Comfort is the new trend in menswear
Do you want a jacket that looks like a blazer yet wears like a sweater? It sounds almost too good to be true, but the folks at Elwood Flynn for Men have found something that perfectly fits the bill.
Called “skeleton-lined”, these sport jackets have a three-quarter interior lining, taped inside seams and soft shoulders with little or no padding. And these jackets are versatile too, according to Ryan Walter, sales consultant with Elwood Flynn. Dress them up with a tie and dress pants for work, or down with denims, and short boots for a casual weekend or hanging out at the Jazz Festival. They are great for travelling while sitting on a plane and then heading off to a business meeting with a change of slacks. Some even have inside zippered pockets for passports and change. Or wear them as an outerwear piece on cool and casual days.
These versatile jackets either have a soft shoulder with no pads or a slightly tailored shoulder. The difference from a traditional padded shoulder is subtle but you will feel it mainly in the comfort.
Elwood Flynn sales consultant Rob McNab says these skeleton jackets are very popular. The casual cut also comes in two-piece suits but the major interest is in the sports jacket. “The borders are falling,” for who wears what, says McNab. “I had an executive in here recently in his 50s who will wear the jacket on a plane and then later into a business meeting.”
Elwood Flynn’s leading jacket makers include Ted Baker, Warren K. Cook and Valenza.
Fabrics are mostly pure wool although in a light, seasonless weight. Look for features like subtle patterns or textured solids. Some of the wools are textured in such a way that they look like linens. The Endurance line also has a higher performing fabric with a harder finish.
“Men don’t want to look like their dads,” according to Walter. “Even their dads don’t want to look like their dads,” he said with a chuckle.
Another fresh twist this season features neat patterns and even unique colours. An example is a classic soft mauve jacket with windowpane pattern by Warren K Cook. Wear it with marled blue slacks and complementary tie, pocket puff and shirt.
For men who need a suit, one of the most popular lines is from Ted Baker. According to McNab, Baker uses Italian fabrics, English design and manufactures everything in Canada. The line always features a fancy seasonal lining as well as a Ted Baker lapel pin.
If one colour continues to dominate, it is variations of the classic blue from dark navy to bright blue to everything in-between. Black was very popular in the late 1990s to the early 2000s with black suits really popular then, according to McNab, but variations of blue have held their own ever since.
Some cool new shirts to go with a spring look are from Sloane, according to Walter. These shirts feature contrasting detail on the collar and cuffs and sometimes even in the plackets. They feature multiple pattern options in paisley, geometric and small prints in neutral and colours. Wear them under a sport coat or alone with pants. You can tuck them in or not, depending on the day, and you won’t always need a tie.
Casual pants to complete this ensemble are from Brax, Gardeur, and Hugo Boss, all German pant makers. The pants have five pockets and a stretchy feel.
To see the complete style line-up for Spring/Summer 2018, visit Elwood Flynn Ltd., located downtown at 200 3rd Avenue South.