It’s 42 degrees outside as I type this. On Monday it was 80 degrees and I was wearing shorts. Today I am contemplating donning a toboggan. Fall can be like that.
The images below show how I managed to stay warm or cool as the temps fluctuated. Some things like the red shirtjac and the green vest you will continue to see but the shorts, polos, and madras will soon be put away for the season. Winter is coming.
I think that I picked up this Black Watch Harrington or Baracuta style jacket about a year ago from Lands’ End. I didn’t like it much then and may have worn it once that season. Fast forward to now and I have been worn it at least 5 times in the last three weeks.
What I didn’t like about this jacket is that the construction and finish (I especially dislike the way the zipper is finished) is lacking but mostly I didn’t like the muted patten. It looked muddy. It all blended together. However, the jacket was cheap. I don’t think that I paid more than $40 for it and I probably paid less. The point is that even though I didn’t love the jacket it wasn’t worth returning. Maybe I will like it in the future?
The future is now and past me made a good call. I needed a light rain jacket the other day and I didn’t want to wear my Kelly green Baracuta so I grabbed this one. The pattern seemed less muted than I remembered. The pattern seemed to strike a nice balance between muted and overwhelming. It was easy to wear and comfortable.
There is no real point to this post. Perhaps it could be to consider a Black Watch jacket for yourself or sometimes miss picks work out in the end? Pick whichever is the most useful for you. I am just glad that it worked out between past and future me.
I have been passively looking for a diamond quilted jacket with a moleskin or sueded type of finish on and off for the last 2 years. Something like this moleskin version of the Barbour Liddesdale (see below) would be perfect but I can’t seem to find one. I also don’t want to go the Ebay route. I found a few new coats that fit the bill or at least get close to the mark. If nothing else it is fun to look.
While I didn’t find the Liddesdale above I did find the Barbour Bridle quilted jacket (see here) below. This jacket has a water resistant microfiber finish, comes in navy, has a corduroy collar, and overall looks decent. However, I think that the devil is in the details here. I wish the collar were tan, I wish it had snaps (which I wish were contrasting) and a zipper closure, and the blue could be bluer. At the same time it is only $199 and most Barbour that I have handled is fairly well made. I struggled to find a size small online, but I only spent a few moments searching.
I also came across this microfiber quilted jacket by English Utopia at O’Connells Clothing. It is easy to see why it stood out. It has a lot of character, kind of a moto vibe, and looks like it is very well made. While it is microfiber it is described as peached. This make me believe that it may have the texture that I am after. I owe Ethan at O’Connell’s a call to get the exact details. There is more that I like about this jacket than dislike. I am not in love with the lime green lining or the suede on the arms, but I have already conviced myself that they will grow on me over time if that tells you anything. At $325 it is definitely on my radar (see here).
The quilted field coat below from Brooks Brothers grabbed my attention because its design. They nailed it. I like the design of this jacket a lot. It is polyester and gives no indicator that it has the texture that I want, but it sure does look nice. I may have to go see this jacket in person. One more good thing about my new location is that there is a Brooks Brothers store 20 minutes away. I am interested in the weight of the jacket. I am hoping that it has a little heft to it as it is priced at $398 but is on sale at the moment for $298 (see here).
As it’s just now getting cool enough to not feel miserable in long sleeves I am already thinking of the next layer. I want a well made quilted jacket that is not shiny or at the very least not that shiny. After looking at the options above I think I have to decide what role I want this jacket to play. Is it early fall or late fall? I know that I am leaning towards navy as I currently have a green Barbour and no navy coats. I might have to journey out into the real world and look at some jackets in person. As always leads and feedback is appreciated.
I am not one to howl at the moon. Sure I have had my moments in the past, but after dressing trad-ish for the better part of 10 years I now know and accept that things will never be as they were. I am even okay with that. I am currently looking to replace my current set of chinos and I could use your help finding some option, because it has not been easy.
Here is what I am looking for when it comes to chinos. I want them to be flat-front, 100% cotton (that means no stretch), and to not have no-iron treatment. In terms of fit I would like a decent rise of about 11 inches and nothing too slim nor too wide (see above). I know that it doesn’t sounds too difficult on its face, but anyone of you that have been looking recently knows that it is.
If you are wondering what I have been wearing up until now that is a great question. I have been wearing J.Crew Essential chinos in classic since around 2008. Around 2014 they changed the fit name from classic to 1040. At some point in the last 1-2 years they stopped making the Essential version which was their dressier version and now only offer the broken-in version. I will give the broken-in fit a try, but I have my doubts.
My current list of potential chino sources are O’Connell’s Clothing, J.Press, Ralph Lauren, and J.Crew. I have tried O’Connell’s in the past and found them too wide, but both of us could have changed our desired look in that time. If any of you have any insight into specific models, feedback, etc. please do share!
You can almost feel fall in the air. You can most certainly feel the anticipation in the air. Since it’s not quite cool enough to toss on a pair of cords and a shetland quite yet I thought that I would add to that anticipation and pose a question. The pictures are the anticipation and the question is, what are you looking forward to this fall?
