Australian Members

Purchased some HC gloves. Will report when they arrive.

From that tan would be as brown as I'd go.

Still prefer grey though



Oli2012 said:

Alright. I have my Monday night can of worms question for SFers. 
In the past I've blown money on odd jackets from MJ Bale - unfortunately, the unstructured jackets have left me with a lot of collar gap which I think is unfixable. 

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I wouldn't lose too much sleep about a bit of collar gap - it depends where it is and how much - no one outside of yourself and the odd SF person will notice. In winter you can easily hide it with a (fashionable) scarf or cardi.

You say the jackets are unstructured - are they cotton? - if a so a (gentle hand)wash and some ironing while damp (technical term - includes stretching and shrinking and "curving" fabric) might work a small amount of magic.

fxh said:

I wouldn't lose too much sleep about a bit of collar gap - it depends where it is and how much - no one outside of yourself and the odd SF person will notice. In winter you can easily hide it with a (fashionable) scarf or cardi.

You say the jackets are unstructured - are they cotton? - if a so a (gentle hand)wash and some ironing while damp (technical term - includes stretching and shrinking and "curving" fabric) might work a small amount of magic.

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I'll take a photo later tonight. I also don't want to break the Aussie Members Rules...

Oh man, the boots online website is awful.

+1 on the RMW boots: very nice. I always wanted a pair of Balmoral boots for cold/wet weather, and thought I might acquire some in Japan but there were none to be seen.

On an unrelated note, has anyone here sent a suit to continental Europe and, if so, can you recommend a carrier? Prices seem to be ridiculous at DHL...

fxh said:

I wouldn't lose too much sleep about a bit of collar gap - it depends where it is and how much - no one outside of yourself and the odd SF person will notice. In winter you can easily hide it with a (fashionable) scarf or cardi.

You say the jackets are unstructured - are they cotton? - if a so a (gentle hand)wash and some ironing while damp (technical term - includes stretching and shrinking and "curving" fabric) might work a small amount of magic.

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Like fxh says, collar gap concerns are a tad too overrated. I don't think it's something mass-manufacturers can eliminate, for everybody. (Or something the average person cares about, or even knows exists).

In an MTM or bespoke commission, a pattern is modified, or cut, specifically in response to the idiosyncracies of our respective bodies. That's when collar gap can be eliminated -- and by a skilled craftsman.

In relation to your other points - I'd go for a wool, navy, first. In a weight that you can wear year round. So, like Romp said, err on the lighter side of the fabric, and layer in colder months.

I understand you are looking for recommendations on a second odd jacket. I'm with brown/molasses. It is more versatile than a grey odd jacket. Don't be too swayed by the Cucinelli kids. Grey-and-khaki is tricky to pull off well when not photographed, in a pack, in Pitti, or if you're not Italian.

If we were talking about a second full suit, I would say grey. A brown suit can come after you have sufficient rotation of the shades of blue, and grey.

And build a wardrobe slowly, one piece at a time. Chances are, you'll never feel as if there's nothing more you can add to your wardrobe. There will always be something. It is a curse. So enjoy the process.

To add to nabil - one thing that some people are discussing in SWD is to essentially find 1 look that you ideally would have - shell out for it - and build from there. This is a much more popular view here, and one that deserves to be returned to.

I remember reading an article that claimed, essentially, that having 4-5 pairs of pants 4-5 shirts 2-3 pairs of shoes, 4-5 sweaters that all match and are all coherent gives you something like 300 outfits. Personally, I know I've bought things that were wasteful (fit poorly, combinations are too idosyncratic, etc), and it's just ridiculous.

Nabil's right - you'll probably always want another piece here, or a piece there, so resist temptation and use your brain.

Also - if you're white I'd avoid grey-khaki - it just washes us out and makes us looked jaundiced.

Occasionally, but rarely, I like to peruse the rest of SF. It can be rewarding.

