It's unfortunate that a center vent became such the standard.

I agree. And, it took Ralph Lauren YEARS to give it up. Even the 2000-2001 era RL blue label suit I found this weekend has a center vent. Not 13", as in my earlier post, but 9". I measured. Still too deep for my 5'8" frame.

 

In defence of the much-reviled centre vent, it has its uses. Particularly, its relaxed look works well on sport jackets and suits with a more casual look i.e. linen, cotton, the American natural shoulder 3/2 sack, etc. It must also be said that a hooked vent is superior to a regular vent since the widened overlap helps keep one's bum covered. I've developed a preference for double vents on most everything else (ventless is still preferred on dinner jackets of course), but there's nothing wrong with them on the aforementioned suits and sport coats either.

 

Jovan, I agree with you on the hooked vent. I like it a lot. It catches that early 60's vibe for me perfectly. I have several sportcoats in which I have shortened the vent to somewhere between 5 and 7 inches. Take a look at Desi Arnaz's jackets on the orig. I Love Lucy. The center vent was not deep at all. Same for the 50's ear suits Perry Mason wore.

 

In defence of the much-reviled centre vent, it has its uses. Particularly, its relaxed look works well on sport jackets and suits with a more casual look i.e. linen, cotton, the American natural shoulder 3/2 sack, etc. It must also be said that a hooked vent is superior to a regular vent since the widened overlap helps keep one's bum covered. I've developed a preference for double vents on most everything else (ventless is still preferred on dinner jackets of course), but there's nothing wrong with them on the aforementioned suits and sport coats either.

Agreed. As evidence that this really is a matter of preference, just look at the J. Crew catalog (I know, hardly the end all be all, but roll with me here) and the cotton chino suit offerings. They offer the same suit with both a single and double vented jacket, at the same price, meaning that for such a suit there are clearly enough people who have a strong preference for one vs. the other. They don't even offer the option of pleats vs. no pleats on trousers, which is, as far as I'm concerned, an even more divisive issue.

 

I pick up a suit on Thursday. The tailor strongly recommended ventless for my build. This is my second one and the fit is good. The fabric and cut are contemporary so to my eye it doesn't look dated.

 

Vents are a matter of preference, IMO. What's your build?


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Hello Bjorn,

I'm 5'7" with a 32 inch waist and roughly a ten inch drop. The OTR jacket that seem to fit best, though virtually all need waist suppression, are 40S or 42S, depending upon the maker. I recently picked a Lauren by Ralph Lauren at a thrift sale that was labeled 40S and fit to my liking without tailoring.

Being a bit "vertically-challenged," I need to be very careful about jacket length and fit. Total jacket length, from the top of the collar to the hem, cannot be over 31 inches. I have an older Evan Picone sports coat and suit that measure 30 inches - as does the Ralph Lauren mentioned - and this is very good. Up to 31 inches is acceptable, but over 31 makes my legs look too short, and it's amazing what a single inch can do, good or bad!

In addition, I have broad shoulders for my height, so without waist suppression, I look like a cube. In fact, I think even the sides of the jacket from the waist down need to be brought in just a bit, so I don't look like I'm wearing a skirt, and to add any slimming effect possible. I've found that ventless jackets seem to do this by the way they're cut. Right now, I have a navy blazer, and a classic button stance double-breasted navy blazer, both ventless. The rest of my sports coats and suits are either single or double vented, and as long as the silhouette looks right to me, don't have a huge preference either way.

Just wasn't sure if there was a consensus on the ventless jackets - and there seems to be a range of opinion - so thought I'd ask.

Thank you again to you, and everyone else for all your help!

Vents are a matter of preference, IMO. What's your build?

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I have one ventless jacket, just for the sake of it really. It's certain, though, that you need to be slim (or proportionately athletic) to carry the style well.

 

In defence of the much-reviled centre vent,

Not reviled by me. I don't wear a double vent, it reminds me of a dress, especially when your hands are in your pocket. Single vent only for me..

The 60's and 70's were double vent heaven. Then within a few years you couldn't find a double vent. Now single is hard to find. Fashion just sways in the wind.

 

Single is hard to find? I think you're exaggerating. You can walk into any department store and find centre vents aplenty. If you're talking only about fashion brands then yes, it is harder to find.

 

Single is hard to find? I think you're exaggerating. You can walk into any department store and find centre vents aplenty. If you're talking only about fashion brands then yes, it is harder to find.

And Brooks Brothers still has plenty. The fashion brands never really went for the single vent. I America before 2005-2006 when double vents became popular again, the fashion brands were still doing no vent and the traditional suits had the single vents. The traditional suits (if you can still find one) still have single vents and the fashion suits have double vents. Whilst 10 years ago it was easy to find a traditional suit, they have become rare today. Even BB has changed their Madison fit to be more fashionable.

 

Venting is a matter of individual taste and what looks best given the suit style and physique of the wearer. Any of these other "rules" are invalid.

This. I was pleasantly surprised at how slimming a ventless jacket looked on me. Since a double vent is supposed to appear "seamless" the idealized aesthetic is easily achieved for me with a ventless jacket.

 

Single is hard to find? I think you're exaggerating. You can walk into any department store and find centre vents aplenty. If you're talking only about fashion brands then yes, it is harder to find.

The majority of BB suits are still single vent.

 

I wear exclusively ventless jackets on my suits, and most of my tailoring isn't remotely 80s. It's very trim with natural shoulders.

If you're not riding a horse, I really don't understand the point of vents. If they open through normal movement, they simply make one look corpulent. And as for putting one's hands in one's pockets, I can't say I ever do that when my jacket is buttoned. With the jacket unbuttoned, it's easy to just sweep the front of the jacket out of the way if one wants to keep the hands in the pockets for a while. Ventless just makes for much cleaner lines.

