Round Up: Plaid Jackets

Over the last few years, my sense of style has gone through some transitions.  While I have always been very conscious of clothes – where they are from, how they are made, etc, (MUCH more on this later) – I feel like I’m graduating through different phases of what is considered ‘stylish’.  Now, I have to admit, I don’t follow ‘fashion’.  While there are designers that I like, they usually release more that I don’t like, rather than pieces that I’ll wear.  Quite frankly, that’s the way it should be.  If I liked EVERYTHING that said-designer released, then I would be a sellout with no taste.

My uniform has become the following: a nice button down shirt, a good pair of jeans/khakis/trousers, leather shoes, cool belt, and a sport coat/blazer.  Outfits that I can wear to the office and then on a date.  I would say that I would survive more than 80% of social situations in this outfit.  I can easily add a tie for church, or put a sweater under the jacket or a Barbour over it for colder weather.

I have made the pivot to wearing plaid jackets.  I still wear my navy blazer, but not as much as I used to.  I like adding the punch of color to an otherwise boring outfit.  Now, the plaid jacket is not for everyone, as some call it a ‘professor’ look.  Fine.  Whatever.  I like it.  I let it be the statement piece of my outfit, wearing a solid or muted shirt underneath.  Fit is key here, where you may want to leave a little room underneath for a sweater.  By ‘a little room’, I don’t mean wearing a 42 if you are a 40, but ensuring you don’t look like ‘fat kid in a little coat’ if you have a sweater on underneath.  Here are some of my favorites:

1. Boglioli Wool/Camel/Cashmere K Blazer:  Top of the line.  It doesn’t get any better than this.
2. Brooks Brothers Fitzgerald Large Plaid Deco Sport Coat:  Very ‘Brooks Brothers’ look.  Fall and Winter appropriate.
3. Isaia Graph Check Sport Coat:  This is a good example of limited colors in a plaid jacket.  Interesting, but not busy.

4. Ermenegildo Zegna Plaid Wool & Cashmere Sport Coat:  The rust color is totally underrated.  It goes with almost anything and makes blue shirts and white shirts pop underneath.
5. J. Press York Street Branford Signature Sport Coat:  Excellent jacket, but if you wear a hoodie underneath, I’d like to invite you to lose this bookmark.
6. Peter Millar Carlo Barbera Wool Sport Coat:  Going rogue here – the dusty green looks a lot better on than you think.

7. Tombolini Blazer:  The lighter grey is extremely versatile.
8. Maison Martin Margiela Blazer:  As is the darker grey.  Remember to let the jacket do the talking – don’t put a loud shirt underneath.
9. Ermenegildo Zegna Plaid Thick Woven Sport Coat:  Use it like a work coat.  The jacket has a ton of pockets, so put them to use.  Keys, phone, her lipstick, etc.

Get on it, folks.  While these might be a little higher cost, they are totally worth it.  Choose something like the above and it’ll never go out of style.  That’s what we call a ‘value proposition’.