Suit jacket and odd pants?

[alchimiste]

What do you think of wearing a suit jacket with odd trousers (like a sport coat)?
I think I have read that it is a no-no. But some forum members sometimes ask about Ebay auctions: is this jacket part of a suit or a sport jacket? If they are so hard to tell apart then wearing the jacket with odd trousers would be acceptable or not depending on what you know about the jacket.

Mathieu

 

[WJTW]

I think odd jacket/pants are quite popular or common in the olden days, although they are most probably for informal situations.

Anyway, alchimiste, since you are in Singapore, you might want to check this programme shown on Channel U at 11:30pm. The setting is definitely not modern, and most of the people wear odd pants with jackets.

I don't really have objections against wearing suit jackets with odd pants though, as long as it is done right and the colours blend well; leave the sharp-contrast combination for blazers and sports jackets. Just my opinion.

WJTW

 

[gorgekko]

I'm not saying that it can't be done -- I did it myself once -- but I don't think the results are ever entirely successful. There's always something a bit off when someone mixes a suit coat with an odd pair of pants.

 

[alchimiste]

What would be the best way to do it? Using trousers similar to the jacket (somehow pretending it is a suit) or completely different (as may be done with a sport jacket)?
What are the main differences between suit jacket and sport jacket?

Mathieu

 

[gorgekko]

What would be the best way to do it? Using trousers similar to the jacket (somehow pretending it is a suit) or completely different (as may be done with a sport jacket)?
What are the main differences between suit jacket and sport jacket?

Mathieu

These are just my thoughts but I think it would be a mistake to try and match your pants to your coat. When I did it I went with a green/olive coat with a pair of swamp brown pants (sounds odd but it worked). Complimentary colours, not similar ones.

It worked but I only ever did it once. As I said before, there's always something a bit off when you mix suit coats with odd pants.

Sport jackets are inherently less formal than suit coats in styling and fabric.