J.Crew Does Chore Ivy?

I received J.Crew’s June catalog this week and it contained a bit of Ivy or workwear… or both. If you are confused by that statement don’t be concerned as you are not alone. From the catalog,

Our new unstructured blazer comes with a bit of workwear cool, combining the refinement of suiting with a design inspired by vintage chore jackets.
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The item in question is an unstructured 3-button triple-patch pocket sack cut sport coat with dual vents and no lining (see it here). As soon as I saw this jacket I was trying to figure it out. “Are there darts? I don’t see any, but it there could be one closer to lapel like a chore coat. Is that a 3/2? No, it looks like a true 3-button stance. What’s the vent like? Dual. Interesting. Any lining? Not sure, but I can’t tell.”

Now let me go on to say that I like this jacket. It’s hard to find affordable ($168) natural shouldered sport coats with 3-patch pockets especially ones that are not alpha sized. It is also unstructured which I think is a great direction as it makes sport coats less formal and a little more casual cool. Maybe that will help keep the young guys interested in the look.

There are a few downsides to the jacket. Unstructured jackets are definitely cool (like a Keydge), but they way that they can pull around the front of the shoulder is not. Also, it does not appear to have lining which may keep you cool, but it makes putting on and taking off a jacket a lot more work. Last is the 3-button stance. It will work for some, but not others. It would probably look better on a taller person than a shorter one. It may ending up rolling. It may not.

So there you have it. If you can get over the 3-button stance, narrow lapels, and dual vents there is pretty sack sport coat J.Crew for under $200. It may not work for everyone, but if it works for you it is a pretty good deal. To me it feels like one of those items that everyone kicks themselves for picking up at the time ala PRL Rugby.

oxford cloth button down
Jerrod Swanton is a simple man interested in simple, classic, and traditional style.

7 Comments on "J.Crew Does Chore Ivy?"

  1. DD says:

    I’d always thought that one wears a tux when performing chores.

  2. Gary says:

    “3-button stance, narrow lapels, and dual vents.” That’s a lot to get over. The day of anything I love enough to buy from J. Crew is long past, I’m afraid.

  3. Josh B. says:

    This is a strange looking jacket, IMO. The three button stance is cut a lot higher than I am used to seeing–almost leisure suit high. But the lapels are, IMO, not all that narrow looking for a three button jacket. Strange. And I know that this is a personal preference, but I hate patch pockets–and IMO, they make this jacket look rather hipster.

  4. Josh B. says:

    I’ll add that, upon second look, the jacket is cut really, really short, too. The sides barely extend to the top of the model’s pants pocket(s). Almost like a shirt-jacket.

  5. Roger Russell says:

    It’s Don Johnson gone Ivy.

  6. Roger Russell says:

    I take it back, Tibbs gone Ivy.

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