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What would you pay? B.R.’s Tailored Plaid Linen Blazer

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Banana Republic Tailored Plaid Linen Blazer – $275.00

“You’ve got a lot of real estate for a pattern like that.”

Those were the words of the Mrs. when I pulled out this blazer. And at 6’4″ / 185 lbs, I had to agree with her. The pattern seemed much bolder in person than it had online. There’s no grey in there. It’s all black and white with a light blue threaded through. My first thought was that I would return it.

Then I tried it on with a plain white dress shirt and dark jeans. “Hmmm…this kind of works,” I thought. “Hmmm…that kind of works,” said the Mrs. The pattern didn’t seem quite so bold when wearing it. And the fit (40L) was certainly right.

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The fit is the key to a blazer like this. Plaids like this are undeniably coming back into fashion, but you don’t want to look like you pulled your new blazer from the back of your grandpa’s closet. BR’s tailored blazers do it right with a trim silhouette, narrower lapel, and arm holes that are high enough. The ticket pocket and hacking/angled pockets are a nice touch, especially since the angle of the pockets aren’t too wild when it comes to their pitch. Puts the “sport” in sport coat.

The exterior is 100% linen but the lining is polyester. It’s a trade off since it won’t breathe nearly as well, but that lining gives the coat a bit more shape and structure than the linen would have by itself.

BR Plaid Reverse

Living with this blazer for a few days, I pretty quickly went from planning on returning it to considering it a signature item. Even at that, $275 is more than I’d ever want to spend on this, or any other blazer. I bought it a few weeks back when it was marked down at just under $200. It was during one of those “select items are on sale” events. I didn’t even use a code. Not that they’ve been running any as of late that actually work on blazers.

What would you pay? BR's plaid linen blazer

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NOTE: If you’re in the market for a warmer weather blazer, know that J. Crew Factory has slashed prices on their Thompson suit separates through today. The Oxford Cloth, Seersucker, Corded Cotton, and cotton pique are down to $100.50. Sizes are a little scattered, but most are available. Pique was fully lined in poly, with the corded cotton just half lined. Anyone seen the Oxford cloth’s lining? Also, this is now down to $168 w/ the code SHOPNOW. (update… it’s now saying that linen ludlow is sold out? It was just there at post time.)

Comments

  1. All bets that B.R. will have an in-store 40% off everything this Memorial Weekend. Following trends for the past couple years they have ALWAYS had 40% off everything on Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Weekend.

    With that being said I tried this blazer on and it quite nice! The fit is spot on and the linen isn’t flimsy a bit. Too bad I just bought a double-breasted linen jacket from Zara in a similar plaid pattern.

  2. For those looking at the JCF Blazers, check your inboxes… They sent out an email about a week ago with 10% off $75+ and 20% off $125+

  4. I already own something strikingly similar by HSM, but I picked it up at a Dillard’s New Year’s Day sale for somethnig like $80. The resemblance is uncanny, though mine is more blue/grey. I love it.

    http://threads.dappered.com/showthread.php/3663-WIWT?p=114681&viewfull=1#post114681

    That being said, it has a very memorable pattern. If you wear it too often, you’ll become “that guy with the blue plaid jacket”. I base buying decisions on dollars per wear so highly specific items have to cost less for me. I love this jacket, but it would have to be a sub $100 item. My tolerance for big-ticket items that get a lot of wear goes MUCH higher, though.

  6. The formality of the plaid and the (eventual) wrinkles of the linen seem incongruous to me.

  7. Those JCrew people are smart. Chinos might be $50 for a nice pair, but they can charge double when they call them “suit pants”. 😛

  8. Saw this over the weekend, it’s soooo Da-da-da-da-dapper! If I hadn’t been in the store to get something specific, I might have walked away with it…

  9. I’m sure there are plenty of lumberjacks that will agree that plaid isn’t formal. 😉 All joking aside, the most formal thing out there is plain black followed by plain navy and plain grey. Any deviation starts to make it less formal. Perhaps you associate the pattern with cooler weather (and thus heavier cloth)?

  11. PoW is surprisingly easy to wear and isn’t half as loud as it looks on the rack. I’d buy it but it’d have to be a really good deal. Last Call has great deals on linen blazers from Belvest that are totally unstructured (just how I like em) and this would have to come in well below their price point.

  12. I bought a few sizes of this jacket in the same sale. I was shocked at how houndstoothy the pattern was compared to the photos online. But that was fine. Then I tried them on and the armholes were ridiculously huge. I know you said they were high enough for you, but they looked comical on me. Total deal breaker.

  13. I’ve tried this jacket on a couple times and I realllllly want it but i just cannot drop that kind of dough on a blazer :(

  14. Got a 35% off coupon for BR that starts 5/31. Didn’t say anything about blazers on it…

  16. Oxford Cloth Thompson is fully lined in acetate. It wears a little heavier than expected, so hot summer days are probably out. But I like it a lot and I think the jacket looks great with jeans.

    Couldn’t resist and grabbed the corded today anyway.