Two weeks ago, the Polo flagship on Fifth Avenue, which opened last fall, created a new section in the store called the Haberdashery. It’s where you’ll find all the ties, dress shirts and cashmere sweaters — and all in the spring colors you’re anxious to wear.
There are also plenty of sportcoats in spring fabrics, such as wool/silk/linen blends, with patch pockets and three-button stances.
Like other clothiers (Brooks Brothers, for example), Polo has adopted names for its various fits. A clerk gave me an employee “product knowledge” handbook (which he probably shouldn’t have), which describes the Morgan as the slimmest fit, though it is also supposed to have the softest shoulder. The Polo 1 Custom is the middle fit, and the most generous cut — which is also supposed to have a bit more shoulder — is called the Bedford.
Within those three fit categories are various jacket models, three of which are named for Ivy schools. The primary difference seems to be the pockets, though they may have different linings as well. The Harvard model is a three button with patch-and-flap pockets, while the Yale has patch pockets but no flaps. The Princeton has patch-and-flap and also a patch chest pocket. The Yale seems to come with partial, butterfly-back lining.
Here are some snapshots. — CC
“In a well-run gentleman’s outfitters one can expect to be able to choose an item completely at random and not end up with something not in good taste, i.e. not correct.”
Adolf Loos, who designed the legendary Knize shop in Vienna.
Did you take any pictures of the backs of the jackets showing the pins that make them look the way that they do, with too much waist suppression?
The Bedford (“the most generous cut”)
7-inch drop and double vents
http://www.ralphlauren.com/product/index.jsp?productId=56542916&cp=1760781.35256166.35256346&ab=bc_poloralphlauren&parentPage=family
The body of the Bedford jacket barely extends beyond the sleeves.
The jacket in the first snapshot looks like a classic Savile Row drape. It has a lower button stance than a classic American 3-button. It’s a nice coat. I imagine it is, as noted, probably pinned in the back. I think the idea (not that I generally agree with it) is that the waist suppression provides swagger. The skirt of the coat looks like it is a traditional length. Thank God if it is.
Thanks for the nice pictures.
As we would expect from Polo/Ralph Lauren but the ocbd and tie with collar unbuttoned looks like a return to the Professor Irwin Corey look of Rugby days gone by.
Some of the items shown look pretty nice, but I wonder how many “guys” who might purchase one of these sports jackets will later venture forth from the house with the visible tag still sewn on the sleeve?
Best Regards,
Heinz-Ulrich von B.
It all looks very nice to me,/ Darted though the jackets be (if you will excuse the doggerel). Under the wise aphorism quoted above by Old School, the Polo Shop may not quite pass muster, since it generally offers some samples of dodgy trends. O’Connell’s may qualify, but I know them only from their website. Nevertheless, I have been a satisfied purchaser of the blue-label Polo suits and sport coats for many years, although I still gravitate to 3/2 sacks from J. Press for the most part. Is the tie with the seersucker a bit wide, or is it simply an optical illusion caused by the partially exposed rear blade? The lapels look to be of a good width, particularly for these days of excessively narrow proportions. So long as the waists are not overly nipped and the length of the coats is not too abbreviated, I think I would be happy with any of them. I would certainly welcome the sight of anyone under 30 wearing these rather than the silly bum-freezer sport coats and skinny black suits that they all seem to gravitate toward.
I wouldn’t call the stuff horrible by any stretch.
I share the sentiments of Charlottesvile. I have several Polo blue label suits and jackets and all have wonderful natural shoulders. The darts and pleats take the out of the Ivy purist camp, but I am not a purist.
The presentation is great, but nothing compares to the aesthetics and feel of the Rugby stores.
thanks for the write-up and the pics. i would love to get a copy of the “product knowledge” book if you’d like to scan it to my email 😉
Looks like the type of crap AEV would wear with his whale buckle.
@cam
It’s not such a secret.The descriptions and specs of the different sport coats are actually already on the website, have been for quite a while:
http://www.ralphlauren.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=35256186&cp=1760781&ab=ln_men_cs_sportcoats
The Morgan is indeed the slimmest cut, but it’s the Polo
(aka the Polo I), not the Bedford that is the most generous cut.
I always thought that the Polo II was pretty sharp. Doesn’t look like they are offering it too much these days.
It was a beautiful shop with wonderful merchandise on display. Sorry it closed.