50 Words or Less
Ian Poulter’s IJP Design clothing brand is synonymous with style, quality, fashionable, functional…and tartan. One of the best golf apparel brands in the game year after year.
Introduction
By my count, this is our third IJP Design apparel review on PluggedInGolf.com. Though IJP Design may not be revolutionizing the game of golf like some of the latest technologies in golf clubs, they are certainly staying a course that brings a high-quality product that delivers in looks and in performance on the course. The IJP Design motto is “look good, feel good, play great” and they hold their clothing to just that. For the Autumn Winter 2014 line, we reviewed one of the newer products to the line, the Tech Tartans, and two updated classic Ian Poulter shirts.
Performance
The biggest draw for me with IJP Design over the past year has been the introduction of the new Tech Tartans. While the signature tartan has been a mainstay of IJP Design since the company’s inception, the past year has been the first they have produced in a technical material rather than just the poly-wool blend which is a little heavier and less breathable. To be fair, last year the brand switched to a slightly different woven material in tartans and it made a world of difference in quality and comfort. The new newer Tech Tartan is a water-repellent material that is both lightweight and breathable making these pants, or trousers as they say, a better option in a wider range of conditions. I have worn the IJP Tech Tartans in both cooler temperatures and warmer temperatures with no problems whatsoever. The lighter material also makes for a less restricted range of motion.
Both the Albatross (black & green striped) and the Spiff (grey & purple) shirts are made of a polyester performance blend that is also lightweight and easy to move in. These shirts are very breathable and comfortable in all conditions. The fitted sleeves are a nice touch that still allows for a comfortable swing and rotation.
Style
When talking about anything related to Ian Poulter, it’s impossible not to focus on style. People either love or hate it, but everyone admits that Poulter has style. It’s no surprise that the Autumn Winter 14 IJP Design collection is full of fun colors like black, white, grey, purple, pink, and a tealish green with the signature tartan being a black, white, and purple plaid. As with all of the IJP Design tartans, the plaid is officially registered with the Scottish Tartan Authority.
The Tech Tartans are a nice comfortable athletic fit printed with the same tartan as the poly-wool tartan trousers and can be paired with many different shirt options from the collection. The Albatross, listed as one of Ian’s favorites, and the Spiff shirts are a slight departure from Ian Poulter ten years ago when the statements could be overwhelming at times. These two shirts are very tastefully done and make for a bold confident look both on and off the golf course. The Albatross is a style that has been around for quite a few collections now and the Spiff is making its second appearance in a collection, but I have a feeling we will see it more down the line in different colors.
Value
I think the question of value is always totally dependent on the individual consumer, but as far as I’m concerned, Ian Poulter’s IJP Design is worth the investment if you are going to get into the high-end clothing range. For the quality of clothing it’s comparable to, the IJP Design lines are actually much more affordable than a lot of the other high-end brands. Additionally, IJP Design frequently runs sales, promotions, and special opportunities when their brand ambassadors do well which makes a lot of the clothing more than affordable for those looking to spend on a smaller budget. For example, at the time of writing this, they are running a 40% off sale on the IJP website. The sales will often be significant discounts as well. Be warned, as the brand has grown fairly rapidly in popularity, much of the newly release collections do not even make it to sale periods.
Unrelated to the products in this review, IJP Design often has limited edition Tour apparel as well. Typically it will be the Raglan polos with Poulter’s sponsor logos embroidered on the shirt, and the Tech or Performance trousers with the IJP Design logos embroidered like Ian wears. This is the closest golfers come to being able to buy their favorite player’s jersey, and it makes for a nice added touch to the line.
Conclusion
IJP Design isn’t the only brand of clothing in my closet, but it definitely has a strong presence. It started as a fascination with the crazy looks this English punk was wearing in 2005, but after realizing how strong the quality of this clothing was, the love for the brand only grew. Thanks to guys like Ian Poulter, it’s ok to wear more exciting clothes and a renewed focus has been put on looks, performance, and quality. Sure, Poulter isn’t alone. You read constantly about how Tiger Woods came along and revolutionized the industry by introducing “technological requirements” into golf clothing, and it’s absolutely true, but Ian Poulter is just as responsible for the colorful state of today’s apparel.
IJP Golf Apparel (1)
IJP Golf Apparel (2)
IJP Golf Apparel (3)
IJP Golf Apparel (4)
IJP Golf Apparel (5)
IJP Golf Apparel (6)
IJP Golf Apparel (7)
Bill plays Scott Readman Concepts putters and accessories.
- Puma Ignite PWRADAPT Golf Shoes Review - March 22, 2018
- TaylorMade M3 Driver Review - March 14, 2018
- TaylorMade M4 Driver Review - March 5, 2018
