No BBQ Blazers

we want clothes that do more than just get the job done

Mar 16, 2025

Okay so it’s not BBQ for me, but spaghetti also falls into “gets the job done” food category. Aren’t I cute though?

My hot take in life is that BBQ (yes, the smoked meats) is not that great (it’s really all about the sides).

And before you ask, I’ve had all the styles: Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and more. You cannot convince me out of my hot take by telling me about so-and-so’s best BBQ.

Every time I do eat BBQ, I come away feeling fed and the taste is good. I never crave it, but it’s also never bad. It doesn’t stick in my memory, but it’s never offensive.

It gets the job done.

This is NOT a BBQ blazer and another one Sean snagged recently.

This week, Sean and I continued our thrift store pop-ins to look for blazers and jackets.

Definition:
thrift store pop-in: verb. The act of driving by or being physically near a thrift store and choosing a quick, under 15 minute visit to look at one category, and one category of clothing only. Compare to: all day destination thrift store adventure when you just feel tired and frustrated because you haven’t found anything good.

We beelined to the blazer rack and he started trying on different coats (another best suggestion for thrifting is to ignore the labels and try on everything). Between us, we slid off and on about 10+ items - evaluating quickly for:

fit (most were too big)
look (a grey/blue pinstripe was both quiet and loud at the same time), and
fabric (did it feel good).

He finally landed on a blazer that was brownish but read black with subtle grey/black stripes (a black blazer is a hole for him). It fit him very well (as noted, a lot of thrift store blazers are just too big for him). It looked fine, if not good. There was nothing bad or objectionable about it at all. The brand was Banana Republic circa 2008 (you can often find this info on the small, inside white tags). He liked it. I had no major objections. I didn’t love it, but….

It got the job done.

We shrugged and said, cool, let’s buy it. He needs blazes after all, and it’s cheap. It can work.

One more sweep of the racks ensued and he pulled out one he didn’t think he tried on before. It was also Banana Republic (2009), the tag read Made in Egypt and as soon as he put it on, we both knew - THIS - was the blazer that was going home with us. The details were great: the back had two side vents vs. one center vent which meant it laid really well, the side pockets were angled giving it a really interesting detail beyond your standard pockets, the fabric was lighter to the touch (ideal for hot, humid summers), and it fit him perfectly.

Example of a center vent (left) vs. side vent (right). From this website.

We both felt an instant *something* to this one.

This was not a BBQ blazer. It did more than just get the job done.

The first “getting the job done” blazer went back on the rack and we walked to the counter with the second, purchasing it at just $10 ($8.99 + tax and the classic Goodwill round up).

On the way out the door, Sean quipped, “No BBQ blazers for us!”

I laughed and wrote that down in my notes app ASAP, knowing this lexicon was forever going to be a part of how I talk about style.

So the next time you’re out shopping, just repeat: No BBQ Blazers and remind yourself to never settle for something that just gets the job done. You’ll be way more satisfied if you wait for the good one.

Vogue [ish]

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