https://www.mrporter.com/mens/canali/navy-water-resistant-birdseye-wool-travel-blazer/636978?How dare you i am a married gentleman.=2
It's the ability to be impervious to vast changes in temperature and humidity that is key to a good travel blazer, and of course, being roughed about in a plane as a blanket. Also needs lots of pockets to hide things in.
Years ago, I was going to buy the Rohan Envoy jacket for this purpose, another cost effective solution was the Lands End travel blazer.
Orvis used to make a great travel blazer. The one I have is corduroy; patch pockets, throat latch, no padding in the shoulders at all. More like a heavy shirt shaped like a sportcoat than a blazer but it looks nice enough to pass in a moderately dressy situation. I wore it to afternoon tea at The Shelbourne in Dublin and didn't get thrown into the street.
I've had the thing for ten years and I still find a new pocket somewhere every time I wear it.
Zegna made some very nice travel blazers that I purchased some years back. Interesting combos of wools and other materials to help breathability, improve weather resistance and to reduce the need to iron. Haven't seen the canali versions yet, but am intrigued.
I'm toying with the idea of buying this J.Press one to use as travel blazer:
http://www.jpressonline.com/new-authentic-school-blazer-navy/
The Arthur Harrison wrinkle resistant cloth ticks all the right boxes, but then the photos are crap and then the link describes it as a school blazer, then there's the customs gauntlet to be run with increasingly arbitary import duties that could well be circa €200 for this. All a bit too risky, perhaps just go for a Benson and Clegg one, now they are the UK's blazer specialists?
Too late, I've purchased it: I just bought 'UNIFORM CLOTH BLAZER-NAVY' on jpressonline.com
Let's hope it's a good one!
When you've got that itch you've just got to scratch it!
"UNIFORM CLOTH BLAZER-NAVY'
They really know how to paint a picture with words at J. Press.
Update: Despatched!
It should arrive next Tuesday, Monday if I am lucky.
At a stopover at O'Hare airport in Chicago bought on impulse a Prada "technical fibre" suit. Totally artificial fabric with some elastane for stretchiness. It is so a dark Navy blue that is almost black.
Feels like a ski suit, looks like a funeral parlor suit, I don't think you could wrinkle it if you tried. Is this what they use in Hollywood when the hero street fights for a spell then steps immaculately into the bar?
The whole thing is so bizarre I just had to have it.
Sounds like a recipe for static shocks from opening doors.
The Rohan gear is like that, so free of wrinkles you know it's 100% plastic and the play on the "wicking qualities" is a ruse to hide the fact it is impervious to sweat, rain, wind or air. Indeed, it's an anti-faraday cage and it will act as an earthing device for any electrostatic forces hanging around.
Last edited by Chévere (2016-05-22 11:47:55)
It arrived today and seems to have made in under the radar of import duties. We shall see.
It is a hopsack and polyester mix with buttons with an American eagle on. Definitely a wrinkle free blazer. I will need to shorten the arms somewhat. I generally go for a 44 these days, really I take a 42 or 42L, but once you get all your bumpf in the pockets, wallet, glasses case and mobile, you really need to be on the 44 zone to feel comfortable. It also says next to the Pressclusive label, "Arthur Harrison.....School Uniform". It's a good length too, none of this hipster short gimmicky. Doesn't really work with a button down though, at least an open one.
Came with a nice booklet on the Spring/Summer collection, they've a superb seersucker and Dacron suit. Yes, they have resurrected Dacron. There's some nice blurb on the properties of Dacron as opposed to standard polyester. That attention detail, superb!
I stand corrected, it is a 100% wool hopsack and the lining is cupro.
I have bought the Canali one.
Took a while to get used to - a bit shorter than my Cordings suit jackets. Wonderful to wear, and surprisingly water-repellent.