Guy Friday: Outerwear
What’s the one thing you wear every day and don’t consider often enough? Your jacket.
Too many people put too little thought into jackets and coats. Unless you live in a place where it is always warm, you should have a jacket for every season and every occasion. Outerwear is the first thing people will see; why own just one?
If you want bad service at an upscale restaurant, wear your Patagonia. I know it keeps you dry or warm or has a handy loop for your fishing license. But it is not a stylish garment. It distracts from anything cool you might be wearing. These jackets are best left for Desolation Wilderness or picking up a pizza during a monsoon, not a Fischerspooner show at the Fillmore (true story).
There are a lot of cool jackets out there. James Dean’s sleek red windbreaker is one iconic look worth copying, weather permitting. There are a lot of good vintage looks, but I’m growing skeptical of resale shops — at this point all the good stuff from the 1960s and ’70s has been sold, worn and sold again. The stuff is either worn out or embedded with someone’s b.o.
Once the weather turns chilly, a pea coat is a classic pick (see pic above). They work on most body types, and seriously — what do you have against navy blue (or the twist-on-a-classic black)? Nothing, I hope. Pea coats can be casual to kind-of dressy, great for everyday or dates.
Leather jackets are perfect for windy, blustery San Francisco. I’m not a big fan of the bomber jacket because I think they’re a bit tired and the elastic at the waist adds pounds around the middle. I prefer the slim shape of the faux motorcross style jackets or simple plain-front models. Some leathers have Thinsulate or other thermal lining. If you’re shopping for a raincoat you may find them too unsubstantial without such a lining unless you’re really into sweaters.
I’ve never met a shearling coat that I liked. I’m not sure exactly what but there is something unchic and lumpy about shearling. It’s a look that seems to endure in men’s outwear, so prove me wrong if you can.
I know I say this a lot, but don’t be cheap with something you’re going to wear every day. A good leather jacket will last for years and you can have it refurbished (re-dyed in light spots, new buttons sewn on, etc.) for about $50. A nice raincoat is practicaland chic. I have had some of my jackets and coats for years, bringing their price per wear (or price per season) down to nothing.
UPDATE: Next week’s Guy Friday will be all about raincoats. Thanks for dialing the request line, Ted.
So what is the way to go for a stylish and warm rain-proof coat. Let say for global polical reasons Burberry quilted jacket is not feasible. Is my only option a good umbrella and a decent winter coat?
Back east a warm coat would suffice as the snow wouldn’t stick. But in wetter winter areas, a stylish rain coat is hard to find. Does anyone make a men’s outer coat with a nice zip in liner that isn’t $1,000?
I like the advice on price — maybe there’s a back of the napkin calculation that brings in your yearly clothes budget, item cost, and days of use per year. Is that too geeky?
One other thing that’s on my mind of late, and might be an interesting opportunity — shopping for men’s fashion is a pain in the arse.
Retail fashion (online and off) is squarely aimed at women, and most stores only stock a small selection of men’s items (popular sizes disappear quick). After exhausting myself around Portland (smaller market, but not exactly backwoods), I’ve resorted to asking friends about their favorite online fashion retailers.
So a collection of good online resources for all types of men’s clothing would be great. (Most online retailers include free return envelopes, so it’s pretty painless, even if you order the wrong size.)
Also, fashion is seasonal. It’s not like DVDs where new stuff comes out every week. I think a seasonal guide of what and when to buy would be cool, so guys know when the best times are to shop for items like the winter coat.
Anything that would increase our chances of having a successful shopping experience would be most welcome.
For me, the best brands for sporty, casual outerwear are APC (a French company and you can order online at http://www.apc.fr). Filippa K (Swedish brand) and Diesel. For beautiful coats: Hugo Boss, Agnes b., Faconnable, Dolce e Gabbana, Dior, Jil Sander, Armani.
All men look manly in a classic, unfussy peacoat. My husband has a 1950’s melton wool Navy-issue peacoat, and I go crazy when I see him in it.
[...] I don’t know where you live but San Francisco has had a couple of gullywashers in recent weeks. As promised, here are some stylish raincoat options to keep the menfolk dry. [...]