I've been trying to figure this out for a couple of weeks now. What's the difference between a suit jacket and a blazer? I can't really tell them apart based off of the build or style (except for those God-awful navy and brass things.) If you wear a suit coat with non-matching pants, does it count as a blazer?
Difference between a suit jacket and a blazer
- Thread starter RHVette
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As far as tailoring there isn't much if any difference. A suit jacket worn with other color slacks would stick out like a sore thumb
A suit coat is usually more conservative in pattern and just don't look right with slacks.
Blazers are usually a single solid color rather than stripes etc. and have a bit more sporty type buttons.
Some blazers do have a slimmer cut at the waist and may be one inch shorter in length but this varies between brands.
A suit coat is usually more conservative in pattern and just don't look right with slacks.Blazers are usually a single solid color rather than stripes etc. and have a bit more sporty type buttons.
Some blazers do have a slimmer cut at the waist and may be one inch shorter in length but this varies between brands.
A Blazer and a Sports coat are a couple of different animals.
The Blazer has its origins in navel officers uniforms.
The Sports coats origins are just that- Sporting coats for field wear.
City clothes ( vs country clothes) have become the lounge suit- which we call a business suit.
They all have morphed with time and become what we have today.
Knowing the origins can help establish the appropriateness of the item for use.
The Blazer has its origins in navel officers uniforms.
The Sports coats origins are just that- Sporting coats for field wear.
City clothes ( vs country clothes) have become the lounge suit- which we call a business suit.
They all have morphed with time and become what we have today.
Knowing the origins can help establish the appropriateness of the item for use.
Suit jacket with odd trousers - your work buddies will think you are sleeping with another boy. You will be more admired wearing panties with you suit.
<If you wear a suit coat with non-matching pants, does it count as a blazer[sports coat]?>
Nope. I do not quite understand the sleeping with another boy and panties references by steveclarkus it does not seem "gay" to me in any of the various current modern senses of the word "gay," but more shall be say rube-ish, unsophisticated, bumpinish. Of course, more or less stemming from a clothing rule established by either the clothing industry or the elite as a commericial matter, or a trap for the unwary, but still a "rule."
I would say that a sports coat nearly invariably has buttons that are not flat and smooth or if they are, do not blend in with the jack material but stand out. A pretty weird bottom line, but I think it largely works. Sports coats are made to wear with non-matching trousers. A suit coat is intended to match the trousers worn with it. It is hard to articulate why a sports coat looks like a sports coat with scant observation, but it generally does. Sports coats often have a less smooth more textured type of fabric than a suit coat. They overall have bolder patterns than a suit coat, if they have patterns at all. A sports coat rarely has veritcal stripes.
But do not try to wear a suit coat with non matching slacks as a substitute for a sports coat, unless you are clearly doing so with a sense of irony. It will look like you do not know how to dress and/or were trying to save the cost of buying sports coat separate from what is probably the only suit you own!
Right chaps, let me sort this out for you all! 
For the sake of human decency and in respect for your own reputation don't try and wear a suit jacket (they are called jackets not coats!
) without the corresponding trousers. It is a remedy for looking like you have spilled something on your suit trousers and haven't got them dry cleaned yet. People will assume that you are homeless or stole the jacket from a coat rack in a restaurant.
Now, there is a difference between blazers and sports jacket.
Sports jackets are jackets not dissimilar to suit jackets, however they are designed to be worn without matching trousers. Because of this they can have a wider range of textures and patterns. The cloth used is generally sturdier than those used for making suits (tweed, houndstooth etc.). Sports jackets can have single or twin vents. Sports jackets will be single breasted.
Tweed Sports jackets can fall under the category of hacking jackets - hacking jackets are always made of tightly woven wool tweed which is designed to be thorn resistant as hacking jackets were originally designed for field sports (horse riding, shooting etc). Hacking jackets will more often than not have a single vent.
Now blazers are a whole different ball game. Blazers can have either twin or single vents. However, they can also have patch pockets (or vented pockets) where as a sports jacket generally wouldn't. Suit jackets would certainly never have patch pockets. Blazers will have shiney buttons (brass, gold, silver, enameled or club buttons etc.).
The traditional blazer would be a solid colour (navy blue most common but could be any colour - burgundy, green anything). School or Club blazers (maybe the golf club or boat club) will more often than not have a contrasting braid around the edges, although it is not compulsory.
