Ludlow Traveler Slim Fit Suit Jacket & Matching Trouser = $487.20 ($696)
NOTE: These suit separates are 30% off for members through Monday 11/3 when you log into a passport rewards account and check a little box at checkout. No credit card required for the 30% off. It’s just a simple email/password sign up. More sale picks can be found here if you want ’em.
- size and fit reviewed: 40R Ludlow Jacket, 32×32 Ludlow Trouser on 5’10″/180
- fabric: 96% wool /4% elastane blend from Italy
- construction: Half canvas
- lining: Cupro. Partially lined jacket for extra breathability.
- made in: China
- do they go on sale? Sometimes
- lapel width: 3.25″ at widest point
- is the jacket length chopped? No
- etc.: Non functioning sleeve cuff buttons. Double vented jacket. Flat front trouser.
Available in Ocean Blue or Carbon Grey
Traveling can be less than glamourous. Sometimes it’s downright dirty. Passengers herded like cattle onto airplanes, busses, and subway cars, with unpredictable temperatures and less space than any of us would like. To compensate for (and let’s be honest, capitalize on) the discomfort of modern travel, many brands have released “Traveler” suits, sportcoats, and more, utilizing wrinkle-resistant, stretch infused, breathable fabrics to keep the wearer feeling and smelling better than if they had just come from a barnyard.
J. Crew’s new Ludlow Traveler Stretch Wool suit separates perform great in all of those areas, while also looking smart enough to be a foundational, do-it-all-suit ready to tackle job interviews, big meetings, weddings, etc.
40R Ludlow Jacket, 32×32 Ludlow Trouser on 5’10″/180
(Unaltered/straight off the rack.)
They’ve also gone on sale from time to time. Which isn’t the norm for J. Crew suits, especially in this new environment where price increases seem to be causing chaos across the retail industry.
Made from a crisp and flexible 96% wool /4% elastane blend from Italy’s Tollegno, these suits can be worn year round. Even in the heat of summer. With just a half lined back, they breathe better than fully lined jackets, and the wool has enough wrinkle resistance to look fresher for longer than other options.
Partially lined jacket for extra breathability
But as wool is naturally temperature regulating and these suits are offered in two basic/versatile colors, they’ll fit right in in the depths of winter too. They’re a true do-everything suit, and worthy of building the dressed-up portion of a wardrobe around.
Easy to tailor, non functioning sleeve cuff buttons
(Nodus wristwatch = designed and assembled in Los Angeles)
Gone are the days of J. Crew’s super skinny lapels. These now come with a modern (and also timeless) 3.25″ width notch lapel. The button stance is slung a teeny bit lower than most other suits, and along with a slightly elongated tail length, they’ve created an elegant, sleek, “means business” silhouette.
Jacket tail is NOT chopped. A 40R checks in with a 30.5″ tail length.
Repeating for emphasis: the length of the jacket on these suits is not chopped. A 40R checks in with a 30.5″ tail length measured from the base of the collar to the termination of the tail. For the sake of comparison, a 40R athletic fit from Bonobos has a 29″ tail (see them both layered here)… and Bonobos, while modern, still doesn’t buzz-cut their jacket tails like some other brands. I’ve seen and worn much shorter. The J. Crew suit jacket tail is a really refreshing change for the industry, and just goes to show how styles shift over time.
Interior has two zipper pockets for valuables.
The interior of the jacket has a couple of zipper-secured pockets for passport/phone storage, while the sleeve cuff buttons are non functioning so tailoring should be easy and cheapish. The jacket and trousers are sold separately from each other, (which is what delineates “suit separates” from plain ol’ suits which usually come with a married trouser/jacket pair) and that can also cut down on tailoring costs. Get your numbers right and you may be able to escape without having to do much if anything to the trousers. Although with no 31″ inseam option, guys in the 5’9″/5’10” range may possibly need to have them shortened up a little (as evidenced in the review photos).
Flexible & breathable design stays comfortable while getting there.
No matter where “there” is.
Breathable, flex-infused wool which looks good in all situations and seasons. Easy to tailor sleeves, and a partially lined jacket for breathability. A tailored but not skinny fit which should be accommodating for most. Dignified jacket length and button stance, instead of an awkwardly short ring-bearer style chop-job. Add it all up and that makes these suits quite good. Really good.
Catch one during a significant sale (30% off would drop the price to $487.20), and at that point they’re excellent.
