How I wear a black tailored jacket
This is the first piece of black tailoring that’s been featured on Permanent Style, I think, outside of evening wear.
Over the past three years we’ve been exploring how black’s role in the wardrobe can be expanded, beyond tuxedos and lace-ups. In that time we’ve looked at:
- Black loafers and boots worn more casually
- Black knitwear, particularly in a ‘cold-colour’ combination
- Black polo shirts
- Black overshirts
- Black trousers
In my view, this is the order in which they are easiest to wear, with black loafers simply an interesting alternative to the more ubiquitous brown, and black trousers requiring much more care.
Black jackets and black shirts belong at the bottom of that list. Black shirts can easily look cheap or flashy, while black jackets have a tendency to look too funereal, or like a ‘stroller’ - part of a formal wardrobe from more than a century ago.
It was with that in mind that I made my first black jacket in a very casual, soft-shouldered cut (from the excellent Jean-Manuel Moreau) and a casual material - herringbone tweed.
Since receiving the jacket back in September, I’ve been trying it with various different combinations of shirts, trousers and accessories, and seeing what I liked. As with many things on PS, I'm merely a beginner here, and I’m sure others will have their preferred combinations. But I also know many readers like this step-by-step process too, so here are my step-by-step thoughts.
If we assume the aim here is a rich, more elegant daytime look, rather than something more rock ‘n’ roll, fashion-y or evening-y, the black jacket’s core problem can be summarised as:
- Anything without any colour in it, like a white shirt or grey trousers, creates too stark a contrast
- But any colour that is too strong (even a blue shirt beyond the very palest of pales) can easily look cheap
So I’ve found a nice option is colour, but very pale or very dark.
With trousers, that means dark olive or dark green primarily. Beige, stone and other off-whites are good at avoiding the high contrast of white, but can still look rather formal.
With this particular jacket, flannel seems to be a little too close in texture to the tweed, and so corduroy is a better match.
The trousers worn here are from my Ettore de Cesare cord suit, and the green is definitely a darker, browner shade, which works well. Just as good are the trousers I recently had made by Whitcomb & Shaftesbury in this dark-brown cord, which is equally muddy.
It’s no coincidence that they’re the browns and greens I like wearing myself anyway, and recommended in the ‘cold-colour capsule’.
In that selection, black was more of a secondary colour, for the occasional knit or polo shirt, which makes sense in a capsule as it's less versatile. But when black takes centre stage, it makes sense that the same colours work around it.
However, in those kinds of combinations my default shirt is normally white - against a black jacket, white looks rather too stark.
Cream is nice, but looks quite formal - like the colours of evening transposed into different materials.
What works well is pale colours like pink, purple or yellow, illustrated by the lilac stripe I’m wearing here. Or washed-out blues like denim and chambray.
A stripe is good because it softens the contrast created by the colour - plus it’s nice to have some pattern if you’re not going to wear a tie or a pocket handkerchief.
Denim and chambray create similar visual interest with their texture and fading. Fading in particular both creates interest and softens the colour. Try a blue-poplin shirt with black tailoring and you immediately see the difference.
For shoes, black is easy as it picks up the jacket, such as these cordovan tassels. The dark-taupe socks from Anderson & Sheppard I’ve recommended before, a colour always seems to add some interest without standing out.
The scarf is my Arran from Begg & Co, in dark grey. You could be more adventurous with the scarf, but I like how tonal it is with the olive and the black.
It’s also nice to have an accessory like a scarf when there’s that lack of tie or handkerchief. In fact, I’d go as far as to say I should always wear one, when the weather at least vaguely justifies it.
I should also say that the jacket from Jean-Manuel is great: well fitted, shapely but comfortable, and exactly the same as the cream linen I reviewed last year.
The last point should be a given, but of course we know that makers can vary, particularly with bespoke or handmade MTM. Jean-Manuel should be praised for his consistency as much as anything else.
A black tailored jacket, in conclusion, is not something I’d recommend to a reader just starting out, or with only a small tailored wardrobe. It is an edge case, an interesting direction.
But I'm pleased this one does genuinely offer something different. Too often when I’ve seen black jackets in the past, I’ve thought the wearer would look better with a dark navy, if they wanted to be smart, or a dark brown, if more casual. I don’t think that’s the case here.
Cloth: W Bill shetland tweed - Classic Shetland Collection, 12/13oz, WB12125
Photography: Jamie Ferguson
Bonjour Simon, if a flannel is similar in texture to tweed, could it also be worn as a separate jacket with corduroy trousers? Cheers
Not generally, no. As I often say, flannel is usually woven for suitings or trousers and is a bit too tight a weave to make a good jacket. Flannels vary considerably, but I would also be cautious about choosing one for a jacket
So you would advise against buying Private White’s Flanneur Mayfair jacket in a Yorkshire flannel? It’s reduced by 60% to only £225 in the sale and, at that price, I’m tempted to get one.