Blazers can also sport a club (or school) badge on the breast pocket (no other jacket can). They can be single or double breasted.
Blazers are seen as smart casual and smarter than a sports jacket which would be seen as casual wear.
Blazers can also be bold striped. These blazers are "boating blazers" and are in club colours in generally very bold stripes and can be very colourful. Boating blazers tend only to be worn in the summer months.
When I am not wearing a suit I always wear either a blazer or a sports jacket (mainly tweed hacking jackets). The blazer is enormously versatile and can be worn at all occasions. I have my own buttons which are transferred to my new blazer when I need to replace one. If I am going to a party and don't really know the dress code I tend to wear my blazer.
For the sake of human decency and in respect for your own reputation don't try and wear a suit jacket (they are called jackets not coats!
) without the corresponding trousers. It is a remedy for looking like you have spilled something on your suit trousers and haven't got them dry cleaned yet. People will assume that you are homeless or stole the jacket from a coat rack in a restaurant.Now, there is a difference between blazers and sports jacket.
Sports jackets are jackets not dissimilar to suit jackets, however they are designed to be worn without matching trousers. Because of this they can have a wider range of textures and patterns. The cloth used is generally sturdier than those used for making suits (tweed, houndstooth etc.). Sports jackets can have single or twin vents. Sports jackets will be single breasted.
Tweed Sports jackets can fall under the category of hacking jackets - hacking jackets are always made of tightly woven wool tweed which is designed to be thorn resistant as hacking jackets were originally designed for field sports (horse riding, shooting etc). Hacking jackets will more often than not have a single vent.
Now blazers are a whole different ball game. Blazers can have either twin or single vents. However, they can also have patch pockets (or vented pockets) where as a sports jacket generally wouldn't. Suit jackets would certainly never have patch pockets. Blazers will have shiney buttons (brass, gold, silver, enameled or club buttons etc.).
The traditional blazer would be a solid colour (navy blue most common but could be any colour - burgundy, green anything). School or Club blazers (maybe the golf club or boat club) will more often than not have a contrasting braid around the edges, although it is not compulsory.
Blazers can also sport a club (or school) badge on the breast pocket (no other jacket can). They can be single or double breasted.
Blazers are seen as smart casual and smarter than a sports jacket which would be seen as casual wear.
Blazers can also be bold striped. These blazers are "boating blazers" and are in club colours in generally very bold stripes and can be very colourful. Boating blazers tend only to be worn in the summer months.
When I am not wearing a suit I always wear either a blazer or a sports jacket (mainly tweed hacking jackets). The blazer is enormously versatile and can be worn at all occasions. I have my own buttons which are transferred to my new blazer when I need to replace one. If I am going to a party and don't really know the dress code I tend to wear my blazer.
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- #7
Right chaps, let me sort this out for you all!
For the sake of human decency and in respect for your own reputation don't try and wear a suit jacket (they are called jackets not coats!
Now, there is a difference between blazers and sports jacket.
Sports jackets are jackets not dissimilar to suit jackets, however they are designed to be worn without matching trousers. Because of this they can have a wider range of textures and patterns. The cloth used is generally sturdier than those used for making suits (tweed, houndstooth etc.). Sports jackets can have single or twin vents. Sports jackets will be single breasted.
Tweed Sports jackets can fall under the category of hacking jackets - hacking jackets are always made of tightly woven wool tweed which is designed to be thorn resistant as hacking jackets were originally designed for field sports (horse riding, shooting etc). Hacking jackets will more often than not have a single vent.
Now blazers are a whole different ball game. Blazers can have either twin or single vents. However, they can also have patch pockets (or vented pockets) where as a sports jacket generally wouldn't. Suit jackets would certainly never have patch pockets. Blazers will have shiney buttons (brass, gold, silver, enameled or club buttons etc.).
The traditional blazer would be a solid colour (navy blue most common but could be any colour - burgundy, green anything). School or Club blazers (maybe the golf club or boat club) will more often than not have a contrasting braid around the edges, although it is not compulsory.
Blazers can also sport a club (or school) badge on the breast pocket (no other jacket can). They can be single or double breasted.
Blazers are seen as smart casual and smarter than a sports jacket which would be seen as casual wear.
Blazers can also be bold striped. These blazers are "boating blazers" and are in club colours in generally very bold stripes and can be very colourful. Boating blazers tend only to be worn in the summer months.
