…………………SAFARI………………….I love all things Safari…….Jac and I have been wanting to go on a Safari for the longest time! We must plan a trip!!……There used to be a great store in NYC called “Hunting World”. Maybe some of you remember it? I was a good customer. They had wonderful products from clothing [owned it], to luggage and shoulder bags [owned them] to equipment all geared for Safaris in Africa…Their accessories and jewelry were fabulous…….Elephant hair bracelets and some mixed with silver and gold [owned them too] on and on and on. There was no other store like it. I was sad to see it go………Now…..how to reinvent the SAFARI JACKET? I have designed so many in my long career that it amazes me each one had something different……This time…the story is the same……something a little different…. This Safari/Anorak Jacket, A273881, is LOADED with SPECIAL DETAILS……First, the jacket is unlined, and is made in a 97% cotton and 3% spandex fine twill weave……….very safari….very “Hunting World”…The jacket has a narrow stand collar….with an added SPECIAL TOUCH…..Look inside of the collar and you will find a 1/2” HERRINGBONE TAPE finishing off the top inside edge of the collar….It gives the jacket a sense of authenticity…….and it’s a cool detail. Did I need to add this…no….but I just had to. It also serves a function. It protects the edge of the collar from wearing out……….The jacket has a metal zipper with an industrial zipper pull…It is not a two way zipper……There are two top pocket flaps with two snaps, but they are just for the “look”, there are no pockets beneath…….The jacket has a CLASSIC SHIRT SLEEVE with a single SNAP on the cuff……This is a DRAW STRING jacket. The cord itself is made out of the self cotton fabric. There are METAL STOPPERS so when you draw the jacket to where it is comfortable to you……..you slide the stopper to that position and you won’t have to adjust it again. Naturally, where or even IF you draw it is up to you. One of my personal pet peeves are drawstrings that are placed too high on the jacket. When they are drawn in, which shortens the jacket, it may cause the waist to look too high and give an Empire silhouette. This is not how a Safari jacket or any draw string jacket IMHO should look unless it was meant to be Empire…..This is especially a problem with large chested women…Down below there are TWO REAL POCKETS with flaps and two snaps. These are DOUBLE ENTRY POCKETS…..two pockets in one…..a detail I have used quite often……. The jacket has a front and back yoke, and the jacket is entirely DOUBLE STITCHED………Now….what makes this jacket unlike any I have done before is the addition of the………EMBROIDERED COTTON EYELET FABRIC……….. ……………The top front of the jacket has an additional yoke made in this eyelet fabric…..plus on the bottom pocket….the top pocket of the two, is also made from this eyelet fabric which you can see from the close up photos above……..The entire back, except for the yoke is also made in this EYELET EMB. fabric. Besides giving the jacket a feminine edge it is also very functional…..The holes act like AIR CONDITIONING, and allow air to flow through the jacket………The metal color on both the Sage and Lt. Khaki is an antique BRASS which is totally in keeping with the look and spirit of the SAFARI JACKET……The sizing will be XXS to 3X…The approx. length for the XS is 29 1/2 inches, [before being drawn]…Machine wash if you choose, but I would prefer to dry clean to keep it crisp and professionally pressed, but that’s me….How many times would you really need to clean a jacket???…..As I said there are lots and lots of details on this jacket that make it very special and totally unique…………….I have chosen vintage and new pieces to coordinate with the jackets. The SLIM PANT, A265615 in the Lt. Khaki from last season and the new OLIVE are in the photos above. The speckled tanks are vintage Linea, A224278, in olive and natural……..The jewelry is authentic Indian jewelry…….One of the best things about Safari jackets is….they NEVER go out of style, they always have a certain SOPHISTICATION and CHIC, and they look great over anything from shorts to slim pants or trousers…..pencil skirts, maxis or Boho skirts…………..dresses and skorts all look great with SAFARI JACKETS…………THIS JACKET IS SCHEDULED TO BE ON AM STYLE on APRIL 23rd!!!………………………………………..enjoy…………much Love……………………Louis
I wore my sage jacket today over the olive slim leg pants and used the hydrangea print top with the orange hydrangeas below it. It really worked well together. I only wish that a double zipper had been done so that it would be easier to sit down in a chair/car seat without pulling up the jacket.
This jacket reminds me a little of the brushed cotton jacket you had from several years ago.
Regards,
Chris
Louis,
My Lt. Khaki jacket arrived today and tried it on with my Linea Lt. Khaki slim ankle pants and Linea natural speckled tank. What a sensational outfit. The eyelet embroidery as well as your other unique touches makes for a beautiful jacket. I order my usual Linea size in medium and the jacket fits perfectly and close to the body, but is very slimming on me. As I live in Chicago I probably will not be wearing the jacket for another month. I already left a very positive review on QVC’s website. Thanks for another wonderful jacket.
