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Pliny

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I really don't understand the dislike of white shirts.


I don't understand your not understanding.
satisfied.gif
But really, no-one's saying they dislike white shirts in any context- For me it's just that they r quite formal and so need to be used sparingly. For most of the casual fits in this thread blue's better. IMO
 

sugarbutch

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It's the white = formal that I don't understand. I like blue shirts, too, though. So, whatevs... :)
 

sugarbutch

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I just noticed who's thumbed my post on white shirts, and it occurs to me that the aversion may be skin-tone related. I guess I can understand it from that angle.
 

AJL

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The SF dreaded navy odd trousers. These are a new luxire flannel pair and first wear. They need a cm taken off the length I've decided. They also need a brush after only about an hour of wear, one of the drawbacks of flannel in dark colours I guess.

700


700
Tie: Henry Carter wool challis
Shirt: Luxire
Coat: Herringbone Sydney
PS: Henry Carter hand rolled Macclesfield
Trousers: Luxire navy flannel
Shoes: Carmina


Actually HC, I'm sensing a subtle shift towards acceptance of navy trews here. Have seen more fits lately employing them, often preceded by the same qualifier, which subsequently get a pretty good response, provided the fit is of a generally high calibre. Nice tie, btw.
 

AJL

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I just noticed who's thumbed my post on white shirts, and it occurs to me that the aversion may be skin-tone related. I guess I can understand it from that angle.


Please to explain...(?)
 

sugarbutch

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I've heard folks with lighter skin complain that white washes out their complexion. Those of us with darker skin don't have to take this into consideration. Just a theory, but in thinking about it, I think the browner of us tend to wear more white shirts than the typical StyFo denizen.
 
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sugarbutch

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The SF dreaded navy odd trousers. These are a new luxire flannel pair and first wear. They need a cm taken off the length I've decided. They also need a brush after only about an hour of wear, one of the drawbacks of flannel in dark colours I guess.

700


700
Tie: Henry Carter wool challis
Shirt: Luxire
Coat: Herringbone Sydney
PS: Henry Carter hand rolled Macclesfield
Trousers: Luxire navy flannel
Shoes: Carmina


Actually HC, I'm sensing a subtle shift towards acceptance of navy trews here. Have seen more fits lately employing them, often preceded by the same qualifier, which subsequently get a pretty good response, provided the fit is of a generally high calibre. Nice tie, btw.


Manton hasn't been around to gainsay their appropriateness.
 

BespokeKiwi

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I think there is much truth there, but I'd much rather "ape" Cary Grant than the Bond movie characters: D Craig's too-tight dinner suit with no braces, waistcoat or even just a cummerbund, is simply barbarism, and the disgustingly handsome Roger Moore was completely undone by Gucci horsebit loafers in my book. And well-tailored though he invariably was, one couldn't really wear a dive watch on a NATO strap with a dinner jacket as Connery did, nor recommend loafers for chasing megalomaniacs around hollow volcanoes and the like. It's important to be choosy!

@mimo I love your dry wit.
biggrin.gif


Yes, I completely agree with your comment about being choosy and not blindly aping entire James Bond ensembles, which often contain sartorial faux pas.


A little background on me, during my younger self's military service years as an army officer, I was transferred to the British Army temporarily where a little of the traditional dress code of it's officer corps rubbed off on me; e.g. black/navy blue solid blazers with metal buttons, stripped shirts (Bengal or Butchers stripes) and regimental ties, cord trousers, and semi-brogue capped shoes.

Given the above mentioned military influence on my sartorial tastes, unsurprisingly Roger Moore's Bond character's preference for solid coloured blazers with 4-hole metal buttons resonated with me. As did Sean Connery's Bond character's military inspired conduit cut suits and woven knit/Grenadine ties and Daniel Craig's Bond character's military/polo inspired sleek C&J Tetbury (chukka) boots. Basically, all wardrobe items that arguably suit lean/lanky men with a clean cut military bearing.



So, I'm definitely not in favour of blindly aping the on screen James Bond ensembles, just cherry picking the best of them -- from my own perspective.

Edit: My above mentioned humble Bond inspired garments will get their first maiden voyage outings on this WAYWRN thread as soon as some all important fit issues have been resolved with my tailor in Hong Kong and my desired ensembles have been assembled.
 
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An Acute Style

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Tuesday. I think a brown tie would have been better. This fit feels a bit fallish. I wish I had worn my stone chinos instead also.







 
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BespokeKiwi

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You're broadly right though - in Europe at least, those challenged were generally offered the choice of weapons.

@FlyingMonkey Thanks for that insight. Accordingly, as the challenged party, my weapon of choice is pints (of beer that is) -- not pistols. As with pistols at dawn, the last man standing (at the bar) wins. As my second, I nominate any Aussie or Brit member of SF with a waist size over 40 inches, as everyone knows that they're better competitive beer drinkers than either (ahem) slow poke Kiwis or Texans.

P.S. I hasten to add, that I have nothing against SF members with waist sizes over 40 inches, of course. As, until about 4-5 years ago, that included me too, during a brief period of weight and health issues. So, no more duel requests please!
biggrin.gif
 
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in stitches

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That's really good, Choc. The subtle pink-and-green works nicely.


big plus one.

Interested to hear what bothers you about the bottom block. Grey pants + brown suede seems like a pretty good combo. No socks?


i PMed GMM, it was probably mostly personal preference stuff.

I really don't understand the dislike of white shirts.


mostly this. i will agree that most times i see white shirt hate i think its off, but there are definitely fits here that use white shirts where they should not have.
 

9thsymph

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I just noticed who's thumbed my post on white shirts, and it occurs to me that the aversion may be skin-tone related. I guess I can understand it from that angle.

I thumbed your post (and I'm as pale as can be...) because white shirts simply look great in a variety of situations on a variety of skin tones. The blue-shirt-works-best-'almost'-always rule is complete nonsense. Blue shirts work well a lot of the time, but white shirts do too, and sometimes much better (not that there are many examples on this thread, though...). Hopefully this and many other of the Manton/Foo doctrines will slowly fade...
 
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Pliny

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I've heard folks with lighter skin complain that white washes out their complexion. Those of us with darker skin don't have to take this into consideration. Just a theory, but in thinking about it, I think the browner of us tend to wear more white shirts than the typical StyFo denizen.


Makes sense ^^^ and re: the historical formality of white shirts I know FM could give the history better than me, maybe he can chime in. But I'm thinking 'white collar' and 'blue collar' are class expressions for a reason.
I also think white shirts just provide too much contrast with most SCs, and are less likely to complement other colors in the fit, compared to blues
 

Academic2

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I've heard folks with lighter skin complain that white washes out their complexion. Those of us with darker skin don't have to take this into consideration. Just a theory, but in thinking about it, I think the browner of us tend to wear more white shirts than the typical StyFo denizen.

I think there's some truth to this (and white shirts do look especially good against darker skin), but I'll add that even pasty-faced guys like me like them when worn with a very pale tie, like this blue Borrelli neat (suit is charcoal). Of course it's a low-contrast look, but I'm fine with those from time to time, although I realize that some aren't.

Cheers,

Ac

 

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