 

The same could be said of pleats, my friend. While we're at it, let's just dispose of those pesky trouser cuffs.

 

I have one ventless jacket, just for the sake of it really. It's certain, though, that you need to be slim (or proportionately athletic) to carry the style well.

I quite agree. My dinner jackets excepted, I only had one ventless sports jacket (and it was a DB). I sold it to get another one, double-vented, as is my preference.

Jovan- interesting post at the beginning of the thread. Thanks for posting.

 

I wear exclusively ventless jackets on my suits, and most of my tailoring isn't remotely 80s. It's very trim with natural shoulders.

If you're not riding a horse, I really don't understand the point of vents. If they open through normal movement, they simply make one look corpulent. And as for putting one's hands in one's pockets, I can't say I ever do that when my jacket is buttoned. With the jacket unbuttoned, it's easy to just sweep the front of the jacket out of the way if one wants to keep the hands in the pockets for a while. Ventless just makes for much cleaner lines.

Are they cut short or long? The vent is not just for ease of dismounting a horse, but also for sitting down in a chair - otherwise the skirt of one's suit is easily trapped, and will tend to ride up, inelegantly.

The vent (or vents) involve a certain amount of extra work for the tailor, and it is reasonable to think they might disappear were there no need for them.

 

I wear exclusively ventless jackets on my suits, and most of my tailoring isn't remotely 80s. It's very trim with natural shoulders.

If you're not riding a horse, I really don't understand the point of vents. If they open through normal movement, they simply make one look corpulent. And as for putting one's hands in one's pockets, I can't say I ever do that when my jacket is buttoned. With the jacket unbuttoned, it's easy to just sweep the front of the jacket out of the way if one wants to keep the hands in the pockets for a while. Ventless just makes for much cleaner lines.

My thoughts exactly. I'm a slim guy and vents never work for me, jacket feels too floppy with vents. I always close up any vents.

 

Indeed, to my mind, double vents have got to be the most functional and anatomically forgiving of the design options (no vent, single and double vents) for that feature of our jackets. Pair double vents with bi-swing shoulders, a half belted back, a 3R2 un-darted front piece design and you have the perfectly designed jacket!

Mmmmm. I do heavy squats and deadlifts. While I have a flat stomach, I do have a bit of junk in my trunk (as one of the current expressions go). I need to always be careful with side vented suits (which I have four or five of) as if they are fitted a bit too well, the back flap, as it were, tends to separate from the side flaps. Just something to keep in mind. If the jacket is roomy enough, that isn't a problem.

-Me

 

Mmmmm. I do heavy squats and deadlifts. While I have a flat stomach, I do have a bit of junk in my trunk (as one of the current expressions go). I need to always be careful with side vented suits (which I have four or five of) as if they are fitted a bit too well, the back flap, as it were, tends to separate from the side flaps. Just something to keep in mind. If the jacket is roomy enough, that isn't a problem.

-Me

I also have the problem of a rear that is a little bigger than it should be in proportion to the rest of my body. I find that double vents work best for me. Sometimes they open a little, but it's better than a single vent opening. And without a vent the jacket pulls across the seat at the back and opens up at front, throwing the hole front of the jacket out of shape. If the skirt doesn't fit properly, no vent style is going to fix the problem.

 

I also have the problem of a rear that is a little bigger than it should be in proportion to the rest of my body. I find that double vents work best for me. Sometimes they open a little, but it's better than a single vent opening. And without a vent the jacket pulls across the seat at the back and opens up at front, throwing the hole front of the jacket out of shape. If the skirt doesn't fit properly, no vent style is going to fix the problem.

Ok, so this is 16 days old (I missed your response, Matt - apologies) so I hope i'm not guilty of necroing.

I was always taught that double vents were dangerous for folks with, uhm, a whole honkin' lot of beef in the back. Because they do encourage seperation of the back flap with the side flaps... I do wear both single vents and double vents, but I do find I'm quite paranoid with the double vents, though I haven't *really* noticed them opening too much. I somehow just feel more relaxed with a single vent.

--Me

 

Ok, so this is 16 days old (I missed your response, Matt - apologies) so I hope i'm not guilty of necroing.

I was always taught that double vents were dangerous for folks with, uhm, a whole honkin' lot of beef in the back. Because they do encourage seperation of the back flap with the side flaps... I do wear both single vents and double vents, but I do find I'm quite paranoid with the double vents, though I haven't *really* noticed them opening too much. I somehow just feel more relaxed with a single vent.

--Me

Single vents are definitely the worst for me because they almost always open and are really obvious when they do. I measure 3 inches wider around the seat than the chest, which makes vents open and trousers impossible to find.

 

Came across a cashmere and wool DB suit today in a charity/thrift shop. Absolute steal. Just my size and the jacket was a perfect fit.
Two things put me off buying it. The charcoal colour, which I was worried was too close to black, and the lack of vents.
This thread has me thinking the ventless look might be okay though. Maybe I should head back there in the morning.

 

Odradek, only you can make the decision, but if it's an otherwise pretty classic looking suit, go for it. I sure as hell would.

 

I have to say I'm a young guy (just 28 a few weeks ago), and I love a ventless jacket. Have to agree with everyone who mentions the style/fashion distinction in this thread - ventless jackets look great, but because they are out of fashion, barely anyone wants them, thereby allowing you to find really, really good deals on them on ebay or in thrift stores. I recently bought a chocolate, rust and lavender windowpane Zegna blazer without vents on ebay for about 95% less than retail. Stock up now because they're bound for a comeback.