CHECKLIST: HOW TO BUY A SPORTS JACKET
_____Step 1: Measure Yourself
_____Write down the following, to the nearest 1/4″:
o Neck size ____________
o Shoulder width ____________
o Chest circumference (widest point) ____________
o Sleeve length ____________
Note: If you are buying bespoke clothing, you may want a more detailed measurement guide like A Tailored Suit's.
_____Step 2: Identify the Kind of Jacket You Want
_____Select a type of jacket:
o Blazers — Structured, solid-colored jackets, usually in smooth fabrics
o Sport jackets — Looser, unstructured jackets in casual textures and colors
o Suit jackets — sleek, structured, and designed for wear with matching trousers
_____Select a color and pattern:
o Solid, dark colors for higher-formality blazers and jackets
o Any color/pattern works for a casual jacket — traditional options include light plaids, textured weaves like herringbone, and lighter solid colors.
_____Select a fabric:
o Worsted wool — smooth and fine, used for high-quality blazers and jackets
o Flannel wool — softer than plain worsted; common for suits and blazers
o Tweed — coarse, hairy wool; common for sports jackets
o Corduroy — ribbed cotton fabric for casual sports jackets
o Seersucker — dimpled cotton weave for casual, warm-weather jackets
o Twill — simple, sturdy cotton fabric for low-cost jackets
o Linen — light, easily-wrinkled fabric for loose summer jackets
_____Select a lapel style:
o Notch — most typical style, with a small triangular notch near the top
o Peak — flashier, dressier style with pointed “wings” near the top
_____Select a style of outside pockets:
o Jetted — flat slits allowing access to an internal pocket
o Patch — external squares sewn to the jacket front to make a pocket
o Flap — pocket with a top flap, occasionally buttoning but usually non-buttoning
o Bellows/accordion — patch pocket style with expandable ribs for more storage
o Ticket — a small extra pocket on the upper right breast
_____Select a style of button:
o flat, matched-color discs — most traditional style
o brass or silver — typical on navy blazers
o woven leather — classic country style, typical on tweed jackets
o wood or horn toggles — very casual style
Once you have all of these selected, it should be easy to narrow your options down. “A brown corduroy sports jacket with notch lapels, leather buttons, and flap pockets” is a lot easier to shop for than “some kind of casual jacket maybe?”
_____Step 3: Choose Your Store or Stores
_____Identify the kind of tailoring and construction you want:
o Bespoke (completely custom made — most expensive option)
o Made-to-measure (a pre-made pattern sized specifically to you)
o Ready-to-wear (pre-sized off the rack; some stores do in-house adjustments)
_____Select a type of store:
o Department stores (Sears, Macy's, etc. — low prices, but limited selection/quality)
o Menswear chains (Men's Wearhouse, Jos. A. Banks, etc. — wider selection and better in-house service/fitting)
o Independent boutiques (unique selections; tend to have better service and quality)
o Bespoke tailors (custom design and construction)
o Online (you send your measurements and payment; they ship you a jacket — can require several back-and-forth shipments to get fit right)
_____Step 4: Go Shopping
_____Head to your target store or stores (see step 3)
_____Identify the suits that fit your selected description (see step 2)
_____Within that selection, find the jacket that fit your measurements (step 1)
With the information in this checklist, you should be able your selection down to just a few jackets. Find the one that suits you best at the price you like — or move on, if you need to, and use the same information to shop elsewhere, until you find a purchase you like.