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Behind the seams
The timeless tailored jacket is this year's runway hit.
By Nathalie Atkinson
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This fall, Smythe's key design is the Boyfriend Jacket. It's Debbie Harry strutting onstage wearing an oversized men's blazer, Molly Ringwald rolling up the satin cuffs of her boxy schoolboy version in Pretty in Pink and Michelle Pfeiffer borrowing Jeff Bridges' tuxedo jacket in The Fabulous Baker Boys. The Boyfriend Jacket is a take on borrowed finery, and, as all jackets should be, it's versatile. "The thing is," enthuses Smythe, "I have yet to find something that the perfect jacket doesn't look good with: maxis, minis, skinny jeans, wide jeans, shorts, capris. I challenge you to!"
Tailored advice
At Harry Rosen Bespoke, a typical from-scratch suit requires several fittings and 28 hours of craftsmanship. We asked Howard Atkinson, national manager of Bespoke tailoring, for his top tips on choosing a jacket. "A well-made jacket should be judged by examining its construction, not by reading its label," he says. "Construction is key to a good fit and longevity."
Structure The collar should have some substance but still feel soft, not stiff. The lapel and collar should not contain interlining or fusing, and you should be able to roll them back into place easily to give the jacket its original shape. Bemberg, a type of rayon, is the best material for lining jackets; avoid jackets with silk or satin lining. Though it's popular to use shoulder padding to correct the appearance of postural problems, high-quality jackets derive their structure from an expert cut. And, though it may seem counterintuitive, high armholes allow for more range of motion like driving. They also elongate the torso, so they're more flattering.
Buttons Are the buttons natural buffalo horn or mother-of-pearl, or have they skimped and gone for plastic? On a good-quality blazer, the buttons should be sewn in and reinforced with a shank-a sort of thread stem-from the inside, which will make the jacket hang better.
Pockets Jackets and blazers can have either single- or double-jetted pockets (that is, flaps that can be tucked inside or out), depending on the design. However, the pockets should be lined for seamless integration into the design without interfering with the fit of the jacket. High-quality jackets will possess these elements, as well as
small half-moon stitches around the pocket edges for added reinforcement.
Image of French actress Marie-Helene Arnaud in a Chanel tweed jacket in 1959; Peter Fink, courtesy of Chanel
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