In Review: The J. Crew Factory Thompson Wool Blend Navy Blazer

J. Crew Factory University Blazer – $240ish

Details

• Fabric: 40% wool, 29% poly, 28% viscose, 3% elastane mid-weight twill.
• Lining: Fully lined. 100% poly back & front. 51% poly/49% viscose sleeve lining.
• Sleeve cuff buttons: Non functioning (which are cheaper to tailor).
• Tail Length & Vents: Not chopped. Double vents.
• Lapel Width: Timeless, 3.5″ at widest point.
• Pockets: Chest = welt. Lower = flaps.
• Shoulder padding: They’re there, but they’re unobtrusive. Not thick. Slim.

Price lives around $200 – $240, but goes on sale often as it’s J. Crew Factory.
(Pants are lululemon ABC trousers. | Chukkas are Sanders. | Umbrella = Totes.)

Where have all the (cowboys, good times) sub $200 navy wool blazers gone?

A navy wool blazer is as foundational as it gets. There’s a million reasons to wear one, and there are many, many, many ways to wear it.

But thanks to the pandemic torpedoing society’s overall desire to dress up (it’s clearly bouncing back), and inflation causing prices to jump (it’s slowing down), finding a decent navy blazer for under two hundred bucks has been almost impossible these last few years.

Enter J. Crew’s step-down, more affordable brand J. Crew Factory. And while this Thompson fit navy wool-blend blazer requires a couple of compromises to be made, it’s a really good entry level blazer at a satisfyingly reasonable price.

Size shown: 40R on 5’10″/185. 
Fresh out of the box. No tailoring has been done to the blazer shown.

No it’s not some fancy Italian wool. It’s not even 100% wool. What it is is a reasonable blend of 40% wool, 29% poly, 28% viscose, and 3% elastane which feels good, doesn’t look shiny or cheap, wears and drapes well, and doesn’t feel flimsy. It’s a mid-weight twill, and while it’ll probably get stuffy in the absolute dead of summer out-doors… you’re probably gonna wear a hopsack wool or linen blazer (or no blazer at all) in conditions that specific. For the other 40-50 weeks out of the year, this feels like a legit workhorse that you can come back to time and again.

Mid-weight wool blend “workhorse” twill. Felt undercollar.

Fit leans classic without being overly boxy. It’s not a true slim fit. So if you’re a true slim it’ll need some tailoring. But if you’re an “athletic” body type you’ll be grateful for the template that leaves more room in the shoulders and torso. Tail length is timeless/classic, and thankfully not chopped. The sleeve cuff buttons are non-functioning. That’ll make for easier and cheaper tailoring if you need them adjusted.

Cuff buttons are non functioning, which makes for cheaper tailoring.
(Watch is by Dan Henry.)

Interior is fully lined in polyester, which won’t breathe as well as viscose/Cupro. But it’s not stiff or scratchy. And at this price point, a poly lining is expected. Sleeve lining is a combination of 51% poly and 49% viscose, so there should be at least a little more breathability there. But during testing, the blazer didn’t feel stuffy or suffocating.

Back/body are fully lined in polyester, which isn’t a surprise at this price point.
Sleeves are lined in 51% poly/49% viscose.

It moves decent enough. “Is it half canvas?” Can’t imagine that it is. Maybe there’s some hybrid thing going on in there, but it’s probably fused. And at this price point that’s okay. It’s not rigid like some dirt cheap blazers can feel. Get it tailored (if necessary), wear it frequently, only dry clean when you absolutely must (a gentle steam should freshen up any wrinkles), and it should break in a bit and feel like yours in no-time. Although it’ll look just fine out of the box too.

Doesn’t feel stiff. It moves well, and should move even better with use.

Not everyone needs or wants a fancy, expensive, $400, $500, or $600 blazer. Of course some compromises have to be made if you’re gonna score something like a classic navy blazer for under $200. But being careful about what you choose at this price point matters. You don’t want some synthetic, stiff feeling, wonky fitting, chopped tail disaster. This J. Crew Factory University Blazer is the opposite. The wool-blend fabric, accessible fit template, and timeless style details make for a sound and versatile foundation piece, of which you’ll be able to wear often and with lots of other stuff in your wardrobe.

 

 

Also somewhat related:

• 12 Reasons to start wearing blazers and sportcoats more often
• What to Ask your Tailor to Do
• How To Wear a Blazer with Jeans
• The Dappered Essentials Shop