It would be easier with a piece like that, as it’s not a tailored jacket, more a chore hybrid
Hi Simon, thank you for exploring this avenue for us. It would be lovely to see photos of the black jacket worn with your dark brown corduroy trousers and a denim or chambray shirt. I’d add black suede monkstraps to that outfit too, if available.
Btw, how much does Moreau charge now for a sportscoat? I heard suits are now at around €3,600?
I ordered this one a way back last year, so let me check. I guess prices might have changed a little since then too.
Noted on the outfit, but I don’t own black suede monks and not sure I’d wear them to be honest – might be a little flash for me, I’d prefer a loafer
Hey Julian,
I double checked with JM, and jackets are only €2000 still, up slightly from 1800 when I first reviewed them
I like the look. Been testing out black coats and knitwear recently,thought mostly with cream trousers (a bit inspired by the Angel Ramos feature you did a while back). Been playing with the thought of a black jacket as well, but with limited wardrobe space I don’t knowiif I can justify it.
Maybe some black trousers first. What is your thoughts on black cavalry twill, assuming one already has a fair selection of cream, grey and brown odd trousers?
Cavalry twill would be beautiful, but quite sharp and perhaps formal looking. I’d try black cords first
Black cavalry twill would be ideal with a grey herringbone tweed jacket. I’d wear them with a white Oxford shirt and black Derby shoes for a semi-formal social occasion.
Love that idea! That’s one fantastic look.
Gary, that’s almost exactly the look I had in mind.
Simon, point taken. That’s why I’m a bit worried about the cavalry twill, it also tends to be quite shiny.
I have some reservations about tailored cords, especially black, mostly because the material seems to soak up dust and dirt, and need to be cleaned frequently as a result. Would be quite noticeable on black, too.
I wouldn’t say cord is an issue for dirt – possibly for dust, but all that needs is an occasional brush, not a clean
I like the pairing with green and can imagine that the brown cord would work similarly. The black is sitting where dark charcoal would work well, but it’s definitely black not charcoal. Following on from double brown, do you think you’d do double black in a similar way with this jacket?
Double brown with knitwear and trousers, right? I wouldn’t do it as readily with a jacket as mentioned in that piece.
Black doesn’t really have different shades so much, so it would be even more just a black suit – still could be nice, but not really similar to that double brown piece
Makes sense. The way I imagine the look, I think I like it because it’s a bit wrong/edgy but if done well could also be elegant. Perhaps at some point I’ll try it and see if I’m right
How about double/triple black influenced by Halston as shown by Andreas Weinas? https://tinyurl.com/2ncbm4ny Black knitwear/rollneck, black trousers, black chelseas
Hi Simon, wonderful jacekt, I particularly like the subtlety of the herringbone tweed. And also many thanks for recommending JMM, I ordered all my jackets from him ever since your recommendation.
If you’d add a rubato crewneck sweater underneath the black jacket, which colour will you go for? Dark brown, silver grey or fawn? Curious to know your thoughts. Cheers!
With this combination? Probably silver grey – though I find Rubato a bit too chunky to wear under most of my tailored jackets
I have a black wool crepe jacket I liked a lot but resisted wearing because I thought it was a bit too chic for a conservative office. Once people started wearing fleece vests, golf course wear and almost pajamas to the office I figured all bets were off. I definitely agree that dark olive trousers are the best match. But I frequently wear with dark grey trousers, a lavender shirt, and black tassel loafers and it looks great. I have a pair of dark brown flannels that are a great color match but the flannel is to heavy to match with the wool crepe.
This outfit looks great in a classic PS way–that is, subtly interesting. My only question is: You note that grey trousers would be too stark against the black jacket. Yet in the Cold Colour Capsule piece, when I asked how you wear your black Luca Faloni crewneck, you responded, “Black I want particularly to wear with shades of grey trouser.” Why would this black jacket go poorly with grey trousers while a black crewneck would go so well with them that you’d buy it precisely for that purpose? If anything, I’d think the black crewneck + grey trousers would be more stark since there is no shirt to break up the black against the grey (as there would be under a jacket). Thanks for any clarification.
It’s because there would usually be something over the top of that crewneck, so it’s more of a underlayer and more subtle. It’s also not so big a piece.
I should also say that grey trousers are easier to mitigate than a white shirt, in terms of contrast. Grey trousers with a lilac shirt like this are OK, even though a dark brown or green trouser would probably look better.
Ah, that makes sense. I hadn’t realized you preferred the black crewneck as a layer under a jacket. I imagine that could look good with a dark brown (or perhaps even a dark green) jacket over the top. I will say that I disagree with you slightly in that I love the look of black and mottled grey melange (as in a flannel) together, and I’d have no problem at all wearing a black crewneck with grey flannels. I think maybe I’m just more attracted to black/grey monochrome looks than you are. But I see where you’re coming from. Thanks!
