EU or Rome: Trying to find a standard navy hopsack blazer

[MarqueeMoon]

Living in Brussels and trying to find a classic navy hopsack sport coat (patch pockets, I guess the 'neapolitan' styling more than prep/BB, etc) for occasional office/event wear here. When I have to put on some kind of jacket I have some pretty crappy options right now: either I wear an old Muji linen blazer with overly thin lapels that's no good for winter or in general, a suit from Davide Cenci in Rome, but more tropical wool so not suitable for Brussels winter either, or an uncomfortable LBM 1911 cotton blazer I bought in 2011 which is too informal and tight to wear for more than an hour.

So I'm really overdue for a standard well-fitting sport coat. Not looking to spend more than 500EU if I can help it, but maybe I'll have to. Mostly would be wearing OCBDs underneath. I'm a 54EU. Would be perfectly happy with:

- Natalino, except just msged him and he won't be restocking that blazer for a while.
- Spier & Mackay, but shipping & duty to Belgium brings it to €514 and if for any reason I have to send it back costs really get out of hand. I'm Canadian and can ship there but won't be back for a while so will miss any return window in case fit isn't right.

That brings me to:

- Piniparma with their full canvas blazer. €690. Tried this on the other day, seemed to fit nicely enough and would just need a couple tweaks. Didn't plan on spending almost 700eur though.
- Suit Supply's navy havana traveller for €349, but the "slim fit blazer" description makes me weary, plus so many differing/negative opinions on suit supply lately I'm not sure I should bother. I have an old Havana suit I wore for my wedding in 2016 but even when I weighed 8kg less than I do now it was still overly slim. I'm 86kg now, 179cm, broad shoulders, so I don't think overly slim/euro style is going to work very well as a workhorse blazer. But I'll go and try this on just in case.

Would anyone on here be familiar with other OK options that are relatively easy to get from Europe? I saw this option from Baltzar but can't find any other info online about it. Anglo-Italian's option is 1200GBP. I'd like to visit Frans Boone and I ordered a tie from him recently, but the hopsacks start at 1300. There are other shops here (Ralph Lauren) but the prices and options don't seem doable.

One additional idea:

- I'll be in Rome over xmas for a couple of weeks. Not in time for January sales but whatever. I lived in Rome for several years, but the few times I tried to find a hopsack navy blazer I never really could figure out where to go. Bought pants during sales at Battistoni but everything else seemed out of range of what I could spend. Got a suit about 7-8 years ago at Davide Cenci, and several pairs of chinos, so if no luck by the holidays I'll try there. I wanted to pass by Cruciani & Bella just because it's a nice shop and the guy was lovely when I got a tie years ago, and Davide Cenci is nearby. If anyone else is familiar enough with Rome shopping and has any other spots to suggest I'm all ears. Thanks!

 

[oucheebooboo]

You’ve clearly done your research, so I did a bit of “googling” myself. Finding a quality, navy hopsack piece, in a cut that’s not overly trendy and/or pricey, can be tough.

In Brussels, consider Boggi (de la Toison d'Or), or the Rome store, or DOD Outlet.

In Roma, try Boggi, Spada, or Gutteridge. If you’re ok w/ MTM (not for me) maybe try Cafe Costume (Belgium based) or Lanieri.

I’ve enjoyed my E. Thomas hopsack from S&M. They currently have several Neopolitan cut, navy pieces available at a variety of price points. I do, however, understand your reticence re: shipment from Canada.

 

[MarqueeMoon]

You’ve clearly done your research, so I did a bit of “googling” myself. Finding a quality, navy hopsack piece, in a cut that’s not overly trendy and/or pricey, can be tough.

In Brussels, consider Boggi (de la Toison d'Or), or the Rome store, or DOD Outlet.

In Roma, try Boggi, Spada, or Gutteridge. If you’re ok w/ MTM (not for me) maybe try Cafe Costume (Belgium based) or Lanieri.

I’ve enjoyed my E. Thomas hopsack from S&M. They currently have several Neopolitan cut, navy pieces available at a variety of price points. I do, however, understand your reticence re: shipment from Canada.

Thanks! Really appreciate your extra looking around, very kind.

Got a few things from Boggi in Rome way back when, will try them out. They have a lot of stretch and other blazers these days so wasn't expecting much.

Forgot all about Gutteridge! Have three pairs of chinos from them but just sort of assumed they'd have something overly fashion-forward, but there we go, hopsack blazers, extremely cheap. Worth a try-on in Rome, you never know. And forgot all about Spada too, will drop in on them if I can.

Tried the suitsupply havana traveler one today at the shop, was alright, but seemed on the slim side. And they no longer do patch pockets on it unfortunately. Just tips it into the "where is the rest of the suit" category (the salesman was gently pushing the pants, of course, to make it into a suit). I think I'll avoid MTM.

Alright, it's either Rome or I order S&M to Canada and wait till I can get it. Thanks again!

 

[Ixelles]

Had some reasonable success at Façonnable (Bd de Waterloo) in the past. Depending how long you can wait, you might find something in the January sales at somewhere like Bouvy - dull but decent.

I'll have a think

 

[Veremund]

Living in Brussels and trying to find a classic navy hopsack sport coat…

I’d definitely recommend you pop in at the SuitSupply in Brussels. I’m also a 54 and have quite a few lovely suits and jackets from them.

 

[MarqueeMoon]

Dropping in with a quick update and a humble request for some advice. In the end I had family bring over a spier & mckay neo cut 44 contemporary fit from Canada. No chance to return it in time so it is what I have for the moment.

It feels.. alright in some ways, but tighter than expected. Made me think I should have tried some 56s here in Brussels while I was initially trying stuff on. Another issue is that I've been making more progress with the barbell since I tried things on in November, so there has been a small bump in chest and shoulder size, at least that I've felt in my OCBDs and a few other shirts.

Anyway with the S&M I noticed a neck roll (figure it's just normal due to my shoulders) and that the chest seemed to bow slightly when buttoned, which wasn't a great sign. I took it to a tailor here in Brussels to get rid of the neck roll. Got it back today, and also popped into Pini Parma to give another try to both their 54 and 56 jackets, not having ever tried a 56 before.

This is a random 56 at Pini Parma that I tried on today, and I'm wondering if it's not just super obvious that this is properly my size, and not a 54. It certainly felt more comfortable than any other jacket I've ever tried on.

and here are a few shots, also from today, of the jacket I own, the S&M neo cut contemporary 44 (54 EU). Never mind the pants if you could, they're some old, now-ill-fitting, and overly slim purchase from Boggi that I never wear, but are the only dark grey wool I have for the moment as I'm just putting together a wardrobe.

As for the jacket, the bowing or whatever it's called on the chest is still there (didn't notice it much on the 56 I tried on, however, if at all), and I don't know what is going on with my left shoulder or whether the sleeve is supposed to get that creased up with a simple raised arm to hold a phone.

Anyway, any advice appreciated on the jacket size, which I presume is just definitively still too small for me, and I should just be looking at 46 / 56, do a few adjustments if anything is overly roomy in waist or something, and actually get a reasonably comfortable jacket that I don't dread wearing.