Striped Sport Coats, starting to come in?

[Superfluous]

I know everyone thinks that if it's striped, it's part of a suit. However, I've been noticing some sport coats from italian designers that are boldly striped like a suit, but are sport coats. I personally have a gucci sport coat that is pinstriped, and even the tag says "Jacket," indicating it's not part of a suit. Although this could be an orphaned suit jacket, I've seem some listing for a Luciano Barbera sport coat with stripes on B/S. Also, I went into a zegna store today, and they seemed to be showcasing this patch pocket, thick striped navy sport coat. Definitely a sport coat and not part of a suit. Thoughts?

 

[Nicola]

Never went out in Italy. Don't expect Italians to follow American rules.

 

[Kslim]

Not a fan of striped SC.

 

[landshark]

I have a navy sport coat with very fine grey stripes. I wear it and don't even bother to worry if it's breaking the rules. The fact of the matter is that the rules are a guideline for those who don't get it.

 

[Ianiceman]

Just saw 'Hitch' on the Telly tonight wherein Will Smith has a decent casual look with khakis, t shirt, open shirt and pin striped SC with peaked lapels. Not to my personal taste but I liked the look.

Thicker stripes are leaning towards regatta/boating blazers which can look good, originally an English Edwardian look but revived by the Mods of the sixties via preppy dressed American jazz and blues musicians on tour in England.

 

[landshark]

Also, I'd add that seersucker works well as a sport coat and it normally comes striped.

 

[ExHack]

It may be coming into current style, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's in good taste.

I work in a location where I get to see lots of people in leisure mode, and most of what I see of striped SCs does not recommend them. The guys wearing striped jackets as SCs more often than not look like they're wearing orphaned suit coats because they don't "get it," as Landshark notes. And usually with items that should never be worn with any kind of constructed jacket, like saggy-baggy basketball shorts. To me, it seems like a wearing down of "the rules" for people who don't/won't/can't "get it" anyway.

Personally, I'm not a fan.

Landshark, you raise the excellent point that seersucker works well as a sportcoat. However, its stripes are so narrow that it practically becomes a solid. This is a different animal IMHO.

 

[tombrokaw]

How bold does the stripe have to be before it's gauche to wear as a sportscoat?

I wear a dark grey jacket with a very subtle pinstripe. You probably couldn't see the stripe unless you were closer than five feet away.

My workplace is far too casual to wear a proper suit so my options are limited here.

 

[pvrhye]

Stripe rules are odd to me. They have to be the only loud pattern that conservative people think you should wear head to toe.

 

[Matt S]

Originally Posted by tombrokaw

How bold does the stripe have to be before it's gauche to wear as a sportscoat?

I wear a dark grey jacket with a very subtle pinstripe. You probably couldn't see the stripe unless you were closer than five feet away.

My workplace is far too casual to wear a proper suit so my options are limited here.

I find that the bolder and wider the stripe the better it works as an odd jacket.

 

[Gus]

I have two that I've had for 2 years. One pin striped one chalk striped. They only work for me with jeans or creme pants.

 

[Sator]

Striped sports coats are called blazers. Like regimental ties, they were originally in club, team or school colours.

The term blazer refers to the blazing bright colours of the stripes. This is the original meaning of the term blazer. The use of the term blazer to refer to a navy DB reefer jacket or an odd lounge jacket in plain colours is a corruption of the term.

And, yes, I do like blazers, but only if the colours are bright and sporty. If it looks like a stock broker's chalk stripe in dark conservative colours then it is an epic failure, and it means you need to get your tailor to make you two pairs of trousers with each suit order, so you don't have to pass off your pinstripe coat as a dodgy blazer when the dog chews on your trousers.

 

[Dan e gee]

A suit jacket is meant to be worn with the pants it was made to match. However, I really don't see the problem with a striped SC/blazer, if it's not actually orphaned.
I possess a sharp, two button, Tagliatore chalk striped sc/blazer, with the stripes spaced fairly wide apart. and horn buttons. I wear it with a pair of wool flannel PT01 mid grey pants I have, a light pink shirt c/w a lovely light grey wool/silk and abaca Borrelli tie.
There are plenty of things that are considered fashion faux pas that some tend to ignore.
For instance, I believe it's ok to wear brown shoes in town!
If you can wear it well, then do so.

 

[LeviMay]

I agree with what's been said here... If the stripe is bold or bright enough that it wouldn't work as a suit, it's okay as an odd jacket, but if it's a muted pin- or chalk-stripe, it looks like

the dog chews on your trousers.

 

[Holdfast]

This seems to be a necro'ed thread, but since i didn't throw my tuppence in the first time round...

- Floridly striped jackets - think boating blazers or even more rarely in this era, club flannel jackets - certainly have their place. That being, boating or club events. They tend to look a bit wacky out of context, I think. As long as you're aware of the eccentricity out of their natural habitat, fine, whatever floats your boat, so to speak. In my neck of the woods, I sometimes see people wearing this sort of thing to rowing events or if they're having a lazy day out of the river themselves. It's a bit of conscious dress-up, but no less fun for that. Personally, I'm not a big rowing fan and usually pick a linen or seersucker jacket for days out on the river, but whatever.
- Talking of which, yes, seersucker jackets also have their place. That being, very hot summer days.

I've yet to see a muted striped odd jacket with a flat worsted wool that I like. I sometimes come across a striped flannel or linen jacket in shops. The flannel ones I think have a theoretical utility as an ersatz club jacket, though I personally don't like them. The linen ones I tend to group with the aforementioned worsted wool fabrics. Actually not quite, because I like striped wool suits but am not such a fan of striped linen ones (though I think I saw a tobacco linen with a cream stripe in some book or other that could work in a retro sort of way).

ymmv, of course; all just imo.