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Would you wear it? The Varsity Jacket Trend

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Varsity/Baseball Jackets: Batter Up? Or Talkin’ Piles of Pig Sh*t?

Most of us are still a good thirty degrees (or more) away from needing a jacket, but unless the Earth’s axis pounds a V8 (obscurity rating: 9.5?), we’ll be due for a seasonal change here in a month or so. And one of the bigger trends this fall appears to be the Varsity Jacket.

Defined by their baseball-style rounded + ribbed collars, ribbed cuffs + hem, and snaps, these are the jackets that look like they could have some sort of letter sewn to the chest. They’re sporty for sure, and the term “baseball jacket” gets thrown around with these as well. But would you wear one? Or are these making you feel like you’re listening for a bell to ring that’ll send you from the cafeteria back to class? Leave it all in the comments… after a few examples of this growing trend.

 

GAP Wool Blend Varsity Jacket – $89.60 @ 30% off ($128)

GAP varsity jacket

Listed as 60% wool, 20% Polyester, and 15% Nylon… and that’s it. Didn’t major in math but… So yeah, there’s a mystery 5% in there. Kitten wool? Dilithium? Hobbit Foot Dander? Who knows. But the dark color palate, yet still colorful design, is a win. GAP.com exclusive. They’re currently running a 20% off code, GAPNEW, but 30% off is always lurking in the distance.

 

Lands’ End Canvas Oxford Baseball Jacket – $96.00 w/ TREAT & 1015

LEC Baseball

Nailhead oxford cloth for the body. Lined in chambray. The fine stripe to the body up against the thick prep stripe on the cuffs and hem is a nice collision. A new arrival. Regularly $128. Ships free with the code and pin (exp today, 8/5/13).

 

jcp Collegiate Jacket – $50 – $75

jcp varsity light jacket

Was just going for $50ish in store over the weekend, now at the full price of $75 online. It’s JC Penney, and they’re back to the sale game so this might take some patience… but it’s an awfully nice light jacket for fifty bucks. Cotton/poly blend exterior that feels more like a smooth canvas material Not a wispy windbreaker nylon in the least. Thick cotton striped ribbing at the collar, cuffs, and hems. Size shown here is a medium. Sizing down is possible, but not recommended unless you’re in-between sizes.

 

S. Slater by Golden Bear Made in the USA Baseball or Raglan Jacket – $199.00

Golden Bear Varsity Jackets

Expensive, but made in the USA. Available through the membership flash sale site Jackthreads. A warning if you’re a tall guy: You might need to size up (or skip these all together). They run a little short in the tail. Really well built though. Usually cost is up in the $300s. Want something thicker + warmer? Their leather(?) sleeved quilted version costs less at $150.

 

Express Contrast Sleeve Wool Blend Baseball Jacket – $178

Express Baseball jacket

Even Express is getting in on this trend. But in usual Express form, they keep it grey/neutral and kill the stripes. But little to no branding (just some tonal stuff on the buttons) which is unusual for Express. Wool/Poly blend, but no word on the ratio. Wait for a sale. There are always sales.

 

H&M Baseball Jacket – $49.95 

HandMBaseball

Here’s an unsolicited suggestion to retailers: Stop faking layers. That hood? Attached to the jacket, not a sweatshirt. Well that’s unfortunate. Nylon body.

 

jcp Wool Blend w/ Leather Sleeves Varsity Jacket  – $95.99 w/ GRTDEAL ($200)

jcp wool varsity

Was $200. On sale for $119.99. Use the 20% off over $100 code GRTDEAL (exp 8/6) and that gets it under triple digits. Yep, this is the JC Penney Sale game. But compared to the lighter weight “collegiate jacket”… this one might be a REALLY good deal. Wool blend body (no word on how much poly is in there… didn’t see it in store) and the description says leather sleeves. Ships free (since it’s over $75) with an estimated ship date of 8/21.

So are you on board with this Varsity/Collegiate jacket trend? Or are your days as a letterman long gone? Perhaps, like many of us, those days never even started. Leave it all in the comments below.

jcp varsityThe lighter, less expensive, jcp “varsity” jacket for $75. 

Comments

  1. No thank you, but I am sure this will work for some folks. I forwent one in high school not going to start now.

  2. I have one (Grind by CoffeeShop – bought at Burlington Coat Factory a few years back) and I wear it from time to time. It is totally void of any logo, school name or varsity letter, so it seems to work pretty easily in casual getups. Here it is in one of our “weekly challenges” over in the threads/forums:

    http://threads.dappered.com/showthread.php/10870-Friday-challenge-7-19-2013-stripes?p=123696&viewfull=1#post123696

    And here’s a solo-shot of it, from that collage, as well:
    http://imageshack.us/a/img10/5233/606r.jpg

  3. Careful lads, you might look like a teenager, or someone too old to be wearing this. But props if you wear your dad’s or grandad’s authentic letterman.

