SOS: Please talk me off of the Smythe cliff. OMG - YouLookFab Forum

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SOS: Please talk me off of the Smythe cliff. OMG

Beth

Veteran

I blame this on Angie. I can't blame it on myself, clearly. Right?

Any of you who know me know that I can't seem to hide from my preppy inner girl. I've tried, really tried, but it just seems impossible to flee. I'm coming to terms with it. One of the clear signs is my deep and abiding love of a fabulous blazer.

(Which means I bought the NAS Smythe blazer that was an Angie pick, and not surprisingly it is amazing. It's the most expensive piece of clothing I've ever bought apart from boots, but I'm hopping up and down waiting for the weather to cool off. Its happiness factor is off the charts.)

SO. Here we are. One indispensable wardrobe item for anyone with a single preppy gene is the navy blazer. I've looked high and low for the right one. Something that's stylish but with longevity, well-made, and versatile. It's been a surprisingly tough hunt. But WAIT. I see today that this Smythe blazer is available. It is on sale, and I have a gift card. I can't (and won't) buy it full-price, but I could get it for around $350.

Tell me that I have gone mad, that buying not one two TWO very expensive blazers in a month is nuts, and that I can find something perfectly fine that is not so outrageous. Or that it will look awful, and is made for long-waisted figures, that the back cut-out is bizarre, that eating macaroni and cheese for a month is not worth it...

Saks Fifth Avenue

SMYTHE One-Button Blazer

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2

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29 replies

Latest reply was from April

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

That is an amazing jacket, full stop. I think an interesting navy blazer can elevate any outfit, eg my navy Isabel Marant blazer.
If you can get it for $350, I'd say yes.

Lyn D.

Veteran

I think you have to look past the $ spent and recent purchases if you find a great HEWI jacket.
If it is PPP then you won't regret this beauty in the long run!

unfrumped

Veteran

I think you will like macaroni and cheese.

To me, if is something that is very fab-useful in your wardrobe (fits, you love it, it goes with lots of things, creates great outfits), and assuming everyone has budgets, it's the math.. Are you or have you been buying other items that add up to the blazer but are not as useful, and can you stop (for a blazer's worth) ? I have to be careful about keeping my deals with myself (I'll get this instead of those 3 things), but overall that is what I'm learning--stop frittering away and focus on pieces that make a difference. "Quality" is part of it, maybe even a big part, but making a difference might also be the perfect color, or a new style direction, or a sweater that just goes with everything and makes life easier. Whereas, there have been items I've bought that are just "more of the same", or some kind of, this is probably the best I can do, and I'm learning that is not true. Sometimes the item is more expensive because of its fab quality, and sometimes it's more expensive because it's not on sale but is just the right thing and better than 3 on-sale items (this also assumes not everything will still be available or useful by the time it goes on sale).

Anonymous

Sorry - I can't be of help. As a proud Canadian, I LOVE Smythe jackets. Fit and cut can be tricky, but if it fits you ...:)

rachylou

Veteran

$350 is right on the money, if you ask me, for a nice blazer. I would do it, esp. since it regularly costs more.

But what was the other one you got? Was it also a navy blazer? We're not talking two of the exact same blazer are we? In which case, I would not do it.

Style Fan

Veteran

I love it! I think if you love it and you can afford it then buy it. I have never regretted buying major investment pieces. I still wear my 10 year old Burberry Trench, my 8 year old Hugo Boss blazer (I adore it as much as I did the day I bought it).........

carter

Veteran

Gorgeous blazer! $350 really doesn't sound like too much for a nice blazer. Hooray for finding two fabulous pieces in the same month!

gryffin

Veteran

Beth - I bought 3 Helmut Lang blazers this year so I feel your pain. Major bucks too, but they absolutely up the style quotient of everything I wear and they just feel divine on. I so agree with Unfrumped, don't fritter the cash. One or two exquisite right pieces that are can be workhorses are better than anything lesser. If you have the bucks to spend, that is a very good price, even if you have to syc for several months, it sounds like a great investment. Good luck!!

Style Fan

Veteran

I am now going to look up Smythe blazers to see if I can find one for myself.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

How would you feel if you let this one go? Another buy from me, assuming it fits well.

deb

Veteran

I really love this. Is it returnable if it does not fit right?

DonnaF

Veteran

Only if promise not to *save* your expensive blazers for the *right* occasion and will actually WEAR them!

ironkurtin

Veteran

Do you really want to be talked out of it, or do you want to be enabled? I ask in all seriousness.

