Single/center vent = fail

[ysc]

Just saw a guy, obviosly american, quite well dressed, all fine and then he puts his hands in his pockets and the center vent on his blazer opens up into a massive triangle and suddenly it all looks a bit shabby.

I have never understood the attraction of a single vent, and have only one jacket cut like that (PRL seersucker, I like the jacket enough to forgive the vent) we don't ride horses much anymore so why not just have two vents?

I know its part of the icon american suit, but I just don't get the atraction, they are becoming increasingly common here in blighty on cheap/fashion forward jackets and they always look terrible.

So why do people like them?

 

[anon]

you should ask why manufacturers make them, since most American men probably just grab something OTR rather than specifically looking at what kind of doo-dads are present. If it's the right color or style, most guys go for it, regardless of its lapels and vents and everything else.

 

[sho'nuff]

i dont like the single vent either. ive always emphasized the sloppy look it gives on a side profile when the vent catches upon itself or when your buttocks is slightly larger than usual, it will flap out and form a bell shaped profile from the side which i think is very bad and goes against the whole concept of a suit in the first place.

 

[polar-lemon]

Originally Posted by youngscientist

Just saw a guy, obviosly american, quite well dressed, all fine and then he puts his hands in his pockets and the center vent on his blazer opens up into a massive triangle and suddenly it all looks a bit shabby.

I have never understood the attraction of a single vent, and have only one jacket cut like that (PRL seersucker, I like the jacket enough to forgive the vent) we don't ride horses much anymore so why not just have two vents?

I know its part of the icon american suit, but I just don't get the atraction, they are becoming increasingly common here in blighty on cheap/fashion forward jackets and they always look terrible.

So why do people like them?

I can see someone making a case for double vents coming across as "european" or flashy in some way. I personally don't feel this way, and prefer double vents myself both aesthetically and functionally, but it's nice to have variety I suppose. The classic American sack suit was single vented, after all.

 

[JoeWoah]

Center vent is trad, no vent is formal (but ek on a suit). That's why.

 

[Captain65]

Single vents have been classic and conservative for decades. In fact, side vents went out of style a number of years ago before coming back again recently. I don't think they look terrible. They are just not as fashion-forward currently.

 

[TRINI]

Different strokes for different folks

 

[just thoughts]

Side vents, all day!

My only single vented suit is seersucker, as well. I'm sure that they exist, but I just couldn't find a seersucker with side vents in my size.

 

[ysc]

Originally Posted by triniboy27

Different strokes for different folks

I agree with this generally, it just seems to me that two vents is just superior - more forgiving for those who might be a bit chubby or just large of buttock, allows you to put your hands in your pockets/sit without cantalevering open. It also often seems to me when people with a single vent sit or put their hands in their pockets the entire jacket gets pulled out of shape.

Does anyone know why it is the trad option? or why two vents might be seens as flashy?

 

[embowafa]

sport coat + single vent = fine

however, suit + single vent = fail

 

[UserNameToronto]

When I get my TAT x Mad Men Don Draper suit, the one change I will have to make is to go double vs. Don's single.

 

[needshoehelp]

I'm generally not a fan of single vents, but sometimes they are appropriate. For instance, although most of my suits are Italian-made with double vents, I wanted one American, trad, sack suit. I found a BBGF on eBay. It is single-vented, and on a suit like this, this is the much better way -- double vents would look totally out of sync.

 

[Mr. Moo]

99.9% of the world's population don't know **** about this subject. 99.9% of the world's fashion designers cater to the 99.9% of the population who don't know ****. This answers 99.9% of the "why do people wear..." type questions.

 

[ysc]

Originally Posted by Mr. Moo

99.9% of the world's population don't know **** about this subject. 99.9% of the world's fashion designers cater to the 99.9% of the population who don't know ****. This answers 99.9% of the "why do people wear..." type questions.
Yeah, that makes sence, particularly explains their spread here in britain in the lower end of the market, I imagine they are a little cheaper to produce. Except for the Trad thing, as I understand it the well informed trad activly seeks this out, does anyone know why?

 

[TC (Houston)]

Double vents are a must for me on suits and sports jackets, but I have noticed recently that 90% of the jackets I see in the office and around town are single vent. It must represent the high percentage of american made and designed business clothing in this city.