Sports Coat/ Jacket

[AF77]

Alright, buying my first sports coat (and I hope this thread is in the right place). I'm basically dirt poor because of my job, I am still in college so 200 is alot to me. Anyway, I narrowed it down to these two:

http://www.express.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=16360&parentCategoryId=1&categoryId=71&subCategoryId=203

http://www.express.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=8473&parentCategoryId=1&categoryId=71&subCategoryId=203

I'm trying to pick something that I can wear in most social settings, as well as clubs when meeting women, and look stylish/nice, yet not look a flashy douchebag.
Sorry I'm struggling with this.

I plan on wearing it with dark jeans and a variety of shirts.

Which would you guys go with?

Thanks

 

[Rollo Tomassi]

Definitely the 2nd one. The first one reeks of hipster / scene-ster douche. All you need is a vintage bicycle to go with it.

2nd one's got more presence.

 

[mpimpin]

The second one does have more presence, but the first just seems like it would look better with more of a variety of shirts and pants. Especially if you are wearing darker jeans.

Could go either way or neither at all.

Final suggestion would be to keep looking

 

[Don Shinra]

1st one...H&M and Zara usually have some cheap sport coats, you should check them out. There should be sales going on right now, I picked up two sport coats and a suit from Zara for 115 euro (~$150).

 

[BlakeW5]

Gotta go with the first one. Just appeals to me more. I'm not really into the satin-trimmed lapels on the second

 

[speakeasy]

I liked the first.

There are plenty of places I think where you can find a nice blazer for WAY under $200. Try clearance racks and places like Nordstrom Rack and Burlington Coat Factory. Steinmart too if one is near you.

 

[Taviii]

First one, no question!

 

[PRMoon]

I like the first one. I have a sports coat like it except in Navy blue. That trimming on the second one is a little over kill in my opinon. It reminds me of the butlers outfits we have in the mansion at MGM. Definately go with a long cut coat either way. Short ones are for women...and detectives.

 

[Effington]

As someone who used to work for one of the higher-end men's suit companies, I can say that paying for a brand isn't worth it. The corporation I worked for manufactured about 30 different brands, and when the customer (retailer) wanted an item that was not currently in stock, we would rip off old labels and put whatever label they were looking for on them and sell them at the marked up price. You could also find a very nice, new suit at a place like Burlington Coat Factory at 10% of the price, because that's where we sold old models...even though they all look the same every year.

I would recommend a place like K&G, Marshalls, or JC Pennies, they have pretty decent stuff at very affordable prices.

In terms of what you get for the money, it's 2% fabric quality and 98% brand name. Only in completely superficial places do people ask what brand of suit you are wearing, and that's when you answer that with a joke. The truth is, to 98% of the world, there is no visible difference between a $800 suit and a $30 coat from Wal-Mart. In fact, studies have been done that showed that many people couldn't tell the difference when wearing the two, until they saw a brand name.

 

[speakeasy]

As someone who used to work for one of the higher-end men's suit companies, I can say that paying for a brand isn't worth it. The corporation I worked for manufactured about 30 different brands, and when the customer (retailer) wanted an item that was not currently in stock, we would rip off old labels and put whatever label they were looking for on them and sell them at the marked up price. You could also find a very nice, new suit at a place like Burlington Coat Factory at 10% of the price, because that's where we sold old models...even though they all look the same every year.

I would recommend a place like K&G, Marshalls, or JC Pennies, they have pretty decent stuff at very affordable prices.

In terms of what you get for the money, it's 2% fabric quality and 98% brand name. Only in completely superficial places do people ask what brand of suit you are wearing, and that's when you answer that with a joke. The truth is, to 98% of the world, there is no visible difference between a $800 suit and a $30 coat from Wal-Mart. In fact, studies have been done that showed that many people couldn't tell the difference when wearing the two, until they saw a brand name.

This is true with regards to many products, not just clothes. I'd love to know if these guys flaunting Grey Goose like it's a status symbol would even recognize it from a $12 bottle of Smirnoff.