Wardrobe Stories: Stretch Wool Travel Jacket

On Saturday morning last week I went to a Church Fete with some of my favourite Canberran Style Bloggers, to check out what sorts of pre-loved treasure we could find.

To be frank, there wasn’t a great deal on offer, and I had all but given up on finding anything for myself, poking fun at garments instead; and this is how I found it.

The garment in question is a dull navy ‘blazer’ shaped thing, in an unidentified material. I’d picked it up to make fun of the truly ghastly feeling material, but Jiawa and Albert saw a potential that I did not, and insisted that I try it on.

As it turns out, the garment in question is a jacket made of stretch-wool. Cut like a blazer, the jacket is realistically just a fancy cardigan. It has a surprising weight to it, which helps me to believe that it is in fact wool, not to mention that it stunk like a wet dog after I had ignored the care label and threw it in the washing machine. The dullness also seems to have been washed-out, and it is a much clearer navy now.

The jacket is lined very simply, but the whole garment is lined, and it is exceptionally lovely to wear. This was a huge surprise. I tried it on over a thick sweater, and it was quite uncomfortable. Over a t-shirt, however, it is remarkably comfortable and warm without being stifling.

Unsurprisingly, this jacket will be perfect for travel. It was misshapen and weird looking when I picked it up, but after washing it the lapels have set back in place, and the draping is vastly improved. It is also just incredibly comfortable to wear, and seems like it will take a thorough beating in your luggage. I’ll put this theory to the test when I take the jacket with me to Tokyo for a week in November this year.

All in all, I’m now really thrilled that Jiawa and Albert insisted that I try the jacket on, and I’m so happy to have added it to my wardrobe for the total of $6.