HJ

If you can get it for that price do it. I own that Smythe blazer and LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I actually found the back cut-out to be extremely flattering and I am far from long-waisted

Anonymous

Question: where did you find it for $350? That's almost half price from what we would pay here.....which is quite the difference. I see it at $600+ or maybe I'm looking at the wrong one.

RB

Sorry, but I'm another who loves it.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

After prep school, I was off navy blazers for quite awhile because we were required to dress for dinner. And if I didn't wear a skirt it had to be the trusty navy blazer. That was back in the day when I fancied myself a surf-punk.

I agree now they are an essential item, but it's hard to find ones that are both classic and also interesting. This seems to tick both boxes. I'm not sure how tall you are, but this one seems suited for taller persons from its look.

Gaylene

Veteran

Well, this may, or may not, talk you out of this blazer depending on how you feel about being wardrobe twins with the Duchess of Cambridge. The duchess seems to like her blazer quite a bit since she is frequently photographed wearing it.

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

I can't talk you out of it. I am the one who bought two amazing expensive blazers in ONE DAY at the Boston meetup. Yes, one was on sale -- but even so. The Reiss I bought was the most expensive clothing item I'd ever purchased. And I followed up by a sale Elie Tahari that was almost as bad.

I love that blazer. If it fits you and you love it, go for it. You won't regret it.

Belmonte Dark Navy Tuxedo Jacket

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16

Elie Tahari 'Kristina' Jacket

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9

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

OMG, look at its back! It is gorgeous!
OK, for $350 it is a steal,seriously. Just get it and then hop on fashion dieting wagon for the rest of the year.

catgirl

Veteran

Well, yes, you should get it. It's PERFECT. Just read the reviews, though - runs 2 sizes small for Smythe, cut for a small busted hourglass, etc. Smythe will never work for my body type. But if it's yours, by all means (or buy all means!).

Beth

Veteran

Well. With that kind of response, I squeezed my eyes shut and jumped right off the dang cliff. And not a minute too soon as my size sold out less than an hour later.

IK, you brought up a really good point, and a wise one. My bank account would heave a great sigh of relief if you all said this was the worst blazer ever. I'd already promised myself to SYC for the rest of the fall. On the other hand, this is a huge wardrobe hole for me, a piece that for some reason has been really hard to find, and an item that I would wear so often that the cost per wear would be quite low. So, grit my teeth and buy it now, or let it go and later spend endless time looking for something similar?

Gaylene, I'm a great fan of the DoC and have loved this blazer on her, so I don't mind being wardrobe twins. It remains to be see how this fits on me, since my torso is probably half as long as hers.

Lisap, there is a code at Saks that took $100 off and then I used a $150 GC. So, it's not truly half price, but the GC made a big difference.

Una, I thought Smythe was out for me too, but the blazer from NAS fits very well, albeit 2 sizes up. I was surprised, given the fit issues with my shoulders/bust/short waist combo.

Mmmm. Anybody want some mac and cheese?

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Yay!

Beth

Veteran

LOL, Sveta! May I offer you a fork?

Gigi

Veteran

I love mac and cheese.

I'm glad you got it. If this is a huge wardrobe hole, then you need to try. Smythe is supposed to be such great quality!

viva

Veteran

Please post a pic when it arrives! I bought a fab navy blazer at the Boston meetup -- major investment -- and I have not regretted it. It filled a wardrobe hole and I feel amazing in it.

April

Veteran

I actually love the back cutout! Since it does make the blazer more distinctive and therefore more memorable, I need to ask how you feel about wearing a memorable piece often? Some people have no trouble adopting a signature piece that they spend for and wear often (the French approach); others find themselves reluctant to repeat so often (the American approach), so the CPW never comes down much.

I would consider this factor.

Also, you could split the difference and allow yourself one expensive blazer but not two -- toe-in-the-water approach -- as you figure out if these items truly make sense for you.

I do adore the one pictured here. Photos of you in it would be fabulous!

Beth

Veteran

I'll definitely post pictures when it gets here! On a side note, I'd never ordered from Saks before, but am impressed. I received a shipment notice 90 minutes after the order was confirmed, and it'll be here tomorrow.

April, you touched on a mindset that I've really done an about-face on in the last few years. It used to be that I avoided distinctive clothing in an effort to have a more versatile wardrobe. Then I realized that my closet was so "versatile" it was 100% forgettable! I'm OK with more memorable pieces now, and since my goal is to stick to high happiness items, I'm fine wearing them more often.

And I'm definitely considering splitting the difference and keeping only one. But we'll see.

April

Veteran

And P.S. -- you should totally blame Angie.