Old Navy Brown Stripe Blazer – $49.50 | Brushed Twill Military Jacket – $49.50
It’s difficult to look past the teeny boppers, screaming babies, and families gobbling up cheap t-shirts when you walk into an Old Navy store. But every season the kid brother to The Gap and Banana Republic come up with a couple of pieces that can be worn by the style and cost conscious grown man.
Their brown stripe blazer is this fall’s patterned take on their plain twill blazers from the past. A field trip to the nearby brick and mortar Old Navy was inconclusive since the new fall line has yet to hit the floor for that branch, but the online pics are promising. Tonal stripes, a good silhouette for your tailor to work off of, and just right lapels.
The Brushed Twill Military Jackets could go for triple the price if they were cleaned up a little and thrown on the racks at Banana Republic. But it’s a casual jacket, so… who cares if it’s a little rough around the edges? The standup collar, epaulets, and the placement of the pockets are all positives for this jacket. And the three colors that it comes in are perfect for cooler weather.
$50 for either the blazer or jacket. Expect both to end up on clearance later on in the year since they’ll be looked over by the much younger Old Navy clientele.
Exactly what I need. I’m not expecting the stripe blazer to be of supreme quality, but if it suffices my tailor will be seeing one. It does like kind of steel grey in the pictures.
I wonder why the blazer isn’t offered in tall sizes. I skipped on the old version, but I could see myself wearing this one if the regular L fits. Think I’ll swing by Old Navy to try one on.
i found a similar (but slightly different, not as nice) version of the military jacket in a Gap outlet (so assume its about the same in quality) for $18, it runs a little big, but looks good!
Failed to find it in the local ON here too.
The circus theme there is appropriate.
bummer
If I’m just getting started in the casual blazer world, should I snag a brown or a black one. Does it matter?
@Andrew: Brown is going to be more casual, and black is more versatile. It’d be nice to eventually get one of each, but I’d go with black for now.