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L.L. Bean
Microfiber Brass-Button Blazer,
TL 40894
Microfiber Hidden-Comfort Pants,
TL 45360
 Bean's
microfiber polyester jacket and trousers are made from a soft, fine-textured
fabric that is claimed to "look and feel like the finest worsted wool." I
wouldn't go that far, but I will say that the fabric is lighter and more
comfortable than any wool suiting I've worn. (It also looks elegant, although I
must confess that I preferred the slightly more formal black-buttoned version
that was offered in 2002.)
 The
jacket comes in black, navy, or British khaki, while the pants are available in black, navy,
or taupe. The black or navy blazer with two pairs of trousers--one
matching, the other in taupe--would make a versatile max-and-match combination.
Price: Blazer US $169 (regular) or $179
(tall); pants US $72.00.
Look and fit: Excellent. The
jacket has soft padded shoulders and drapes nicely, while the "hidden-comfort"
trousers have an elastic waistband that provides at least an inch of play for a
non-critical fit. (If you gain a few pounds on a cruise or vacation, as I did on
the M/V
Silver Whisper, the forgiving waistband will come in handy.)
Ease of care: The microfiber
fabric resists wrinkling in everyday wear, but the jacket picked up creases after being rolled and packed tightly in a suitcase. I'd suggest packing
the jacket and trousers carefully, just as you'd pack a wool suit. On the plus
side, both the jacket and pants are machine-washable.
Addenda:
-
On a recent transatlantic flight, a member of
the cabin crew dumped milk in my lap. Some of the milk beaded up on the fabric;
the rest dried quickly, leaving no visible stain. I later washed the pants out
in my hotel sink. After a day of drip drying, they were as good as new--and
unwrinkled, at that.
-
After a grueling journey from the American Midwest to Southern
Italy, I had 15 minutes to get ready for for dinner in a 5-star hotel. I washed my
face, put on a tie, and headed for the dining room in the L.L. Bean microfiber suit
that I'd been wearing for 24 hours. A companion said, "You look nice--how did
you unpack so quickly?"
Special features: Both the
jacket and pants have hidden security pockets, and the jacket also has a deep
pocket for airline tickets and boarding passes.
In a nutshell: A handsome, easy-care
suit or blazer/pants combination for city travel.
Order from:
L.L. Bean, 1-800-441-5713.
Other review pages
for men's travel clothing
Photos: Copyright © L.L. Bean.
Used by permission.
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