As I mentioned in previous posts, men's fashion does not often receive the same levels of scrutiny as female styles do. To many people, a suit is a suit and their is little variance between them. In the course of this blog's lifetime, however, I aim to prove that subtle, and not so subtle, ways of changing up the way we approach putting together a man's suit can make huge differences between being dapper or not. Today I am going to be looking at a few different men's jackets from Vivienne Westwood as illustration of this:




This single-breasted Vivienne Westwood Checked Navy Blue Blazer jacket  is, of the three jackets in this post, the most traditional in style. Due to the fact there are not many obvious eccentricities, the questions should be asked "why is this jacket much better than a standard high street equivalent?"

In order to illuminate this I have included some close-up imagery so it is possible to see the phenomenal detailing and the high quality material of the jacket itself.

The check pattern is a lyrical way of adding some understated vibrancy and grace notes to any sartorial composition and removes any of the sober qualities one may associate with a suit.

Another point worth noting is the silhouette of the jacket which is designed as a flattering slim-fit; whilst many off-the-hanger jackets purchased in the shop are more likely to be tailored simply to accommodate for arm length and collar, most will not have the additional detail of a taken in waist will flatter the wearer by making them appear more slim. These are the types of thing a man should be looking for in a great suit - detailing and shape. It is from this position of understanding that we can begin to experiment with more outlandish intricacies in our suit styles.


This Vivienne Westwood Asymmetric Checked Wool Green Blazer Jacket illustrates perfectly that people who think that all suits are the same are mistaken as the design toys with the idea of a traditional jacket in much the same way as a jazz pianist would alter a recurring melody.

The third jacket I have chosen, the Vivienne Westwood Waistcoat Inset Checked Green Blazer Jacket , is the most flamboyant of the three. By studying this jacket, and imagining it as a substitute for a traditional black blazer in a suit combination, it does not take much effort to realise how much difference one item can make to the overall feel of a man's ensemble. For the more formal events you are likely to attend I would say a fantastic rule of thumb is to begin composing your outfit by picking a jacket first and shoes which will match; after this, the rest of the outfit should put itself together.

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