Trendlet: Bold sports coats
Traditionally, it's the women who are fashion adventurers. They are the ones to experiment with pleats in places they've never been folded before. They wear pastels in the winter, and their skirt length varies from day to day.
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-pmn.s3.amazonaws.com/public/KYRP4VHWHZAYHDFKUTGMD3VMDA.jpg)
Traditionally, it's the women who are fashion adventurers. They are the ones to experiment with pleats in places they've never been folded before. They wear pastels in the winter, and their skirt length varies from day to day.
But when a dude is ready to get his dandy on, watch out!
The trendlet
These days, men are looking smart in bold sports coats at artsy offices, at swank bars, and on first dates.
Where do they come from?
Early blazers, known as tailcoats or lounge jackets, had a snazzy cachet. During the 18th century, they were fashioned from elaborate plaids, velvets, and silks, and were often trimmed in brocades. They were sometimes embroidered with garden motifs, from flowers to butterflies.
However, as the Industrial Revolution began, menswear started to go the way of conservative navies, grays, and deep browns. Embroidered floral prints? Pshaw!
The Roaring '20s brought with them some cool man flavor: The checks became bolder and pinstripes chalkier. And in subsequent years, during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1930s and early '40s, African American men's zoot suits screamed Look at me!, with knee-length blazers and all-over crazy prints.
During the 1990s, young men inspired by hip-hop, Black Power, and a little Boys II Men paired kente-cloth jackets with cuffed jeans and shiny Dr. Martens to create the ultimate clubhead look. However, after about 1998, the dressier look died off, and the hoodie took over.
Around 2013, Savile Row-style suiting began its trajectory, and blazers and dinner jackets reemerged. Tartan plaids ruled first. Today, a variety of prints ranging from fall foliage to snowflakes are fun and fashionable, thanks to such designers as Prada, Gucci, and Dries van Noten.
Who's wearing them?
The fashion-forward regulars: Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Kevin Hart; around Philly, blogger Sabir Peele and Lee Whack, press secretary of the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Would Elizabeth's dude wear one?
If he were so inclined, I wouldn't be mad at him.
Should you wear one?
The print blazers - especially ones inspired by African prints - are a nice way to add spice to your jeans or skinny trousers. But I think the all-over print suits can get busy.
Custom print blazers courtesy of Ikiré Jones. Prices range from $450 to $750. To contact Ikiré Jones: 267-607-9188, hello@ikirejones.com, or www.ikirejones.com.
ewellington@phillynews.com
215-854-2704