Yes that sounds right. I don’t dislike the crewneck with flannels by the way, it’s just that I like it particularly under a jacket
Is there any reason why you could not wear, say charcoal flannel trousers with a black jacket? And perhaps a crewneck in the sort of colours you recommend for trousers. I can’t see the contrast issue with charcoal or even dark grey. I assume you must be referring to light or mid grey (perhaps further echoes of the stroller).
True, charcoal is easier. And knitwear in one of those colours might look good
I agree that grey trousers and white shirt make too much contrast. But what I like to match my black wool/cashmere jacket with is:
– Black/grey jeans and a black thin cashmere o-neck sweater (or a dark grey o-neck sweater)
– Black/grey jeans and a black cotton polo shirt (saman amel for example)
– Mid grey flannel trousers with a black polo shirt or black o-neck sweater
A question, I have recently bought a jacket (mtm) that I found is slighty too long for me. It is actually exactly the lenght I want it to be in the back (similar in cm as my other jackets), but it has more angle between front and back than my other jackets and I don’t really like it. The front is longer than the back. Is it possible to adjust the front part 0,5 – 1 cm but leave the back length exactly as it is at a good tailor?
It’s a really hard adjustment Stefan. The tailor basically has to recut the entire front edge, the curve from the last button down. And often they’re restricted in what they can do by that position of the button. It’s not cheap and chances are it will change the style of the jacket.
So I would avoid it. There’s a good video here, by the way, on what can be altered in a jacket.
It’s a beautiful jacket, and the fit appears great from the photos. The material certainly avoids the “cheap” appearance that often comes with black. Still it seems very… why? I don’t see it giving you anything over what you would have with Hitchcock Cashmere Blazer in Dark Navy. Of course I consider myself an amateur compared to others on this site so maybe I’m missing something. Certainly if black is your thing it makes sense. It’s slightly different of course than the Hitchcock blazer, but appears less versatile as well. Outside of black being your thing, it just seems like something you would only buy if you had excess funds and had already bought everything else. Please don’t take this as criticism, as it is a beautiful piece and I’m sure I’d wear it given the opportunity, just more of a question.
It’s a good point, which is why I made it at the very end of the piece – I assume you saw that?
Well I did, although I think the point I was trying to make was a bit different from that but I don’t want to get into a back and forth. Cheers.
OK, no worries. I was trying to make that point about the different element a black jacket brings over navy, and that has been explored in some of the other comments too, but I completely understand if you don’t want to go into it.
I can see how some people would wear black over dark navy simply because a navy jacket is the default for so many men – even people who do not much care about clothing will have a navy jacket (even though it may be part of a rarely used suit).
Wearing a black, casual jacket becomes more of a statement if worn well. In a sense, it’s the opposite of the navy jacket because the navy jacket is the default, and the casual black jacket is anything but.
Hi Simon,
I think it’s elegant to wear a tone, ie black or white, with colours- ie, to wear it as jacket or knitwear.
Many of us can’t wear white, because it overwhelms us… in this case, an off white jumper works.
I think we Brits shld incorporate black- as they do in Spain or Milan. You do say that this is not an article about eveningwear. However, I would add that a black jacket, even in corduroy, adds something to an evening outfit. Few of us wear evening dress these days with any regularity- a black jacket is a good substitute, a modern version. Wear a black jacket and make sure the ladies have a glass of champagne- even if it is just to fulfil their fantasy of how the world should be.
Absolutely TGL
I find it very strange and quite fun that the #menswear community aways think black is a so strange color to wear. My opinion is if you are good at clothes and colors, you know how to wear black. Of course, if you work in a formal environment you shouldn’t wear black suits during daytime…but come on, during nighttime, black is the best color imo. I have made the mistake several times to go out with my girlfriend on a drink and dinner in a dark grey suit, or grey trousers and a navy jacket. Perhaps nothing wrong with that, but you don’t feel cool in those clothes, that’s for sure. You can’t wear exactly the same thing during daytime and night. Black linen suit, black wool/mohair suit, black flannel suit, black wool/cashmere jacket are all good examples how to wear black imo.
Yes, I think the main issue is that a lot of the traditions around classic menswear come from tailoring that has mostly been worn in a work environment for decades now. So people associate those greys and navys with the office, and that’s usually not what you want when going out in the evening today
I have a dark grey suit that I really like to wear with a charcoal or black turtleneck and black Chelsea boots for a night out, and I think it works quite well. It does not feel like a business outfit at all.
I like the jacket as well as the combination with dark brown, the latter an inspiration for me.
Referring to other comments, who do not see that black would give you anything beyond navy, I tend to disagree.
I believe that black and dark charcoal can be more elegant than navy in jackets, especially in winter time. At least in Vienna it is also more common in winter time as, it seems to me, we consider black, charcoal and dark grey as classical winter colors, navy, and especially lighter colours, being more for spring and summer.