When I am not wearing a suit I always wear either a blazer or a sports jacket (mainly tweed hacking jackets). The blazer is enormously versatile and can be worn at all occasions. I have my own buttons which are transferred to my new blazer when I need to replace one. If I am going to a party and don't really know the dress code I tend to wear my blazer.
Thank you for the thorough reply. I guess part of my confusion is that a lot of the things in stores are rather deceptively labeled. Looking in Kohl's (I know, I know, but they're actually pretty good for the price), they have things labeled as blazers that I honestly can't tell apart from the suit jackets. They're made by the same brand from the same fabric in practically the same cut. At best, they might pass off as sports jackets were it not for the fabric. It seems most of these things are impostors. Additionally, it seems the blazer, the true blazer, is being actively attacked. They are all cut far too wide and too short to fit anyone well, and look like an outdated rag meant for some old W.A.S.P. The sort of thing you'd expect Mr. Howell to wear as he laments the lack of servants on the island. Ah, well, c'est la vie.
suit coat or blazer they are the same thing i ware one to work every day suit coat comes with maching pants
blazer comes alone on pants
blazer comes alone on pants
I think some of the confusion comes from the rise of business casual. I've even seen sets for sale where you get a jacket and two sets of pants, one that matches and one that doesn't. Supposedly appropriate for business and business casual, depending on the pants. I've also seen lots of suits pushed where there is a claim that you can wear the jacket separately. However, these tend to be more casual suits. I have worn my seersucker jacket with khakis, but there was some irony intended.
Joseph A. Banks will often try to pass off a jacket from their 'suit separates' rack as a blazer just because they're changed out the buttons.
Good thread. No time to respond now, but I do not quite agree with everything being said and there are interesting nuances, including:
<I have worn my seersucker jacket with khakis, but there was some irony intended. >
Interesting point and I do not think any irony is needed at all for that combination. To me it is absolutely classic, and I am guessing absolutely correct!
Good point on the types ofpockets on blazers and sports c/j!
Great point on "jacket," versus "coat," being correct. That is why, for instance, folks refer to a dress requirement being "jacket and tie" and may come from the fact that business suits evolved from the "lounge jacket." No, wait a minute, the phrase is "coat and tie," and business suits evolved from "lounge coats," my quick research says! [EDIT: Hope I do not offend anyone by being a sarcastic jerk here! I honestly think it is an interesting point!]
I do not know what the correct terms are in Britian, where for instance "pants" would not be a part of this conversation whereas they could be in the States and one does not think of wiping one's mouth with a "napkin," but I would guess that in the States "suitcoat" and "sports coat" are just as correct as the "jacket" versions of those phrases, and probably much more prevalent in common useage! I could be wrong, of course! it is an interesting point. Coat is derived from armour, I think I remember. I do not have a guess where the word "jacket" originated!
Still great thread. Be careful out there buying clothes! Clothes make the man, and they can "make" a fool of the man, or some so think!
<I have worn my seersucker jacket with khakis, but there was some irony intended. >
Interesting point and I do not think any irony is needed at all for that combination. To me it is absolutely classic, and I am guessing absolutely correct!
Good point on the types ofpockets on blazers and sports c/j!
Great point on "jacket," versus "coat," being correct. That is why, for instance, folks refer to a dress requirement being "jacket and tie" and may come from the fact that business suits evolved from the "lounge jacket." No, wait a minute, the phrase is "coat and tie," and business suits evolved from "lounge coats," my quick research says!
[EDIT: Hope I do not offend anyone by being a sarcastic jerk here! I honestly think it is an interesting point!]I do not know what the correct terms are in Britian, where for instance "pants" would not be a part of this conversation whereas they could be in the States and one does not think of wiping one's mouth with a "napkin," but I would guess that in the States "suitcoat" and "sports coat" are just as correct as the "jacket" versions of those phrases, and probably much more prevalent in common useage! I could be wrong, of course! it is an interesting point. Coat is derived from armour, I think I remember. I do not have a guess where the word "jacket" originated!
Still great thread. Be careful out there buying clothes! Clothes make the man, and they can "make" a fool of the man, or some so think!
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I agree that wearing a suit jacket with non-matching pants is not the way to go, but the inference you suggest just wouldn't occur to me, frankly. Also, I just don't have occasion at work to know what kind of underwear the other guys are wearing with their suits. Do you think my office is too uptight?
