Letters to the Editor: Gray Sportcoat Pairings, Suit Separate Upgrades, & more

If you’ve got a style tip, question, or anything else you’d like to pass along, you can send those in to joe@dappered.com. If you’d rather your question not be featured in a future mailbag, just go ahead and say so in your email. Want more than one average Joe’s (HA!) opinion? Check out our forum, Threads.

 

Q: What to wear with a gray herringbone sport coat?

“A few weeks back I picked up the tailored fit wool flannel Sport Coat from Lands’ End during a sale. Which brings me to my question: how do I wear it? Specifically, I’m not sure what kind of pants to wear it with. Navy? Khaki? Light grey? Cotton? Wool? I’m at a loss.”

-Paul K.

I’m very pro “business mullet” (sportcoat and jeans) and I think with that flannel texture, that’s a real easy play here. Either with an OCBD or a dress shirt. You could go with wool trousers, but make sure there’s some contrast in terms of texture. If it’s flannel on flannel, it’ll look funny unless it’s worn with the matching pants. Chinos or crisp cotton dress pants should work too. In fact, I think some lighter grey, well pressed chinos, a white shirt, and a black v-neck would look pretty sharp. Almost a winter-monochrome thing going on. Honestly, there’s lots of options with that particular jacket. Try on a few different pairs of pants at home, and trust your gut. It’s more versatile than you might think. Good luck!

 

Q: Timex Marlin, what’s your deal?

“You don’t need to be 5’4″ to wear a watch this size – that’s a pretty over the top statement. You made your disdain for classic-sized watches very clear, but keep in mind that they’re classic for a reason.”

– Ian A. (via twitter)

“Really Joe? You do realize this is a women’s watch”

-Steven B. (via facebook)

Ian, I never said you had to be 5’4″ to wear the Marlin. Steven, Timex calls the Marlin “The Gentleman’s Standard.” Meanwhile, you two are confusing me. Am I being a knuckle dragger who thinks classically sized watches are too small? Or am I somehow being less than manly for doing a review of the thing?

 

Q: What are featured posts? I don’t understand them.

“The article is a year old. pretty much every link is old, who works for this site anymore?”

-Nicholas B, via Facebook, under a “featured post” post

Who works here? The same four people who have been working for this site for the last, I dunno, five years? Same three have been working on it for almost a decade. With some others that have come and gone on a contributor basis of course. Anyway, featured posts are what we like to call “Evergreen” posts. Basically, advice that still holds up over time, even if specific links to products might have since expired. Because there are only so many “how to buy a cheap suit” articles one can write (although I’ve still got at least another four or five left in me). But we’ll try to update some of those links in the 5,086 total posts that we’ve published, just for you Nick, since you’ve asked so nicely.

 

Q: Suit Separates Upgrade

“My old JCF Thompson suits are starting to look a little worn, I have a pretty tall/lanky frame, so suit separates are very convenient for me as I don’t need to take them to a tailor. I have been browsing your lists of Best Navy Suits and the JCF Thompson seems to be the highest ranked suit that is sold as separates. Would you recommend that I stick with them, or are the B.R. or J Crew Ludlow suits better enough to warrant an upgrade?”

-Andrew M.

The main line Ludlows are better, but pretty spendy at full price. You’ll have to wait for a sale. Have you considered going custom? I came to think for a while there that custom just wasn’t worth the trouble, but I’ve recently found that Black Lapel (unlike a lot of other custom companies) really does a great job. Otherwise, yes, J. Crew mainline is your best bet, but full price is asking a lot. BR is fine too, but they’re fused and waiting for 40% – 50% off is a must. That said, the Italian wool they use seems to be nicer, at least to me, than Factory’s Thompson line.

 

Q. Suitsupply Outlet Stock down this time?

“Is it just me, or was this season’s selection WAY more limited?  I’m a 44R with them (hardly a hard-to-find size), and I’ve had my pick of a lot of options during the last 3 or 4 outlets (I thankfully throw my credit card away after buying one jacket). This year, it just seemed like it was weirder stuff, and less of everything.”

-Brandon D.

Could have been. But it’s always more limited in the winter, because it’s mostly leftover spring/summer stock. I think. And they have been expanding into more and more markets. Lots more brick and mortars. Perhaps that’s why there’s less inventory floating about in their warehouse? I dunno. They still got me this time around. They get me EVERY time, despite the final sale nature. Now I gotta figure out how to wear a double breasted cashmere outerwear vest.

 

Q. Early January’s content really “Sucked”

If you’d like, you can head here for the thread, on threads, that voiced (some) displeasure with the first few weeks of content for January. I’ll try to address some of the feedback below, one user at a time.

@MFriedman: Sorry to hear you feel this way. A refund for your January Dappered membership fee is in the mail.
@DrewCPA: Not quite, but close. Thanks for the suggestions about the Dappered Space and Style Scenarios.
@hockeysc23: Like, spats?
@gochrisgo: That’s awfully kind of you, but not necessary. I’d just like it if people turned off ad block.
@Pepetito: In this climate?
@Tact: Yes.
@C.Dubs: Indeed.
@Vic: Correct. And thanks.

 

Q. Why would anyone wear a suit without a tie?

“Step 1 to wearing a suit without a tie? Don’t.”

-Tom M., on Facebook, under our featured post (that’s for you Nicholas B!) “How to wear a suit without a tie“

I always find it interesting, the certainty with which some express a contrarian, absolutist opinion on social media, adjacent to a crowd of others who by way of a “like” or “fav” button have painfully and obviously outnumbered him or her. I mean, Tom here is posting his unoriginal reply directly beneath six people who have already LIKED the post. It’s akin to sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner as the bird is getting passed around, and just as it gets to you you shout “TURKEY SUCKS WORSE THAN EARLY JANUARY CONTENT ON DAPPERED!” I mean, that’s great Tom. You don’t like Turkey. Thanks for letting us know. Enjoy your hungry man at home next year.

 

Q. Could you do more Mailbags?

“I don’t have a specific question, but I wanted to say that I really like the mailbag / Letter’s to the Editor segment that you do. Is there any way you could do more of them?”

-Andrew R.

Just depends on how many questions roll in. Until then, here’s Colin’s bear animation.

Got a question, suggestion, or a style tip? Send them to joe@dappered.com.