The Under $200 Blazer

LeDandy, as with many men these days, does not wear a tie and jacket to work. Polo shirt, sweater and chino pants are the basic elements of my work wardrobe. Since I like the casual look, this suits me just fine. There are only a handful of occasions during the year when I need to wear a tie and jacket. In this case it doesn't make sense to spend a lot of money on a blazer or sportcoat, unless of course you are wealthy.

For those of us on a middle-class income in this category, LeDandy has found several blazers in the under $200 category which are fine for the Conservative/Reform dandy. Back in February, 2009, I wrote a post on my purchase of a green Orvis hopsack blazer in a poly/wool blend for $79 on sale. They normally sell for $225 which is a fair price. I doubt you'll ever find their navy blazer at this sales price. My navy blazer, a Silverstone made in Canada by Arnold Brant, was a purchase from Sierra Trading Post last year for my wedding. A beautiful blazer for $161 but I'm not crazy about the fit (LeDandy is a tough fit for jackets). Lands' End offers a nice looking navy blazer for $175. There are plenty of choices out there for a fine jacket in this price range.

I recently ran across an interesting tidbit of information on the Ask Andy online forum. While I don't like the overall humorless and snobbish tone of the forum, I do pick up a few tips on occasion (e.g., Jeff Rose shirts). A manufacturer by the name of Anderson Little makes a poly/wool, navy blazer and sells them for $139 online. This includes shipping. The blazers are made in the US. Interestingly, they sell only this one product. Perhaps this is what helps make their standard price so reasonable.

How good is the Anderson Little blazer for this money? I haven't read any valid complaints on Ask Andy and the company advertises an unconditional money back guarantee. By making only one product, it probably allows them to offer the blazer at a much lower price. Scott Anderson, the company president, posts quite a bit on Ask Andy and he appears to be a good man.

Don't worry about buying a poly/wool blend in a nice blazer. It is usually a fine, durable fabric that resists wrinkles far better than an all wool jacket. If you have only one blazer, I'd make it a poly/wool blend. Trust me, no one will care if your jacket is all wool or a poly/wool blend.

[Update: I ordered the Lands' End blazer and was not pleased with the fabric and construction. I had to return the jacket.]