"Necessary" Sport Coats:

Foo: you're a small guy, so bright colors and bold patterns make it look like you are trying way too hard (Napoleon complex) and it risks becoming a costume. Given your smaller size and profession, I would argue that you should be even more classicly dressed than me

I think you have your model of dress flipped - instead of bold jacket and simple shirts, you might be far better off the other way around. Much more classic jackets (not boring, just less bold), and more interesting shirts and accessories from Anna and E. Marinella and others.

Do people notice you or your clothes first? It should always be you. Especially in your profession. Clothes frame the face.

I would focus more on classics with some unique twist, which I'm sure Rubinacci can provide, with some of his exclusive fabric sources.

this jacket below is just too over-the-top, imho, and if my lawyer walked up to me dressed like this, I would definitely wonder about him, even if it was on the weekend. There's a reason everybody likes Il Vecchio and Soph in WAYWN and why Cary Grant and Agnelli are timeless

I hate to continue to be the foofran defender but why does he get under everyone's skin so much? I think foof looks great in the above picture (better than the vast majority of folks on SF I might add) and I would not be put off at all if he was working on my behalf, in fact I'd be more impressed with his get-up than most of the lawyers we deal with who look like they just stepped out of Brooks.

Originally Posted by whnay.

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I hate to continue to be the foofran defender but why does he get under everyone's skin so much? I think foof looks great in the above picture (better than the vast majority of folks on SF I might add) and I would not be put off at all if he was working on my behalf, in fact I'd be more impressed with his get-up than most of the lawyers we deal with who look like they just stepped out of Brooks.


I'm not bashing him, I'm saying that somebody who has access to Rubinacci can make better fabric choices that are far more elegant and less costumey

the jacket is certainly interesting in a Men's Ex sort of way, but for actual weekend use, in the US (not Italy), it's a bit much

Originally Posted by NorCal_1

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I'm not bashing him, I'm saying that somebody who has access to Rubinacci can make better fabric choices that are far more elegant and less costumey

the jacket is certainly interesting in a Men's Ex sort of way, but for actual weekend use, in the US (not Italy), it's a bit much
Well wearing a jacket on the weekend is a bit much for anyone no matter the pattern, cut, etc in America.

But I find this all very curious. Foof wears simple gunchecks and all of the sudden its like time stopped (I'm not picking on you Norcal it seems everyone loves to do it). Honest question, is it his stature or his ethnicity that makes it costumey?

I don't think that Foo-jacket stands out as much as the close-up makes it seem. I think all his fabric choices have been good.

That said, I see nothing wrong with having a few simple sportcoats (I'm thinking blue blazer, grey/brown herrringbone, camel hair, and corduroy here, not Jos. A. Bank types). Those are especially good if you're just starting out, IMO. In college I had a blazer and a corduroy jacket.

Srsly. That jacket is a lot quieter than a million things that get praised the skies in WYWN -- some of it very, very ugly.

I don't think that four pattern combo happens to work (the square would be the easiest way to fix the problem) but the jacket is fine.

Originally Posted by whnay.

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Well wearing a jacket on the weekend is a bit much for anyone no matter the pattern, cut, etc in America.

But I find this all very curious. Foof wears simple gunchecks and all of the sudden its like time stopped (I'm not picking on you Norcal it seems everyone loves to do it). Honest question, is it his stature or his ethnicity that makes it costumey?

absolutely his stature and not his ethnicity

a great outfit will look great on anybody - short or tall, fat or skinny as long as it's fitted properly for the person

however, a risky outfit will accentuate the negatives instead of the positives, and that's what I think Foo risks in some of his choices.

the other reason I thnk people focus on Foo is because of the amount of money he's spending on these choices. I'll bet that all 8 sportcoats I posted pictures of cost less together than the single jacket he's wearing above. When you're spending that much on a jacket, the choice of fabric really, really matters. Mistakes are very costly because what would he get for it on eBay in the size it's made into?

I think some of the critics here are just living vicariously a bit through him and hoping he picks out that best that Rubinacci has to offer.

Originally Posted by Manton

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I went through a long period of contempt for the lowly blazer, and then I started having to travel a lot, and it turns out they are very useful.

Couldn't agree more.

I have a blazer that I don't like and never wear because it isn't up to the standard of other suits and jackets that I have. But, every time that I travel for more that 4 days and am pulling out the "2 shoes, two suits/jackets, & as many shirts as I need" I find that the blue blazer could be used every time. The benefit of the blazer is its universality, covering both the accepted range of business and casual situations - the blue blazer can be worn with dark trousers for business with or without a tie and the blazer can be worn with cotton trousers for travel or a casual evening. Its ubiquitous & classic at the same time. Salvation from being a drone comes from a well fit jacket.

Back to travel - the issue that i find in packing for a trip is that when I wear solids and vary the shirts and ties, the suit doesn't call attention to itself. Not so with a boldly striped or patterned suit, or at least that's how I feel. No one probably notices and wouldn't care within the context of travelling, but it would sting a bit to be asked "didn't you wear that suit two days ago?". Now give me the "2 days NY, 2 Days Chicago" trip where I know who I'll be meeting and the bold suits make the trip. The secret to travel is being able to mix and match the pieces. In the winter, a gray flannel suit and a tweed jacket can work for days, the trousers from the suit being wearable with the tweed. If I've got to go for a week or 10 days, two suits and a jacket are great - here a gray suit, a tweed suit (or tweed and odd trousers) and a blue bazer would give me lots to work with.