Just brilliant! Since you have started to explore more black options, pictures show how great it can work. I have always been a big fan of black. And I must admit that black tends to look somehow a bit trendy and gives a younger vibe too…
Surprised not to see these with char-brown flannels so really appreciate the explanation about texture in this.
Also – seems a spot in the wardrobe that would perhaps be better met by a very dark charcoal tweed with some more discernible variation? I’m innahingjng your charcoal Donegal type fabrics.
A really dark charcoal would certainly be easier, yes. The only reason to get black ahead of charcoal might be that it looks more contemporary or less classic
In my opinion, a well-informed, well-dressed guy trying to make a black jacket work is like a pro athlete competing with an arm tied behind his back: at best, he’s going to deliver a performance that is only slightly worse than usual.
I’m not opposed to trying new things, but this seems like something one would buy out of boredom, to create a sartorial problem and test one’s ability to solve it. It doesn’t really fill a slot or add anything of value to the buyer’s wardrobe, I think.
I know what you mean Andreas, but I think it’s hard to be that conclusive about it when it’s a matter of more personal style. For some people black will always have a different appeal, and perhaps look more contemporary too. It also feels different in different places and social circles, as some other commenters have mentioned
Looking at that analogy another way, competing or at least training “with an arm tied behind your back” is a good way to become the best – in fact, in my own (granted, highly limited) training that’s how most serious athletes train a big portion of the time. Constantly get out of your comfort zone, try to do things without reverting to your signature moves. Applying that perspective to classic menswear, perhaps trying to make unusual pieces work is a good way to extend your knowledge of dressing well, even if those pieces end up not being a staple of your wardrobe.
Of course, one of the advantages of a site like PS is that Simon can do a lot of those experiments for us (in addition, PS would quickly get dull, or at least a very different kind of site, if Simon never did anything unusual). Most people shouldn’t buy a black jacket because it’s a piece that’s only going to work for very few people going for a fairly niche look, but for those handful of people seeing someone do it fairly well can be useful, and for everyone else, at least it will re-affirm to them that a black jacket isn’t a great look for them no mater how it’s styled.
Thanks Simon. I’d be interested in your thoughts on when it works well to pair brown shoes with black trousers (eg, black cords or jeans).
Have a look on this article – we talked about it there
And conversely, I noticed you often wear black loafers (like Sagans) with brown or tan trousers.
Yes, there’s a full article about shoes to wear with brown trousers here
With all the PS black information recently, I finally managed to find a combination for my burgundy and lilac knitwear. Not a jacket but a cardigan …And gray jeans.
The 6th photo (with your head turned left) ….that’s the silhouette that most men would want from a jacket. It’s a great photo.
The jacket looks incredibly comfortable and much better in black then cream.
I think you forget that a lot of men don’t want to be dandy with tailoring so black would be a preference for alot of men.
On winter nights black is as good as any colour.
Hi Simon, love the photography bit it always messes the colours badly. the jacket doesn’t look black at all and this is a recurrent problem with your website. I was also confused with a post about styling lilac like ralph lauren where the colours looked everything but what was written. Just my 2 cents
Sure Fernando, thanks for them. To be honest I think this gives an accurate impression of what all the colours looked like on an overcast day
Colour is hard to get right because the screen you are viewing the pictures on has a huge effect on how the colours look. I’ve taken pictures, edited them on one monitor that is made for image editing, and then viewed them on my second monitor (which is a high end gaming screen, optimized for high refresh rate), and the colours look completely different. So it’s possible that the colours look exactly right for Simon (and the photographer), but rather different for someone viewing the picturesoon a different device.
To tackle that, maybe use an iPhone as a “benchmark”/ make sure it looks good enough
I’m unsure about the extent of calibration and panel differences between Apple 13 and 14. However, it seems reasonable to presume that the device most frequently used for reading PS will likely be one of them.
Maybe I missed something, but who made this nice shirt, and what is the fabric? Many thanks in advance!
It’s from D’Avino, a pure linen
Simon, that sounds like an invitation opening the door to questions on wearing linen in cooler weather. Cords and a scarf, as well as the jacket fabric, suggest fall/winter, but you’ve got a linen shirt on, typically associated with summer. I forget from which menswear brand, but there was a recent newsletter feature touting linen shirts for winter. I wonder if that is a new means of wardrobe exploration as well as one that in some way acknowledges the blurred boundaries of seasonality created by climate change.
I think with shirts linen is a lot easier, particularly as it’s worth remembering that linen historically was at one point always worn as underwear – shirts and everything else. I’d still prefer more obviously seasonal fabrics most of the time, but I don’t think it looks odd if I don’t.
I feel like I’ve been waiting for this article (and think I asked about this a while ago) but black jackets are so hard to wear. Other than with dark denim I have no idea how to wear one. The risk, for me, is that they can look stark in a way that blue just doesn’t.
