The Pure Blue Japan Sashiko Type II Jacket is one of those quintessential pieces that Pure Blue Japan (PBJ) has become known for, and over the years has produced an array of Type II and Type III Sashiko jackets in various dyes and colors that all fall under this Sashiko jacket umbrella. This Sashiko Type II Jacket is an excellent staple to keep in your wardrobe as it excels in being both casual outfits and business casual outfits. With wear, these jackets will surely look even better and worthy of its calling. Read our Pure Blue Japan Sashiko Jacket review to learn more about this iconic jacket from their collection, how it wears, fades, and picking your size.

These posts are part of our Worn series where we highlight and showcase some of the pieces we proudly carry to show how they wear over time. Not only so that you have a better idea of what to expect – or look forward to – as you wear them in, but also to have a larger space for us to go into what makes each unique in its own way.

INTRO

Back in the heyday of raw denim (early 2010s through mid-to-late 2010s) , the Pure Blue Japan Sashiko Jackets were one of those grail-like pieces that was highly sought after. You either had to scoop one up at one of the very few retailers in the U.S., or try and find a proxy to send it from Japan, or make the trek yourself to the PBJ Harajuku store. If I recall correctly, PBJ was one of a handful (if not the only) Japanese brand producing new Type II and Type III Sashiko jackets at the time, especially earlier in the cycle. Naturally, this made them a little more elusive and highly sought after if you were looking to pick up a sashiko jacket.

For some who may not be familiar, you may be wondering what is sashiko? Well it’s a simple question that requires a nuanced answer. Without getting too much into the nitty-gritty details of sashiko, suffice to say that there’s a couple historical aspects to the fabric: the most common being the repair aspect of it that our friend Matt Rho (@rhomatt) does some work in (boro patching with sashiko stitching; scroll down his IG for some photos). And then, there’s the decorative/strengthening aspect of it that was often used in traditional judo uniforms, which are strong and durable, but bulky and not quite suitable for everyday wear. Today, sashiko is more commonly used today for the decorative/aesthetic aspects as it appears on a variety of clothing. Pure Blue Japan’s sashiko jackets are not made in the traditional way, but are woven on a double weave jacquard loom with Sashiko stitching on the front, and plain on the back.

This specific Pure Blue Japan jacket is the 6096 Type II Sashiko Jacket in an Indigo x Indigo (Double Indigo), and was picked up in Japan in 2019.

STYLING A SASHIKO JACKET

Over the last four years, I’ve actually gotten more wear out of this jacket when dressed up — pairing it with some chinos and dressier shoes. In doing some research on what other Pure Blue Japan Sashiko Jacket reviews are out there, I saw one of our fellow Youtuber customers, Cameron O’s review on this same jacket where he mentioned that he treats it almost like a blazer. I completely agree with that assessment and have worn it accordingly over the years. It’s obviously not a blazer, but the sashiko stitch aesthetic is subtle enough from afar, but with its added texture, can really add a nice dynamic to a standard business-casual outfit. Honestly it’s one of the easier ways I’ve found to dress down a business casual outfit — added bonus is I get to wear something I love.

Here’s an example of how I liked to wear the PBJ Sashiko Jacket in a slightly dressier style – paired with an OCBD shirt, some navy chinos, and with the Allen Edmonds Strands.

Of course, a good Type II jacket wears well in your every day outfits and the PBJ Sashiko Type II Jacket does just that. These are easy jackets to pair with a plain white t-shirt or a simple button-up shirt and a pair of jeans. Personally, I am partial to duck canvas trousers and chinos (i.e. the Railcar Duck Canvas Flight Trousers or the Iron Heart 17oz Duck Canvas Pants) when wearing a denim jacket or these PBJ Sashiko Jacket.

See below for another example of how I would typically wear the PBJ Sashiko Jacket in a more casual outfit – the Iron Heart 17oz Duck Canvas Pants, a Merz b. Schwanen 215 Tee, and some Viberg Mules.

FIGURING OUT FIT & SIZING

Pure Blue Japan uses numerical sizes for their tops (Sizes 1-6) with some pieces only coming in a smaller range of sizes. The PBJ Sashiko Jackets comes in sizes 2-6, which based on typical Japanese conversions would equate to: 2 (M), 3 (L), 4 (XL), 5 (XXL), and 6 (3XL). Based on our experience trying on these jackets, if you typically wear XS or XL in American brands (or anything between that), there’s likely a size that will fit. As always, we recommend double checking the size chart for actual measurements to determine which size to take.

