J. Crew Factory Thompson Tuxedo Jacket & Matching Pant – $297 ($496)
They made a what now? Wow. Well, it just got a whole heck of a lot easier to do this:
Assholery at it’s finest (by the way, farmers? Thanks once again for, y’know, the food). And that’s two appearances by Mr. Donaghy in one day. Anyway…
Didn’t see this coming. Pretty sure no one was expecting J. Crew Factory to crank out a Tux anytime soon. They continue to carve out their own space when compared to their big brother, full line J. Crew. And while there seems to be a real market for affordable tuxedos (better to buy than wear a crappy rental), there’s not a ton of options out there. Hilfiger is good, but the shoulder pads are pretty thick. Suitsupply doesn’t make a $399 or $469 option.
$300 now, but you’d think with future codes & sales, it’d dip to the mid $200s.
And so, in steps J. Crew Factory. Made in their Thompson cut, it’s a wool/poly blend (no word on what the %s are), and sizes start at 36S. That’s good news for the slighter fellas. But there are some odd design choices on this one.
- It’s a notch lapel, and many prefer peak or shawl (the more traditional options).
- Buttons aren’t covered. Just standard, business suit buttons.
- Pocket flaps (usually tux jackets don’t have em’)
- Dual vents in the back (traditionally, a tuxedo might skip the vent(s) entirely)
So it sorta ends up being a black, notch lapel suit with satin stripes down the pant leg and satin on the lapels. Looks like a Tux for sure, but enough so that it’ll be the go-to for grooms-to-be on a budget?
So would you wear it / invest in this? Would you go for something more expensive? Or would you turn to the GQ-suggested theblacktux.com for a $110 rental? What’s your preferred, black-tie option guys? Let’s hear it.