Sports jacket, coat, or blazer? Etc. Help define!

[ledsled]

I've been on this earth long enough to have coats, jackets, and blazers. Is there any link to a site that defines these things? Ditto with the materials they are made of and their construction.

I am doing some work in more of an office/business type of environment than what I have done in the past. I needed to get a sports coat that did not look like I was going to a funeral..... something with more of an academic appearance.

I found a moleskin jacket and have been wearing it everyday since. It's got a bunch of pockets I can put all my stuff in (Palm Pilot, Cell phone, keys), is comfortable, and looks fancy without a wedding/funeral look.

It is quickly becoming apparent that I own ONE jacket for work. In my search for more jackets, I have found them called by all kinds of names: sports coats, blazers, jackets, and coats. This makes it hard searching for the right item more difficult. So, what should they really be called?

Now for the materials. What the heck is "twill"? Exactly what is "linen"? And why is a jacket with "canvas" so expensive when I am used to thinking of canvas as a backdrop for a play? There must be all kinds of wools and other synthetic materials. Is there a place that I can use as a reference for fabric? A balance of comfort and utilitarian would be best for me. Nothing that requires extra care or cleaning.

The construction. Is there a site that has some explanatory illustrations on the parts of jackets? I can guess at some of the descriptions of what I am looking at, but it would be nice to confirm my guesses.

What is a "gabardine" suit? The moment I read that word in a description I could hear Paul Simon's voice singing: "the man in the gabardine suit is a spy... his bowtie is really a camera..."

 

[Matthew Dalton]

I'm not particularly knowledgeable about this stuff myself, but I'll have a shot at answering some of your questions, I'm sure other members will chime in to correct and/or add to what I've said.

I believe a Sport Coat is like a Suit Coat, only it is made to fit more loosely, less restriction for hunting and outdoor activities.

A blazer is similar to a suit jacket only with patch pockets with no flaps and metal buttons. They tend to be made of more durable kinds of fabric for sports and are often used as part of school uniforms and such.

Twill is a type of fabric with diagonal parallel ribs. Harris Tweed and Gabardine would be kinds of twill.

This site didn't seem too bad for fabrics information.

Linen is fabric made from the flax plant. Good for warm weather as I believe it breathes well and wicks moisture admirably.

 

[Tomasso]

The difference between a sport jacket/coat and a blazer; a blazer is of a solid color with metal buttons. These links should be informative.

Fabric

Construction

 

[Matt Deckard]

A blazer is a sport jacket. They were called blazers because the school or club tradtion was to put their colors in stripes on the jackets... they stood out like a sore thumb and you knew with who they were joined. Nowadays Blazers are just solid blue and paired with white off white and grey trousers. Quite boring in my opinion... the brass buttons help.

The sport jacket is a more casual jacket that spawned from the sport suit which was meant for more active outdoor wear. Many are made of heavier wools or tweeds, in summer it can be the odd linen or silk jacket, though it historically is the orphaned jacket from a suit which nowadays is just sold as the jacket alone. No other cut from the suit jacket unless the company making it is doing so for an odd purpose. It's just a jacket without matching trousers.

Both the blazer and sport jacket are in reality suit jackets... just today they are jackets with more flare than and sold as seperates which is what makes them different from the suits of yesteryear

 

[resortes805]

Gabardine is a smooth, tightly woven fabric usually wool, but sometimes rayon. It's the greatest stuff on earth.

 

[Tomasso]

That's Just One Of The Stories About The Genesis Of The Blazer.

They were called blazers because the school or club tradtion was to put their colors in stripes on the jackets... they stood out like a sore thumb and you knew with who they were joined.

Here's more

 

[ledsled]

thanks

Thanks for the info.