it feels inappropriate to get philosophical and wax poetic about a jacket in a year when the world’s been catching a lot of L’s. it’s time to focus on what really matters. health, wealth, race, politics - we’re searching for the soul of the nation, in hopes to mend the torn fabric of our society. but the only fabric draped across my mind is teatora’s nylon. allow me to digress.
to categorize this jacket as “technical” would be misleading. on that note, we should re-evaluate what “technical” clothing even means. does it need to look like it belongs in a matrix extra’s wardrobe? does it need to be adorned with cobra buckles and ballistic nylon straps? or draw inspiration from outdoor gear and it’s fetish for pockets? (actually, this on might be a requisite.)
nah, i don’t think so. we got it all wrong. and what teatora is getting at with their approach to workwear is more suitable fit for the category in the year of the lord 2020. is the wallet jacket technical? yes, but only to the extent that it serves a function. the nylon is textured and mimics the flow of an organic weave. but it’s quick to dry and wrinkle-resistant.
this model is on the streamlined side of the spectrum of teatora’s offering (a sliding scale of baggier silhouettes and more pockets, in pockets - more on this in the next section). even with a design that prioritizes clean lines over utility, two cleverly hidden zip pockets on the side seams remind me of this brand is all about. this jacket is meant be to be put to work.
if they had it their way, you’d be stashing your laptop and tablet on either side. whatever you decide to use those pockets for, you understand this piece is meant to be worn by someone putting in work. it’s meant to be packed in a pouch sewn directly into its lining. it’s for the road warriors racking up mileage and handling their business. throw it in a bag, throw it on, and when you’re done throw it in the wash. hang to air dry.
and that’s probably why i’m holed up at home, all dressed up in teatora with nowhere to go. fuck this year, i’m ready to put this shit to work.
i have a love/hate relationship with teatora’s naming conventions. on one hand, their take on defining silhouettes based on setting - office, hotel, resort - is refreshing and kinda clever. it’s intuitive, and you understand the progression from smart to slouchy. but add in terminology for storage (wallet, device), function (packable, barrierzer), textiles (solomodule, holohorizon), climates (submariner, icescape), and you end up needing a chart to map out the different combinations - and they got one of those too.
so i stick to what they’re known for: packable, wallet pieces in the unnamed regular silhouette. the love/hate relationship carries into the fit of their garments. one one hand, it’s everything you would want in a modern classic. a traditionally cut jacket with updated hardware running a new OS. and it straddles the line between fashion and business causal with ease. the wallet jacket emphasises clean lines over utility, but the issue with this and all the other packable pieces is the packable pouch.
teatora really believes in function over form. with the pouch sewn directly into one side of the jacket’s interior, you get a bit of an asymmetric billow action going on. if i were a skinny japanese dude rocking an oversized silhouette, maybe this isn’t an issue. but while a size 5 is comfortable on my frame, there’s not much room to hide much, not even a pouch. this is really the only complaint. otherwise, this is looks like something the post-daniel craig bond should don on and off the field.
teatora’s really just about keeping it easy and looking presentable. sometimes you just want to rock a suit without looking like a suit. in theory, teatora was designed as office wear, but that might be too aspirational looking at where we are today, sartorially.
but everyone’s got an occasion or two in their life where a dress code is enforced, or at least your adherence to one is appreciated. and instead of fretting if you’ll squeeze into that j.crew ludlow in loro piana tropical wool that’s been hibernating in a garment bag since the last funeral you wore it to (R.I.P. H.K.), wouldn’t it be great to know your slacks came with drawstrings? no worries, it’s got belt loops in case you were ambitious enough to throw on a belt.
the jacket, like all their pieces, are cut from a variety of (proprietary?) technical synthetic textiles that are designed to help you do whatever you do in a suit — sit, stand, walk briskly, two step, etc. — better. getting old hasn’t been all that it’s been cracked up to be, but at least teatora eases you into adulthood.
it’s a good thing that in the tradition of workwear, teatora is built to last, because when (if?) my teatora wears out my budget has me relegated to shopping for daddington looks at costco.