I recently snagged this Brooksease blazer off of eBay for $50. Even though quality wise Brooksease is probably about the equivalent of Brooksgate without all of the heyday fanfare, I think it was a pretty good deal. This post isn’t really about the blazer though.
Even though this post isn’t specifically about the blazer I will tell you about it. Brooksease was an entry level line. The internet chatter starts about them around 2004 and I know they were still around a little after 2010, but I don’t have a firm grasp on their production dates. While they are mentioned to have less inferior fabrics than the 1818 line with the inclusion of synthetics and stretch. I am not sure if this holds true for them all. Many of them do have a canvassed lapel and to their credit were made in the USA by Southwick.
My Brooksease blazer is classically trad. It has the prized 3/2 roll closure, it’s a dart-less sack cut, and while it doesn’t have a hook vent it does have a center vent. It also has swelled edges which I think are an underrated feature and it has my preferred pocket setup which is a welted breast pocket with lower patch and flap which are accented by nicely opened quarters. The fabric is 100% Lora Piana wool which by touch I am guessing is the 100% Lora Piana pure stretch wool and it was indeed made in the USA by Southwick.
The only problem with my blazer is that it’s about 1 inch too long. While that is certainly better than 1 inch too short especially in today’s post-menswear climate there is a time when this would have driven me crazy. I would have obsessed over it and it most likely would have prevented me from wearing it. Now I’m not saying that my menswear OCD complex has cleared up completely, but currently the length isn’t bothering me one bit. In fact, I think it looks pretty good. It’s summertime and living is easy.
I have one very similar, made in the USA, glad to know who made it. I usually look at the lapel width which is 3.5 inches gives a date around the mid 2000. I paid a little more than 50 dollars, you got a great deal. Did I mention, that I found a Waterman roller pen serval months later in the chest pocket which helped sooth the extra I paid. I did try to contact the original owner but couldn’t. Moral of the story, check your pockets and maybe you’ll find a surprise .
A great deal all around! I’m off to check the pockets!