Help Picking Out First Sport Coat

[tehtimmeh]

Gents,

I've never owned a sport coat before. I've had plenty of suits and slacks, but never a sport coat/blazer. I need to buy one for the few times per year that I travel to our corporate office for meetings. Let me start off by saying that I am pretty darn non-conservative in my dress. I like to push the envelope which is perfectly acceptable at my office (based out of San Fran).

I work from home most of the time and I don't currently own a significant amount of dressy clothing, but I currently do own two pair of slacks (both flat front, no cuffs):

1. A dark gray (almost black) with a very subtle light gray pinstripe.
2. A birds eye dark brown

The dress-shirts that I wear are all very vibrantly colored stripes or window pane style (pink, purple, orange, etc.). This is a good example of the type of shirts I sport:

So I need a good sport coat that would match my crazy shirts and one of the pair of pants I own. I am of the understanding that you simply cannot do pinstripe pants with a sport coat, but I was thinking that a very light solid gray coat that matched the subtle stripe in the pants may be ok? I may be dead wrong there. If so, what type of jacket would go well with the brown bird's eye pants? I typically rock a pair of camel/caramel colored shoes and belt when I wear the brown birds eye pants (below). With the charcoal pants I roll with black.

I may need to purchase a new pair of slacks, but I am trying to hold off on that at the moment because I wear them ~6 times per year at most. Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[cluelessdude]

I would strongly suggest a navy blazer, it's a classic and is the perfect compliment to your more daring shirts. Patterned coats don't work too well with patterned shirts so you'll want to go with a solid coat. Also since it would be your first coat navy can get a lot of wear before people might think it's the only coat you have.

Navy would go with brown and grey slacks though not charcoal.

Next, would be to know what your budget is.

 

[little Big feather]

I just purchased (last Wed.) a Black velvet sport coat...You can wear it with jeans (I wouldn't).
Tan,Gray,Charcoal,Wine,White.....I could not believe all the combos that looked good with it.

 

[JoshuaNY]

I think a Navy or Black sport coat would fit your needs. As other's have said, with patterned shirts a solid coat is the way to go. The Navy Blazer is classic and will never go out of style, but I am not a big fan of the gold or silver buttons, so that is why I go with sport coats.

I just purchased (last Wed.) a Black velvet sport coat...You can wear it with jeans (I wouldn't).
Tan,Gray,Charcoal,Wine,White.....I could not believe all the combos that looked good with it.

I like Velvet sport coats, but you can only wear them in the wintertime really. They would look out of place in the warmer months.

 

[tehtimmeh]

Navy is a possibility, but I'm not sure how I feel about it with the dark brown birds eye pants. May work. I definitely won't be doing the gold buttons.

I love the black velvet idea, but agree, it's not very versatile. I still dig it though. I think it would be awesome with jeans.

 

[cluelessdude]

This guide might help you in deciding what color to go with and how well it goes with different color trousers. This is taken from a post from styleforum, you will get an idea of what coats go with what trousers:

Part I: Air Force Blue / Royal Blue:


gray, tan, navy or denim, and light gray/white

Part II: Olive / Army Green:

Grey, tan/beige, different shade of olive / army green

Part III: Navy:

Grey, tan, white, brown, and denim

Part IV: Charcoal

Grey

Not very versatile.

Part V: Brown

Grey, brown, tan/beige, denim

 

[DukeGrad]

My friend

Your first sport coat should be a NAVY.
It has more frequent uses than any other. You can go dress shirt/tie/slacks.
You can dress down with a pair of jeans, etc.
Did I say jeans.
I would recommend a versatile wool.
Take your time, look at all out there.
I recommend a 110-120 wool. It is good all seasons, maybe a bit light if you live in the arctic.
Look at flannel, gabardine is a nice wool slack to go with the BTW.
Take your time.
My experience as most here, ecerything here, is made there.
My advice, if doing USA look at the routines, Brooks/J Press/etc.
I would have you look at Hart Schaffner and Mark, Hickey Freman at Nordstrum!!!! OTR on sale.
Also Hickey in Philly, now in Jersey does a nice, chep suit.
FUI I picked up a Hickey Freeman mainline, with canvas chest for 289 dollars.
So look for sales.
Again, there are thousands of makers.
FUI OTR like polo/J Press for a cheap version is not bad. They will be fused.
Anderson Little, does a cheap, nice entry navy blue jacket as well.

Most definitely the Navy, and maybe go for an all season, you will get more use, and longevity in the jacket for a couple buck more
I, FUI bought my first Brooks Brothers suit in mid 1960.
I have always loved Brooks until 15 -20 years ago, when I got a jacket, made elsewhere.
Brooks, is in a little bit of a scuttle.
2 years ago their Golden Fleece was recalled, and is back on track am told.

Long story short, Brooks Brothers suits are made by southwick, which is sliding down

Canadian, you can not go wrong with Samuelson!!!

There is an online store in Buffalo, name escapes me that does nice entry and mainline jackets.
Including Samuelson.
O Connels Buffalo, wait on sales.

Stay away from Ben Silver and Leonard Logsdail, too expensive and some suggestion of over seas makers, trying to emulate American.
Plus, 2-3 times what you will pay anywhere

Joey Banks is not a bad deal if want to pay less, Anderson Little about the same, gets a lot of rave in the AACF

Good luck

Jimmy

Lo

 

[DukeGrad]

For your information


99.9 percent of suits, and sport coats are fused.
Long term, will show after dry cleaning.
You can get canvas chest, at a cheaper price. Such as Nordstrum/Saks and nowells.
The Hickey model, is the Canterbury at thses startes.
FUI, search Hickey Freeman and look at the Mahogoney selection, which is mainline. That suit, in the nowells stores is the Canterbury.
At Hickey Freeman payinf 1500-1900
On sale, at those stoes, you get a good deal
Good luck

Jimmy

 

[cluelessdude]

Btw, here is a picture of a navy coat I just got. I'm wearing it with brown trousers in the picture actually, it goes great with brown. Though I'm not sure about the exact shade of your trousers and if it would work but my guess is yes. Without gold buttons as well, though I kind of personally am starting to like gold buttons now...

