Categories: Clothing

An open letter to Hilfiger about shoulder pads

Hilfiger Trim Fit Merino Wool Sport Coat – $128.11 ($395)
The pattern up close

Yo Tommy.  We need to talk.

First, excellent work on the comeback.  The brand hasn’t looked this good in ages.  But there’s always room for improvement, and we’re thinking that it’s time to ditch the monstrously thick shoulder pads used in your trim fit suits and blazers.

This right here is an otherwise awesome blazer.  The merino wool fabric has a terrific weight to it.  The pattern is nails.  It’s made in Mexico and feels plenty solid.  The button stance might be a little high, but it’s the shoulders that are the deal breaker.  38R, 40R, doesn’t matter which size that gets worn, the pads are just so damn big that whenever you move an arm, they jut out to Ziggy Stardust proportions.

Now, most of us aren’t so picky that we demand completely smoothed out traps/shoulders all the time.  We get that affordability, uh, has its price.  But these shoulder pads are bricks.  You can easily feel how big these suckers are in there.  And if they were half the size or less?  This jacket would be a total steal.

Sure your “trim” fits could be brought in a little more at the sides (here’s another off the rack pic.)  But most of us have a tailor, so, that’s fine.  It’s really the shoulders.  Consider this a formal request to put those pads on a diet.

Sincerely,

– Dappered

Joe

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