Brooks Brothers Fitzgerald Fit Tartan Sport Coat – $398.00
First of all, yes $400 is way too expensive. But maybe it’ll go on sale, and you could drop some kind of promo code in there to double up on savings.
And second… is it fair to call this the summer version of the J. Crew Blackwatch Sportcoat?
The Brooks Brothers Fitzgerald Fit is a slim one, with more natural shoulders and a narrower lapel. It’s made of “pure Irish linen” and also half canvassed, which is something for a linen sport coat.
Sure it’s loud, but it’s not THIS loud. (God my eyes. They burn.)
Does it stand out just enough? Or is it too over the top? And if you would wear it, at what price would you invest at if you had the cash to spend? $200? Would it have to go lower than half price? Leave it all in the comments below…
Definitely an interesting jacket…I would definitely give it a shot. Given the limited opportunities I’d have to actually wear it, I would wait until they needed to get rid of the summer stuff and pray that my size will still be available…
Interesting.. I’d probably wear it, but certainly wouldn’t pay for it.
“What the hell was that?”
“…Spaceballs!…They’ve gone to plaid!”
I would be perfectly comfortable in it. I’d probably overwear it.
PASS
although dude in the first picture is sporting it well. Its that guy in the last picture…something is off there.
It looks like the photographers just threw the jacket on the model in the second pic without any tailoring or pinning. Sleeves are too long, too baggy in the torso, top button not buttoned. The first picture is from the Brooks Bros printed catalog, so they made sure that the jacket fit that model really well.
I bought our blackwatch sportcoat because blakeatxh willforever be in style and, let’s be real, it’s one of the best tartans! I think $298 would be more reasonable from such a seasoned company-however it is that ‘seasoning’ to which they devote their prices! I don’t like the color story going on it feels very geriatric to me…
I’m leaning towards no but worth a trip to BB to check it out. At first blush it looks a hair long and the colors seem unflattering. This, however, would go with anything (don’t take my word for it, check the reviews)! http://www.orvis.com/store/product.aspx?pf_id=3C5T
Possibly, but not in the summer in those colors, not in fall in linen, and perhaps not at all in those colors regardless. I guess that’s a “no” then.
Uh no. I would however consider wearing the really loud version in the link to a casual brunch or something – totally a Sunday hangover coat.
The price is on point with the quality you’ll get from BB. A $400 jacked that lasts 20 years is far superior to a $200 jacket from J.Crew that is made from inferior materials and will begin to fall apart after several years. All things require repairs and mending over time, but any tailor will tell you that the better the initial construction and materials – the better the outcome when they’ve finished stitching.
As for the style – you can kill it with a blue oxford, honey khaki chinos and some top-siders all the way through fall. The colors just look “Indian summer” to me.
The guys over at Project Rungay has pictures of David Arquette wearing a coat that looks very, very close to that, if it isn’t it, and I think it looks great “in motion”
http://tomandlorenzo2.blogspot.com/2011/04/man-on-street-david-arquette.html
If I had that, I would wear it all summer.
That particlular style? No. Black Watch or more wintery? Yes. I still beat myself up over a HiIlfiger red plaid blazer I waited to go on sale many years ago and missed. It would have rocked holiday parties.
I’d pay $200 max for that.
Would I wear it? Yes. Would I pay more than $100 for it for this made in China blazer? No.
Good catch Tim! Looks like it could be the same jacket and if so looks much better under natural light. I’d pay at least $250 and will hit BB this afternoon.
Ron
*at most $250
I found an awesome red plaid blazer with undertones of black and green on Ebay for about $20. It was fantastic during the holiday season, especially.
“What can I do to get you into this used car today?”
Definitely shouldn’t be your only summer blazer – you don’t want to be the guy with “that plaid jacket”. I’d probably only pay about $200-250 for it. I get that its probably quality construction, but its a cost per wear thing for me.
I have a penchant for plaid blazers. I’d wear it in a heartbeat.
Will I buy it? Probably not. But at the right price I’d give it strong consideration.
And for what it’s worth, my general rule is:
Pair patterned blazer with solid shirt
Pair solid blazer with patterned shirt