Australian Members

[Plestor]



Don't ask for examples.

That's no fun...


On the under 50/ style thing... Not really the big issue is shoes tbh. Easy enough if your suffciently well off to luck into the right things tho.

 

[Geoffrey Firmin]



Think I might fall into both categories there.
If I see a well dressed chap under the age of 50 (no offence to our older wiser members) in Australia, I usually think they must have at least stumbled on Style Forum etc at some point.

While online forums are useful information sources, back in my day ( yes i am being facetious) most of what I learnt about men's fashion came from movies, and magazines. However I was lucky that I dated a run of girls who studied fashion at RMIT and had good picture books of men's fashion spanning several decades. My look if its anything is a variation of 1950's noir, albeit with more colour these days. i think I have moved past black as a creative statement.

Mind you the New Romantic movement was big on style and most of us older igents who hail form south of the border would remember the Mod revival in Melbourne in the early 80's, never really happened in Sydney. That was pure style all about face, the girls were cute.

Dressing well is an art and its something that takes time to learn and the pockets to indulge one fancies and on the weekend I will behave like a sloth if circumstances require it.

Oddly when I see well groomed and dressed young gents in Canberra I just wonder what APS level they are at.

 

[fxh]



That's no fun...

Examples. Ok you go first.

I've made my contribution in the sexy ankles tumblr. Almost without execption influenced by online forums.

 

[fxh]

Think I might fall into both categories there.
If I see a well dressed chap under the age of 50 (no offence to our older wiser members) in Australia, I usually think they must have at least stumbled on Style Forum etc at some point.

And a great majority continue stumbling after being forum schooled.

Many stumbling so much they fall flat on their face.

 

[Plestor]

That's no fun...

Examples. Ok you go first.

I've made my contribution in the sexy ankles tumblr. Almost without execption influenced by online forums.

Most of http://www.styleforum.net/t/52943/indochino-suits/0_100 and parts of
http://www.styleforum.net/t/253842/waywrn-mc-casual-style/0_100
to start.

I'm sure FNB has some good examples too.

 

[fxh]



Most of http://www.styleforum.net/t/52943/indochino-suits/0_100 and parts of
http://www.styleforum.net/t/253842/waywrn-mc-casual-style/0_100
to start.
I'm sure FNB has some good examples too.

Shhhh.

Aren't they all bitter misfits over there?

 

[Jimbosaurus]



I dunno, what are the options:
1) Styleforum
2) Your dad
3) ...?

Media
Friends
Non-parental family
Co-workers
People who pay for stylists
People who pay for good tailors

There are definitely well dressed men out there who have nothing to do with SF (even though they might have heard of it).

 

[Plestor]

In all seriousness I miss their content here, it broke up the groupthink a bit at the least.

 

[tobiasj]



Media
Friends
Non-parental family
Co-workers
People who pay for stylists
People who pay for good tailors
There are definitely well dressed men out there who have nothing to do with SF (even though they might have heard of it).

Ok Jimbo I'll pay some of those. I am dubious of 'People who pay for stylists', but maybe I don't move in the right circles. 'Media'? Like newspapers and magazines as opposed to Put This On? Yeahhhh I used to read GQ, might have gleaned 10% of the knowledge I picked up from two days on SF. 'Co-workers'?? Not sure if serious? Maybe if you work at Herringbone, otherwise I have never seen this happen.

Aside from just a general lack of knowledge, there is also an omerta thing happening where men are afraid to dress well / talk about how to dress well for fear of being called gay.

 

[fxh]



Media
Friends
Non-parental family
Co-workers
People who pay for stylists
People who pay for good tailors
There are definitely well dressed men out there who have nothing to do with SF (even though they might have heard of it).

Many years ago - in THE GOOD OLD DAYS, it was possible to walk into a menswear store,without a clue, and emerge fairly well dressed.. The staff knew what they were doing and could fit someone well - in most places. I think Charlie has mentioned even when he was working in FJs (after school - just a few years ago when he was 12 years old) - they were still able to do this. FJs had a good MTM service up until they went really downhill.

Aside from a few stores - irrespective of cost - it isn't possible to walk in and walk out well dressed unless you really know what you are doing.
I suspect if you are a certain build and under 30 that you could still walk out from say Herringbone well dressed from head to toe for under $2,000. There was a time when you could say the same about DJs, Myers and a host of small menswear stores - not now.

This is partially a response to demand but not totally. In the case of Myers and DJs, it was a deliberate business model decision to hire untrained, casual young workforce, drop floor numbers, led by the WalMart, Kmart model, in an attempt to cut costs. I understand they are slowly revisiting and revising this model - a few years after they should have. Interestingly Bunnings has the better model for retail - it would/does work for clothes too. Low cost, category killers, warehouse design but hiring a lot of experienced floor staff. Age isn't as important as experience. So on Bunnings floor you can get a bloke, or a woman, who actually knows about plumbing or paint or nail-guns and can offer sensible purchasing advice. Or you can ignore them and just grab a cheap drill off the shelf and walk out without being harassed by some nong on commission. Its not all that difficult.

