L.L. Bean Signature Searsport Flannel Blazer – $185.00 | and Pant – $109.00
That’s not just gray, that’s light gray. No? It’s technically “heather” gray, but it looks like a spring color on a winter fabric. Almost 80% wool with some Nylon and Lycra worked in for stretch, you have to admit that the blazer would look incredible with a pair of jeans. And the pants are the kind of pants you’d want to wear on the coldest of days.
But together as a suit? That shade, at this time of year?
My vote: Absolutely. As Troy Aikman would say 52,000x during any given football broadcast, “No Question.” Work in a black merino wool sweater vest, bright white shirt and navy striped tie and you’d be set to stay warm on even the coldest of days. I’d say the Florsheim Gaffney Wingtip boot would go amazingly well with it, but it looks like those are sold out. Maybe time to give the new $99 Aldo Chalepah a shot? Combined with the flannel suit, that’s a nice gentle kick in the teeth to Old Man Winter.
Add on top of that the reasonable cost of the suit (just under $300), the tailored fit, and the ability to break this thing up and wear it until April… and this doesn’t seem like that bad of a deal.
It’s L.L. Bean Signature so the cut is much more tailored than you’d expect, and the functional buttons at the cuffs are a nice addition. Hard to imagine there’s a better bang for your buck Flannel Suit on the market.
If you want a breakdown of the fit L.L. Bean Signature Suiting offers, click on over to the EffortlessGent for a full review of their plain weave cotton suit. Also available in a terrific looking deep navy:
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Why would you wear a navy tie with a black vest?
Has anyone tried out the fit on any LL Bean signature stuff? What is comparable to? J Crew Ludlow (fitted well), Banana Republic suiting (not fitted very well) or something in between?
Wow, those boots are sharp. I just don’t know if I can trust Aldo’s quality…
Brent – J Crew Ludlow fits me perfectly, no extra tailoring needed. I have two blazers from LL Bean’s Signature – I had to have the sides darted just a bit but apart from that, they were a fantastic and true-to-size fit.
@Jasn: Why not? Navy Tuxedos, black & blue multi gingham, bruises, a meth-head’s teeth… dark blue and black can go great together. Unless the navy is so damn deep it’s almost black. Since it’s a lighter gray suit in a wintry fabric, I think just a navy tie would still look a little too spring time. The black vest to me (and this is just me) would bring it down a touch to a more cool weather look. A black tie with a gray suit would be too monochrome. Now a pale blue shirt with a black tie would look pretty sweet too.
Nice. I was thinking about a suit this color.
By the way, is it true that J. Crew has 50% off all sale items today or is it a myth?
I picked up the LL Bean Tweed Blazer a while back and I’m normally a 38 or 40R (6′ 180lbs, athletic build) and the 38 fit perfectly with no tailoring necessary. Great length, high quality, I wear it all the time.
I own the pants. Perhaps the warmest pair of pants I’ve ever worn (aside from snow pants). Maybe I should consider grabbing the jacket too and finishing a flannel suit.
@Joe: I too like the Gaffney, however how do you feel about the Gering
? It’s not a wingtip, but I think the look would still be classy and understated.
What’s the jacket length like on LL Bean Signature Line Suits? I know the Ludlow’s are a bit shorter than normal. If the LL Bean Suits are shorter too, I’m in.
I’m really liking the Navy Plain Weave Cotton Suit. It appears to be a 2-button jacket on the Effortless Gent review but on the L.L.Bean website it lists it as a 3-button…any thoughts?
The light grey flannel looks awesome also.
@Keith: I do like the Gering quite a bit. It’s a smart looking boot for this time of year. But I wish they would have made the eylets a little less work-bootish. They kinda make me want to stick a bolt in em’
lance, the jacket is a probably a 3/2 rollover
so when you button the middle button, the top button wont even show
aka bad ass
@Joe: Good point about the eyelets. I’m actually in the market for a Gaffney/Gering-like boot and I was about to pull the trigger on the Gerings, but now… Are there any alternatives to the Gering or Gaffney that you might suggest?
I ordered the Gaffney today in brown to check it out in person (I’m not sure about the suede part). The Gering (brown) is not available in my size at the moment. I really like the rubber soles on these boots. Some other recommendations in similar style and price range will be highly appreciated. Thanks.