Yes, very true Charles
Black jacket in a casual cloth is a very interesting subject! Would you consider wearing it with a light grey brushed cotton shirt? I think it would work well both with your jacket and olive cords. I’m myself considering getting a very dark grey (almost black) jacket in a casual fabric with a faint check. May I ask you for your opinion about black patterned jacketing’s? I’m deciding between Anglo-Italian AIT – 019 https://angloitalian.com/collections/tessuti/products/ait-019 and Kynoch https://www.pepperlee.co.uk/product/wcj32-g6059-a1/ I do have a swatch from Anglo-Italian and it’s very hairy/spongy tweed-like. BTW, Anglo-Italian styles jacket in this cloth with dark brown flannels https://www.instagram.com/p/CKWVTlZsWPX/?epik=dj0yJnU9NGZUVDhsaEJEeVZab01weWE0dlhyRDQwRjVGNW0tbzEmcD0wJm49N25FV3lzWWlGQXFRMFVhUmx5cVpNUSZ0PUFBQUFBR092WFE0
I would, yes, though that might be quite an evening-y look.
It’s hard to say on the jacketings online and the Anglo says it’s charcoal not black? They both look nice and easy to wear though. If in doubt I’d go for the Anglo mix, largely because I trust their designs so much.
On the brown flannels, yes obviously it is charcoal not black, but even so brown flannel will I’m sure work with lots of blacks – it’s just this particular tweed where it feels like more texture is needed in the trouser. Perhaps because the jacket has no pattern or colour variation
Thank you for your reply! As far as I can tell, the Anglo swatch is mostly black with some grey running through it (apart from the maroon overcheck), which makes it charcoal, I suppose. As a matter of fact, it’s sort of difficult for me to imagine plain black tweed. Even plane coloured tweeds is usually made up of different shades.
True, they usually are, though my black isn’t
This is one of my favourite PS outfits for some time. I realy like the lilac and will certainly try it out. I inherited a lovely black flannel dB with a very subtle grey check. I find it works brilliantly with a dark green shirt and brown cords.
A great look, and I am thrilled to see that the same pairings work so well with a tailored jacket, as they do with a sweater/jumper!
I accidentally discovered this effect last year when I attended an event in a black cardigan sweater with a white shirt, cold colored olive trousers, and black suede desert boots, and got several complements, with one acquaintance even remarking days later. You don’t typically
pick up a lot of complements for your clothing as a man in the Midwest (USA), and I was particularly pleased with one fashionably dressed woman’s remarking that she couldn’t quite pick out why it all looked so good, which is, if I recall correctly, the effect that you generally seek to achieve.
As a relatively heavyset man, I have generally found it difficult to achieve that subtle “can’t pick out any specific reason for looking good” effect, and albeit loud or edgy outfits generally seem to look worse on those of us who are heavy, I, and other men in my situation I have talked to, have achieved better results by being willing to dress one notch more formally, a bit differently or a bit distinctively, rather than relying on elements too subtle to lay a finger on.
One point that I think bears emphasizing is that variation and texture help tremendously in limiting the negative associations and aesthetic effect seen with black items of clothing, in both casual and formal clothing. For casual clothing, black jeans or black corduroys are, for example, a lot more useful and tasteful than any casual and smooth fabric with little variation.
You have definitely taken a step down that path with your use of tweed, but I wonder if the jacket would be a bit less restrictive in color matching and also in terms of avoiding any funereal or excessively formal tone if you used a tweed with a bit more color variation. The tweed in your jacket seems to be overdyed, rather than being largely black, but with some fibers that are not.
The one black tweed jacket I have had occasion to discuss with the wearer was a black Donegal type, and this paired fairly well with more vividly blue shirts, as well as being, according to the man I spoke to, particularly resistant to inadvertent display of his family situation, with light-colored pets and small children. In a way, a strongly marled jacket like the Donegal is akin to a charcoal worsted in being not altogether black, but it seemed to have some of the attributes of a genuinely black garment.
I understand that some people do not like the strongly flecked effect characteristic of Donegal tweed, but I have seen pictures of some black tweeds that are not obviously flecked, but have more color variation created in much the same way as in a traditional wool flannel, but with a mixture of fiber colors creating more obvious variation in the hairy tweed, and I wonder if those might not be a bit more easily combined with other clothing than this one.
Thank you D, really interested to hear the effect of that outfit, and I can definitely see the appeal of the black donegal – not charcaol, as some have suggested, still black but with more texture in terms of the flecks. Cheers
Thanks for sharing this D, it’s very eloquently expressed something I was wondering about. Do you have any pictures of the fabric next to some trousers?
When traveling for work, often abroad for month-long projects, I’ve used nearly-black herringbone or black cashmere jackets for many years. They are incredibly adaptable when you can’t pack everything.
But I feel, Simon, that you are trying to soften their necessarily severe impact a bit too much. Just accept that you’re going to look rather serious. That’s allowed.
Thanks Anton. I don’t think I’m trying to make them look less serious – just less formal, as black and white or grey would often seem
Why do people like to wear dark shades under cloudy skies? I think you should dress for the weather, but not to resemble it.
