrog]

buuump.

 

[Longmorn]

Are these your only fabric choices? Because while I much prefer the darker color of the LP for a blazer, I don't think the sheen works for an odd jacket (as opposed to a suit).

 

[GreenFrog]

Well, I went through every single fabric choice in the swatches and these are the only two I liked. Just looking for a solid navy fabric; nothing fancy. I'm going to go through each swatch one more time, but I doubt I'll find anything I like as these two.

As for the suit jacket vs. blazers comment, do you typically not use fabrics with luster/sheen/whateverit'scalled for blazers?

And FWIW, I will mainly be wearing this blazer for work. I might wear it casually sometimes, but probably not very often. Definitely more for office-wear.

 

[Gauss17]

I have one made in LP tazmanian 120s and it is quite nice.

 

[AlexE]



1) is sort of irrelevant at this point because it's going back, but just throwing it in the mix for comparison. I personally am liking 3) the most because 2) and 4) look fairly similar. They both have a more purple-ish hue in my opinion, whereas 3) is more 'midnight blue' to my eyes.

Isn't this already the answer?

 

[Longmorn]

Rightly or wrongly, I think of fabrics with a sheen as more formal, and therefore more appropriate for suits than blazers or sportcoats. However, that probably reflects my personal bias more than any hard and fast rule. If you're going to be primarily wearing this blazer with wool trousers and a tie, then ignore me and go with your gut. As AlexE suggests, if you like #3, then that's one to get.

Cheers,
LM

 

[Ivar]

The buttons should be the only thing blazing on a blazer.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

The buttons should be the only thing blazing on a blazer.

Actually, the reason they are called blazers is because their colours were originally bright and 'blazing': bright reds, stripes etc. They were designed to stand out and identify sporting teams or clubs. In Britain, where blazers come from, blazers are still understood this way as well as the more subdued varieties referred to by the OP, that the average person, and too many people even on SF, seem to think are the only kind of blazer.

 

[jt10000]

Actually, the reason they are called blazers is because their colours were originally bright and 'blazing': bright reds, stripes etc. They were designed to stand out and identify sporting teams or clubs. In Britain, where blazers come from, blazers are still understood this way as well as the more subdued varieties referred to by the OP, that the average person, and too many people even on SF, seem to think are the only kind of blazer.

Interesting to learn that - thanks for the info.

 

[Longmorn]

Actually, the reason they are called blazers is because their colours were originally bright and 'blazing': bright reds, stripes etc. They were designed to stand out and identify sporting teams or clubs. In Britain, where blazers come from, blazers are still understood this way as well as the more subdued varieties referred to by the OP, that the average person, and too many people even on SF, seem to think are the only kind of blazer.

Interesting info, Monkey. Question though: bright patterns are one thing, but what's the tradition re sheen?

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Interesting info, Monkey. Question though: bright patterns are one thing, but what's the tradition re sheen?

I am not sure there is any emphasis on sheen in traditional blazers - the brightly coloured ones tended to be flannel and have that almost felted kind of finish that thick coating flannel does. I do have a cream, green and gold striped one that has some sheen, but it's a modern designer blazer not a classic one.

I don't mean to derail this thread, which isn't really about this, but if anyone is interested, take a long at the site of trad Oxford tailor, Walters, which supplies blazers for the Oxford colleges and schools. This, BTW, is one of the main antecedents of US Ivy League style, and it's certainly an antidote to those who think (mistakenly) that classic men's dress is all about sobriety and soporific colours and patterns. Some of those things are insane... actually, my old school colours are amongst the most eye-popping (OSE, second row down) - I have the tie but not the blazer, and I don't think you would ever wear both together in reality!

 

[Quadcammer]

i actually like the herringbone fabric, but not for a staple blazer

 

[GreenFrog]

Yup. I quite liked it too, but like you, not as a staple, which is what I want this blazer to be.

FWIW, I did end up selecting the LP fabric. Now the waiting game begins again!

 

[Longmorn]

Good for you - hope you'll post pics of the final product when it arrives.

Cheers,
LM