When would you wear a double-breasted navy sport jacket?

[YP Zhang]

I really like the navy 4x2/6x2 sport jacket, but I rarely find any occasion to wear them. I find it much easier to wear navy single-breasted at work (as a young working-professional in a traditional, conservative industry in NYC), but vitrually nobody wears DB. I can speculate as to the reasons, but in other similar workplaces I observe the same phenomenon, so I think it's safe to say that very few, if any, people wear DBs to work in this late-pandemic era? What do you think?

Outside of work, I only very occassionally wear them for fun in the evening because none of my friends are into tailoring, and although most of them are kind enough to tolerate me at places where "traditionally" tailoring is preferred, sometimes I'm still a bit self-conscious.

When I'm meeting new people around my age at places where I think a jacket would be appropriate, I sometimes would use that opportunity to wear the navy DB jacket, but inevitably, the person sitting in the opposite would comment on the jacket, whereas when I'm wearing a single-breasted, there would be none. I worry that the jacket is taking too much attention, and I may be conveying the wrong message.

Thank you for reading. So... help?

 

[Crispyj]

I recently wore a basket weave blue-grey wool linen 4x1 DB jacket triple patch pocket with polo shirt, jeans and chelsea boots. Armoury guys gave me plenty compliments when I stopped by. I can stroll around the city and not look too formal or stand out.

I also have a 4x1 DB jacket in navy flannel being made by Zizolfi. Pairing it with cotton trousers, loafers and dress shirt would make a nice work outfit. Would probably wear it less casually than the wool linen jacket.

 

[maxalex]

Your question implies discomfort with the perceived formality of a DB blazer, but it doesn’t have to be that way. I too have a 4x1 triple-patch pocket blazer in navy birdseye wool with contrasting horn buttons, which I recently had made for me by a tailor in Sicily. I’m not entirely happy with it (the gorge is too low among other issues) but I commissioned it for smart casual wear (it’s lightly structured and spalla camicia) so I’m not getting hung up on the details.

So far I’ve been wearing it over a creme ribbed turtleneck from Frame with solaro trousers from Rota and brown loafers. I never button it. This summer I’ll switch out the sweater for a polo shirt for nights in town. And I will still never button it.

I don’t work in an office so I don’t have the same “conforming” issues as you. But it’s possible to sport a less formal vibe with DB, especially in the context of a navy blazer. Some will argue DBs should always be buttoned—too much fabric flapping around and all that. Let them worry; I don’t sweat it.

 

[rjc149]

DB jackets— suit jacket or blazer — are somewhat out of fashion for common wear and that’s why you’re feeling self-conscious. It does draw attention to yourself. Men on this forum really hate hearing this and will fight the compulsion to balk in protest, but DB blazers are dressy and flashy. In a casual or business casual setting, you’ll stand out. They are fashionable for those who want to be fashionable.

I work in a conservative white-collar industry in NYC and I simply never see DB jackets or blazers. Pretty much pea coats. I have a DB topcoat which makes me an outlier.

 

[maxalex]

DB jackets— suit jacket or blazer — are somewhat out of fashion for common wear and that’s why you’re feeling self-conscious. It does draw attention to yourself. Men on this forum really hate hearing this and will fight the compulsion to balk in protest, but DB blazers are dressy and flashy. In a casual or business casual setting, you’ll stand out. They are fashionable for those who want to be fashionable.

I work in a conservative white-collar industry in NYC and I simply never see DB jackets or blazers. Pretty much pea coats. I have a DB topcoat which makes me an outlier.

Your points are well taken. When I worked at magazines in NYC in the '90s, everyone still wore suits and ties, and there were always a few guys turned out in DB, French cuffs, etc. They stood out a bit, but it was incremental compared to the standard suits from Macy's that most guys wore. The DB dudes didn't look like "dandies." Today it's a different ballgame.

That said, DB is hardly cosplay and I think in NYC (where the OP lives) one can still wear them out at night, even if it's too much for the office. You will probably stand out, and you may experience the horror of women complimenting your elegance, but these are crosses we must bear...

 

[jiredell]

I say, outside of work, own your quixotic quest for the love of the DB navy blazer. Wear it with pride since you like it. When people comment on it say, "I like it."

 

[rjc149]

I'm not sure how well-regarded this periodical is on SF, but here's a brief article from Men's Fashion Magazine:

Single vs The Double Breasted Blazer Debate | Mens Fashion Magazine

The blazer is a must have in any mans wardrobe, but what style should you seek? We look at the debate of the double or single breasted blazer.

www.mensfashionmagazine.com

If this online magazine represents a more generic, boilerplate perspective on elevated menswear, then it describes my take on DB blazers pretty accurately.