The root of that approach is probably one of considering that elegant dressing is about being subtle, not standing out, and bright clothes on a dark day will do that more, as would thick country clothes in an urban environment, for example
I am one of those that do not look good in black near my face. Navy is dark enough. I am not a fan of that very dark navy that is nearly black in color. I need to see the blue in my blazer. Black shoes, navy blazer, charcoal Or kaki trousers will work for me when I play dress up these days.
Simon,
Your article is a timely one for me as I just took delivery of a black corduroy suit. Its an oxymoronic piece of clothing, but I have found it to be much easier to wear than I initially thought. If it were a wool or a moleskin cloth, it may have been a harder thing to pair with. The corduroy works well with chambray as you mention above, and I plan to wear it to a casual event this NYE with a black and white striped shirt and loafers. I think it would also look great with a deep burgundy or even charcoal turtleneck for a simple evening outfit.
Happy New Year and thank you for all the content.
-DL
Cheers, and nice suggestions
It might not be your style but i like to wear black tailored jackets over white tshirts, tucked into a pair of cords or sometimes tan or ivory coloured trousers.
I do think that black jacket would look great over a white or off-white tshirt. The casualness of the tshirt helps to break up the high contrast of black-on-white.
I also quite like black with lavender and light pink.
Hi Simon
Is there a black cord jacket review coming up soon too?
Yes there will be, though not for a few weeks
It seems like the goal here is:
-a smart piece of tailored clothing for nighttime wear
-something that won’t bring to mind the tailored clothing associated with business
-also won’t bring to mind a tuxedo, the classic nighttime tailored clothing
I think it’s successful, but a jacket in very dark navy or very dark charcoal would also work. The issue is finding one dark enough; it needs to be darker than what one would typically wear to the office.
Introducing a pattern like herringbone also helps differentiate it from business wear.
I think personally I’d lean towards monochrome, and go with a grey dress shirt, or a black or grey rollneck; and dark charcoal trousers in a different type of fabric, counting on the difference in fabric appearance to not look like a suit, something you mention in the article.
This is really something I’d like to see in person. Years ago when I went to a WW Chan fitting, one of the tailors (name escapes me) was wearing a black Calvary twill odd jacket with grey trousers. It was striking but not over the top. I really liked it.
Cheers Craig. My intention was actually not to create something for evening wear, as mentioned (“not evening-y”). More for daywear, but with a different look to the more classic navy.
Monochrome is nice in the evening, at a more formal event perhaps. If this were just grey and black though, in most places I think it would look a little dull, hence my preference for muted colours
Hi Simon. Lovely jacket in my opinion. Black tailoring is something I’ve been considering for a while now, I work in the event industry and ‘smart blacks’ is a regular dress code request. For most crew this usually manifests as black jeans or chinos with a black shirt or polo, and vary degrees of black footwear.
I’ve got a cheap high street suit that I wear when I know I’m going to be ‘in view’ a lot, and have more recently been wearing knitted black polos, but I still feel quite poorly dressed compared to the audience/client/talent that we have to interact with. So I’m considering a proper suit to deal with this – a very dark grey I think I could get away with 80 percent of the time, especially when paired with a black tie or black knitwear and means I could wear outside work too. But black would also cover me for the very smart ‘black tie’ evening events as well. Of course the money is no object move would be a tux and a dark grey but that’s not possible at the moment. Any guidance?! Re material too I think I’d want a worsted, lighter weight wool as can often get quite warm whilst working (or be outdoors in summer etc) – would need to be fairly hard wearing too. Apologies for the overlong comment but any help greatly appreciated. Love the website.
No worries Ben. It does sound like quite a job-specific question. I worry particularly about being hard wearing, lightweight, and also smart enough to feel on a par with the guests. I’m not sure anything is going to do all those things.
If the guests are often in black tie, I’m not sure if a grey suit might look out of context, but that would be for you to decide I think.
I would suggest that upping the quality on the more casual side would make a big difference – eg really sharp, well-fitted black or charcoal trousers, a fine merino collared black knit, and well-shined black loafers. Often it’s these details that project style and formality as much as the style of the garments
Good shout, thank you. My black C&J bostons tend to get very positive comments at work so I agree that leaning into the smarter end of smart casual is the move.
Thanks for the review, lovely jacket. Would it be possible to see a more standard frontal view please? i’m interested in the house style of Jean Manuel, for instance the lapel and notch seem to be very different to the Neapolitans.
I usually do those kind of shots with the first piece I review from a maker – see here for the original review of Jean-Manuel, and indeed the ways in which it is different to some Neapolitans
Did you post a new article today? If so it doesn’t appear on your site.
I am in the USA.
Thanks
RTK
Oh dear, it didn’t post for some reason. It’s up now, thanks for the reminder!
