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A "Suitable" stopgap? Pic heavy K/R including Tuxedo separates

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Hello, my name is Suz and I don't have enough toppers!

Background: At the moment, apart from my kimono jacket, I don't own a single black topper. I retired my vintage Hobbs crepe 3 button jacket so I am out!

(Actually, apart from two leather jackets and my recent blue jacquard blazer purchase from Zara, I have no F/W jackets. So that is where I am starting from -- and I am a person for whom jackets are the backbone of the closet.)

Here for consideration, two items -- The Banana Republic Monogram Tuxedo jacket, and the BR Martin plaid trousers also so beautifully modelled by Ceit, Sveta, Marianna, and others.

First, the pants. They are rolled up here and possibly not the right length since I didn't bother to pin. Please ignore that. Also, if the fit is judged poor, they go back -- there is no sizing up. (There are none in the bigger size and it does not fit anyway -- I tried it in the store.) Note: Mr. Suz fell in love with these.

Next, the jacket with pants, for a sort of unmatched "suit." Would this be do-able? Or is it just dumb?

Pic 5 shows the jacket done up. I would never wear it that way, but there it is.

Pics 9-12 styled with my baggy/ slightly slouchy tapered wool trousers. The blacks are not identical but they are close, and the weight of the fabric is very similar. So I think they could work together? As a sort of "le smoking" a la Angie's dressy separates blog post today?

Pics 13-15 styled a few possible ways, or at least half-styled.

Fit concern: the sleeves are just a touch too long. I don't know why since they were not too long on a version I tried on in the store on the weekend. But there it is. I would usually wear them scrunched. But it's a bit annoying. An alteration probably isn't possible or worth it because the buttons are too close together and the sleeve is only a teeny weeny touch too long.

Also, I always worry that this length of jacket cuts me in half and makes my legs look even shorter than they are.

Would love your thoughts.

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Dressing

37 replies

Latest reply was from Rachel

Anonymous

I like both. I vote keep.

Anonymous

Yes to both from me! Wow, I need to check out that tuxedo jacket.

pil

Veteran

Could you try another jacket from the store on the off chance that the sleeves are shorter? Or does that involve more mail order?

I don't understand proportions enough to comment on that aspect, but the jacket looks really nice to me. Does the dark color disguise the tuxedo detail? Maybe I'm completely missing something, but the other suit went back because it was too traditional. Isn't this somewhat of a traditional cut too?

Those Martins are outstanding!

Marmee

Veteran

I think they both look great! The jacket length looks good to me, but now you have me wondering if Angie has written about that (like pants length). She did write about jackets over dresses here http://youlookfab.com/2010/10/.....r-dresses/ and I think your jacket/dress combination looks similar.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

The pants are perfect. The jacket I have seen IRL so I don't even bother with pictures here - you know I liked it if you are after a fitted style in tux.

Maybe you should try to get another blazer in case sleeve cut is different?
BTW, did you get them with discount?

sarah

Veteran

I think the jacket looks great and I like the proportion, especially with the pants. I wear jackets with non-matching pants all the time, so I don't think it's dumb!

Regarding the pants - will you humor me and measure the opening circumference (or half of it, i.e., when the pant legs are laying flat, what is the distance across the bottom of the leg)?

I'm curious about whether I think you might want to narrow them a touch. But I want to compare to some pants I have.

KeepTheKey

(website)

I love, love, LOVE the jacket, especially the way you've styled it in 15! It doesn't cut you in half, as long as you leave it open. As for the pants, I was initially hesitant with the first three photos. It's definitely not a fit issue, because these look great on your figure. After seeing them with a topper, I like them a lot more. Maybe it's just my maximal style getting in the way, but I think just the pants and a white button front are a bit too plain.

ETA: Oof! I forgot to add my 2 cents about the "suit"! I think the pants and jacket look great together.

Hope that was helpful

JAileen

Veteran

I'm sorry but I think the plaid pants look too tight in the leg and across your rear. I like the pants, though. I think pants like that with a dark jacket is a great look. I can 't tell with the dark pants because I can 't see them very well on my ipad.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Pil - yes, to exchange would involve mail order. Or maybe not. I'm going back to the city in two weeks and could bring it with me on the off chance there'd be another in my size.

The tuxedo detail in this case is a satin lapel. It doesn't have the traditional shawl collar (which I love) but has a peaked lapel and notched collar (which I also love). This jacket is longer than the navy suit jacket, with a slightly lower stance. Tough to see these details, I know.

Anyway, I think you are right -- the fitted waist makes the jacket a bit on the traditional side. But perhaps not as much as the suit jacket.