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=289323&stc=1&d=1354233753

 

[DukeGrad]

My friend

The gold buttons IMO is more versatile than the one here. You can do it with any slack, and dress it up with a shirt and tie.
FUI, the same is true with the one you have here.
In my opinion, there are no rules to dressing righ, or wrong.
I used to wear a dark navy pinstripe suit jacket, with a blue, spread collar shirt. With nice blue stipes and jeans!
I liked the way it looked, and went with it.
I am old enough to be considerred very conservative.
But I broke so many rules, that are out there, and should not be.
There is a clothing forum, where you get banned if you mention jeans.
The look you have is nice, more formal, but will do exactly what I just said.

On the other hand the gold buttons would be more versatile, say you want to go to the track, or a ball game what ahave you.

Long story short, if you like this do it.

BTW Anderson Little is 179, and is not canvas, and is a wool /poly blend.
I recommend elsewhere

Nice day

 

[rushchairman]

given what appears to be your taste, first look into collections by Ted Baker, Ben Sherman, Fred Perry etc.

if you can spend a little more, look into Raf Simons, Marc Jacobs, Loro Piana, Brioni etc.

and then of course the Pradas, Dolces, & Versaces ...

all said, i'd start (and probably finish) with Ted Baker and Ben Sherman for sure.

 

[Cannata]

+1 on the navy blazer and on Samuelson.

Steve

 

[BigSlick]

I may be in the minority here but get the proper length, especially if you are tall. I'm not a big fan of the short coats that some men wear now.

 

[Doc4]

I've never owned a sport coat before. I need to buy one for the few times per year that I travel to our corporate office for meetings. Let me start off by saying that I am pretty darn non-conservative in my dress. I like to push the envelope which is perfectly acceptable at my office (based out of San Fran).

I currently do own two pair of slacks (both flat front, no cuffs):
1. A dark gray (almost black) with a very subtle light gray pinstripe.
2. A birds eye dark brown

The dress-shirts that I wear are all very vibrantly colored stripes or window pane style (pink, purple, orange, etc.).


I am of the understanding that you simply cannot do pinstripe pants with a sport coat, but I was thinking that a very light solid gray coat that matched the subtle stripe in the pants may be ok? I may be dead wrong there. If so, what type of jacket would go well with the brown bird's eye pants? I typically rock a pair of camel/caramel colored shoes and belt when I wear the brown birds eye pants (below). With the charcoal pants I roll with black.

I may need to purchase a new pair of slacks, but I am trying to hold off on that at the moment because I wear them ~6 times per year at most. Any advice would be much appreciated!

Normally, I'd say "get a blue blazer first" ... but not for you. That's a little too conservative/normal., and not a good match with your pants. I'd say go for something more in the olive or camel sort of colour.

(That last one is shown for the colour, not the gorm-awful tie, btw.) To work well with both pants you have, a darker colour from the above would be better.

A subtle pattern would be okay with pinstripe pants, but make sure it's a "check" pattern rather than Pinstripes or herringbone or some such thing. Think this:

I may be in the minority here but get the proper length, especially if you are tall. I'm not a big fan of the short coats that some men wear now.

Too short ...

Too long ...

Just right ...

 

[dojpros]

Navy Blazer for sure. You can lose the brass buttons with ease.

 

[tehtimmeh]

Thanks a lot for all the recs gents. Despite the navy recs, I just don't think that's going to be for me. Too traditional. Too.... conservative just like the Doc says. Even if it means I have to buy a new pair of slacks, well so be it. I'll probably be buying something from Nordstrom. I think I can nab something there for under $500 that will suit me nicely, although I am digging that Ted Baker website. ;-)

 

[Doc4]

Thanks a lot for all the recs gents. Despite the navy recs, I just don't think that's going to be for me. Too traditional. Too.... conservative just like the Doc says. ...

 

[StylinLA]

I second the Hickey Freeman rec. I would say blue as well, but def no gold buttons. While back east, the blazer with gold or silver buttons is a staple, it's unspoken no-no in California. May be more relaxed about in SF, but in well over 20 years here, I have never once seen a blazer worn in my company, and I work for a large corporation.

Cannali also makes some excellent spot coats that are a bit more stylish if that's an issue. They make coats with blue as the base, but other colors woven in that give it versatility.

Since I'm wearing one right now, I like Doc's suggestion about the vicuna color coat (aka dark camel/ golden brown lower right with the ugly tie).

 

[rushchairman]

While back east, the blazer with gold or silver buttons is a staple, it's unspoken no-no in California.

sad but true. i had a "difficult" time transitioning to LA's chintzy-chic look. so i didn't. man cannot survive on bedazzled UFC t-shirts alone.

 

[StylinLA]

sad but true. i had a "difficult" time transitioning to LA's chintzy-chic look. so i didn't. man cannot survive on bedazzled UFC t-shirts alone.

Weird, isn't it? Always wonder where it came from. I wore a blue blazer with gold buttons a few times and got a river of shyt. Same with vested suits. My first day on the job I was told "never again wear a vest!"

As I mature, I have found you can dress somewhat conservatively to great effect, but there are certain no-nos. The gold button blazer being one of them.