Double Breasted Style. - Page 8

Stupid question: anybody know what flower Prince Charles is wearing in his lapel? Looks like a carnation.

The tie in the second photo's a knock-out... from whence did it come?

I would like to know too. Seems like he always wears ones that are just the right size (not too large).

Thank you. Jay Kos.

- B

They're not patch, but I'm liking patches these days. Patches with flaps..hmmm

I'm still mulling over patch hip pockets for mid to light gray DB flannel suit that I hope to have in the works beginning in a couple of weeks.

I'll probably chicken out and go with besom pockets, but still...I can dress more with more aristocratic leisure than people who are in a stricter environment. Patch pockets might be a nice FU to the work ethic.

- B

I have a tan fresco collegiate style suit on the way - patch flapped hip pockets, patch breast pocket hooked single vent with track stitching and lapped seams on the trousers. But if I weren't looking for a screamingly casual suit, I would probably skip flaps on patch pockets.

Hah! Now you're encouraging me...

Usually, however, when the cloud of possibilities in my mind finally precipitates into a commision, I end up being conservative.

- B

That sounds really great, D.

I hope that you will not be too shy to post pics.

- B

Here's a question related to DB style. Should a DB suit always have a buttonhole in each lapel, or is that left to the preference of the wearer?

Bill, take a rookie's perspective for what it's worth, but I think a grey flannel DB suit with patch pockets would be pretty sweet--particularly since you have no shortage of 'proper' suits. I'd love such a combination for myself one day.

It looks like a carnation to me. The problem I have with carnations is that their base (the green leaves that hold the flower together) is too thick to fit through the buttonhole so the flower points up instead of out. But if you strip the leaves, then the flower kind of falls apart. I haven't yet tried using string to hold the flower together, or maybe it works best only with SR-style long lapel holes (I haven't tried it on anything but my Zegna suits).

--Andre

His ties and knots rock!

Savile Row convention is to put a buttonhole in both lapels for symmetry, though not all Savile Row tailors do it all the time. Off the row, the practice is less universal and some tailors do just one since you would never wear two flowers. To the extent there is a convention about this, it is a very low power convention and if you have your own preference for one way or the other, there is no reason not to follow it.