How to wear this jacket...

[thunderw21]

...or better, what to wear with it?

I'd be going for a casual summer adventuristic look without a tie (would look good with tie, too). I know I'd pair it with a colored button down shirt(soft green or blue), white and brown specs or white bucks and a panama hat. But what color trousers?

Darker trousers (brown, dark blue, baby blue gabardine, etc.)?

Or lighter trousers (cream, off white, light gray, etc.)?

I'll try out all of the choices I can when Spring comes around but I'd like to hear what the hive-mind has to say.

 

[Bugsy]

...or better, what to wear with it?

I'd be going for a casual summer adventuristic look without a tie (would look good with tie, too). I know I'd pair it with a colored button down shirt(soft green or blue), white and brown specs or white bucks and a panama hat. But what color trousers?

Darker trousers (brown, dark blue, baby blue gabardine, etc.)?

Or lighter trousers (cream, off white, light gray, etc.)?

I'll try out all of the choices I can when Spring comes around but I'd like to hear what the hive-mind has to say.

Whatever you decide to wear, Thunder, I'm certain it will absolutely smashing--as always.

 

[DanielJones]

I think you could get away with just about anything in earth tones. You could probably even make a nice casual look with blue jeans & a nice blue or green button down. The combinations are endless.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Tomasso]

You might switch out the metal buttons for brown horn to take some of the military out of it. And loose the epaulet keepers, if possible.

 

[Cobden]

Please, please don't muck about with this too much!


It's First World War (due to the sewn on belt), and Grenadier Guards (the strange pockets are a mark of guards uniforms, and the button arrangement is that of the Grenadier Guards - the senior most regiment in the British Army), and thus a serious piece of history - and coming up to around 100 years old. In all honesty, I'd stick it on ebay and buy a regular WWII Officers KD service dress jacket (not uncommon) if you are hoping the wear it. I'd even hazard a guess at it being an officer of field rank - either Major or Lt-Colonel - though more due to a "vibe" then anything I can pin down (it doesn't quite match regt. regs - and a subaltern and captain in the Guards wouldn't think about wearing something that wasn't 100% the regimental style)

 

[MrBern]

militaria is tricky

You might switch out the metal buttons for brown horn to take some of the military out of it. And loose the epaulet keepers, if possible.

I second that recommendation. Militaria is very tricky unless you tone it down.

 

[anon`]

I'd wear it as just what it is (leftover military stuff) unabashedly. And I'm definitely with Cobden on not hacking it up. I suppose changing buttons is acceptable, if you don't lose the originals, but I digress...

I concur with DanielJone's assessment re: earth-tone trousers. I suspect that I would be inclined towards a darker shade, though I'd be interested to see how something lighter works with a top like that. I don't think I'd go that route in the end, however.

 

[Cobden]

I'd wear it as just what it is (leftover military stuff) unabashedly. And I'm definitely with Cobden on not hacking it up. I suppose changing buttons is acceptable, if you don't lose the originals, but I digress...

I concur with DanielJone's assessment re: earth-tone trousers. I suspect that I would be inclined towards a darker shade, though I'd be interested to see how something lighter works with a top like that. I don't think I'd go that route in the end, however.

Button changing should be fine - on KD jackets they're usually removable with a keyring type fastening at the rear. The look to me like regular GS buttons, thus not the original ones, in any case - though I cannot be sure without a closeup. However, if it is what I think it is (and I'm fairly certain it is), it could well fetch up to $500 on the bay if listed right and with the right sort of people spotting it

 

[sproily]

Forget the panama.. get a pith helmet!

 

[Tomasso]

it could well fetch up to $500 on the bay

Well that's all you had to say, instead of trying to guilt us out. lol

 

[Cobden]

Well that's all you had to say, instead of trying to guilt us out. lol

Took me a while to work out a reasonable estimation factoring in it's KD-ness and Senior Regimentiness and dollarificate the sterling amount

 

[thunderw21]

A little background on the jacket. I found it last year at a junk shop along with the matching trousers. Photos can be found here:
http://thefedoralounge.com/showpost.php?p=814004&postcount=2456

As it says in the link, I found the jacket with only one original button:

I added the rest with regular brass buttons.

Even more interesting is this link in reply to the link posted above:
http://thefedoralounge.com/showpost.php?p=814226&postcount=2460

Bellytank and I could own jackets from the same guy.

Anyways, back to the button. It appears to be U.S. Navy (most likely) or Marines rather than Grenadier Guards, though the jacket itself (as well as Bellytank's) is very British in appearance (scalloped pocket flaps, belted, etc).
What I'm thinking is that this is a WW2 era private purchase item made for an officer in the U.S. Navy or Marines who fancied the British style of tropical uniform.

I don't intend on altering the jacket beyond possibly swapping out buttons from time to time.


Anon and DanielJones, I think you have something there with the earth tones advice. Darker trousers in brown or tan, I think, would look good with this jacket.

 

[Cobden]

thurderw, USN does sort of make sense. Just been looking through my sources and it seems that is a pre WWII USN button - in 1941 the head was ordered to face right (from the wearers point of view - i.e. this one faces left), and it's appearance is similar to WWI buttons era buttons. However, I hasten to add that is pretty meaningless. I'd hazard an educated guess that this was made by a tailor more used to making British uniforms, judging by the construction, and the chances of a British colony having an up to date stock of USN buttons strikes me as somewhat unlikely. Are there any manufacturers markings on the back, or is possible it may have been cast from another button? The design is very British, and it does look like the styling of USN unifoms may have been lost in translation to a tailor more used to making British uniforms.

The one thing that does keep striking me is that belt, though - a feature of British uniforms from the first world war, and the latest date I've even seen on a uniform with one on is 1921. Whilst it is feasible that bazaar tailors may have been somewhat behind the times, 20 or so years behind regs strikes me as unlikely. Thus, an educated guess at 1930 at the latest strikes me as plausible, perhaps one of the China stations or made up in Hongkong or something of that ilk. However, I do admit to uncertainty regarding the wearing of khaki uniforms by the USN in this period - I've not seen anything suggesting the RN did ("Wei-wei" rig being the most common in the Far East, China, etc. - temperate jacket with tropical trousers, or standard whites)

As I should have made clear, I have nothing against you wearing it (indeed it would be excedingly hypocritical of me to do so). The idea of removing the eppaullette loops did, however, fill me with dread!