In the right setting, and with the right panache, a DB blazer can look pretty snappy. Personally I am never in, nor do I possess, either.

 

[YP Zhang]

I recently wore a basket weave blue-grey wool linen 4x1 DB jacket triple patch pocket with polo shirt, jeans and chelsea boots. Armoury guys gave me plenty compliments when I stopped by. I can stroll around the city and not look too formal or stand out.

I also have a 4x1 DB jacket in navy flannel being made by Zizolfi. Pairing it with cotton trousers, loafers and dress shirt would make a nice work outfit. Would probably wear it less casually than the wool linen jacket.

Thank you for that idea! I've tried them with cotton chinos, but not yet with jeans. May I inquire what kind of jeans you usually wear in this context? I find the fuller straight cut selvedge ones a bit off-balance with the sharp peak lapels. Am I overthinking it?

 

[YP Zhang]

Your question implies discomfort with the perceived formality of a DB blazer, but it doesn’t have to be that way. I too have a 4x1 triple-patch pocket blazer in navy birdseye wool with contrasting horn buttons, which I recently had made for me by a tailor in Sicily. I’m not entirely happy with it (the gorge is too low among other issues) but I commissioned it for smart casual wear (it’s lightly structured and spalla camicia) so I’m not getting hung up on the details.

So far I’ve been wearing it over a creme ribbed turtleneck from Frame with solaro trousers from Rota and brown loafers. I never button it. This summer I’ll switch out the sweater for a polo shirt for nights in town. And I will still never button it.

I don’t work in an office so I don’t have the same “conforming” issues as you. But it’s possible to sport a less formal vibe with DB, especially in the context of a navy blazer. Some will argue DBs should always be buttoned—too much fabric flapping around and all that. Let them worry; I don’t sweat it.

Thank you sir. I'll tip my (non-existent) hat to you on the street if I see someone wearing a DB with a creme ribbed turtleneck and solaro trousers. I wish I have the style and manner to pull it off, but I'm sure on me, at least for now, it would only look ostentatious.

 

[YP Zhang]

DB jackets— suit jacket or blazer — are somewhat out of fashion for common wear and that’s why you’re feeling self-conscious. It does draw attention to yourself. Men on this forum really hate hearing this and will fight the compulsion to balk in protest, but DB blazers are dressy and flashy. In a casual or business casual setting, you’ll stand out. They are fashionable for those who want to be fashionable.

I work in a conservative white-collar industry in NYC and I simply never see DB jackets or blazers. Pretty much pea coats. I have a DB topcoat which makes me an outlier.

I agree that at work or work-related events it would be out of place to show up in a DB jacket. I also like pea coats, but they, to me, carry a very different vibe. Maybe that's why while the DB jacket is disappearing, pea coats are still flourishing. Just curious--what kind of DB topcoat do you own? I'm thinking about getting the navy one from Todd Snyder, a little less dramatic than the ones from Paul Stuart, although I love the look of both.

 

[dieworkwear]

I wear DB suits to get dinner.

 

[rjc149]

I agree that at work or work-related events it would be out of place to show up in a DB jacket. I also like pea coats, but they, to me, carry a very different vibe. Maybe that's why while the DB jacket is disappearing, pea coats are still flourishing. Just curious--what kind of DB topcoat do you own? I'm thinking about getting the navy one from Todd Snyder, a little less dramatic than the ones from Paul Stuart, although I love the look of both.

My DB topcoat was made for me. The wool is thin and intended for 40's and 50's F weather in lieu of a beige rain/trench coat. It was made according to this pattern, but with slash pockets instead of flap pockets:

The wool is a bit too thin and light to get much use out of, as we only get a few weeks of weather per year where this coat is appropriate. As you know, spring and fall in NYC are both pretty short before it starts getting hot or cold. It's a little too formal for casual outfits. Not a very versatile or useful garment to be honest, but it looks very sharp with a suit.

 

[rjc149]

I wear DB suits to get dinner.

I expected nothing less.

 

[dieworkwear]

I expected nothing less.

If someone is over the age of 30 and lives in a cosmopolitan city, I don't think it's that hard to wear a DB suit. You don't even have to go to a Michelin restaurant. A DB suit looks natural in any restaurant or bar that charges over $25 for a plate or $15 for a drink.

 

[dieworkwear]

Three DB suits in a dinner setting. Looks elegant and natural to me.