Why hate the navy blazer?

[JLibourel]

Only got onto this one late! Hate the navy blazer? Hell no! I L-O-O-O-VE navy blazers! And yes, it's gotta have metal buttons although I have come to favor enameled over bright brass. A "blazer" without metal buttons looks like an orphaned suit coat. I have two navy blazers at the moment--my old Nordstrom's "knockabout" blazer that I bought about 13 years ago and my good, dressy blazer that I got from W.W. Chan last year. Both are 2B SBs. I am planning to get a 6x2 DB from Chan next time Patrick comes through in July. I also recently got a hunter green blazer from Chan. I will admit that with four blazers, I will probably be maxed out on them...at least until my old one gives up the ghost.

 

[Holdfast]

I dislike navy blazers for 2 related reasons:

1) They're boring and uninspiring and lack individuality. I know the latter sounds weird coming from a guy like me who loves suits but somehow a suit offers much more scope for individual expression. Blue blazer = dull uniform.
2) They make me feel like I'm back at school since it was part of my school uniform. Don't get me wrong - I had a good time at school. But I'm not there anymore.

I have no intention of ever owning a navy blazer, but I do own a forest green DB blazer with enamelled buttons that I feel entirely comfortable wearing. The slightly eccentric, different colour gives it that personal touch that makes me happy to wear it. Wearing a navy blazer makes me feel like I'm hiding behind something that doesn't really reflect my personality.

 

[Film Noir Buff]

Dont be a hata, be a participata.


I like them without the metal buttons and with lighter shades of pants. They can be quite hip with a sweater or golf shirt.

 

[GQgeek]

Originally Posted by Holdfast

I dislike navy blazers for 2 related reasons:

1) They're boring and uninspiring and lack individuality. I know the latter sounds weird coming from a guy like me who loves suits but somehow a suit offers much more scope for individual expression. Blue blazer = dull uniform.
2) They make me feel like I'm back at school since it was part of my school uniform. Don't get me wrong - I had a good time at school. But I'm not there anymore.

I think that's a rather broad generalization. Blue blazers - or I should say odd jackets, since I don't favor the metal buttons - can look smashing. Your comment is analagous to saying that all red cars are ugly. I might agree that 97% of red cars are ugly, but certainly not all of them.

In the same way, most of the shapeless navy jackets that you see men wearing are ugly, and their outfits rather un-inspiring. However, the navy odd jacket offers a lot of room for creativity. Just because most men wear them with tan dockers and a plain blue oxford cloth shirt doesn't mean that you have to.

When I was looking at shirtings yesterday I saw about 50 different fabrics that would have looked brilliant with a navy jacket. The navy odd jacket is a blank canvas. You can pair it with a plain blue broadcloth and obtain a very conservative look, but you can also match it extremely well to hundreds of different patterns and colors that would make your overall look anything but boring.

 

[Holdfast]

Originally Posted by GQgeek

I think that's a rather broad generalization. Blue blazers - or I should say odd jackets, since I don't favor the metal buttons - can look smashing. Your comment is analagous to saying that all red cars are ugly. I might agree that 97% of red cars are ugly, but certainly not all of them.

I perhaps should add that when I talk about a navy blazer in my earlier post I very specifically refer to a navy jacket with metal buttons, typically DB but also SB. I simply don't count navy jackets with horn (or plastic) buttons as a blazer; they're a navy odd jacket and I have not nearly the same distaste for them that I do for navy blazers... though they're not really my cup of tea either except for maybe a navy linen jacket.

PS. really funny you should mention red cars - I detest red cars too! I wouldn't even have a Ferrari in their trademark red.

 

[GQgeek]

Originally Posted by Holdfast

I perhaps should add that when I talk about a navy blazer in my earlier post I very specifically refer to a navy jacket with metal buttons, typically DB but also SB. I simply don't count navy jackets with horn (or plastic) buttons as a blazer; they're a navy odd jacket and I have not nearly the same distaste for them that I do for navy blazers... though they're not really my cup of tea either except for maybe a navy linen jacket.

