The Case Against Casual Sport Coats

Once again, in our “The Case Against…” series, we delve into another one of the darlings of the menswear world: casual sport coats.

Now, let’s be clear: I’m not talking about things like tweed jackets with action backs or patch-pocket blazers or cotton summer jackets or the kinds of jackets that are “technically” considered more casual than dark worsted wool.

I’m talking about the ones that can only be loosely defined as a sport coat.

You’ve seen them.

Smaller companies like Buck Mason, Taylor Stitch, Faherty Brand, Flint and Tinder, Carbon2Cobalt as well as places like Banana Republic and the Gap have some version of the casual sport coat or blazer.

This is what I mean…

It’s characterized by its soft construction, shorter length, and minimal (if any) lining. It feels more like a cardigan or a chore coat than an actual jacket.

This one flew under my radar for a little bit, but I’ve seen more and more advertisements for this type of piece lately.

The appeal of these kinds of jackets is that they are supposed to be versatile. Because they are a casual version of a more structured sport coat, they can be worn in a wider array of scenarios, or in casual-leaning circumstances where you want to dress up a little.

On the surface, that all sounds fine. There’s only one problem…

You’ll never reach for it.

It’s true. I have a couple of these casual sport coats that I have tried to make work and I literally never wear them. Why? Because there’s always something better.

In trying to be versatile, these casual jackets don’t ever really hit the mark in any situation.

If you’re ever thinking “Hmm.. maybe I should wear a jacket”, a casual sport coat isn’t going to cut it since it’s too relaxed looking.

And in a casual setting, it will just look like a cardigan or a chore coat. It won’t register as “dressing up” since the differences between those pieces and a casual sport coat are too minimal to be noticed.

Unfortunately, what I have discovered is that these kinds of pieces are for people who feel uncomfortable wearing an actual big-boy sport coat or blazer. They have the impulse to wear something a little nicer than usual, which is good, but then they lose their nerve because they are afraid they’ll stand out a bit.

We have all been there!

But a casual sport coat isn’t the answer.

Casual sport coats are often advertised as an option that can “take you from work to happy hour” as if you would somehow be turned away at the door of the pub for wearing the tweed jacket or navy blazer you wore to the office. Another well-worn marketing phrase for pieces like these is “for men who don’t wear sport coats.”

Like a much lower-paid Don Draper, situations like those were invented by people like me to sell menswear. Casual jackets are a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.

Either wear a sweater or wear an actual sport coat or blazer. Don’t get stuck in this weird purgatory.

But what about traveling? These pieces are supposedly perfect for travel. I don’t dispute that their soft structure and ample pocket space make them great airplane jackets, but I would still have to pack an actual sport coat for when I need to look like I’m wearing, you know, a sport coat. So what’s the point? Again, it may perform decently well in a certain situation, but there’s always a better choice.

Now, is there value in owning a casual sport coat? I think there is.

I have one particular casual sport coat I bought from Brooks Brothers very early in my clothing journey. I’ve worn it many times with chinos and an OCBD (with or without a tie), and it just never felt right.

I never got rid of it, though, because I always had somewhat of an emotional attachment to it.

In order to feel like it’s not just wasting space in my closet, I have committed to using it as much as I can. I have given up trying to make it work in any situation beyond ultra casual. I don’t view it as a sartorial step-up in any way. I view it the way I would a chore coat. It’s a fairly thick, robust garment with lots of pockets. I wear it with jeans and boots. I don’t try to coordinate it with anything. I wear it around the house. It smells like woodsmoke. I never wear a pocket square with it.

This is the place this jacket needs to live, as do all casual sport coats.