Lazymen, Chores, & Blousons: a thread for a new form of tailoring

[radicaldog]

For those of you who have jackets like these, do you wear them indoors (like you would a sport coat) or only as outerwear? I have only one chore jacket at this point and only wear it as outerwear.

Like sportcoats, indoors and outdoors.

 

[radicaldog]

Completely unstructured, and completely closed quarters.

I have a teba with a bit of structure and open quarters. `It's a halfway thing but I think it works. The cloth is very casual, some kind of hemp canvas in natural colour, and I think that compensates for the slight formalisation of a casual style.

 

[smittycl]

For those of you who have jackets like these, do you wear them indoors (like you would a sport coat) or only as outerwear? I have only one chore jacket at this point and only wear it as outerwear.

I use them as both but only casually. Wouldn't fly at work.

 

[FlyingHorker]

I have a teba with a bit of structure and open quarters. `It's a halfway thing but I think it works. The cloth is very casual, some kind of hemp canvas in natural colour, and I think that compensates for the slight formalisation of a casual style.

Any pics? Whenever I see a teba, the balance just looks off when worn closed. Only looks okay worn open.

 

[radicaldog]

Any pics? Whenever I see a teba, the balance just looks off when worn closed. Only looks okay worn open.

I don't normally like posting pictures of myself and this is the only recent one I have of this jacket (cropped, I wasn't the object of this photograph, hence the poor definition). Unfortunately it's open and the tight backpack straps are pulling it away from my shoulders, and so it doesn't hang properly and the quarters open way more than they normally do--which also makes my hips look huge, but hey. In normal conditions it wears like a regular two-button jacket, except that this cloth doesn't drape as well as wool and rumples much more. The latter feature I do like.

 

[FlyingHorker]

I don't normally like posting pictures of myself and this is the only recent one I have of this jacket (cropped, I wasn't the object of this photograph, hence the poor definition). Unfortunately it's open and the tight backpack straps are pulling it away from my shoulders, and so it doesn't hang properly and the quarters open way more than they normally do--which also makes my hips look huge, but hey. In normal conditions it wears like a regular two-button jacket, except that this cloth doesn't drape as well as wool and rumples much more. The latter feature I do like.

View attachment 1661413

You know what, this actually does look pretty nice. This to me looks more like a regular SC than a teba in terms of cut, but with different cuffs and lapels.

 

[Octobab]

I don't think these really work as tailoring though.

Completely unstructured, and completely closed quarters.

I notice some people sneakily posing with these shirt jackets to make it seem like they have open quarters like a suit or sports coat, but they don't.

They don't, but that's sort of the point. IMO, a lot of what makes even very casual sport coats stand out is things like open quarters, notch lapels, double vents, and other details that more or less only exist now in tailoring. While they're not necessarily an anachronism, they've become so confined to this one particular segment, and thus rare to see, that they just feel subconsciously odd to the modern eye, and call a lot of attention to themselves.

Doing away with those gives a deliberately different feel - it's not a 1-to-1 replacement for tailoring, but different option with different results.

In a similar but opposite vein to what Smitty was saying about his workplace, wearing a traditional tailored jacket, even a casual one like the Arpenteur I had mentioned or something like Drake's games jackets, to my 100% jeans and T shirt office is more or less off the table. These provide an alternative

 

[mcdill]

What an awesome and timely thread. My office is transitioning to more flexible arrangements (location wise and dress wise).

Given limited wardrobe space I have found myself “moving out” an old suit and replacing it with two Lazymen (the indigo one and the navy one). I also have a MTO City Hunter on the way. This just fits in with my current arrangements.

PS I don’t post a lot - still learning from everything and everyone.

 

[Octobab]

As for structure, I would really love to start seeing makers incorporating a little bit into these in a considered way. Nothing like a full English horsehair, but just a bit of soft fusible here and there to help give shape, without being too obvious about it

Otherwise, I think heavier options made from thicker fabrics that naturally drape in a flattering way can give some of that.

 

[Octobab]

What an awesome and timely thread. My office is transitioning to more flexible arrangements (location wise and dress wise).

Given limited wardrobe space I have found myself “moving out” an old suit and replacing it with two Lazymen (the indigo one and the navy one). I also have a MTO City Hunter on the way. This just fits in with my current arrangements.

PS I don’t post a lot - still learning from everything and everyone.

How have you been liking the boucle? None of the fabrics for the lazyman have really spoken to me, so I've been holding off for either more options or a MTO program, but it's been growing on me the more I look at it

 

[radicaldog]

You know what, this actually does look pretty nice. This to me looks more like a regular SC than a teba in terms of cut, but with different cuffs and lapels.

Thanks. That's what it is basically, though you can button it all the way up around the neck like outerwear if you turn up the collar. It has spalla camicia--wasn't sure if that's what proper tebas have but I figured it'd go with the shirt-like cuffs so I went with that. I don't think my tailor had ever done a teba before, and in any case he just won't do completely unconstructed things, so this one has very light but full canvas. It is fully lined because the cloth is really rough.

 

[smittycl]

Last season Fox Brothers had some solid flannel Tebas in brown, gray, and a lighter brown herringbone. They were a bit pricey but I may grab the brown if they restock it.

I keep a cashmere cardigan at work for cold winter days. Will put that on during the day except for meetings and such. Also have one at home for the Mr. Rogers thing at the end of the day.

 

[radicaldog]

I would really love to start seeing makers incorporating a little bit into these in a considered way. Nothing like a full English horsehair, but just a bit of soft fusible here and there to help give shape, without being too obvious about it

Some do. Pretty sure my jacket of this kind of Massimo Alba has a bit of fusible in it.

 

[Octobab]

Speaking of trad british cloth, these more workshirt style blanket jackets from Percival have really caught my eye. Something about the proportion of the pockets and the angled hand-warmers

As well as this one in casentino, although that's starting to get a little more out-there:

 

[mcdill]

How have you been liking the boucle? None of the fabrics for the lazyman have really spoken to me, so I've been holding off for either more options or a MTO program, but it's been growing on me the more I look at it

One thing I have to say about the Anthology is that they make interesting fabric choices.

As it is still very hot here in Hong Kong, I haven’t worn the boucle outside yet (but am very much looking to do so once it starts to get cooler). It’s an interesting hybrid fabric - very cardigan like as the Anthology team notes. I think it’s more flexible than the bathrobe-looking version that it replaced. It makes a good all-rounder jacket that I think would fit in with what people are wearing in the office these days and fits in with my current vibe…

These types of jacket are great when the bosses don’t wear suits and you still want to look nice and put together.