Next: Heritage Jacket

It’s Wednesday lunchtime, I’ve just made a cup-a-soup for a quick lunch break from the mountain of ironing that has built up from a busy weekend and the very second that I raise my first spoonful of soup to my mouth, Mr T saunters into the kitchen and announces he needs a screen break & is going to stroll into town to grab a bite to eat.

This has both annoyed me and pleased me in equal measures.

Annoyed because the hams & focaccia rolls I bought on Friday (at Mr T’s request – for his lunches) are on the turn, and so will have to be thrown out.

I hate wasting food.

I’m pleased though because, as my husband works from home (all.the.time.!), he is here, in my space… rather a lot.

So I get to be home alone!

And I do love a bit of solitude.

Always have from a very early age.

But, not only do I get to be alone – I get to use the iMac for a quick blog post: whoop!

The ironing and my cup-a-soup can wait…

So today I’m just doing a short little review post of these Next Heritage Jackets (which made into my Sunday 7: Spring Time the other week).

The jackets cost £70 a pop and there are 5 colours to choose from but it was the Blue and the Camel which I ordered to try for myself:

Now I won’t lie, on placing my order, I was *very* excited about *both* the jackets – so much so, I was worried about how I would choose between the two.

Financially, I could only justify one, however, both the colours really appealed to me.

Next may be calling these jackets – but they’re basically blazers, right?

And who doesn’t need a camel coloured blazer in their wardrobe?  It would work with pretty much every single thing I own!

Here are the first 3 of thousands of inspo-images from Pinterest featuring camel jackets and their versatility:

 

And as for the Next Blue Jacket, I suppose for me, the inspo came from Gucci and Alexa:

And here’s beautiful Alexa in her Gucci Jacket:

I realise the jacket I ordered was a Blue/yellow/black check and not pink and grey, but when you are a Petites size, beggars can’t be choosers!

The Next Jackets come in Tall, Regular AND Petite sizing which is pretty amazing really.

Anyway, back to my order: I was unable to collect it on Saturday when I received a text from Next telling me my order was ready for collection.

Nor could I collect it on Sunday – Mother’s day.

So as soon as the dog walk was done on Monday morning I hot-footed across town to pick my jackets up.

Now, let me tell you: I didn’t just order these jackets blind… in that, I had read the reviews online with complaints that the Blue Check jacket was a very snug fit: good for me I thought!

Also, complaints that the Camel herringbone was much darker in the flesh and the fit was rather loose.

See for yourself:

The reviews were right… I ordered both from the Petites range (for reference, both jackets are a size 6) and I found the Blue Check jacket was a snug fit on extra-petite little me… not that I was going to complain about it: what a rare treat for a fitted jacket to be *actually* fitted on my no-shouldered little frame.

In fact, it was extra snug over the denim shirt & tee, but really was the most perfect fit over just a tee:

I love the colours too.

The check print was rather loud and out of my comfort zone but because the colours of the check were (almost) all my favourite colours (blue, yellow AND black) I knew I’d wear it.

The fabric itself on the other hand… did not live up to it’s “Heritage” name.

The outer fabric of the jacket was 100% polyester, and had a slight sheen to it.

Had the jacket cost £40 or so, I would be able to forgive this sheen.

But for £70?

I’m afraid it *had* to be a heavy-hearted ‘no thanks’ from me.

Perhaps you think I’m expecting too much for that price?

Well, the very reason the camel jacket had a looser fit, was because the outer fabric composition included a respectable 33% of real wool.

This real wool content gave the fabric a far more luxurious feel not to mention, a more luxurious, genuine ‘heritage’ look.

Unfortunately natural fibres also have more give in them, and so somewhere in the process of making the pattern for these jackets, it appears that the composition of the fabric wasn’t considered.

So yes, the camel herringbone jacket was altogether a much looser fit on me, and not at all fitted:

All in all: rather disappointed with both.

Did I keep either?

In a nutshell: no.

I’ve returned both.

The Camel Herringbone Jacket was just a tad too loose and ill-fitting on me (look at the sleeve length and bagginess of the waist).

Although I will say that I didn’t mind the darker colour others had complained about on the Next reviews section, and thought the herringbone pattern and fabric were rather lovely.

As for my favourite of the two, the Blue Check Jacket: I love, love – loved the fit.  And I really, really wanted to keep it.

But alas, I didn’t feel like it was worth the £70 price tag.

It is however one that I will be keeping an eye on for any reductions /Sales and would be happy to wear and own one, knowing I hadn’t paid over the odds for a ‘Heritage’ jacket that happened to be 100% polyester!

And finally, for reference, if you were thinking about ordering one of these Heritage Jacket’s in any of the other colours, take a look at the fabric composition first as it may give you a steer on which size to go for – especially if you’re in between sizes:

Anyway, why am I so disappointed?

It’s really hard to get a well fitting, high-street jacket/blazer when you’re as petite as me – without having to pay over the odds.

So, when I see the label ‘Heritage’ I’m immediately thinking well made, good fabric.

Unfortunately, all 5 of these jackets are made from 5 different fabric compositions; 2 of which are 100% polyester which is, I’m sure you’ll agree, all a bit confusing and perhaps a little misleading?

Right -Mr T has just returned so I’d better sign off.

That is the fastest I have ever blogged in my life!

Time to get my domestic hat back on.

And ugh! Don’t fancy reheating that cup-a-soup now… perhaps I’ll have to eat a ham focaccia roll – even though I don’t like either really.

But I do hate waste!

Before I go, here I am in that lovely Blue Check Jacket, doing my very best ‘Alexa’:

Rather tragically, I have neither Alexa’s beauty, youth… and forget an actual Gucci Jacket, I don’t even have a high street tribute check jacket of my own.

(Sobs uncontrollably!)

Let me know if you have one of these Next Jackets – I’d love to hear what you make of the fit / fabric?

Or if you’ve come across a cute little check jacket during your browsing: I’m all ears!

Thanks for reading,

B x