Australian Members

[Geoffrey Firmin]

 

[Henry Carter]



10-19 half time the Wannabee' Wallabies s are still in it thank you very much James O'Connor. Has the tide turned? And **** that French referee and his scrum interpretations.

On the subject of French Cuffs as someone who is welded to a key board for long periods I find them just a bit much. OK game on.

I think we both know deep down that we lost the game in the first minute. That first minute summed up the whole game for us, playing catchup and couldn't be bothered.

The only consolation I take from it is we Australia are essentially playing a super team, not Ireland, or England, or Scotland but the best of the best. That and I'm actually half English by blood.

Halfpenny seems to be some sort of alien that never makes a mistake, which doesn't help.

Time for more mulled wine....

 

[PapaRubbery]

Okay my response to all this discussion isn't going to be anywhere as lengthy as the posts from fxh (you have my immense thanks for your thoughts!), and I hope that doesn't come off as ungrateful. Thanks for everyone who has contributed to the discussion so far. I'm keen to see the preppy/ivy league look in australia.

I'm a Research Assistant, and have been for the past 8 months or so. However, only recently (past monthish) have I moved from a hospital department (hi iSurg!) to an on campus department. So my dress code was very conservative business dress, especially as part of the role was interacting with patients and medicos. Anyway, I think the button down, trousers with some texture (flannel, chinos - rather than wool suit trousers), odd jackets, jumpers and cardigans, and more casual ties is my go.

By chance, Jason has just posted what I'd consider pretty spot on for me:



The texture of the tie gives a more relaxed kind of feel, and the OCBD combos fantastically. In my case, I'd probably combo this with just a cardigan or a sports coat, rather than what appears to be a suit jacket - but I could be wrong, it could be a navy herringbone odd jacket (bit hard to tell). I'd probably wear suede brogues and flannel trousers when its cold, but could easily switch to smart chinos when its warmer. I think I'm on the right track here, but would appreciate any advice, regardless.

Also, I'm hopefully going back to uni to study in 2014, so I'm also thinking expanding my non-conservative business dress-but-still-business-time wardrobe would give me more options to wear on campus. I generally wore a BD's/polo/jeans/chinos/plimsolls during undergrad and that was considered by some to be overdressed. Admittedly they'd rolled out of bed five minutes prior. Bloody college kids! But I'm older now and the degree is postgraduate so I won't be surrounded by the barely legal brigade.

 

[Henry Carter]

You are on the right track. Btw thats a navy hopsack blazer, and thanks for the kind words. Im in to the ivy feel bd's big time at the moment. Buying a few more kamakura's as we speak actually.

 

[joiji]

You are on the right track. Btw thats a navy hopsack blazer, and thanks for the kind words. Im in to the ivy feel bd's big time at the moment. Buying a few more kamakura's as we speak actually.

Ah, did they get their restock?

 

[PapaRubbery]

You are on the right track. Btw thats a navy hopsack blazer, and thanks for the kind words. Im in to the ivy feel bd's big time at the moment. Buying a few more kamakura's as we speak actually.

No worries, you always post up great stuff!

What cut in the kamakura do you buy? I'm thinking I'd be a Tokyo Slim Fit from their measurements. Whats the returns policy like?

 

[Henry Carter]



Ah, did they get their restock?

No worries, you always post up great stuff!


What cut in the kamakura do you buy? I'm thinking I'd be a Tokyo Slim Fit from their measurements. Whats the returns policy like? 

Yep they just re stocked a bunch of new York slim fit, my fav. The sleeves are long though, even I need about 2cm lopped off them. But the Tokyo would just be too slim and short for me being 6"2 and 85kgs.

You can return btw and free shipping for over $138 us. So you may as well buy 2, save the $20 shipping and if they don't work out return them.

I just got the white and pink OCBD's.

 

[wurger]

(1) French cuffs are often seen as flashy and therefore not appropriate for young guys (ie most of SF)

(2) they aren't as versatile as they can only be worn with a suit.


I don't think you need them.

I know (or at least I've read) that they are considered very affectatious in the US, but not so much in the UK (and by extension Australia). There is certainly something to be said for the simplicity of the button, and that's what I generally wear., and what I think looks best on me. I also agree about them being less versatile - I really don't like seeing french cuffs worn casually with jeans...

In my experience, however, french cuffs are worn almost universally by legal professionals here in Perth, including people in junior positions. I suspect that's just because the higher end (or perhaps higher priced) shirts that are sold at stores like David Jones have french cuffs. I don't think you would look out of place with some tasteful cufflinks, even as a young guy, but no, certainly won't need a french cuff shirt.

I disagree with FC's being only suitable for a suit. They however complement a suit very, very well. And are often worn with formal clothing.

I've always worn shirts with FC's most of the working week, with and without a jacket. No one ever complains about them but have gotten compliments instead.

As long as you're happy and comfortable with what you're doing, why does it matter? If you can rock it and it's suitable for what you do and where you are, and you want to wear it.. do it no matter your age. Cuffs do add an additional layer of interest to the wardrobe, which can be quite fun. 