PS. really funny you should mention red cars - I detest red cars too! I wouldn't even have a Ferrari in their trademark red.

Ferraris and Lambos fall in to the 3% that I would consider attractive ;p

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by Film_Noir_Buff

Dont be a hata, be a participata.


I like them without the metal buttons and with lighter shades of pants.

I agree. Too many men wear them with dark grey which looks a little gloomy.

 

[johnapril]

There is a blazer in my driveway with tire tracks over it.

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by RJMan

I had the buttons on my blue blazers replaced with smoke mother of pearl buttons.

John, what if Seraphin made a navy blazer? Maybe in some sort of suede or antelope?
I would consider a chamois blazer.

'She bought a dozen bathing suits, a rubber alligator, a travelling chess set of gold and ivory, big linen handkerchiefs for Abe, two chamois leather jackets of kingfisher blue and burning bush from Hermes...'

 

[RJman]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

'She bought a dozen bathing suits, a rubber alligator, a travelling chess set of gold and ivory, big linen handkerchiefs for Abe, two chamois leather jackets of kingfisher blue and burning bush from Hermes...'
"Tender is the LK"... I wonder who made them before Seraphin started making leathers for Hermes.

 

[tiger02]

Originally Posted by johnapril

There is a blazer in my driveway with tire tracks over it.
Is it attached to a tie?

 

[rip]

Originally Posted by Tck13

The blazer seems to have gotten its name from the early wearers who's odd jackets had stripes and their club's loud colors on them. The jackets started to become so bright with colors that they earned the name "blazer".
That's only one of a half-dozen or so different stories of the name. Another, and seemingly the earliest known use of the term, applies to the red jackets worn by the Lady Margaret Boat Club at Cambridge, which were said to be "ablaze" with color. Also, club and school jackets were often "emblazoned" with the organization's patch.

We're probably all familiar with the most common etymology of the term: Blue jackets with gilt buttons worn by the midshipmen of the royal naval vessel, the HMS Blazer, designed specifically for a visit from Queen Victoria. Upon her approval, the jacket became the standard, which is the only one of the stories actually pointing to a blazer being blue in color and requiring metal buttons.
(credit where credit's due: all the above information is from Wikipedia)

 

[Tck13]

Originally Posted by rip

That's only one of a half-dozen or so different stories of the name. Another, and seemingly the earliest known use of the term, applies to the red jackets worn by the Lady Margaret Boat Club at Cambridge, which were said to be "ablaze" with color. Also, club and school jackets were often "emblazoned" with the organization's patch. We're probably all familiar with the most common etymology of the term: Blue jackets with gilt buttons worn by the midshipmen of the royal naval vessel, the HMS Blazer, designed specifically for a visit from Queen Victoria. Upon her approval, the jacket became the standard, which is the only one of the stories actually pointing to a blazer being blue in color and requiring metal buttons. (credit where credit's due: all the above information is from Wikipedia)
What you are saying fits with what Flusser's "Dressing the Man" says about the blazer becoming blue (and also about the early, non blue odd jackets being "ablaze" or "emblazoned"). He says, "With blue and white as the imperatives of nautical dress, navy blazers and white trousers made a dashing sports outfit for the wealthy American man of the 1920's." My take would be that; the rich, (having boats?) and taking cues from the navy, adopted the blazer in blue.

 

[Mr. Checks]

Originally Posted by Film_Noir_Buff

Dont be a hata, be a participata.


I like them without the metal buttons and with lighter shades of pants. They can be quite hip with a sweater or golf shirt.

Respectfully disagree that they can ever be "quite hip" or, for that matter, even "kind of hip."

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by RJMan

"Tender is the LK"... I wonder who made them before Seraphin started making leathers for Hermes.
Who's kinky now?