My pleasure cheers
Happy New Year Simon! I must say that this is among the coolest of approaches you’ve had so far. I’ve been thinking about a black jacket myself and this really settles it. It has a laid back easiness about it, that a black jacket normally does not achieve. Just goes to say the importance of experimenting with different materials, colours and shades. This grey shirt in particular is a very nice addition and contrast without the high contrast of a white shirt (which is ruined for all of us through numerous secret agent movies!).
Thanks Nicolas. I assume you don’t mean grey shirt by the way?
I mean lilac of course! This shirt has popped up on occasion of late so I guess you are getting good use out of it. Interesting, since lilac would seldom be anything but a later choice for us caucasians. I think thats why I wrote grey, since its seems almost greyish upon a swift look. At least in the pictures.
Ah yes, true. It helps a lot in a stripe and in a washed-our material like linen I think
As for a shirt to go with a black sports jacket, I would recommend a tattersall with a small to medium size check pattern — white or cream ground and the usual colours in the checks, like blue, green, rust, etc. I have worn this combination with jackets that are black, but without a herringbone, or other, pattern. Plus dark green or dark olive trousers, which go very nicely with black jackets, As far as I can tell from your photographs, the herringbone pattern is very subdued, so a tattersall shirt would not clash too much with it.
Thanks Peter. I would have thought a tattersall like that would be a bit too warm with too strong a colour in the checks, but maybe that’s more personal. I’ve got one somewhere so I’ll give it a go
This outfit reminds me of what older Turkish men wear. Why do you walk bare headed? Wear a flat cap and you’d complete the picture.
I like flat caps, but I don’t think it would look good with the colours here, H.
Agreed, an olive green turban hat would look better. But a flat cap would complete the picture of an elderly Turkish man.
Hi simon im trying to wear black more but i realise i often only wear khaki pants. If one was wearing khaki pants (rubato dark khaki or armoury army chinos) and a black loafer and belt. What shirt would you wesr?
Probably white, like a white oxford or even a white western shirt. Presumably you’ve seen that in some of the Rubato imagery?
Hi simon i recently saw a pair of black chinos from muji and liked the cut (full leg and high rise and cheap!). However, im not sure if i would wear it very much. I think it may look nice with a blazer(lighter colour or brown) up top but i dont wear jackets in my climate and woukd likely just wear it on its own. Im concerned about shoes. Does it go with dark brown suede/calf?
Hard to say really Shem, sorry, I don’t know the pair and haven’t worn black chinos. I think it would help in terms of shoes to go with them if the chinos were a little faded/washed though
Hi Simon, an avid fan of yours for many years. I wanted to ask for your thoughts on combining colours with a charcoal/dark grey blazer with chinos or denim. It’s a little different to the above topic but similar predicament I am facing. I must share that I am of a golden brown complexion which may influence the colours I tend to go for. Plus I tend to wear denim jeans as well. Grateful for your thoughts!
Sure.
A dark grey is not easy with denim or chinos. I’d try a pale cream/bone chino though, and see if that works for you? Also perhaps, heretically, black denim
Thank you so much Simon! I’ll try pale cream, for sure!
On the subject of wearing black it would be really helpful if you could write a post on Funeral wear. I know that you’ve been reluctant to do so in the past but it is one of the few remaining occasions where it’s expected that a suit is worn. And we all have relatives and friends so will attend a funeral one day. it doesn’t have to be a morbid subject – death is part of life after all. I for one would value your advice on this.
Thanks, it is on the list
Hi Simon
Although several readers make references to eveningwear, I’m curious about your take – how would you wear this jacket if you did want to be more edgy or evening-y, or would you at all? What range of formalities would it cover?
In this material, I don’t think it would cover anything that smart – no smarter tailored event or anything like that. Maybe a cocktail at a bar perhaps but otherwise I’d want a finer material.
I might wear it with a black polo perhaps, and dark grey trousers, or a cream shirt even
The way I would wear something like a black tweed jacket (which I hadn’t considered so far) would be:
Washed light jeans
Darker denim shirt but more of a western style – w merchant fox had one which I think would be appropriate
Black suede loafers or black work boots or black hatchgrain derbies.
The look I would go for is what I imagine “a larger than life Texan who doesn’t care how he dresses and doesn’t care about the contrast between black and light jeans” would look like.
Best,
P
Can you recommend a wool overcoat that is very tailored? I have broad shoulders, a slim waist and 5’9.
I was looking at this coat by Billy Reid.
https://www.billyreid.com/products/boiled-wool-jordan-coat-olive
Hi James,
Nice to hear from you. I would recommend buying any coat you like the look of, and having it slimmed as much as you want by a local alterations tailor. This is an easy job for them to do, it gives you control of how slim you want it, and it means you have a much wider selection of coats to pick from.
The coat you highlight is a nice colour, but it’s a little short and the pockets are a bit like a pea coat, so it’s an unusual mix of designs. I’d also make sure you like the texture of boiled wool – it’s great, but again a little unusual.
Do shout if you have any other questions
Simon
Do you think that textures like camel hair or cashmere can help, in the same way tweed would? I see them occasionally and have thought that some men pull them off quite well.
