Australian style columns

Thanks for that. I subscribe to the SMH but have never seen those SMH articles. Perhaps only on the online version?

PS - Black suits are OK.

I've read at least one of those columns in the paper (the one on winter wardrobe). Not sure I agree about the fate of casual Friday. It seems to be still going fine. One thing I benefited from here is learning how to dress up with business casual, and have got a lot of compliments for it. I don't think menswear gets much coverage at all in the papers I read. Generally what is published is thinly-disguised advertising featuring some footballer or rock star poncing around in Morrissey or AG and telling us we ought to buy it. There is very little real advice as such. Some things that might make interesting articles might include a comparison between RTW and MTM shirts (how many Australians are aware they can have a custom-made shirt for the price of a Van Heusen), how to tell canvassed from fused suits, and why the difference is important, how to differentiate a well-made shoe from a glue job, how to properly care for shoes, etc. Sounds like a great initiative. Good luck with it.

Spectre, Thanks for posting some links to your columns - know that I've seen them, I recall reading two of the SMH ones, on the demise of Casual Friday (although I fear that like Mark Twain, its demise is exaggerated and it will be here for a while yet), and on avoiding sartorial sins (which I remember nodding in agreement to as I was reading it). I agree with Cal Dreamer that a column on good shirts would be an appropriate topic, as most Australian men seem to think that good shirts are a) poly-cotton blends or b) atrociously overpriced, mid-level goods from places like Herringbone (not to criticise Herringbone overly, but they are certainly way too expensive for what they offer). A column on shoes would also be good, as I can quite honestly say that I have never met an Australian (who didn't work in a shoe store) who would know what a goodyear welt is. Of course, a potential problem with writing such articles, is that you might not find yourself with much of an audience. Whilst I hate to stereotype, as has been discussed on this board on many occasions, we are a minority (and a snobbish one at that!). Most people, Australians included, are happily ignorant about the finer points of men's clothing and have no desire to learn about canvassed suits or goodyear welts or Blake/rapid construction. However, I heartily applaud your efforts and hope that you are successful! Oh - as an afterthough - no, I haven't seen anything about men's style that appears on a regular (or even semi-regular) basis. I have occasionally seen articles in places like the Qantas in-flight magazine that are not too terrible (one on shirts and another on different styles of suit - it even discussed the difference between American, British and Italian styles and provided illustrated examples of each!). Cheers, JH

Hi. They're good articles. One point of disagreement is about silk undershirts. Their light weight is good for travel. However, the care required makes them unsuitable for going from hotel to hotel, for example.

Spectre is the Suits You blog in the Age yours? If so, you certainly have been copping some flak from the peanut gallery lately.

Thanks for that and good luck. The state of menswear in Sydney is getting worse. Especially the price and availability of good shoes. I got some fabulous EXcel Tassy wool suits at Voi and linen and wool ones like Corneliani but no more...

Spectre, I just noticed another one of your articles in the Courier-Mail the other day, about shopping for clothes on the web. Good to see that a few places and merchants favoured by SF/AAAC members got a mention. If I could find a link, I'd post it, but I don't know if it's available on the web... Cheers, JH