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Affordable Men's Style

Is this the year of the cotton blazer?

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J. Crew Factory Thompson Jacket in Cotton piqué – $117.50 ($168)

Part of the 30% off new arrivals sale J. Crew Factory has going on.  No code necessary.  Expires today, 2/26/13.  Matching pants are available as well and are going for $68.50 w/ the promotion.  Retail price is $98.

BR came out of the spring gates first with their tailored fit Birdseye in the mid $200s.
Then J. Crew Factory released a couple of chino suit separates.
JC Penney got in on the act with not one, not two, but three* casual cotton blazers…
…plus a fourth if you count the smoother, barely peak lapel option from Claiborne.
Bonobos released one which quickly sold out and is now back in stock in some sizes.
J. Crew Factory followed up their chino duo with a corded cotton option…
And now, a fourth set of J. Crew Factory cotton suit separates have shown up on their site.  This time in pique.

factory pique suitAnother option to, uh, “pique“ from.  Jacket – $117.50.  Pants – $68.50.

Thanks to Ken for pointing these out in a style tip, in which he asked: “Do you know the difference between this and the Navy Chino jacket?”  It’s going to come down to fabric feel and visual depth.  Chino is smooth.  Crisp even.  While this new option is also cotton, it’s woven in a Pique weave.  Like many a golf polo (or formal dress shirt), there will be a bit of a tiny waffle, basket, or other raised pattern created by the weave.  So there will most likely be some texture.

If chino were a pair of shoes, they’d be smooth leather.  Pique would be nubuck or suede.

Got a set on the way for an in person.  Looks like the regular J. Crew Line is doing a more expensive version too.

Thoughts on the sudden influx of options?  Do you think there’s some retail cannibalization going on?
*Meanwhile, still efforting an in person with the jcp cotton blazer.  Hasn’t showed up in all stores yet.

Comments

  4. I’d like the navy options, but I’d like to see an unstructured one similar to the Merona Kensington in a darker khaki. But I’ll probably just pick up the Merona.

  5. The quality seemed fine to me, but the fit was a bit off… not quite as trim as the wool versions of the Thompson suit. I ended up returning the one I bought.

  6. I’m actually in the market for a casual navy blazer, something with less structure that pairs well with jeans/chinos. Joe, any suggestion on which one of all these options would be best? I’m having trouble committing to just one…weird.

  7. The color of the navy J. Crew pique seems a lot lighter than the chino. Wouldn’t pique have a tendency to pill a lot over time? At the price, that could be a moot point.

  8. agree with BenR, fit is off. 38 on my 38″ chest fits more like 40″. and the waist is not as slim as the ludlow. i bought the thompson chino in 38 and returned it because it looked frumpy/boxy. maybe sizing down to 36 would work…

    if i had to tailor the sleeves ($25) and the waist ($20), that would be an additional 45$.

    in the end, i bought the ludlow khaki chino which was recently 40% off, just under $100. these are letter sized. except for tailoring the sleeves, the small fit perfect

    otherwise, nice jackets…

  9. cotton blazers are definitely one of the most versatile pieces you can have. They fit many situations, seasons and age groups. And they never cost more than 100 or so. Great item to have.

  10. So far I love the Claiborne, if it fits you, but it’s got some polish to it. Have this Pique set on the way. Haven’t gotten my hands on the chino set yet, and the jcp option looks great if you want something unstructured but maybe a step up from the Kensington… but… haven’t caught that one in store yet either. They’re trickling in.

  11. Son of a gun. Thanks for the heads up Ben, we’ll see if thise Pique versions are a bit bigger too. Wish they’d just stick with one template.

  12. Dang, that would be a handsome summer wedding suit at a great price. Too bad they don’t have my size.

  13. Also worth mentioning this super-unstructured one from Gap. Picked it up at 40% off last week. Haven’t had a chance to wear it yet (it got cold), but it should work. Obviously very casual, but since it’s unlined I’m hoping it’ll be wearable even in DC’s summer.

    Most important thing to note: it comes in short/reg/long, which is great, but short (& long?) sizes are online only.

  14. Just got the J. Crew Factory Thompson Chino in navy for a birthday gift and I actually have to say I’m quite pleased with the fit of the 38R–has a nice fit through the waist (with a bit of a pull) and good fit through the shoulder. A bit chopped in the tail but it works with the center vent.

  17. I live in the Gulf South as well, I don’t get much use out of a nice Wool suit during 8 months of 90 degree 90% humidity. I’m paying attention to this one.

  19. I’m really interested in seeing how these look in Joe’s firsthand report. I’ve enjoyed my Thompson charcoal suit and wanted to venture into something similar in blue.

  22. Just a heads up on the Stafford Men’s Slim Fit Jacket…It’s not really navy. It’s a shade or two darker than the BR birdseye or if you haven’t seen that in person then a shade or two lighter than the Target blazer. I was impressed with the fit but b/c I had to go with a long it ended up being toooo long in the body.

    Also can anyone posts pics of the jcp in person either here or in the forum? Thanks!

  23. I wasn’t aware that GAP ran a 40% off sale recently. Pretty upset I missed that one :/

  26. I had been hearing similar things, so I ordered the 36 Thompson. Hopefully it will fit right, although it looks like it’s not shipping out till April…

  27. I have to agree. I live in Phoenix (and while I understand there isn’t much in the way of humidity here, I still dare you stand in 120-degree heat for more than 30 seconds and not want to kill yourself) and during the summer months here you have to pay particular attention to fabric. Fabrics like chambray and plucked cottons (seersucker) are always a smart choice.

  29. I really wish this was more widely available in stores currently. I really want to get a navy jacket and this seems like it could be a good option. If only I could try one on!

  30. Joe – I’m definitely looking forward to the in-persons for the new J Crew blazers. Really hoping that they adjusted the button stance so it doesn’t have that odd gap between the end of the lapel and the top button that they Thompson has.