It depends a bit on the texture of the camelhair or cashmere – some cashmeres are more brushed, less smooth and luxurious – but in general yes, it can help
Hi Simon, following your experiment I’m planning to commission a black double breasted jacket in cashmere, that in reality function more like an overcoat. I want it to be a cool piece that you can wear out in the winter. I also want to make sure people see it more like an overcoat rather than a DB jacket, which avoids the formal connotations. I’m thinking about a discreet central pleat and a belt, plus small patch pockets, but other wise do you have any suggestions on styling, or on if the commission should go ahead at all? Thanks!
Unless you already wear black jackets and/or coats Ben, I would be a little cautious here, particularly as it’s expensive material.
Central pleat makes sense, but I would avoid the belt unless the tailor says it’s something that could easily be taken off later. patch pockets fine, but again if you’re unsure then just go for flaps. The cut of the jacket, it’s thickness, and how you wear it (eg collar up, or with scarf, over a knit etc) are what will make it look more like outerwear
How would you wear the LEJ washed black cotton jacket below? Am I on the right page to assume that it is easier to wear than the other non-washed jacket?
https://lej.london/products/nu-00005-i-wb-cat-posh-plage-coat
Thanks
Yes I’d say so, and I’d wear it like this primarily
Thanks for the suggestion. The outfit seems to have a strong contrast! My initial plan was to pair it with pale blue jeans and a casual cream cotton shirt. How does that sound?
Sounds nice, yes
I’ve seen you write a few times that navy/charcoal is superior to black in many circumstances (business being one)–what would be some examples/situations where black is superior (for a blazer/jacket)?
It would really be about black being something you liked the style of more – perhaps because it is different, or more fashion, or more rock n roll, or less business-y. Not that it would be better in some situations (other than something like black tie)
That makes sense. I was thinking about my preference for black [blazer] with low saturation pastel colors of a shirt, tie, or sweater, but maybe that still comes down to looking less business-y or preppy. It isn’t as if navy looks bad with those.
Would a black polo look good with charcoal grey trousers because you mention dark olive or brown for trousers with black jackets and not charcoal?
They can, but it would be nice with a little colour going on elsewhere, eg perhaps a very dark brown shoe
If I may ask are these points to kept mind for a daytime look only or also for night time look? So basically could a black polo would look good with charcoal grey trousers and black loafers specifically at night?
Night might be a little better for that kind of look, yes
Hi Simon,
I have always heard that black is not a classic color for gentlemen, other than in tuxedos. Black has historically not been a classic color for suits and overcoats. That has been written in many books, said in many podcasts, been written here on PS as well. More classic colors for classic menswear are navy and grey for suits and overcoats. When I look at old photos and movies from 1920, 1930, 1940, I see a lot of black overcoats and suits. I see a lot of black when I look at Downtown abbey as well. 🙂
You should buy what you want and I agree that navy and grey are more versatile and so on…but how is it historically? is it really true what a lot of “menswear” people say nowadays that black is not a classic color for suits and overcoats, it is just a color for modern trendy clothing brands?
It’s a big topic Stefan, but in brief:
– It’s hard to tell from those old films and photographs what the colours are, as they’re black and white. It may well be charcoal
– Black was the standard colour for a lot of clothing before that period, in Victorian times and into the beginning of the 20th century. So it depends how far you want to go back
– Black is still classic for formal wear like tuxedos as a result of that inheritance, and you saw a fair bit of that in Downton
– Those classic colours are often built around the idea of what flatters most and looks subtle sophisticated. That’s not what everyone is aiming for
Hi Simon,
I must have missed this post.
Whilst I agree with practically everthing,
I have a couple of black jackets in different weights particularly a DB flannel
which i find works very well with a light/mid grey flannel trouser.
I have also tried a black suit with a navy shirt which is just about ok and a navy suit
with a black shirt , which if the right texture and the right shade of black can look quite acceptable
Kindest regards
Stephen
Thanks Stephen. Yes I find black and blue tricky, it depends so much on shade and texture.
With the black jacket and grey trousers what colour of shirt do you wear?
I normally wear a black on black shirt or a black and grey stripe which seem to work quite well
Best regards
Stephen
Huh, ok thanks Stephen
“Anything without any colour in it, like a white shirt or grey trousers, creates too stark a contrast”.
1. Where you referring to light grey specifically while mentioning contrast?
2. Would a medium or dark grey trouser not work with black jacket?
1. No, anything without colour in it, like white or grey
2. They can be. With both these things, the outfit will be harder when you have that contrast. You can mitigate it with the colours worn elsewhere, but it’s a harder place to start from
If I might ask then for example if I decide on wearing a black polo by itself with grey trousers then the contrast can be mitigated on its own as more of my arms will be visible. Is that a thing?
Not really no, but the points I made are more related to black jackets, like the point of this article, rather than things like polos