Geezer
Senior Member
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2009
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Sorry, this has been really bugging me.
A "blazer" is a particular type of odd jacket. There are three basic types:
(a) a single-breasted odd jacket of bright colour, usually striped, often with metal buttons, derived from the late 19th Century odd jackets worn by English school, college, or university rowing and other sports clubs, now largely obsolescent outside Henley Regatta;
(b) a double-breasted odd jacket of dark navy cloth, with metal - usually brass - buttons, emerging in the late 19th Century as casual wear, and based on naval uniform, allegedly the uniform worn on HMS Blazer;
(c) a slightly later hybrid of the two: a single-breasted odd jacket, usually navy (sometimes green, or burgundy, respectively for golfers and the colour-blind or tasteless), usually with metal buttons. See also "school blazer", which is an (a)/(c) hybrid for children.
It is on SF acceptable to replace metal buttons with mother of pearl ones, while the garment remains a blazer. Traditionally, a club/school/college/regiment woven badge might also be sewn on the left breast pocket, though this has largely fallen into disuse.
At some point in the last decade or so, a bunch of twerps with square glasses and bad haircuts employed in marketing and advertising decided, whether through intensive focus groups or in a moment fuellled by Chablis and cocaine, that "blazer" sounded cool, whereas "jacket"", "odd jacket", "sports jacket" or "sports coat" did not. So every odd jacket is now advertised as a "blazer". But they are not blazers. No matter what it says on the seller's website, or what the salesthing says in the shop, any jacket not meeting the categories above is NOT a blazer. It is a jacket, odd jacket, sports jacket, or sports coat.
Rant mode off.
A "blazer" is a particular type of odd jacket. There are three basic types:
(a) a single-breasted odd jacket of bright colour, usually striped, often with metal buttons, derived from the late 19th Century odd jackets worn by English school, college, or university rowing and other sports clubs, now largely obsolescent outside Henley Regatta;
(b) a double-breasted odd jacket of dark navy cloth, with metal - usually brass - buttons, emerging in the late 19th Century as casual wear, and based on naval uniform, allegedly the uniform worn on HMS Blazer;
(c) a slightly later hybrid of the two: a single-breasted odd jacket, usually navy (sometimes green, or burgundy, respectively for golfers and the colour-blind or tasteless), usually with metal buttons. See also "school blazer", which is an (a)/(c) hybrid for children.
It is on SF acceptable to replace metal buttons with mother of pearl ones, while the garment remains a blazer. Traditionally, a club/school/college/regiment woven badge might also be sewn on the left breast pocket, though this has largely fallen into disuse.
At some point in the last decade or so, a bunch of twerps with square glasses and bad haircuts employed in marketing and advertising decided, whether through intensive focus groups or in a moment fuellled by Chablis and cocaine, that "blazer" sounded cool, whereas "jacket"", "odd jacket", "sports jacket" or "sports coat" did not. So every odd jacket is now advertised as a "blazer". But they are not blazers. No matter what it says on the seller's website, or what the salesthing says in the shop, any jacket not meeting the categories above is NOT a blazer. It is a jacket, odd jacket, sports jacket, or sports coat.
Rant mode off.