I love seeing the UK people dressing for summer - I smirk. It sometimes gives me ideas of what I might wear in winter. I was talking to my brother in Aberdeen last night. I was whinging a bit about winter - it was 15C here yesterday - he was saying summer is there - a top of 10C yesterday (and a story about a fox taking a chihuahua away* from someones backyard)

Meanwhile in US of A its not quite 2013 yet.

Its a funny old world isn't it.

Coburn said:

I suspect that sexuality or perceived sexuality is a big factor. We have a narrow range of color and clothing combinations that are accepted as heterosexual. Outside that range, clothes are perceived as signaling sexual ambiguity that elicits a lot disquiet in the viewer

A young man wearing pink shoes and staring into a camera would be perceived as overtly homosexual or at best signifying ambiguous sexuality.

However, when you reach the age of the man in the photos, you are no longer seen as a sexual being. Old men are viewed as asexual. So, their clothes no longer carry any sexual overtone. They are no longer threatening.

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unbelragazzo said:

^in the US, it's region-dependent. In any city, being well dressed in general will not mark you as gay.

But my friend's mom visited from small town Missouri and thought I was gay just for wearing a nice (conservative, navy and white) scarf.

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AgeofTheGeek said:

I go to school in Boston, and a majority of the people dress nicely. Not suits or sports coats every day, but definitely presentable items that deviate from normality (relevant to other cities). So as far as sexuality goes, not many people will judge you for wearing nice clothes. 

However, when I come home with a few new, more "out there" pieces that are considered standard in Boston, my mom will make a comment about looking gay. 

Oh how the world works. 

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* No not for sex - to eat!

People often think I'm gay up here because I like clothes, music, laughs and not shooting animals. It's not just the USA bros.

Worst photo, but you get the idea. Its more pronounced on my navy jacket.

Its a shame really, because the jacket itself is a beautiful material and otherwise fits very well (the cuff is hidden in that photo for some reason).

If I had my time again I would have grabbed a Uniqlo one, but hey.

Any chance it can be fixed?



thebrownman said:

I think he wears those well, too. Also, he's young, running a successful blog and enjoying dressing and developing his own sense of style. I think that's nice.

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You can't really say that in this day and age with Tumblr, Instagram and the Internet. I mean come on, go to most of the big hitter tumblrs and they all look the same. #menswear individual style has actually become so common that most of the 'enthusiasts' don't even seem to notice, or if they do are deliberately choosing to ignore it.

Like JM said:

he's certainly got it all going on - partly unbuckled double monks, beads on the wrist, vintage watch on NATO strap, short trousers, no socks, back of tie longer than the front blade, and all the rest.

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That's like the entirety of the #menswear community.

To echo the late and great MostExerent Phat Guido: "dressed by the Internet". The guy is a walking cliche of #menswear today - young men dressing up to represent an era they don't even know.

thebrownman said:

Jase and Gerry, both of you looking good as always

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appolyon said:

I third that ... great looks guys

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Thanks, gents!



streetminimal said:

You can't really say that in this day and age with Tumblr, Instagram and the Internet. I mean come on, go to most of the big hitter tumblrs and they all look the same. #menswear individual style has actually become so common that most of the 'enthusiasts' don't even seem to notice, or if they do are deliberately choosing to ignore it.

Like JM said:
That's like the entirety of the #menswear community.

To echo the late and great MostExerent Phat Guido: "dressed by the Internet". The guy is a walking cliche of #menswear today - young men dressing up to represent an era they don't even know.

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Most people's attire is derivative, especially at that age. I overdid it when I was younger: stripy socks, floral PS, back blade hanging out, all at once. I'm getting better as I age, and opting for plainer things (except ties, they've gotten brighter), but if I hadn't made some mistakes, I'd never have come around. I'm even growing to love shiny, black captoes as a preferred footwear option.



LonerMatt said:

People often think I'm gay up here because I like clothes, music, laughs and not shooting animals. It's not just the USA bros.

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Yeah - but what do the blokes think?