I wore one, oh, some years ago, but it was a bad buy really, being made of some Dacron/Orlon/whatever material (albeit very 'Golden Age': mid-blue with charcoal). Oh, it looked quite 'alien', although not as much as the Madras jacket that had heads turning while I was lining up to pay in the local Co-Op. No-one actually said anything, but... Now I'd like one in wool or pure cotton. Either will do. A trawl of Ebay so far has turned up very few likely candidates: only a vintage Cricketeer.
So: anyone got any names to pull out of the hat?
Vintage tweed sacks still turn up. Including some real beauties. That's the nearest you will get with ease. I think blackwatch plaid may also turn up sometimes. Pure cotton sacks are far, far rarer. Indeed if you really want a cotton one then get it new or you'll be searching for many years.
For vintage sacks, you will almost certainly have to import. If the jacket is your size and a good one then it's worth it. Those things never wear out and look so much better than 99.9% of jackets available new in the UK. Try ebay.com, wait until you find a killer then suck up the customs charges.
Alternatively, contact this gent and tell him your size and what you're looking for: https://www.waterhollowtweed.com/
I've bought from him a few times and he's very reliable. He's an ivy fan himself so he knows exactly what we're talking about.
When JS moved into the new shop he had quite a lot of vintage sacks. Maybe he still does. Not cheap of course.
Mm... tasty... waterhollowtweed... Many thanks...
Please don't wear a sack jacket of any description with black or grey jeans though.
Or even blue jeans.
I wouldn't. Seriously.
'Mm... tasty... waterhollowtweed... Many thanks...'
A pleasure. I believe he started selling over on Ask Andy Trad (Jim's sworn enemies) and seems to find a lot of good stuff. A lot is ivy related rather than pure ivy, but he does unearth proper vintage sack jackets and suits on occasion.
A lot, unfortunately, OOS. Still, it's a beginning.
Jeans of any description are more for mooching around the house these days. Chinos and cords are for venturing out in.
Almost every jacket I see appears to be darted, although sometimes the photographs are not quite as good as they think they are.
CN2P on IG (Jesus, I'm getting the hang of it at last): our Gibson is wearing a jacket with a navy polo neck I rather like the look of.
Yuca ‘ Alternatively, contact this gent and tell him your size and what you're looking for: https://www.waterhollowtweed.com/’
Haven’t bought from him but he certainly knows his stuff. If you ‘like’ his FB page he writes some interesting articles, often about items he has for sale which he has researched.
I have bought from him (although I can't recall everything - definitely some wonderful Press ties) and you get what you're expecting.
Andy - look for Pendleton Topster plaid jackets in an XL, sometimes sellers mistakenly call them 49ers. They are wonderful - soft, no padding anyway, sack shape, very Ivy in feel, great colours. I have loads and wear them all the time.
I've never owned a Topster but they look good in the photos I've seen.
John, many thanks for that. Pendleton hadn't occurred to me, even though I've owned plenty of their shirts and jackets over the years. Also a navy cardigan with welted pockets and a wool bucket hat. No Topsters in my size as yet, but I'll keep looking.
I had had my eye on two Don Richards jackets on Ebay. Neither are suitable. Pity.
A Hilfiger (yipes) looks okay. But I would want to know where it was made.
A rather nice Hickey Freeman (italian made) has caught my eye.