  4. I don’t particularly care for this trend, however the Land’s End doesn’t look half bad. But unfortunately doesn’t peek my interest enough to drop around $100 on it.

  5. And here’s a solo-shot of it, from that collage, as well (hope this pic attachment works this time – LOL):

  8. Agreed. I think leather/contrast sleeves is a little much for my own personal taste, but I really like the JCP version. Doesn’t look like a letter jacket in person. I think it’s the fabric.

  9. Honestly I feel like these have too much of that “SWAG” feel to them. I do however have a soft spot for Member’s Only Jackets…

  10. I found my old HS varsity jacket in storage at my folks’ house last year. Tried it on for old times’ sake – not a good idea. I sure have “grown-up” since then. Wow! Could barely button the darn thing. Doh! That being said, IIRC, I didn’t really wear it much past 10th grade. Yeah, that’s the ticket. Let’s go with that as an explanation.

  14. I actually have two vintage Members Only jackets. LOL – A red one and a powder blue one. But I bought them for, and wore them at some ’80s-themed parties. Still, things *do* come back around, don’t they… hmmnn….

  15. I kind of like the JCP one. Im thinking about it. I’m in my mid 20’s so I think I could still pull it off.
    I also have a soft spot for Harrington Baracuda jackets, just wish I could afford one. Ive got a knock off from the thrift store that is okay though.

  16. I mean. The cut’s fine. It’s just a Harrington jacket. But I finished high school, thank you.

  17. Actually think that LEC one is pretty solid. No go on leather/contrasting sleeves. If a sale dropped it down to 70ish I might be interested.

  18. The only one of these I’d wear is the LEC one. It’s the only one that looks like it’s not trying, but it’s still different enough to catch a few eyes.

  19. I think it looks too much like part of a costume to pull off unless the details are really subtle. For instance, the B&W JCP version is one pair of sneakers away from turning you into Uncle Rico. http://tinyurl.com/oujlmwk

  20. I like the look of many of these jackets, especially the subtler ones, but they seem to me to best occupy the “Second/Alternate Casual Lightweight Jacket” category because of how specifically styled they are. They’re something I’d throw on whenever I’d normally wear a denim trucker. But is a varsity jacket a more versatile item than a denim trucker? Probably not. And if not, then how many casual lightweight jackets does one guy need?

  21. I think you nailed it. Any time it looks as if you’re going for some sort of “look,” it’s probably best to scale back your styling by the most “lookish” item.

  22. I like the LEC as well, a unique take on the trending theme here, but I’m not sure how it’d really fit into my wardrobe.

  24. I might have worn one in high school if they’d fitted properly, not come in obnoxious colors, and not cost hundreds of dollars.

  26. Also, and this is just coming from being a nerd as well, but lately some 80’s tough guy projects have been doing it such as Drive (more members jacket but similar) and a popular Indie game “Hotline Miami”

  27. This is one of the few Dappered articles I scrolled by without even reading with the intention of posting “No.”

  32. I remember standing next to my friends in my nice fitting peacoat and one of them wearing a varsity jacket. Definitely got many more compliments on looking grown up than he did so I believe this definitely is still a younger style.

  33. Can we all agree that the

    “are you crying? are you crying? there’s no crying… THERE’S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL.”

    tag needs to be used again after this?

  38. There is a less than Zero percent chance I’d wear this,
    In fact, i would freeze to death before I wore this atrocity.

  40. Hey! Remember track jackets? I pretty much spent all fall/winter in my track jackets… almost ten years ago now? Maybe 7 or 8? These will probably fade away too… Or maybe they’re taking over after the cardigan boom?

  41. I’ve been eyeing that JCP jacket for weeks now waiting for it to come down out of the stratosphere. I like the jacket, but the price? It’s obvious they’ve priced it that way so they can play the sale game with it. Such a shame.

    THe JCP line does still have some nice stuff though, and excellent value. I love the Pima cotton t-shirts. They are a perfect replacement for Banana Republic Ts I used to favor for a fraction of the price.

    Part of what I like about this jacket is the tall knit collar. It’a tall enough to fold it over, and that gives it a real retro feel. You don’t find collars like that much past the 1950s, and that detail makes it a lot less high school letterman, and a bit more retro cool in my estimation.

  42. LOL, Alan! I still have mine too, but it’s quite the opposite fit for me. I seriously can’t believe I used to fit into the damn thing. Man, I was a bean-pole back then; apparently.

    At least it was Made in the USA back then. *Probably* not a common option these days for the kiddos. – ‘muuurrrica!!!

  48. For whatever reason, I have no interest in any of these. They look like something someone would wear who is mentally and socially still stuck in high school. The rest of us have moved on.