A blue suit is great and I probably have three, but I never wear the jackets separately from the trousers which means that the blue suit never really covers the casual end of the travel spectrum. I've got a three patch mantonian blazer suit in the works in one of Michael Alden's Navy Brisa cloth and am hoping that it gives me a blazer that I can wear.

The only question that I have is if I'll wear the trousers. Certainly with the jacket, I mean as odd trousers. I've just never really engaged with blue odd trousers, we'll see.

B

Originally Posted by NorCal_1

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the other reason I thnk people focus on Foo is because of the amount of money he's spending on these choices. I'll bet that all 8 sportcoats I posted pictures of cost less together than the single jacket he's wearing above. When you're spending that much on a jacket, the choice of fabric really, really matters. Mistakes are very costly because what would he get for it on eBay in the size it's made into?

I think some of the critics here are just living vicariously a bit through him and hoping he picks out that best that Rubinacci has to offer

Well I can tell you are. Why do people care what he spends his money on or how much it costs? Why is everything in a man's wardrobe an ebay trade? Other people spend a **** ton of money on things but they aren't scrunitized...

Originally Posted by NorCal_1

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+1 on the square, though not with the 4 patterns.

What's with the bifurcated tie?

It looks like the skinny back-bit is sharing stage with the front blade.

Not sure about this.

B

Originally Posted by whnay.

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Well I can tell you are. Why do people care what he spends his money on or how much it costs? Why is everything in a man's wardrobe an ebay trade? Other people spend a **** ton of money on things but they aren't scrunitized...

me? not at all, I obviously have completely different taste than he does, but I would love to see Rubinacci's fabric books the next time I'm in London

my post above was only the second time I've ever commented on the Foo (other time was about his choice in glasses)

I would equate the interest to trying to convince somebody not to buy a purple or yellow Lamborghini before they placed the order of if they already have one, to go with black or silver the next time and trick out the interior with suede and add better wheels to stand out as opposed to using color

if he was buying a Toyota, we wouldn't really care at all

Originally Posted by whnay.

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Why do people care what he spends his money on or how much it costs?


I can tell you why (and this is all my opinion): because people want to know that they can dress perfectly well and look good without having to spend a **** ton on clothes. They want to know that they can spend 1/50th of the cost on an item that Foof does, yet look as good or better.

That's why people care.

Originally Posted by NorCal_1

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Foo: you're a small guy, so bright colors and bold patterns make it look like you are trying way too hard (Napoleon complex) and it risks becoming a costume. Given your smaller size and profession, I would argue that you should be even more classicly dressed than me

I think you have your model of dress flipped - instead of bold jacket and simple shirts, you might be far better off the other way around. Much more classic jackets (not boring, just less bold), and more interesting shirts and accessories from Anna and E. Marinella and others.

Do people notice you or your clothes first? It should always be you. Especially in your profession. Clothes frame the face.

I would focus more on classics with some unique twist, which I'm sure Rubinacci can provide, with some of his exclusive fabric sources.

this jacket below is just too over-the-top, imho, and if my lawyer walked up to me dressed like this, I would definitely wonder about him, even if it was on the weekend. There's a reason everybody likes Il Vecchio and Soph in WAYWN and why Cary Grant and Agnelli are timeless

That is a beautiful cloth and it is hard to fault foo for choosing it. But much of what Norcal says is correct. For whatever reasons, dress sometimes comes down to the whole being an inverse to the sum of the parts. Too many beautiful things together don't always mean elegance, sometimes they just mean you look like you are wearing a lot of nice stuff. I make that mistake all the time.

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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These are perfectly nice and nobody with any taste will ever fault them, but it seems to me that odd jackets should be more . . . odd. Assuming you wear both suits and odd jackets, it's nice for there to be a strong distinction between them. In the case of your selections, the differences are limited to slightly coarser cloth and brighter colors. Still, if your style leans toward the more quiet, and particularly if you wear bigger shirt patterns, these are great. I wear the same shirts with everything, so I require my jackets to do really change the tone of my outfits.
I'm in partial agreement with the first statement, as well as the second- but i have been known to pair loud jackets with loud shirts (much to the amusment of my associates)

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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That's what I figured. I may get a blazer one day (double breasted, 4x1, white MOP buttons), but it's far from a priority, and I imagine I will never need such a thing.

I absolutely, positively adore solid dark blue jackets...possibly more than anyone on the Interwebz.

1. DeBoise DB Golden Bale 11oz worsted flannel suit jacket in process that will have swappable buttons so that I can wear it as an odd jacket or blazer:



2. MBT SB odd jacket in Martin & Sons 6 ply 16oz hopsack



3. MBT SB odd jacket in 14oz Minnis fresco



4. MBT SB odd jacket in Woodhouse 9oz mohair fresco



5. Borrelli SB odd jacket in 10oz linen



6. Borrelli SB odd jacket in cotton



7. Engineered Garments SB deconstructed odd jacket in wool twill



8. DeBoise SB 16oz flannel (forget the mill) odd jacket



10. DeBoise SB Holland & Sherry 14oz fresco suit jacket with swappable buttons



I also have a DB camel hair Black Fleece number.

So, that makes eleven solid dark blue jackets in rotation in various seasonal fabrics, and done up with various button stances, out pockets, and buttons.

Solid dark blue or navy jackets are a necessity, and while eleven might be much for someone with a normal wardrobe, I would hope that every man could manage at least two: one for the summer, and one for the rest of the year.

- B