This is the final jacket that my wife commissioned from Kathryn Sargent at the beginning of the year. It was actually ready a couple of months ago, but it seemed more relevant to organise the shoot when the weather actually suited a tweed jacket.
My first post is worth reading for the tailoring contrasts between men’s and women’s jackets. Women’s are often shorter, leading to knock-on effects on the buttoning point, lapels and particularly pockets. Women also tend to prefer very tight jackets, such is the RTW propensity for achieving body-clinging fit through stretch fabrics. This adds a particular difficulty to ‘fitting the mind’, as tailors put it, as opposed to the body.
Since my wife has had the jacket, it’s interesting to see how she wears and styles it. The prevalent attitudes in women’s fashion make it easier to wear a long-sleeved T-shirt underneath, for example; I understand the desire to roll back the cuff, and of course this is easier on a jacket with functioning buttons; and being a tweed jacket it readily goes with slim jeans and slimline trainers.
I wouldn’t necessarily emulate these looks, but there are certainly style points to bear in mind – as there usually are when any stylish woman (Anda at Anderson & Sheppard springs to mind) rocks tailoring.
The cut and fit were perfect, as I would expect from Kathryn, and her suggestion of the Liberty-print lining and red undercollar (her trademark colour) gave the jacket a nice turn of style.
You can see more detail on Kathryn’s style and process in the step-by-step posts I wrote last year on the ‘perfect travel blazer’ she made for me:
– The conception
– The cutting
– The fitting
– The finished jacket
Photography: Luke Carby
You can see more detail on Kathryn’s style and process in the step-by-step posts I wrote last year on the ‘perfect travel blazer’ she made for me:
– The conception
– The cutting
– The fitting
– The finished jacket
Photography: Luke Carby
The jacket looks a bit too tight.
I am not sure from your post if you were criticizing the female trend for highly fitted jackets or simply stating that this is the desired look?
Not sure if it is the poses in the photos or otherwise but assuming it was intended to follow the female fashion for highly fitted then this really doesnt look as if its fitted well at all and have seen much better results from RTW.
To go off topic, as a fairly recent joiner to your blog I’ve been reading a lot of the older topics and I would argue that you, arguably inevitably, have changed over time. So in May 2008 your Hermes thread stated “I am at heart a cheap man.”
Do you feel that your high level of exposure to those dealing in £3,000+ suits have changed your views/ priorities etc or do you still consider yourself a cheap man at heart? (for example)
Many thanks
Dan
Hi Dan,
I was observing the trend, and criticising merely the cheaper implementation of it.
It is impossible to judge from photos such as these (or indeed almost any photos online) how tight the fit of a jacket is. The photos have to be merely a reference for style etc.
I don’t think my attitude has changed, though I take your point. I think I have more funds (partly due to the success of the blog) but I spend it always with an eye to value, in exactly the same way.
Tailoring is a perfect example of this. Savile Row is obviously very expensive, but it is also good value. The margins are small – that is obvious from the lack of expanding tailors and the few ones that are left.
My attitude to buying bags, watches or shoes is similar. I will never become a ‘collector’ – for me, that is someone who does not use his possessions or does not primarily value them for their use. Obviously, the more you have the more you look to other avenues: a bespoke glasses case, a leather jacket. But the principle is the same.
It is perfectly possible for a rich man (not that I qualify for that) to buy for quality, value and investment. Many things described as ‘investment pieces’ do not qualify; but I think most things on my blog do.
I hope that answers your query. I always appreciate such intelligent questions.
Simon
Glad to hear the blog is being successful for you, I dont doubt you are putting in the hours to make it so.
I am well aware of the argument of value over price as its one constantly discussed about the industry I am in. My own experience in clothing fairly limited, I jumped up the scale of shoes last year to C&J and so far I think they do represent value having better durability as well as style. I’ve had an IWC watch for years and whilst I love it, I dont think it was good value. Likewise I haven’t been convinced yet that the return on investment on the few more expensive ties but they are “aging” slightly better. I’ve just ordered by first MTM suit so we will see how that turns out.
I am curious as to what elements of a Savile Row suit you feel makes up for its cost? Is it purely its aesthetics?
Thanks again
Dan
It’s always worth bearing in mind that there is a diminishing return with higher cost. Cheaper shoes, suits or watches will always do the work that returns the greatest value first, and only then move onto equally expensive but less rewarding things. C&J is better value than IWC in that sense.
With Savile Row suits, it divides fairly evenly into fit (biggest aspect of aesthetics) and construction. Both take extra time and therefore cost – whether it’s a cutter’s time in getting the fit right, or a tailor’s time in putting it together.
Nonetheless, a Row suit sits further along the curve of diminishing returns than a C&J pair of shoes I would say.
Absolutely agree on diminishing returns which is why I wouldn’t hold something up at the top of the line as being good value hence curious by your statement that Savile Row is actually good value.
It’s all relative. In the context of diminishing returns, a Savile Row suit is worse value than C&J, but then C&J might be worse value than a cheaper shoe (is it seven times better than a £50 shoe? Probably not.)
On the other hand, a Row suit is fantastic value compared to anything else in its market – say a Brioni suit, a Kiton suit, even a RTW suit that’s half of the price. Because they all have far less work involved and higher margins.
Are the people criticising the fit doing so from the perspective of men’s tailoring? One says it’s too tight and the other says it doesn’t follow the female fashion for highly fitted. It looks pretty good to me, but I know nothing of how a woman’s jacket should properly fit. However, it looks like a traditional woman’s jacket, which current men’s fashions have been mimicking in the tight fit and short length.
The principles are the same as men’s tailoring, but perhaps there is a slight tendency to more suppression. As I say, it’s impossible to determine fit from photos, however, outside of glaring mistakes. The ‘selfies’ demonstrate that pretty well!
Help, please. All four parts of your posts on Kathryn’s making the ‘perfect travel blazer’ seem no longer active. I’d like to read them and anything else you’ve posted about her. Do let me know where to look. Thanks. J.
They work fine for me John?
It’s a shame not to see a full shot of the finished item, did you post it anywhere Simon?
No, sorry David
Is this jacket still in use?
Yes absolutely – why?
Interesting if it’s actually lasts.
Wondering if pockets are actually usable.
Yes it’s lasted well, and yes the pockets are usable, though they don’t tend to be with that kind of cut, except for keeping a small card holder perhaps
A bit of a weird question:If you were to write a book, what kind of heroine would you describe as one who is fond of fine bespoke jackets and use them as everyday outfits?
I’m not really sure I can help there, sorry