LLBR09 RAF PoW as a Blazer Suit?

[droy3]

Hello,

I was wondering what people thought of using this really nice fabric in a blazer suit (2 patch pockets and a upper welt pocket). Initially, I was thinking of a DB. However, I took a position with a company yesterday where the dress code is business casual, and my client base will also be casual. My fear is that if I go a little fancier in terms of construction I'll rarely have the opportunity to wear this suit, and that as a blazer suit at least I can combine it with either cotton/linen pants occasionally to make it more casual and also to wear it as a jacket for travel. So my question is, is a blazer suit in this fabric appropriate?

Thanks for your thoughts and for all of the great information I've been privileged to since joining LL.

Cheers,

Doug

[rogiercreemers]

I have a length of this fabric waiting to be made up, and this is essentially what I'll be doing with it as well. I find patch pockets to go together quite appropriately with non-lined coats, and the fabric lends itself quite well to less formal styling. It would look great double-breasted as well, but I'm not sure to what extent it would then work as an odd coat.

[Concordia]

I think there's a photo somewhere of Michael wearing one of these POWs as an odd jacket.

[Costi]

Go for it, Doug - flapped or patch pockets, as you prefer. The colour is sober enough, while the pattern and cut will lend it casualness. Mix the coat or the trousers with other things freely, they lend themselves perfectly. And it IS ideal for travel, for its versatility, ability to mix and hold shape without creasing much.

[droy3]

Excellent. Thanks to everyone for their advise. I'm going to go with patch lower pockets, 3 roll 2, maybe 1/4 or 1/2 lined but I'll have to discuss that with my tailor, and single pleat and belt loops on the pants.

Cheers,

Doug

[Costi]

Doug, to take best advantage of this wonderful cloth (that breathes so well) I would only line the sleeves and shoulder blades, put self-cloth facings to the fronts and leave the trousers completely unlined. You might increase the "breeziness" of the trousers by going for a full cut, double pleats and just a couple of side adjusters in case you lose a little weight - what's the use of the belt when the trousers are bespoke and they can stay up with no outside help? 3 roll 2 sounds very good.

[droy3]

Thanks Costi!

[rodes]

droy3, It seems to me that your plan is a good one. I actually have this cloth, or better said enough of it for a pair of odd trousers. My original intention was to commission the trousers to wear with a SB, dark blue, summer blazer. Although I still plan to do this, having the cloth in my hand made me wish that I had ordered more of it. You cannot go wrong with a suit. Although I really like the DB suit, and find myself wearing them more and more often, my preference would be for the SB here.

[droy3]

I have to agree with you on this one. After a longer look at the fabric it just seems a SB makes sense...not sure why but it'll stick this time. Can't wait to get started on this one! I was going to wait on this fabric and get some charcoal Lesser made up first, but I'm going to change the order. I do like PoW's in general, but in RAF it really is a compelling fabric.