The London Lounge

They are seen mostly on sport jackets.

Are ticket pockets appropriate for solid navy or grey business suits? It does add some interest to a jacket, especially when the cloth is plain coloured.

Dear Kolecho,

The appropriateness of ticket pockets for city suits was debated with great vigour (and a certain amount of unpleasantness) on one of the other fora some time ago.

Strictly speaking, if one adheres to the classical conventions of dress, the answer to your question is No.

Ticket Pockets properly belong only on country clothing.

I believe Mr. Alden will be able to explain this better.

To my eyes, they are least appropriate for solid navy or grey business suits. Ticket pockets appear to introduce inappropriate informality.

Strictly speaking, a solecism. But to my eye can look good on suits, especially if not DB or hard-finished striped fabric.

A 3-button birdseye, barleycorn, or very muted POW check might look very nice with a ticket pocket.

Well, as with most details that have a sporting origin, theoretically a no-no, but in fact part of the repertoire that allows you to tone down or up formality and add interest to a suit. Similar to turnups. Even in the 30s AA illustrations show a number of very formal suits and even a stroller sporting a ticket pocket.

On the occasion when you meet anybody who still recalls that such a choice is a bit risque you should rejoice and open a bottle of champagne. Likeley to be a tailor or LL member (or both).

I personally got used to keeping my change in the ticket pocket rather than the wallet, and miss it on the jackets that do not have it.

There is a certain logic in using them for business wear, as it is this context in which they are most useful, if you are actually taking a train and use it for tickets, eg.

I feel that they look nicest on three-button suits, with reasonably busy fabrics. I agree with Concordia that PoW checks, birdseye checks, even fairly closely spaced pin- or chalkstripes work nicely. But on solid colours, it breaks up the symmetry too much for my taste. This is precisely why, of course, it works so well with country fabrics.

I saw a very handsome dark suit worn by (WWII-era cabinet minister) Samuel Hoare, with three jetted pockets (ie no flaps), and that looked quite pleasant with plain fabric. But that's really just about the only time I've liked it.