To be precise, a sports jacket is a short and single-breasted coat, which was actually worn by men. It was originally worn across the country side during hunting pursuits. The Duke of Norfolk is said to have introduced this piece of clothing accessory as long back as around the mid nineteenth century. It was one of the components of the hunting attire worn by the erstwhile Duke. In contrast to the past, the popular outfit is a fashionable item in this twenty-first century, worn by both men and women on a number of occasions other than game hunting.
The craze to buy men’s sports jackets online has gone viral in the recent times. There are several reputed digital shopping platforms catering to this segment of shoppers. However, it is indeed relevant mentioning here that the Norfolk jacket has undergone drastic metamorphosis across a lengthy time period to appear as sports jacket in the recent times. The original jacket was made of tweed, checked or herringbone woolen cloth and of course had a different cut. The piece of clothing was quite expensive and could only be afforded by the affluent nobles back in those days.
The Norfolk jacket was buttoned up to the neck and came with a box pleat placed at the middle of the back. There used to be two more box pleats at the front. The flapped pockets allow the wearer to store ammunition as well as victuals during a hunting campaign. The waist portion was belted and that freed the hands of the user in taking proper aim on a game with the gun. The fashion accessories that used to go with it were usually deerstalker hats and bowler hats, apart from knickerbockers.
The Norfolk jacket started undergoing designing changes since the early twentieth century. The belt on the waistline and the typical box pleats were removed. Gradually, it started to be used in various sporting and gaming events as well. In course of time as the lounge suit was making way for the formal business suit, the tweed jacket became an acceptable casual outfit.
The changed version of the hunting jacket was an instant hit among urban consumers. The design of the outfit gradually changed to facilitate horse riding. Now, it was worn with flannel trousers. The sport’s jacket thus included newer features like angularly cut waist pockets and breast pocket.
It is indeed fascinating to come across the drastic designing changes that the range of smart clothing item has undergone. Thankfully, with the advent of the internet, it is now easier to buy men’s accessories online. Online retailers are indeed doing great job by providing excellent quality of merchandises based on latest designing concepts at easily affordable prices.