Sport coat and jeans??

[Dirk Wainscotting]

I can no longer bear to wear an odd jacket (and particularly a tweed jacket) with jeans. The overall look of odd-jackets worn with jeans has become such a tiresome, commonplace replacement for 'informal style' that it is ubiquitous. All around me in this city men put on a pair of jeans and shirt then throw on a jacket and perhaps say to themselves: "Now I'm all dressed up!" You're not chum, you're wearing a jacket over the same clothes in which you: sit down to dinner, go to the supermarket, meet your friends at the pub etc...

All too often it's a dull, blue or grey SB jacket in a 120 worsted, so no texture, just smoothness and even more like half a suit. Many RTW jackets have jetted flap pockets rather than patch pockets to help increase the informality.

I honestly believe that many men have actually become fearful of wearing real trousers informally and so keep defaulting to jeans and those hideous 'khaki' abominations, for all situations.

 

[Capesofwrath]

Don’t know about you but when I’m not wearing leather jackets I’m wearing Harris or Donegal tweed ones which have plenty of texture and if looked at closely glow with vibrant colours. Personally I think they go well with dark jeans. But I don’t get my knickers in a twist about what I wear.

 

[Hal]

I honestly believe that many men have actually become fearful of wearing real trousers informally and so keep defaulting to jeans and those hideous 'khaki' abominations, for all situations.

Dirk, your whole posting is excellent and well-put. The problem is summed up in your word "defaulting" - jeans seem to have become the "default" trouser-style except when someone is actually wearing a suit, and this practice appears to spring from nothing more than a lack of thought and imagination.

 

[Capesofwrath]

My default is moleskin trousers. They really are the most comfortable winter trouser and even better than corduroy. Wouldn’t wear em with a good tweed jacket though. The reason people do wear jeans with jackets like that is because it adds an air of informality. It may have become a bit of a cliché but the reason things become cliched is because they’re popular, and they’re popular because they work. Could start wearing a skirt with a jacket of course. That would be different. Might even be smart too. Maybe compromise with a kilt? No, far too Scottish.

Don’t need to dress formally thank god. I’m long retired and I never liked wearing suits.

 

[Hal]

The reason people do wear jeans with jackets like that is because it adds an air of informality. It may have become a bit of a cliché but the reason things become cliched is because they’re popular...Don’t need to dress formally thank god. I’m long retired and I never liked wearing suits.

I don't doubt the truth of your first sentence, but I think that the opposite is also true - that people wear jackets with jeans because they think adding the jacket dresses the outfit up.
I'm afraid that a cliché often remains a cliché long after it has ceased to be popular. I'm also long retired, and increasingly revert to jacket and tie, as to me so much casual clothing is, quite simply, nondescript.

 

[Benproof]

I've always thought brown tweed jackets and stonewashed jeans looked very cool for grandpas

I'm trying to see if I can get away with the same look. So far this week, I only came across one person wearing a tweed jacket. They were wearing some kind of non-descript worky type cotton trousers which didn't do anything. The spectacles also made them look like a student Sherlock losing the plot.

On the otherhand, a 70 year old around the corner from me was wearing his herringbone - the same one he's been wearing for about 20 years (incredible!). He was wearing similar plain non-descript worky looking plain boring trousers. His jacket just made him look awesome. I'd be happy if he was my trendy grandpa!

I voted for tweed and jeans because I can't imagine the combo looking bad, not that I have much experience of seeing this combo. Everyone around here just wears parkas, bubble jackets and highly unmemmorable outerwear including me.

 

[Dirk Wainscotting]

It may have become a bit of a cliché but the reason things become cliched is because they’re popular, and they’re popular because they work.

Well, it depends what 'works' means. I'm quite sure the prime reason is the sturdy 'wash and wear' nature of jeans, which also require little to no pressing and can be worn for more than day without losing too much shape. That works. If you don't mind wearing wrinkled cotton trousers. Why bother with the jacket, one ends up looking like a student wearing a found jacket.

Don’t need to dress formally thank god. I’m long retired and I never liked wearing suits.

There's always the shell-suit option. I hear they are very functional and comfortable.

 

[Capesofwrath]

Well, it depends what 'works' means. I'm quite sure the prime reason is the sturdy 'wash and wear' nature of jeans, which also require little to no pressing and can be worn for more than day without losing too much shape. That works. If you don't mind wearing wrinkled cotton trousers. Why bother with the jacket, one ends up looking like a student wearing a found jacket.

There's always the shell-suit option. I hear they are very functional and comfortable.

You spectacularly missed the point. They work as a look Duh! I couldn’t care less whether some think it’s cliched or not, and like all looks it depends on how you pull it off and the quality of the clothing and shoes.

BTW as I implied I don’t wear jeans at all unless I’m going out to a local town or the nearest city and I think they match what else I’m wearing as I find them uncomfortable; and I do wear other trousers as well you know. But as I live in deepest countryside I wear comfortable moleskin trousers with my green wellies most of the time when I’m out and about locally with the dog ….

 

[Capesofwrath]

I don't doubt the truth of your first sentence, but I think that the opposite is also true - that people wear jackets with jeans because they think adding the jacket dresses the outfit up.
I'm afraid that a cliché often remains a cliché long after it has ceased to be popular. I'm also long retired, and increasingly revert to jacket and tie, as to me so much casual clothing is, quite simply, nondescript.