Hi Louis
What color tank did you put under the sage jacket with olive slim ankle pants in the photo.
Thanks
Hi Louis. I wear an XL or 1X in WK. Will I be OK with 1x in this jacket? I’m a 42DD. Thanks!!!! Love the khaki!!
Dear Bonnie….finally saw this question…yes 1X
Hi Louis
The Lt.khaki and olive are fabulous . I own multiples of the slim ankle pants in those color. Fabulous outfit!
Dear Joanne, it was a vintage Linea tank in a pale olive speckled knit. It is no longer avail….any natural or olive tank will do the same thing.
Thanks Louis
I have owned the natural(beige speckled) tank for a couple of years. Thanks for the info on the other tank.
That’s the same tank….I showed that one under the Lt Khaki safari jacket, but it works under all four jackets.
Hi, Louis. I’m sure you no longer have a sample of the faux linen herringbone pants in pale olive. However I’m sure hoping the sage jacket will coordinate with the pair I have. If not, I have many other pieces that will work. Also I think this will be great for my South Central Texas climate now and through all but the “three weeks” we call winter!! (I’m very warm natured.) Thanks again for another great piece!
Dear Kay…I certainly do have those pants….in both colors…I just can’t part with them…..they look great with the jacket as does the speckled knit tank that I showed with the pant.
Yay!!! Thank you!!
OMG of course I am loving the sage but I definitely am getting the khaki color. The details are sharp and the length is perfect.
Sage it is!
I appreciate the design details with the eyelet inserts. The antique brass hardware makes it look classic too!
I’m in for blue and khaki. These are great Florida jackets. Louis, I appreciate your attention to where the drawstring lands. Your previous anoarak (A251586) was the first one in that style that I’ve ever kept when ordering. I tried so many previously only to have the drawstring uncomfortably high on the midriff. I have A251586 in both colors and tell myself that I can make do with 2 in this one, LOL. But, I may cave and get that black one also.
Dear Louis,
Several years ago, my husband and I went on safari with 6 of our friends to Botswana and South Africa. The trip was fabulous and the name of the company is Mountain Travel Sobek, http://www.mtsobek.com
Wish I had this jacket when I went!
Dariann
Louis,
I bought your olive pants because you mentioned the safari jacket. So glad I did. But why is it that I have to buy multiples of your clothes. I want the sage and the black.
Fabulous jackets.You and Jac must do a Safari. My husband and I have traveled all over the world for almost 50 years. Several years ago I took him on a private Safari for his birthday. It was the best trip we’d ever taken. It’s amazing to see those animals in their natural environment.
Details PLEASE! How did you get there and what company was the safari with???
We went in July to the Masa Marai and Tanzania. The trip was arranged by my sons travel agent in LA. However, Micato runs a great Safari.
Louis, it’s as though today’s “Washington Post” travel section knew what you are thinking about. Here’s a first-person account of a visit to South Africa and the Timbavati Game Reserve. You might get some travel ideas from it:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/south-africa-from-rhinos-to-robben-island/2016/04/07/337aee9c-fa71-11e5-9140-e61d062438bb_story.html
Thanks for sending me the article
Hi Louis, Check the Abercrombie and Kent website. They do Safari’s and other wonderful trips. We used them going to Australia several years back. Happy Trails! Elaine
We flew to Nairobi and then went to Kenya. We flew between locations instead of taking ground transportation. It was the trip of a lifetime.
Love this! As two Linea Ladies have already written, it is “fabulous” and “feminine.” Olive for me.
Oops, you are calling my desired shade “Sage,” but I saw “Olive.”
Wouldn’t a matching skirt have been awesome with this jacket? Maybe next year!
I think so too, but they always pass the pencil skirts? Maybe they haven’t been selling on the Q???I can’t remember the last time I sold a cotton skirt?
Would the knife-pleat (or accordion pleat, whichever it was) skirt from several seasons back work with this from a dressier angle? The skirt came in black and a shade of green that might have been called Sage, but I don’t remember.
Can pleats and safari get along? Maybe it’s a lop-sided mating.
They are definitely compatible if the colors work. I think the color was called tarragon, but since I do not have that sample I don’t know if the greens would work together, but with the black or khaki it would be fine. Designers are showing fan pleated skirts with everything
My fingers are crossed. Thank you, Louis.
I’m still holding out hope that maybe someday we will have some of those pleated skirts reissued by you.
Louis,
These look fabulous! Will be hard to choose a color. They are all gorgeous!
FYI, I’m not always able to comment on all your posts, but I look forward to checking your blog daily. I love reading your posts!
Melissa
Wowza! That is fabulous and so feminine. Black and khaki for me!