Product Review: Tweed Jacket From Aran Sweater Market
One of the items in my wardrobe I love the most is my wool and cashmere Aran sweater from Aran Sweater Market. I wrote a product review of that sweater some time ago.
Prior to purchasing that sweater, my wife gifted me a tweed jacket from the same company, which is the subject of today’s review.
The reason I am choosing to review this particular jacket rather than, say, a tweed jacket from Brooks Brothers or Charles Tyrwhitt, is because there is no shortage of information regarding those products and those companies. At this stage in your menswear journey, you are probably already familiar with the likes of Brooks Brothers and the other companies that make up the middle-of-the-road, off-the-rack menswear scene. And any jacket I own from those companies probably has a ton of reviews already.
I chose this jacket because a company called “Aran Sweater Market” isn’t exactly known for their tailoring, obviously. In this article I would like to make it clear that you shouldn’t discount a product that isn’t exactly within a company’s usual wheelhouse. You might stumble upon a gem, as I have with this tweed jacket.
This jacket is called the “James Stephens Brown Poets Jacket” and at the moment of this writing is selling for about $380, on sale. The company that produced the jacket is called “Celtic Gent”.
This jacket threw me for a bit of a loop when I first put it on. It didn’t need any tailoring at all (not even the sleeves). We all expect to take our jackets to a tailor before we wear them out in public, and it’s such a convenience to not have to do that!
As far as the fit is concerned, it is pretty bang-on perfect for a 42 regular. That’s my size in mostly every jacket and I prefer a bit of room and drape. I would say the fit is comparable to the Brooks Brothers Regent fit. It’s a bit trimmer than my Madison fit jackets from Brooks Brothers but it’s still very comfortable.
The length of the jacket is good. It’s actually a little longer than most of my other jackets and adequately covers my rear which is a nice change from the trend of shorter jackets in recent years (especially casual jackets).
The cut is classically British. The shoulders are quite square and pronounced. None of that soft Italian influence here. The style of a jacket, be it British, Neapolitan, or American, really comes down to personal preference. With something like tweed, I like how it feels like a suit of armor when I wear it, which is why I like a British cut on a jacket like this. On the other hand, I have a light and airy summer wool sport coat which feels perfectly appropriate in a Neapolitan cut. It really just comes down to what you think looks good on you and how are feeling in the moment.
The color of the jacket is kind of a brown and grey blend. More brown than grey. There are small flecks of contrasting colors, like a Donegal weave, that is somewhat understated. The pattern is a sort of barleycorn given the contrasting light and dark yarns. From a distance, the jacket just looks like a textured, brown jacket. It’s only up close that you can see the different details.
One thing I appreciate about the design of this jacket is the collar. It’s thick and wide. Much wider than the collars on my other sport coats. Not only do I like the look of it, but it’s very useful to turn up when the weather is a bit cold or wet. It also has a pleasing herringbone/tan plaid pattern on the underside, which is an appreciated detail.
The wool used here is a 70/30 wool and polyester blend. Now, I know the purists will scoff at anything but pure wool, but that viewpoint is outdated. Polyester blends aren’t what they used to be and plenty of rugged outerwear pieces routinely have a splash of poly in their wool in order to increase longevity and robustness. Even though 30% polyester is a lot, the fabric is still quite soft. I wouldn’t for a second think that this was anything other than pure wool.
Due to the thick material, this jacket feels very durable. There are also faux suede elbow patches, which will probably increase the life of the garment, as well.
There are a few nitpicks I have about the jacket, however.
One, is that the button stance is a bit high. If it were about 2 inches lower, it would be perfect.
Two is the contrast buttonhole stitching. I don’t feel like it adds anything and is just visually distracting. I could have my tailor remedy it, but, honestly, it’s not that big a deal.
Three, the pocket flaps are a little narrow which doesn’t match the otherwise manly proportions of the shoulders and collar.
Four, the buttons are plastic but made to look like leather-covered buttons. Authentic leather-covered buttons would have been a nice touch, but again, it doesn’t bother me too much. Five, the lining is pure polyester. While definitely hardwearing, I would prefer something a little more breathable, especially at this price point. The pattern is pretty neat, though.
I find this jacket very easy to style. I usually wear it with chinos and a sweater, as you can see from the pictures. Truly a business casual staple. Since the jacket is pretty structured, I could get away with wearing it with some grey wool trousers and a tie for something a little more formal. Conversely, since it’s such a rugged piece, I could also wear it with more casual trousers like jeans and it wouldn’t look out of place.
When I wear it business casually, I’ll add a pocket square. If I am wearing it strictly casually as an outerwear piece, I won’t add the square.
I’ve actually been wearing this jacket more and more as a “house jacket”. I work remotely but I still like getting dressed up a little, even at home. I don’t feel precious about this jacket. I don’t feel like I need to keep it tucked away in my closet for fear of it getting ruined by being around the kids.
If you’re looking for a jacket to help elevate your “at home” style, this one is a good choice.
So, what are my final thoughts on this jacket?
In my opinion, this jacket is a solid, well-constructed piece that is a hard-wearing and handsome garment. For me, personally, the overall fit is spot-on which makes me confident in purchasing items such as these from Aran Sweater Market in the future.
The thing I like most about this jacket is that I feel it’s completely bomb-proof. When you hold it, you can tell it’s tough and can stand up to the elements. I am certain this jacket will soldier on through many years of hard use.
I do feel that this jacket is slightly over-priced, however. Even on sale, $380 seems a bit high for a jacket with a polyester lining and plastic buttons. I am ok with corners like those being cut if it means that those savings are passed along to me, the customer. If this jacket were more like $300, I would say it’s a great value, but just south of $400 is pushing it a bit.
With that being said, if this jacket is ever offered at a steeper discount, which I imagine it will be around the holidays, then grab it.
As the colder weather approaches, you’ll likely see this jacket featured in subsequent “OOTW” articles and on Instagram (@father.style).
