Flush the Plush

It’s time to ditch the velvet blazer

September 26, 2005—Our nomination for this season's Striped Shirt Award (i.e., a trend that looks kinda cool on, say, Kean Etro but that makes you want to shoot yourself by the time it's filtered down to the guy in the cube next to you)? The velvet blazer. Now, don't get us wrong. When worn in the proper context—Hef’s place, anywhere you want if you’re Tom Ford—a velvet blazer is a truly elegant piece of clothing. Unfortunately, the look has been co-opted by the kind of guy who relies on a stylist to pick out his clothes. Red carpets are awash in the stuff, as long-in-tooth leading men like Val Kilmer and Michael Keaton (above, at the premiere of his latest movie, Herbie: Fully Loaded) reach for a fistful of velvet to help them look young and funky. At this year’s VMA’s in Miami, meanwhile, not one but two members of the world’s most annoying band, Black Eyed Peas, went the plush route. Worse, every store in the mall is trumpeting velvet as a key look for fall. All of which, of course, means that a velvet blazer—a decent one will run you from $300 to over a grand—is probably the season’s worst fashion investment. Go ahead and pick up a nice new sport coat (our advice: tweed), but, unless you consider Michael Keaton a fashion icon, you may want to steer clear of velvet.

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