Not sure about the button but really like the leather patch idea! 
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Or try a slightly medium-toned hue (ie. medium brown instead of dark brown). What about trying to match the collar more?
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Great ideas. But too bad clothing does not have ‘distressed’ trend like furniture . Then son might be bold enough to just wear it as-is.
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This is a really bad photo shop, but combining the idea of a leather patch and moving the flap up - how about taking out the old flap and putting on a new larger leather flap that covers the stain and the original flap area. I cloned the lining to show what the flap would look like in that lighter redder tone.
Also wanted to note that if you look at leather and suede blazers, pockets end up all over the place.
I’m actually liking this idea, but using the same type of corduroy on the lapel over the pockets, instead of leather. My feeling is that leather will be too busy.
I’m going to get a variety of corduroy swatches in shades of brown and tan to see if I can match it up.
I’m also thinking of giving the jacket a “tea bath.” I think it will enhance the color and it’s less risky than trying to re-dye.
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I think the tea bath is likely to come out uneven. I have done that with some old tshirts for fun before and it was like mild tie dye. You might try it on scrap fabric or an old tshirt first.
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For those who needed more info on the ticket pocket:
Of the various ideas proposed so far, my favorites are:
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A ticket pocket in a coordinating corduroy from the collar
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Raising the pockets higher, assuming that the rest of the fabric will be the correct color (i.e. not faded and obvious where the old flaps were)…with @Marilyn’s excellent photo shopping:
I like the leather above the pockets but do think moving the pocket flaps higher looks awkward.
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How about putting a funny button on the stain, like this:
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Probably not.
Someone else suggested suede rather than leather or more corduroy.
My current thoughts are:
No ticket pocket. I think it will be impossible to match the main fabric, and it’s too much work to create a new pocket in matching cord. Then the flaps on the current pockets will also need to be replaced to match the ticket pocket. Given the age of the jacket, and the cost of this project, and the already ridiculous (haha) amount of time I have spent, I have to do what is most practical I think.
I like the idea above of creating corduroy or leather “strips” to run above both bottom pockets. I want it to blend in more. My son isn’t trendy or showy or a fashion dude and it needs to look reasonably smart so he can wear it to work on chilly mornings. If it’s too fashionable, he will never wear it, which is the main reason for trying to do this.
Meanwhile, I haven been unable to find the right “wale” of corduroy. I now know that wale is a thing! I posted in a couple of local groups asking if anyone had an old pair of cords around. I got some good suggestions, including trying suede instead. Let’s see what happens
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a long shot idea….
You do not need a real ticket pocket. You only need a ticket pocket flap!
Have you looked at any consignment stores or Goodwill…for old corduroy men’s pants?
Got it. But it’s just impossible to match the current fabric of the main part of the jacket. Cord or suede are possible. So I need new material, in which case no point in creating another piece of the jacket (ticket pocket) when I think a strip of fabric will look good and not require three new pocket flaps being made.
I would suggest a durable fabric there if your son likes to put his hands in his pockets a lot or his pens. Leather might wear better than suede. You might be able to buy a second hand leather purse in the color you like and ask a tailor to do the job. Don’t know if you have worked with leather before but it can be tricky. If you want to DIY you might look for a study canvas tote to deconstruct and use. I would go darker in color than the current shade. Just less likely to show oils and dirt from hands going in pockets.
It’s really easy to put in a slit pocket or a ticket pocket if you want. I have done it several times when I have bought women’s pants or coats with no pockets. I added a set of pockets to a Gap leather coat I got my daughter at the thrift store. Just put them in the seam and it was really easy.
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Instead of real suede which will require special cleaning/maintenance since it’s leather (which can’t go into the wash or for normal dry cleaning), consider using ultrasuede for the pocket flaps.
Ultrasuede/microsuede is made from polyester mircrofiber and it’s washable. Synthetic suede comes in a variety of colors, densities/thickesses and is easier to tailor than real suede. It’s also less expensive than suede and probably is easier to source than wide wale corduroy. There are some really very nice materials out there that don’t look cheap or cringy.
I recommend looking on Etsy for ultrasuede specialty retailers, not at Joann’s. Many stores will sell you swatches so you can compare several colors/textures to see what looks best.
You can also source high quality ultrasuede from tailoring supply companies which sells it for elbow patches and collars on sports coats, etc.
(I recently bought an ultrasuede swatch set from a tailoring supply house and used one of the 4 inch square swatches to sew a replacement nose for the leather nose on my daughter’s much beloved childhood teddy bear that the dog had chewed off.)
ETA: Field’s Fabrics carries a wide line of ultrasuedes and ultraleathers–
https://shop.fieldsfabrics.com/ultrasuede
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Excellent tip, thank you!
Ultrasueda has a great online color swatching site where you can look at the various colors and choose a couple you think might work.
Once you know the color name/code, then you can do a google search for a retailer that carries that color.
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You could also do a dark brown denim or cord to retain the wash-ability.
Ah, if the jacket can be washed/soaked and you’re thinking of dye, the remedy I tried for bleach “stains” might work.
I accidentally got a lot of bleach on the sleeve of a brand new medium blue 3/4 zip. I was sick because it wasn’t a stain that could be removed, the actual color was gone in a spatter area about the size of a deck of cards with a couple of spots the size of a quarter. I thought all was lost and went Googling without much hope when I hit a solution that was mostly for stains but was supposed to work well for bleach spots, too – fabric markers!
The poster said that fixing the problem was a two- to three-step process. First, get as much stain removed (via several of the methods/products already listed) as possible. Then, choose a fabric marker as close to the item’s color as possible. Heavily but precisely “color” in the affected area and let dry. Then wash and dry. Repeat (at least twice) until the spot is barely or not noticeable. I found a set of fabric markers with one that was almost a dead match, repeated the process three times, and it worked like a charm. I have my top back. I wish I had taken a before pic because there is nothing to be seen in the after shot, to anyone else’s eye that is.
I think the location and size of the stain as well as the fabric texture are all at issue with this solution, but it might be worth a try.
ETA: Sorry, I didn’t see the jacket picture. It doesn’t look like it can be put in the washing machine, but I’ll leave my suggestion here for anyone else who might need a solution for bleach.
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