Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Yay or nay? The Hickey.

A wise man probably would have thought twice in starting a style blog, knowing full well that they are often incredibly self-conscious. I am not a wise man, though.

Despite not posting regularly, I have been scooping up some interesting things over the past couple weeks, and I might as well lay out a few of them, including this amazing/atrocious vintage Hickey Freeman jacket.

Hickey Freeman jacket

Did I mention that it's insane?

Hickey Freeman jacket

Sized at 40 Long, this jacket is by default a, "nay" for me (I wear a 42XL or 44XL, depending on the cuts), but I bought it anyway due to the cheap price ($3.50) and the good name of Hickey Freeman. I'm guessing it's 60s or so from the tag. It's definitely 100% wool and doesn't have even a slight nibble of damage, so I'll have to find a good home for it at some point. The pattern-matching is impeccable and the tailoring is fabulous, as one would expect.

Speaking of homes, this is the sort of jacket that certainly would take a certain... je ne sais quoi to pull off. Or perhaps just a bit more swagger than I have right now. In all honesty, though, it's not too far off from some of the louder Huntsman Tweeds that I've seen crop up in the series of posts on Permanent Style.

Be honest. Would you wear it?

10 comments:

  1. Would definitely wear that with a brown woolen tie, or a dark blue bow tie. Brown corduroy pants or dark blue again...and there you go!!

    Still feeling very, very jealous: Hickey Freeman, 3,50$...come on...

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  2. I'm guessing 1970s. You know it's so far out, it's in. It's the kind of jacket that the urban hipsters would snap up at a vintage shop for waaaayyyy more than $3.50.

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  3. I'd certainly wear that. I can never find such a bold plaid in my size, though. I know Giuseppe at AAW can wear a 40, maybe you should suggest a trade.

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  4. could you have a tailor do something about the lapels? Possibly slightly less 70s? Something about super wide lapels is always a deal breaker for me. If so, then I say hell yes. Think of it as a winter version of a madras jacket.

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  5. Colors are wrong for me, as is the entire concept of a plaid jacket. Even so, it's a beautiful piece.

    "...I'll have to find a good home for it at some point."

    How do you do that? eBay? Etsy? Something else?

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  6. Sorry I didn't respond sooner, Longtime Lurker.

    When I'm finding new homes for things, my friends usually get first dibs. If it's something I think I can get a bit of a return of an investment on (like this jacket), it usually goes up on ebay. Etsy seems like it's gaining a bit of ground, but the search functionality isn't that great and you really have to be specific since their categories aren't broken out as well as ebays.

    In the particular case of this jacket, it sold for just under $30 on ebay. Not a huge profit, obviously, but I tend to buy things on the cheap most of the time, so it will at least pay for a few more purchases, and maybe a takeout meal on the side. :)

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  7. Wow, heck yes I would wear it and I happen to be a 40L. It's easy to wear with some khakis or navy chinos, a blue or white shirt and some brown brogues. Please don't tell me it's just sitting in your closet, I would very graciously take if off your hands.

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  8. David, if I had the jacket, I would totally send it your way. Alas, as I mentioned in my previous comment, it was sold on ebay and used to fund some other clothing purchases.

    I will keep an eye out for other interesting stuff in your size now that I know it. It's rare that I find something so truly unique as this particular jacket, but it's certainly not a complete outlier, as I'm continuing surprised by the odd things I find floating around this town.

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  9. Oh yeah, I somehow missed that part, oh well, it's a good thing you made some decent money on it. Ebay is definitely good for that.

    It's the same thing where I live, I'm constantly amazed at what people are somehow parting with. Good to know your size as well, I occasionally come across some nice suits/jackets your size.

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  10. FYI: H. Freeman & Sons is a different maker than Hickey Freeman; http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/showthread.php?53108-H.-Freeman-vs.-Hickey-Freeman

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