The elegance of a sports coat

WERE IT not for my job, I would not be let through very many doors. I found this out on Sunday night at the premier of Eric Kabeera’s film Intore that was held at Kigali Serena Hotel. Movie premiers are not an everyday event; they come as often as religious leaders confess to molestation. Also, they rarely dictate that they should be black tie events. Most of my outfit was okay (dress pants and a short sleeved shirt) but my jacket fell short; being a weekend, in my futile attempt to be the cool kid at the party, I went for a Khaki biker jacket that made me look like a sore thumb. Everybody else wore a sports jacket (or what most people call a blazer or coat) and they looked like they were born to go to premiers and sip champagne. I on the other hand came off as the electrician and so waiters walked past me and offered everyone else a drink, which didn’t surprise me. There is a time and place for everything and sports jackets’ time and place are evenings out for dinners, wedding receptions, premiers and the like. Unlike suits, sports jackets do not give you a very formal look or make you seem stuck up, they make you decently casual which is good because you won’t look the maintenance guy. Sports jackets are cool and go with almost anything - but shorts! If it is on a weekday and you are in suit pants, you can throw one on without caring if it matches the pants, if it is over the weekend and you are rocking denim pants, worry not, a sports jacket can be added. If you are one of those chaps who wear nothing but chinos, sports jacket are for you too. Most foot wear other than sandals go with sports jackets. These coats come in a variety of designs; lately the most common one is patched coats, mostly at the elbows and at the shoulders. Artistic people prefer their coats patched with African print material or made entirely out of it. But while at it, be cautious or you could end up being too colourful. You would rather look like the guy fixing the lighting than be too fruity. Underneath the coat, feel free to don a t-shirt, polo or corporate shirt. Whatever you choose to wear make sure it fits; do not wear a coat two sizes bigger. Most boutiques in Kigali stock coats with prices ranging from Rwf 20, 000 to Rwf 50,000.