Jackets and Comfort - YouLookFab Forum

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Jackets and Comfort

Thistle

Veteran

For all of you who regularly wear jackets to work - is there a secret to making them comfortable? I love the polish a jacket adds, but even unlined ponte knit ones are uncomfortable by the end of the day.

Perhaps you simply hang them once you get to your office and only wear them in and out of the office?

Or perhaps I am doing something wrong? I simply stopped buying them despite how much I like the look of them as I would never choose them knowing they are not comfortable for me.

Dressing

25 replies

Latest reply was from

Parsley

Veteran

Hmm, Thistle. My first inclination is that if your jackets are really uncomfortable they may not fit well. On the other hand, there's comfort, and then there's comfort...
What I mean is, I don't think you can expect a jacket to feel like pajamas or a baggy t-shirt, either. When you're wearing a jacket you can expect to feel "dressed".
But if they're truly uncomfortable and digging into you, then maybe you need a different size or fit.

jackiec

Veteran

You know, I'm kind of in the same boat as you. I have a hole in my closet for jackets/blazers b/c I just find that I don't like wearing them. However, sometimes a dress or outfit needs that polish, as you mention. I will purchase one now and again, and just find that I don't reach for it. So, sorry I'm not much help. Also I'm a SAHM so don't really have that polished lifestyle, but I totally get what you mean. Hopefully others will have some insight.

Thistle

Veteran

Maybe it is fit, but the jacket seems to fit fine when purchased. If I sized up, I feel like it would look sloppy and lose its purpose.

Perhaps I do want my clothes too comfortable.

rute

Veteran

I find jackets very comfy, I wear all day long as my office is cold, even in the summer.
I have some of these knit blasers and find the so comfy:

http://www.massimodutti.com/we.....38;catalog

Jules

Veteran

I do tend to take them on and off, because I do get warm sometimes. And they can feel a bit stiff against an office chair I suppose. I just put back on my white denim jacket to see how I feel, and have realized it is slightly too tight in the arms and upper back. It may not have been when I bought it, or I may not have noticed (this is a new fit problem for me as my body changes weight distribution with age). I'd need to do more pre tag cutting comfort tests to avoid this in the future. But I suppose I don't have the expectation that jackets will be perfectly comfortable.

unfrumped

Veteran

Do you feel the same way about cardigans? If not, if they feel fine, it may be you are after a high comfort level.
I find sweaters very comfortable, jackets less so, and I did notice a substantial increase in comfort when I first forayed into knit blazers. I feel I can forget they're on. But 2 of mine are unlined and ruched sleeved so give a less "high end" look, and another is lined but styled more casually. So I've started keeping an eye out for more upscale knit blazers. Also I think they have the potential to have a more "delicate" shoulder fit, which is actually good for me,as my shoulders are small but kind of squared off, so a structured but not too sharp look is enough.

With structured woven, lined blazers, Ifind it hard to get the right armhole fit. Cut too high and it looks good, well-fitted, but is not comfortable and hard to wear over anything with sleeves. Cut lower and looks too big through chest, and boxy. So that's kind of a HEWI.

Being very cold-natured may help--I always need something. Not enough to forego decent comfort, but comfort requires warmth.

Thistle

Veteran

Unfrumped - I do find cardigans comfortable and have no problem wearing them all day. So perhaps I just have a higher expectation for comfort!

Now that you mention it, my one sweater jacket was a workhorse because it was comfortable and I was willing to wear it throughout the cold months.

Perhaps I shall have to keep an eye out for more of these.

Alassë

Veteran

I think Unfrumped's got you sorted, Thistle. I also dislike wearing woven blazers (lined & unlined), but have no problem wearing cardigans or knit blazers/sweater jackets. I've come to realize it's a quirk I have to take into account, or I'll end up with closet orphans.

Jules

Veteran

My jackets are more about going to and from work and wearing outside at lunch, etc. These are actually fashion opportunities for me because I work in a casual office with very low fashion sense, but am located in the downtown business district where some nicer looks are on display. As a working mom, I enjoy my breaks as me time for shopping, walking, etc, and dressing well has become part of that.
I know you have a requirement to dress professionally, but if I was driving to a factory and simply working hard all day, as I believe you are, comfort would definitely be a high priority! All the more so when pregnant

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I've never found woven blazers comfortable, no matter how well they seemed to fit. I've found some that were perfectly tolerable for a work day, but never anything that I'd reach for in preference for a cardigan strictly on a comfort basis. I think it's the whole sizing conundrum, again, especially for those of us that are on the plus size end - anything that's got enough ease to give you full range of motion is going to look a bit baggy and oversized when you stand still and look in the mirror. That works for a jean jacket or outerwear jacket, but not for a work-appropriate blazer. So then we size down a size and find that shoulders and arms and back are a bit constrained, but it looks great in an outfit!

