The single most distinguishing factor of a suit jacket is that it has a matching pair of trousers that was made from the exact same swatch of fabric.
Sport jacket vs suit jacket.
The suit jacket and trousers will always be made from same exact fabric.
What s a suit jacket.
Finally suit jackets are the fanciest of these three styles.
A suit jacket is a jacket that is made with a matching pair of trousers.
Last but not least the dressiest of the three jacket types is the suit jacket.
The sports jacket was actually first viewed as a luxurious item as most men could only afford a traditional suit rather than one that had to be worn with different colored trousers.
While fashion experts can easily tell a suit jacket apart from a blazer or sport coat the easiest way for the rest of us to tell them apart is this.
The confusion between sport jackets and suit jackets is a more modern problem.
According to esquire a blazer is a patch pocket navy blue jacket with gold or silver buttons usually worn while boating.
Sport coats are noticeably more casual than a suit jacket.
Finally a suit jacket above right will always be made of the finer stuff i e worsted wool and smooth to the touch.
This piece has been around the longest and is without a doubt the most traditional and popular.
If it comes with matching pants it s a suit jacket.
Remember a casual jacket that isn t navy blue and doesn t have buttons could be a sport coat or a blazer.
While it might be easier to tell the difference between a sport jacket or coat and a suit jacket or coat with a few basic tips blazers are often confused with sport jackets.
If it s blue with buttons it s a blazer non negotiable.
Still all that said it s rarely that cut and dried.
Over time as clothing became more affordable the sports jacket became known less as a jacket for shooting and more as a staple of sharp casual style.
Suit jackets look bulky when they aren t tailored while sport coats are bulkier generally and thus give a little leeway in the sizing department.
It is true that there are some suit jackets that could be worn as blazers.
Why the confusion between sport jacket and suit jackets.
Fifty years ago most men wore and understood the rules of wearing a suit and a sport jacket was just that a jacket for sport worn when the season and situation warranted a suit inappropriate.
If it s made of nice fabric and has matching pants it s a suit jacket.