Outfit – Pinstripes and Tweed

tweed-jacketSlowly, the jackets in my closet have been making their way to the tailor for some nips and tucks, with this one being the latest to get spruced up. Every time I wore it, the torso was just roomy enough to bug me, and the sleeves needed shortening. Getting jackets tailored can be pricey and makes me wince every time I hear the total, but getting a nicely fitting jacket in return has been really worth it.

If you’re wearing a jacket, it’s such an important component of your overall look, that it can make or break your outfit. Having them fit well can make something as simple and boring as a pair of jeans and a blouse look immensely better styled and put together. The more jackets I buy, I’m finding that poor fit adds frustrations beyond just looking a little swamped in your clothes, my least favorite of which is shoulders that are too big, that scoot down your arm if you wear a shoulder bag, which leads to constant fidgeting and hoisting everything back into place.

tweed-blazer-sitPaying extra to get things tailored is frustrating, but as such a special size, I’ve come to accept that I’m an extreme on the sizing scale and won’t fit much off the rack (although I do have my moments of defeat and frustration in fitting rooms). The trick has been in determining what to alter and what to fake until the trend passes or I grow bored of the item.

This tweed jacket, with it’s deep red color (one of my favorite colors), crested metal buttons, and military details, has one of those classic Chanel looks that I’ll wear for years to come, as long as it fits and flatters. The quality is good, brand is unique (for Americans, anyways), and the style is classic, making this a great candidate for tweaks and tailoring. I may do something later with the shoulders, since they’re padded just enough to feel a little too broad at times, but that may just be in my head. I’m thankful the shoulders fit, since tailoring those on other jackets of mine has been a heavy hit to my wallet. My beloved Theory seersucker blazer is next up for that extensive surgery, and I’m prepping myself for the tailoring cost. Got to get it done before summer rolls around!

tweed-blazer-close

Getting this jacket back from the tailor just before a big rain storm is scheduled to roll in was perfect timing. It’s perfectly suited for a chilly spring-time rain, and I’m looking forward to getting some more last minute wears out of her before the summer heat kicks in.

Outfit Details – Sinequanone jacket (tailored) :: LOFT dress shirt (tailored) (similar) (similar on sale) :: 7 For All Mankind Gwenevere jeans :: Ann Taylor belt :: Cole Haan shoes :: Chanel East/West handbag :: Iridesse necklace :: Iridesse brooch :: Bracelets – pearl & sterling silver

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33 Comments

  1. says: KTR

    Kelly your deep red tweed jacket looks so great with those patent cranberry pumps…I agree with the classic Chanel look of the jacket. The color is great for the fall but can also look fab year round too. and I like that you added a special touch with the broach. xo

    http://www.KTRstyle.com

    1.  Thank you! Tweed and brooches are a must! Yes, I’ve been thinking about possible spring and chilly summer night pairings…like with white jeans perhaps? I think it’s too long and bulky for skirts and dresses unfortunately, but I wear jeans so often that I’m sure I’ll get plenty of wear out of her anyways. =P

  2. says: pimpIT

    Hi Kelly,
    this jacket suits you so well!!! The texture and color is awesome! I’m so sorry for you that the fitting of  jackets is always/mostly a problem for you. If I’d live in LA I’d love to make a perfect pattern for you! If you have it once you can develop every blazer you like from it. Altering shoulders unfortunately is a lot of work (I tell you ; ) and that’s why it’s always expensive : (
    Anyway, I love this outfit and the shoes matches so good with the jacket!
    Good luck in getting more perfect fitting jackets in future!
    Love
    Corinna

    1.  Thank you Corinna! So sweet of you! Hmm…very weird about the image. Sometimes Disqus (the company that makes the comment system) has problems and there’s nothing I can do to fix it until they fix it on their end. You can try uploading it again in a new comment, and if it still doesn’t work, maybe try a new browser (like Firefox, Chrome or Safari), because sometimes it’s a problem with the browser. I hope it works for you!

    1. Ohhh…has it been on your blog yet? Link please! Tweed is tricky because it’s so textured and if the threads are more than one color, it’s a pattern too! The next way I want to wear this one is just with a crisp white button down (with cuffs showing at the bottom of the sleeve), with a little bigger and bolder of a brooch. With a pair of trousers, I imagine it would look great for work. =)

  3. says: Madalina Tita

    Love the details of your accessories!

    It will mean the world to me if you will visit my blog!

    thegirlfromthemirror.blogspot.com

  4. says: pimpIT

    Thank you so much Kelly! Just tried it with google chrome (although I’m not a big fan of it => opera addicted) and “damn” it works! Great! Didn’t actually know what to send right now, but what do you think about my black & white tweed jacket? ; )

    1.  Very nice! Black and white is a great combo and the details are kept minimal which I like. I dislike tweed jackets that go overboard with the fringe and the shimmer and the chains and the pearls… =P

      1. says: pimpIT

        Thank you! LOL…this jacket HAS HAD chains all over the fringe. I didn’t like that at all and  immediately  knew that they won’t last for long- just from shop to home… It really looked so much better being ‘delivered’ from chains ; )))

    1.  The boxyness right? I have a hard time too. My tailor actually nipped the waist on this so I’m not swamped in fabric. I have another one getting done right now which is really cropped, which helps. I’m getting that one slimmed and the sleeves shortened to 3/4.

  5. says: Lisa Ng

    The outfit is beautiful.  Like how the red in the jacket complements the shoes. Great advice on tailoring jackets! Question — maybe you don’t need to since it’s so warm in CA, but would you wear  winter coat over a jacket? Or a trench over a jacket? Or is the jacket the “jacket”?

      1. says: Lisa Ng

        I really appreciate that you reply to readers’ comments!!! Tks for sharing that post. I’ve read it before and forgot about the trench + jacket. I have to get me some thin blazers!

  6. says: Angie

    still not crazy about tweed as a fabric but it does create an interesting texture especially for blazers. those skinnies look endearing rolled up like that !

  7. I like that you matched your shoes with the blazer.
    I have a similar looking blazer in pink, but never thought to pair it with a pink striped shirt. My blazer is 3/4 sleeve, a perfect fit because I’m petite too, and I can just cuff the long sleeves of the shirt like you did.  I will try that combo tonight! Thanks for the idea.

  8. says: alice

    I would love some advice; I have a blazer that fits well everywhere except I find it a tad too long and it looks dowdy, especially if I button it closed.  Is this something that can be tailored?

    1.  Hi Alice! You can get the blazer shortened, but take a look at some of the blazer details to make sure it won’t look funny. Are there hip pockets? If so, if you were to shorten the blazer, would they look oddly placed? If they are patch pockets, they might, but if they are flap or besom pockets, you may be okay. Also take a look at the buttons. Will the bottom-most button look too close to the bottom of the blazer if you were to shorten in? A blazer will less and higher buttons will work better. Is there a back vent? You may need to consider raising it higher so it doesn’t look really small after taking off some length. Depending on the details you want moved around (pockets can be moved, but it’s pricey, and I imagine moving the back vent higher would be too), it could turn into quite the project. My advice would be to pin the length of the blazer up and try it on, while analyzing if any details or proportions looks off after being shortened. Then take it to your tailor armed with all the things you thought looked funny and would want moved/fixed (because not all tailors will volunteer to change all those details until you point them out). The tailor should be able to tell you if it’s possible and how much it would cost before taking the plunge. Good luck!

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