Thanks for the link, Marmee!

catgirl

Veteran

I am a huge yes, and I can't understand your short-leg comments at all! I do not see and have never seen evidence of it. Truly.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

ETA -- JAileen - thank you -- this is what I wonder, too. Mr. Suz didn't think so, but what does he know? They don't feel too snug, but you know....

Thanks KTK. I wouldn't wear them with just the shirt like that (probably) -- but I wanted to show the fit.

Sarah, will be happy to measure. They are bunching at the bottom now because they aren't hemmed, but turned up. They would drape better when hemmed. They're a straight leg -- not tapered.

Sveta, got a discount on the pants, not the jacket. Decided to order it to play in the closet since I am going back to the city within the return window anyway.

sarah

Veteran

I'm thinking about whether you might want them just a titch narrower, like these.

Here's my post about making them narrower.

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Sarah, thank you! These ones are not quite 8 inches per side on the bottom. Off to read your post.

Nicole D

Veteran

I really really like the pants on you - just fab! Jacket seems to fit great, maybe a ta long in sleeve but otherwise great - always hard to appreciate the detail and texture of black but I love the fit and ill take Sveta's word for it being fab IRL. Don't love with the slouchy trousers though.

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I LOVE them both and especially worn together with the white shirt. It is all kinds of equestrian, masculine, heritage goodness.

AviaMariah

Veteran

The fit looks great on both of these to me. Someone said something about the jacket maybe being too conservative for what you're looking for but my opinion the tux details makes it more of a classic and easy to dress up or down.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Yum! for the pants. Double Yum for the jacket. That jacket is a terrific balance of masculine and feminine, modern and classic.

amiable

Veteran

Love them! Yes!

Diana

Veteran

I like both but wonder if the jacket is still too conservative for you. Because that's why you returned the other BR suit jacket, right? And I don't see a whole lot of difference between the two to be honest. Maybe I just can't see the tuxedo details well enough but I wonder if something with a more dramatic collar or even a style with tails might be more fun for you. (It is kind of ironic that I am saying this actually because I was considering trying this jacket and Angie said it wasn't conservative enough for what I wanted, i.e. a perfectly matched interview suit).

Oh, and thanks for mentioning that it's actually longer than the other BR blazer. I can stop wondering about it for me now (since the BR blazer is about as long as I can go.)

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I really like the pants, though it is hard to tell about the fit without them being pinned. The jacket looks like it fits really well I think it works all the bottoms.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

What Julie said.

Parsley

Veteran

I think those pants fit you like a dream, Suz!
What a difference from the Theory ones that were just off. I don't think they look too tight at all. They are a big KEEP in my book! Narrowing the leg a little is a possibility, but that's just fine tuning.

The jacket looks good, too, but it's harder to tell if it's THE black jacket for you. I do fully support having a tux style jacket, though. You'll find it incredibly versatile.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Suz, I have tapered my trousers by 1" and like them much better this way. Your size must be narrower than mine though. Before I tapered them they really puzzled me for PPL - and now it is much easier!
I could not help but compare this tux with my BR tux from last year. Mine is definitely not as fitted and has some "swagger" to it which I really like. This is why I told Suz in the store that this tux fits her well if she is after a fitted model...for myself I prefer mine
And if wearing un-matched trousers and jacket is dumb I am the dumbest person ever because I do it ALL THE TIME!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

You could never be dumb, Sveta. I know it's okay in theory, but does it give anything of the flavour of a suit, is the question. And I don't really know what I think about that.

I love the way your tux jacket looks on you. But for me, the less structured BF style can be really risky. A long jacket that isn't a bit fitted really can overwhelm my shorter frame and make my legs look super short. It only really works with a column of colour (like with my fuchsia suit, where the jacket is pretty boxy when left open.)

I think the bottom width of these pants probably goes up with the size. Which doesn't mean I shouldn't taper. I will do an ask Angie perhaps.

Shirley

Black jacket and plaid pants look good on you. Not sure about the black pants. I actually like the length of the jacket. I found a longer length jacket look better with pants.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I should clarify -- the black pants are already mine and they are intentionally a baggy, slightly slouchy pant. Not everyone's cup of tea, I know, but I love them.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Your hair looks blonder, Suz. I love it.

The jacket is a slam dunk no-brainer. It's a 20 out of 10 from what I can make out on the photos.

I vote taper the checked pants a little, shorten, and add a wide black belt. Good stuff.

Joy

Veteran

I vote to keep both. They look fab on you in all your stylings. I have a matching set of tuxedo pants and jacket and still break them up with other black pieces to be more suit-like, less tuxedo, sometimes.

lynn

Veteran

I love both! Of course, I always love everything you put on so I might be untrustworthy. I'm also not sure exactly what you were looking for in a jacket but it looks really good. The pants look fantastic on you so I vote yes for both.

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