I used to think of a blazer as having brass buttons and non-matching pants, a sport coat as basically the same but matching color buttons, and a suit coat as having both matching buttons and pants.

If it’s not some obvious non-suit material, it doesn't appear there’s much difference anymore. A modern navy blazer/sport coat with non-matching pants seems like it could have easily been paired with matching suit pants.

Anyone keep up with modern conservative attire trends? I don’t mean no sock skinny European suits.

I have on occasion (given the circumstances) paired a coat from one of my suits with a pair of casual pants. It really depends on the setting. I also have a couple sport coats you would likely mistake for suit coats, that I wear with casual slacks or jeans, again, according to the setting.

There is still a place when a suit is the right choice, but the business environment has become far more casual over the past ten years allowing for a lot of other options. And with all the new work at home positions, my bet is, it becomes even more casual over the next ten years.

I used to toss the coats at Goodwill when the pants got threadbare. I guess I will have to reconsider next time.

I wear a lot of sport coats, with jeans, especially as the weather cools. For me the sport coat is two button with some kind of multi color pattern so they can be worn with different color shirts. They also have a slightly more fuzzy wool finish. Suit coats are smoother, three button and solid colors. Of course also with the matching pants. My sport coats look like this:

https://www.menswearhouse.com/...port-coat-147V147W66

Suit coats are cut differently than blazers/sport coats. If you wear a suit coat with non matching pants, people in the know will recognize it as a suit coat masquerading as a blazer.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
Suit coats are cut differently than blazers/sport coats. If you wear a suit coat with non matching pants, people in the know will recognize it as a suit coat masquerading as a blazer.

This. Anyone who regularly wears suits and sport coats will notice.

In the casino industry the pit bosses and higher ups wear nice suits. Some are even tailored. High priced attorneys would not be caught dead with an off the rack suit. THe attire for court tends to be upscale. Look at what the attorneys are wearing in the Holmes trial. Sport coats have their place in less formal occasions.

Here is an example that made me curious

https://hickeyfreeman.com/coll...2747940#&gid=1&pid=1

That looks like it could have been part of a full suit.

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Originally posted by heavyd:

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
Suit coats are cut differently than blazers/sport coats. If you wear a suit coat with non matching pants, people in the know will recognize it as a suit coat masquerading as a blazer.

This. Anyone who regularly wears suits and sport coats will notice.

And? I fail to see there being an issue there. I dress meticulously (just because) and get compliments virtually everywhere I go. Not once have I ever had someone come up to me and say "You do know that's a suit coat you're wearing with those slacks, right?"

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Originally posted by bigdeal:

quote:

Originally posted by heavyd:

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
Suit coats are cut differently than blazers/sport coats. If you wear a suit coat with non matching pants, people in the know will recognize it as a suit coat masquerading as a blazer.

This. Anyone who regularly wears suits and sport coats will notice.

And? I fail to see there being an issue there. I dress meticulously (just because) and get compliments virtually everywhere I go. Not once have I ever had someone come up to me and say "You do know that's a suit coat you're wearing with those slacks, right?"

Most people have the grace to not mention your faux pas. Whether it impacts their feelings towards you is up to them. Whether you give two shits is up to you.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Here is an example that made me curious

https://hickeyfreeman.com/coll...2747940#&gid=1&pid=1

That looks like it could have been part of a full suit.

That looks like blazer to me. A very nice one, indeed, but not a suit coat.

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Originally posted by berto:
Most people have the grace to not mention your faux pas.

Faux pas, huh. Do you work in corporate America and get to see firsthand what many of the people are wearing today and calling 'fashionable'? I went to a meeting last week (in a suit) and looked across the room at a 30 year Analyst with his custom suit sporting a pair of pencil legged slacks riding 3-4 inches above his shoes displaying his tanned ankles and no socks. Fashionable? Maybe. Ridiculous? Absolutely.

To the Op, if you'd like more examples of 'Blazers' here ya go... Oliver Wicks - Blazers

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Here is an example that made me curious.

Yes, night and day between the three. As a youth the mantra "Don't wear suit trousers without the jacket" was commonly heard from 'grups.


If you look nice, that is all most people will remember. My H-F sport coat was bought in 2003 and is now "out of style". But I wore it with blackish tencel trousers and a newer black Duluth long sleeve tee to a funeral 30 months ago. No one gave me a third glance. Except to comment on how nice I looked.

The c.2010 Alden cordovan loafers tie it all together, I'm told. ;-) But don't forget decent dress socks.

I've donated all of my tent-like dress shirts to the church except one new white shirt which probably fits properly at the neck and core. One sport coat. One tie. Do not plan on wearing any of that stuff until the next major funeral.

Unless my uncle wants me in a suit while he signs his fortune over to me, in which case I'll visit his tailor.

quote:

Originally posted by heavyd:

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
Suit coats are cut differently than blazers/sport coats. If you wear a suit coat with non matching pants, people in the know will recognize it as a suit coat masquerading as a blazer.

This. Anyone who regularly wears suits and sport coats will notice.

Seems to me the current fashion trend for suits is that they're cut so they don't fit and look three sizes too small.

I hardly ever wear a jacket, but in October I may go to a wedding and plan to wear a nice blue blazer purchased at Orvis and gray flannel slacks. Probably under, a white or light blue pinpoint oxford cloth shirt and simple tie. That's the look I grew up with though I may look out of place as I suspect most there will be a lot younger.

Because of their youth and all invited being in and around Chicago, I may really be out of place.

I'm just waiting to hear all attending need to be vaxxed. Best wishes from afar!

ETA, I always thought blazers and sport coats had more rounded bottoms than suit coats.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
Suit coats are cut differently than blazers/sport coats. If you wear a suit coat with non matching pants, people in the know will recognize it as a suit coat masquerading as a blazer.

Absolutely correct!

What are the differences in the cut? How would someone know just looking at each?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?..._channel=TheStyleO.G.

My grandfather was a tailor. He could tell the material of a suit just by feeling it.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
What are the differences in the cut? How would someone know just looking at each?

Suit Jackets are more tapered and the materials are usually different.

I wore suits for close to forty years before the trend changed to more casual settings. I stuck with blazers after that, just couldn’t see myself parading around in a polo shirt. After I retired I gave all my suits away except for two plus one navy blazer. Have not worn any of them in the last ten years other than to try them on periodically just to see if they still fit.