Get yourself a good period repro leather jacket. They aren’t nondescript and you can relive your youth.…..

 

[Hal]

Get yourself a good period repro leather jacket. They aren’t nondescript and you can relive your youth.…..

Leather jackets are fine, but I have no wish to relive my youth! Life has got better for me (as I believe it does for very many) as time has passed.

 

[Rudie]

I can no longer bear to wear an odd jacket (and particularly a tweed jacket) with jeans. The overall look of odd-jackets worn with jeans has become such a tiresome, commonplace replacement for 'informal style' that it is ubiquitous. All around me in this city men put on a pair of jeans and shirt then throw on a jacket and perhaps say to themselves: "Now I'm all dressed up!" You're not chum, you're wearing a jacket over the same clothes in which you: sit down to dinner, go to the supermarket, meet your friends at the pub etc...

All too often it's a dull, blue or grey SB jacket in a 120 worsted, so no texture, just smoothness and even more like half a suit. Many RTW jackets have jetted flap pockets rather than patch pockets to help increase the informality.

I honestly believe that many men have actually become fearful of wearing real trousers informally and so keep defaulting to jeans and those hideous 'khaki' abominations, for all situations.

I tend to agree, BUT …

I really like the look of denim bib overalls worn with a vintage orphaned suit jacket, shirt, tie or bow tie and 20s/30s dress boots. I might buy a pair of bib overalls just to be able to sport that look. It has a rural depression era charm all its own.

 

[Capesofwrath]

Leather jackets are fine, but I have no wish to relive my youth! Life has got better for me (as I believe it does for very many) as time has passed.

Wouldn’t like to actually relive it but there are certainly parts of it….

It was such a great time to be young and my generation had the best of it. I would not want to be young now and expect to be dead when it all goes tits up.

 

[Benproof]

Tweed jacket and jeans......what's not to love?

Barena Venezia

Paul Smith

Whitecombe & Shaftsbury with Levis:

London Fog Lebanon:

London Fog:

 

[scottyrocks]

It depends on the coat. It's gotta be a real casual looking one. I have some sport coats I would not wear with jeans, and a couple I do.

 

[Gunfighter01]

Well, I for one like the look in all 4 pictures. That's the look I'm going for. One addition...a hat....either a panama, or a Cordova brown, pinch crown Fedora.

 

[Gunfighter01]

I'm in Socal, where dressing up is, going from cargo shorts and t shirts, to cargo pants and t shirts.....lolol

 

[Dirk Wainscotting]

You spectacularly missed the point. They work as a look Duh! I couldn’t care less whether some think it’s cliched or not, and like all looks it depends on how you pull it off and the quality of the clothing and shoes.

I didn't 'spectacularly' miss anything. They may have a "look", but it is what every Tom, Dick and Harry everywhere has adopted and it is largely about functionality, with an attempt to knock it up a notch from ordinary informal. Dull and student like.

The photo of the man above, fiddling with a phone and carrying a handbag is taking the mick.

 

[Capesofwrath]

I didn't 'spectacularly' miss anything. They may have a "look", but it is what every Tom, Dick and Harry everywhere has adopted and it is largely about functionality, with an attempt to knock it up a notch from ordinary informal. Dull and student like.

The photo of the man above, fiddling with a phone and carrying a handbag is taking the mick.

Well, I have a lot of ‘looks’ depending on my mood and the places I’m going to visit. You may think the above pics make them look dull and student like and you are entitled to your opinion. But why do you expect everyone else to share it? Anyway how is wearing jeans instead of say twill trousers more functional? That doesn’t make any sense. I don’t understand how choosing one garment from a wardrobe over another makes it more functional. I think you’re hung up on the idea that it’s just about lazy grown up students who wear dirty jeans all the time and throw a jacket on when they go out. Which says a lot about you actually.

Why don’t you put up a couple of pictures of your look so we can see how you dress?

 

[Panadora]

 

[Dirk Wainscotting]

Anyway how is wearing jeans instead of say twill trousers more functional? That doesn’t make any sense.

Then I'll help you. If you scroll back a little you'll see I wrote that jeans can be worn for a few days (or longer for some) without losing too much shape or needing to be pressed. They are hard-wearing (being work clothes originally. This makes them functional more than e.g. 'elegant'.

I don’t understand how choosing one garment from a wardrobe over another makes it more functional.

Then the chances are high you may ruin some of your clothes doing DIY.

I think you’re hung up on the idea that it’s just about lazy grown up students who wear dirty jeans all the time and throw a jacket on when they go out. Which says a lot about you actually.
Why don’t you put up a couple of pictures of your look so we can see how you dress?

What does it say? That I don't favour a look patronised by 99.9% of men? I can live with that. There are people with several suits hanging in their wardrobes who seem to opt for jeans just not to stand out too much. There is, I repeat, a modern aversion to wearing trousers (not made of denim) outside formal situations, in tune with the more 'relaxed' approach to dressing now favoured.

I don't see why I should post any photos to 'prove' my view. I'm not asking you to convert to it, I'm just telling you what I see.