The key difference between sports jacket and suit jacket is that the sports jacket does not come with a matching pair of trousers while suit jacket has matching trousers made with the same fabric and weave.
Both sports jackets and suit jackets are classic men’s attire that seems alike. Thus, most people just assume that they refer to the same. However, there is a distinct difference between sports jacket and suits jacket. Suit jacket is more formal than sports jacket and thus people wear it for formal occasions.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Sports Jacket
3. What is Suit Jacket
4. Side by Side Comparison – Sports Jacket vs Suit Jacket in Tabular Form
5. Summary
What is a Sports Jacket?
Sports jackets have an interesting history. As its name implies, this was what men wore when they were taking part in sporting activities. Over time, this attire lost its association with sports activities and became a casual yet sophisticated style. However, this original function, i.e., participating in sports, has an effect on the fit of the suit. A sports jacket always has a looser fit and structure, allowing a wider range of movements.
Figure 01: Sports Jacket
Furthermore, sports jackets are less formal than suit jackets and do not come with a matching pair of trousers. They come in a large variety of colors and patterns. Sturdy fabrics such as flannel, tweed, Houndstooth, and Herringbone are used for these jackets. They may also have slits, ticket pockets, elbow patches and/or pleats. They can be worn over sweaters, turtlenecks and other thick garments. Moreover, sports jackets go very well with denim pants.
What is a Suit Jacket?
Suit jacket refers to a jacket that comes with a matching pair of trousers in the same fabric and weaves. It is simple in style without any fancy pockets or additional details. However, it is more formal than sports jackets and blazers. Moreover, it has a closer and a tighter fit than a sports jacket as well.
Figure 02: Suit Jacket
Fine, lightweight material such as silk, linen, seersucker and worsted wool are used for suit jackets. Furthermore, they will most often only come in neutral colors and simple patterns. Black, charcoal gray, navy blue, and light gray are some common suit colors. Suit jackets also feature notched lapels; some suits have peak lapels as well.
What is the Difference Between Sports Jacket and Suit Jacket?
First of all, sports jackets are less formal than suit jackets, which are often worn on formal occasions. Secondly, sports jackets have a looser fit and structure than suit jackets. Most importantly, sports jackets do not come with a matching pair of trousers as suits jackets. Moreover, suit jackets are made with fine, lightweight material such as silk, linen, seersucker and worsted wool while sports jackets are made with sturdy fabrics such as flannel, tweed, Houndstooth, and Herringbone. In addition, the former typically come in neutral colors and simple patterns while the latter comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns.
Summary – Sports Jacket vs Suit Jacket
The difference between sports jacket and suit jacket stems from various factors such as fit, fabric, and formality level. What is important to know is that they are two distinct garments and are not interchangeable.
Image Courtesy:
1.’Jacket2-1’By Dudesleeper at English Wikipedia, (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2.’1138903′ by mentatdgt (Public Domain) via pexels