For me, I have an athletic-slim body build, 170 lbs currently, with a 39-40″ chest and typically wear size M in most American brands, and size L in most Japanese brands. In the PBJ Sashiko Jackets, I wear size 4 in my four year old Sashiko jacket, as well as a size 4 in the most recent run produced for Spring/Summer 2024. I’ve slimmed down a tad over the last couple years. Whereas before the size 4 fit quite slim and snug, instead it now fits quite comfortably without it being too relaxed; that said, I probably wouldn’t wear more than a lightweight sweatshirt underneath as the arms can still get quite snug.

I can wear a size 3 in the jacket (in my current state, probably not when I was a bit heavier and had a little more meat on the bones) and it fits very snug. The length on the size 3 also comes up short, so my preference is to go with size 4 regardless of the chest (i.e. even if I was slimmer, at my height and with my torso, I’d prefer size 4).

I’ve compared the measurements of my Type II Sashiko Jacket from 2019, to the 2024 delivery of Type II Jackets and they are quite close. Accordingly, the size chart below is for the Spring/Summer 2024 version of the Type II Sashiko Jackets, using an average across all three colors.

If we continue with the Japanese conversion noted in the paragraph above, we generally recommend taking one or two sizes up from your typical American size. For example, if you typically wear size M in American brands, you should take either size L or size XL. I would describe the fit on these jackets as a modern fit – a straight roomy fit through the torso, room through the arms, and good length on the body. Compare this to an Iron Heart Type II jacket, which usually has a little more tapered fit through the torso, room through the arms (but tapers more strongly to the sleeve opening), a longer sleeve length, and body length that is typically shorter. Generally speaking, the PBJ Type II should accommodate a wider range of body types given its cut.

SASHIKO FABRIC

As noted above, Pure Blue Japan uses a custom-woven jacquard fabric that is similar to traditional sashiko fabric, although not quite a true traditional sashiko. Rather, the PBJ sashiko fabric is produced by incorporating the sashiko pattern directly into the fabric during the production process. The result is a beautifully textured fabric that has a bit of crispness and raw starchy feel at first. but is made to ultimately be soft and lightweight. PBJ doesn’t have an exact weight for this fabric, but it’s around an 11 – 12oz weight.

Starting out, the jacket has a pretty rigid feel, probably due to the sashiko stitching providing some additional structure to the jacket. As a result, the jacket doesn’t drape incredibly well at first, but with some wear (and washes) the fabric softens up quickly and the textured sashiko becomes more soft and less bumpy as you brush your hand along the surface.

Though there isn’t much stretch in the sashiko fabric, it does loosen up and stretch in areas of high tension. The area around the elbows were quite snug at first (especially when layering with a thicker piece underneath), but after the few years of wear the elbow area has a slight bump out from extended wear.

FOUR YEARS LATER

The Pure Blue Japan Type II Sashiko Jacket has been a staple in my wardrobe over the last four years. It functions much like you would expect a typical denim jacket would – versatile and applicable in outfits from casual to slightly dressier ones, a nod towards vintage workwear in the Type II style, and a jacket that fits uniquely to your body once it’s worn in.

For me, the jacket gets the most wear in the Spring and Fall seasons here in Northern Virginia during the times of the year when it’s just right – not too cold that you need a heavier jacket or coat, and not too hot that all you can bare is a single t-shirt or shirt. That said, if you’re in an office environment or indoors most of the day, regardless of the outdoor temps, this jacket is a great piece that you can throw on to spruce up your outfit.

While I haven’t given this jacket a wash yet (!), I’m sure the fabric will soften up even more and the fades will look even more accentuated. As with many of the pieces that we review, they usually will look better with wears and washes.

As far as the durability, much like traditional sashiko stitching used in the hefty and durable judo uniforms, the PBJ Sashiko Jacket has held up well. That is of course, relatively speaking. While I haven’t worn the jacket in rough and tumble situations like you would in a traditional judo uniform, the elbows have gone through a lot of wear just from regular wear in a chair’s armrest. As a result, the elbow area and wrist and cuff opening probably have the best looking fades on the jacket. I also find the slight whiskering effect on the back of the jacket quite neat to look at.

Overall, the PBJ Type II Sashiko Jacket has been a solid investment for me over the last several years. It’s one of my jackets that I get more wear out of during the year due to its versatility. If you’ve never had a Sashiko jacket, or if you love the idea of a jacket that will age well but aren’t a fan of a more western denim jacket aesthetic, try out the Sashiko jacket. It’s got a bit of the best of both worlds — the indigo-dyed fading potential, along with the cultural inspiration from traditional Levi’s denim jackets.

Thanks for reading our Pure Blue Japan Sashiko Jacket review! You can shop our collection of Pure Blue Japan Sashiko on our website, including the most recent 2024 run of Olive x Olive, Grey x Black, and Indigo x Indigo fabrics in both Type II and Type III cuts.