Well if you are looking at dark navy suits vs. blazers . . . much the same. I find blazers in general to be more heavily constructed. The blazer . . . to me . . . is a bit dressier than a sports coat and pretty much good for any occasion or lack there of.
So I go into Men's Wearhouse and they have suit racks and pants racks. If I pick up a hanger from the suit rack and it has pants inside the coat/jacket, I assume I'm holding a "suit." If I grab another hanger that has no pants, and the salesperson says the pants are separate, am I holding a "suit," "blazer," or "sports coat/jacket?"
Also,
I thought coats/jackets that ended at the waist line were "dinner jackets."
I realize I'm quite new to dressing beyond jeans/t-shirt but I'd like to do it right and not look like a fool, unless that's really my plan.
Also,
I thought coats/jackets that ended at the waist line were "dinner jackets."
I realize I'm quite new to dressing beyond jeans/t-shirt but I'd like to do it right and not look like a fool, unless that's really my plan.
Suit = jacket and pants sold together for a single price.
Suit separates = those same jackets and pants sold individually.
Most off the rack stores have a standard sizing pair for their suits (ie, size 42 and 44 jackets go with size 36 pants) and they won't break up the set. If that combo doesn't work for you, you have to buy the jacket and pants separately (and probably pay a bit more unfortunately.)
Now, what's a 'suit jacket' and what's a 'blazer' is often very subjective, it's one of the "I'll know it when I see it" things. If you could picture yourself wearing that jacket with a different pair of pants, it can work as a blazer. If it's styled such that it really needs the suit pants to look right, then it's a suit jacket.
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The one thing no one has mentioned yet is the "odd jacket". That is, essentially, a jacket made "like" a suit jacket, but without the pants (hence the 'odd' as it's just one of the two potential pieces.)
An odd jacket is intended for wear with differently-coloured trousers, and can be made of any sort of material that a suit could be made of, or potentially a thicker material too (which would not have worked for suit pants.) Pinstripes are uncommon for an odd jacket and hard to pull off. The odd jacket can be quite appropriate (I was going to say it is "well suited"
) for formal business attire, which tends to distinguish it from the sports jacket.
Put it down, leave the store, and shop somewhere else. You will like the way you look a lot better. I guarantee it.
I've never seen a blazer or sportscoat end at the waist line. Maybe you can post a photo of what you are thinking of ??
In some ways, that makes sense. A blazer by definition needs those brass buttons, otherwise it's just an odd jacket. But the underlying problem is that JAB apparently aren't really thinking of any stylistic construction differences between their blazers and their navy odd jacktets ... one would hope that a decent haberdashery would have some distinction in style between the two, not just button choice.
An odd jacket is intended for wear with differently-coloured trousers, and can be made of any sort of material that a suit could be made of, or potentially a thicker material too (which would not have worked for suit pants.) Pinstripes are uncommon for an odd jacket and hard to pull off. The odd jacket can be quite appropriate (I was going to say it is "well suited"
) for formal business attire, which tends to distinguish it from the sports jacket.No, you are not holding a suit. You are not holding a blazer. You are not holding a sports jacket. You are holding something from the Men's Warehouse.
Put it down, leave the store, and shop somewhere else. You will like the way you look a lot better. I guarantee it.
I've never seen a blazer or sportscoat end at the waist line. Maybe you can post a photo of what you are thinking of ??
In some ways, that makes sense. A blazer by definition needs those brass buttons, otherwise it's just an odd jacket. But the underlying problem is that JAB apparently aren't really thinking of any stylistic construction differences between their blazers and their navy odd jacktets ... one would hope that a decent haberdashery would have some distinction in style between the two, not just button choice.
I've never seen a blazer or sportscoat end at the waist line. Maybe you can post a photo of what you are thinking of ??
The Solicitor General's morning coats (what they wear before the Supreme Court) end at the waist in the front. Military Dress Mess uniform-considered black tie or white tie-end at the waist as well. I've never looked into it, but I assume they derive from styles that used to be common.
The Solicitor General's morning coats (what they wear before the Supreme Court) end at the waist in the front. Military Dress Mess uniform-considered black tie or white tie-end at the waist as well. I've never looked into it, but I assume they derive from styles that used to be common.
