The Row Essentials Blazer review: worth it or skip?

What the The Row Essentials Blazer does well

The headline: relaxed wool blazer. The details: Fabric: Wool; Construction: Canvassed; Fit: Relaxed; Made in: Italy. In our list it is the pick for: quiet tailoring. It usually sells for $3,000–$3,800 in the US.

Quiet luxury.

The trade-offs

Good: logo-free, superb. Not so good: pricey. Read the skip-if line before you spend: skip it if you want sharp.

What to buy instead

Instead, consider the Giorgio Armani Unstructured Jacket ($2,500–$3,500): soft unstructured jacket. Better if you want fluid, comfortable tailoring.

Instead, consider the Alexander McQueen Tailored Blazer ($2,500–$3,200): sharp tailored blazer. Better if you want sharp British tailoring.

Instead, consider the Akris Wool Jacket ($2,500–$3,500): double-face wool jacket. Better if you want refined.

Before you buy

Shoulder fit: the shoulder is the one part tailors cannot really alter, so fit that first. Construction: canvassed jackets keep their shape better than fused ones. Fabric: wool and wool-blend suiting breathes and travels well; heavy polyester creases and traps heat.

Buyer tip

Suits from great houses are among the best value in end-of-season sales, because classic navy, black and gray barely change from year to year.

Buying in Europe: Italian (IT 38, 40, 42) and French (FR 36, 38, 40) clothing sizes are not the same; IT 40 is about a US 4 and an FR 36. Check each house’s chart, and keep returns in mind when you order from another country.

Luxury prices move in a different rhythm from everyday shopping. The great houses (Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Rolex) raise prices once or twice a year, often in January and in spring, and almost never discount their icons. Seasonal pieces, colors and many shoes, coats and knitwear drop 30–50% in the end-of-season sales in January and from late June. Watches from brands such as Omega, TAG Heuer, Longines and Breitling, and most fragrance, see the best prices around Prime Day and Black Friday. Judge any deal against the usual price we show.

Buy from the fashion house, an authorized retailer or a reseller that authenticates and guarantees every piece, and keep the receipt, the dust bag, the box and any warranty card: they matter for repairs and for resale. Swiss watches carry a 2- to 5-year international warranty when bought from an authorized dealer, and buyers in the EU and UK also have a legal guarantee of at least two years on new goods.