Every time I wear a suit, I wear a French cuff shirt, which allows me to wear nice pieces of cuff links. it's appropriate for formal wear and I like variety from cuff links, an extra form of sophistication.

However, I don't ever wear FC shirts without suits.

 

[joiji]

Anyone want to try Kamakura and split an order with me?

 

[acinod]

So on what occasion is this white FC shirt appropriate? http://www.tmlewin.com.au/Fully-Fit...ully-Fitted-Shirts&prefn1=colour&prefv1=White
I don't think I'll be attending dinner parties at this stage of my life...

 

[wurger]



So on what occasion is this white FC shirt appropriate? http://www.tmlewin.com.au/Fully-Fit...ully-Fitted-Shirts&prefn1=colour&prefv1=White I don't think I'll be attending dinner parties at this stage of my life...

It's as the name states, plain white FC shirt, and it's not slim fit. So you can wear it on all formal occasions like in an office, don't have to wait for a dinner party or wedding...

 

[jmills]

I don't think I'll be attending dinner parties at this stage of my life...

Are you thinking of a dinner shirt, rather that simply a white shirt (with french cuffs instead of buttons)?

 

[fxh]

There is a bit of an American thing on the forums against French Cuffs for everyday business wear. They tend to see them as a bit effete or too dressed up or showing off or something..

I don't notice the same attitude around Oz to cuff-links. It wasn't all that long ago it was actually hard to find any nice barrel cuff shirts.

Myself I tend to feel uncomfortable wearing them with anything but a suit and I feel more comfortable wearing them with a suit at night. But thats just me and I'd say they are perfectly acceptable here in most business situations where you would wear a tie. I don't like cuff-links without a tie. I even see cufflinks/french cuffs worn OK in this context without a jacket. It does depend on the size and tackyness/ostentatiousness of the cufflinks. Smaller , plain and subtle look better. Those cheap coloured silk knots make a nice more relaxed change for keeping cuffs together.

I have worked with plenty of people who pretty much wear cufflinks everyday.

 

[fxh]

papa
- its funny sometimes to see on clothing forums some posters complain that other posters talk too much about clothes. I was using your queries as a starting point for riffing a bit on clothes and context and if on the way its useful to you then all the better.

Partly why I started riffing is that it was on uni campuses and also rural/regional hospitals that I started thinking a lot more about the clothes I wore and what their meaning was. Basically wearing woolen worsted suits and ties garnered a reaction i was a bit taken aback by and as I needed to get people on side to change reform etc (this not being the armed forces) I needed to change how I was seen. How I was seen determined, partly, how I was reacted to.

In addition most of my working life I have held positions where I was either the CEO or representing the organization publicly or at important forums with government or industry or funders. In that case how one looks and presents to the world, and the impact that engenders, cannot be a matter of indifference or simple personal preference.

Its often said "its only clothes" and "I don't think about it much - it has no meaning to me" - well - not true. Clothes mean something beyond utilitarian functions such as covering rude bits and keeping warm etc, to both the wearer and to others. Discovering what a certain dress style means to yourself is hard enough - discovering what it means or what its meanings could be (signals/ signifies/ codes/communicates) to others and in which different contexts is harder and shifts.

The bloke who says you (well me) is reading too much into it - will always be the bloke who turns up consistently in the same look and clothes. If he didn't care then one day he's wear a suit 2 sizes too big, next track suit pants, and the next torn jeans with paint splatters and the next day a tie. He doesn't.

In most places its not OK to turn up to work in a track suit and wear it all day. (I've sent people home to get changed) Yet in some strictly suit and tie business places it is acceptable to turn up for work in a track suit but change into a suit by 9 am. Or to change into a track suit or shorts at lunch and go for a run and come back into a meal room and eat lunch in shorts before changing back into a suit. Or to change into a track suit or lycra at 5pm prior to cycling home and to sit at the desk for a few minutes in lycra or even have a word with the boss in lyrca in those last 20 minutes . So some things are possible others are not. Figuring it out is what makes clothes work and be interesting .

 

[Romp]



Afternoon Gents. I know this has been covered previously, and I'm in the process of conducting research on the matter, however I'd like to get some personal perspectives on Hong Kong form both a sartorialist and food perspective.

The plan is to spend 6 nights there in late October and I've already pencilled in visits to:

- Uniqlo
- The Armoury
- WW Chan (may be combined with the above - firing off some enquiries as we speak)

In addition to this Ms Smeggett and myself have set ourselves a challenge to sample the (nominal) 8 schools of chinese cooking when there, so any recommendations for restaurants offering different cuisines would be appreciated. We'll be staying near TST, so anything Kowloon, Mongkok, Causeway Bay, etc is infinitely do-able.

PS: fxh - I'm enjoying reading your observations on academic dress. It's bringing back plenty of memories, not least of which is the flanny shirts and track pants I used to amble about in back in my uni days...

In HK check I'd also add Muji, the new RRL store and Tassels to the list

Food Yardbird is always good and there is a newish sushi place which name escapes me but ill look it up when I'm back from vacation