Knit jackets are a lot more comfortable to me, which is why when all the ponte blazers started coming out in the last couple years I have bought an embarrassing number of them. First were the unlined sweatshirt material ones from Target and recently I've upgraded with lined ones from Chico's, H&M, and JC Penney. I really really hope they don't completely go out of style, because they've become some of my workhorses.

If even unlined ponte is uncomfortable, I think there's gotta be something going wrong with the fit/sizing.

ironkurtin

Veteran

I know what you mean. I suggest soft blazers. Broken record time! - Eileen Fisher often has beautiful ones.

Thistle

Veteran

I really need to get myself down to Chicago and check out Eileen Fisher. No stores in Wisconsin carry her

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Which sweater jacket is that, Thistle?

I'm extremely comfy in jackets. But I usually wear them open, and on the fluid side of tailored or fluid. I have few form fitting jackets. No knits.

deb

Veteran

I wear mint all day and am very comfortable. Where is yours uncomfortable? across the shoulders? Moving your arms?

Thistle

Veteran

The sweater jacket I have is basic black. It is truly a sweather than has been shaped to look like a jacket. I can only wear it on the coldest of days, which meant from November-March this year!

The part that is uncomfortable is my back, actually. I assume from having my hands on the keyboard for a big chunk of the day.

Jorja

Not sure where you live in Wisconsin but Macy's at the Mayfair mall in Wauwatosa( basically Milwaukee) carries Eileen Fisher.

rachylou

Veteran

The knit blazer? The sweater blazer? Have these been covered already?

I'm curious as to what exactly you mean by uncomfortable? Like maybe you're not warm enough (always my problem) or you're finding them binding in a certain place...

cinnamon fern

Veteran

Do you mean that the jackets feel too tight across the upper back? That does sound like the jacket is just too small, or fits wrong around the armpit.

I do have one jacket that feels too tight there if I'm sitting and slouching. I take that as a reminder to lengthen the spine, as my yoga teacher would say.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Ponte can vary in stretchiness level too - it's not super stretchy in the first place. I think this might help since you mentioned having a sweater jacket, Thistle, that is very comfy. I've got one too and it does have more give than my ponte jackets do in general. I just received this jacket from Talbots, and it's nice and stretchy, although I don't know if the denim-look would work for your office. It's on sale, anyway
http://www.talbots.com/online/.....ootCategor

deb

Veteran

Laura, thanks for the Talbot's jacket link. I wand a casual house jacket so I just ordered it.

Beth Ann

Veteran

I hear you, Thistle! I'm most fond of unlined ponte, with a weighty enough fabric to give structure without lining.

I've learned that some folks are broader in the back ribs than the front, or vice versa (I'm broad in both regions --- singer ribs). A bra fitter mentioned this. I wonder if you need a bit more space in the center back, or in the back of the armhole.

AviaMariah

Veteran

I was just thinking this morning that I think I'm going to have to stop buying jackets. I always reach past them for a cardigan. I like the look of a jacket better but you just can't beat the comfort of a cardigan. So I think it's just being realistic about what comfort level you expect. Also, I think jackets are more uncomfortable sitting in a chair all day than walking/moving around. So if you have a sit down job that may play a part. Also if you have a little one at home a cardigan is usually easier to launder than a jacket.

Suja

Veteran

In my experience, jackets are just less comfortable than cardigans. They very nature of adding structure means they have less give. I personally am fine with the constrictive feel of a jacket on most days but when I want to be really comfortable, I reach for a cardigan.

A newer style knit jacket might be the best of both worlds.

kkards

Veteran

i think jackets (like dresses) exist in 2 kinds of comfort zones, physical comfort and psychological. you may not be a "jacket person" because you find them outside of your psychological comfort zone.

Anonymous

I'm just the opposite of you as I need to fight with cardigans all day, especially those with higher necklines. I feel more comfortable in jackets that stay put. In warm weather I find those without linings are my favorites. You might try jackets without linings to see if they are more comfortable. They would resemble sweater jackets in this respect.