My first suit I "designed" myself was when I left school at 17 and started working full time on the farm. I'd had other suits, nothing wrong with them, but they were when I was younger and my dad helped choose with the menswear store guy. Then I wanted my own suit, I knew what I wanted, navy/french blue, 3 piece, 3 button with a fully pleated high single vent and narrow 15" - 16" uncuffed pants. I got exactly what I wanted - it was the store brand - I suspect it was a FJs MTM. I wish I'd have kept it just to take it apart and have a look a the elements. It wasn't terribly expensive either.

You cant do that anywhere now with the help of an experienced menswear bloke who can advise you and stop you from the obvious mistakes you might make.

Its still possible to walk into a tailors shop in some places and come out well dressed - after a wait of a few weeks. Perhaps if you are a certain age and like a certain style - and have a few bob - you could do it in Henry Bucks. Not in Harrolds in my observation unless by accident.

Most so called stylists haven't got a clue from what I see. Most are women who have a good feel for much of womens style but miss it with mens. Look at male TV newsreaders, who in theory, would have access to all the knowledge available and need it as an integral part of the job - visuals being everything. Most can't even get the top half looking good on TV for 15 minutes. I don't mean dressing in what I like - but just looking ok. Sometimes the bloke on Media Watch gets in right. Tony Jones nearly always misses. Strangely Bob Katter is one of the best dressed pollies. I'll bet he doesn't use a stylist. I'll bet Abbott does.

 

[blahman]



Not everyone who dresses half decently learnt it from online forums.
And vice versa.
Not everyone who uses online forums dresses well.
Don't ask for examples.

I nominate myself to be a poorly dressed forumer. I am the before shot to fxhs after shot in our personal shopper venture.

 

[fxh]



I nominate myself to be a poorly dressed forumer. I am the before shot to fxhs after shot in our personal shopper venture.

nah - you are ok.

After seeing the great little womBLAHt drawing I can forgive you anything.

 

[Pink Socks]



Sometimes the bloke on Media Watch gets in right. Tony Jones nearly always misses. Strangely Bob Katter is one of the best dressed pollies. I'll bet he doesn't use a stylist. I'll bet Abbott does.

Great points in whole post fxh, the part quoted above is an exact thought I have had a few times. Something about great minds and fools...


On another note, a little research via Google (most of which leads back to Style Forum) talks about functional sleeves needed to be shorten from the shoulder and how expensive/messy (without the right tailor) that can get. I have heard/read this many times in passing (ie it was not relevant to me at the time).

Am I completely wrong in thinking that it is only a small change it could be done from the cuff (cheaper and easier?), even on working cuffs. This particular coat has a fair amount of sleeve before the buttons start (if that makes sense)? Could that be shortened? Or am I being naive?

Melbourne tailor suggestion (esp. ones people may have used for sleeve shortening) still appreciated.

 

[fxh]



Great points in whole post fxh, the part quoted above is an exact thought I have had a few times. Something about great minds and fools...
On another note, a little research via Google (most of which leads back to Style Forum) talks about functional sleeves needed to be shorten from the shoulder and how expensive/messy (without the right tailor) that can get. I have heard/read this many times in passing (ie it was not relevant to me at the time).
Am I completely wrong in thinking that it is only a small change it could be done from the cuff (cheaper and easier?), even on working cuffs. This particular coat has a fair amount of sleeve before the buttons start (if that makes sense)? Could that be shortened? Or am I being naive?
Melbourne tailor suggestion (esp. ones people may have used for sleeve shortening) still appreciated.

They can be shortened from the cuff in my experience.

The last one I had done was a cheap, unstructured brown cord jacket, Reserve, I think from Myers. Oddly the 4 jackets of mine with working cuff, three of them are cheapies.

It depends how much you think the length of button from end matters. Most of my "dressier" jackets are anywhere from 2" to 1" from cuff and anywhere in between. Most probably around 1.5".

It depends on the material and smoother suiting material it might be a bit more obvious, on tweedy or knubby surfaces its less noticeable.

On my cord jacket I just got the tailor to end it above the last button hole, just going from 3 buttons down to 2. Still leaving some gap to cuff. There was a fair distance between buttonholes. So that makes a difference. If they are kissing, small buttons, with close together buttonholes then it's a bit different. Similarly if the button holes edging are raised substantially then that will stand out more if it's undone.

You can try smaller buttons to make it less obvious too.

The other way is to get it shortened and then leave the last button undone thus making the next button seem the first and further away from cuff. It does depend how contrasting the buttons are and how big they are and how much they, and the buttonhole, blend into the fabric.

If the material is an interesting surface you might be able to unpick buttonhole and just get it sewn up and no one will see it.

Who notices anyway?

It's probably one of the least important elements of a jacket. And certainly almost of negligible importance of the overall look. One of the worst effects of online forums is the over emphasis on individual elements of clothing to the neglect of the overall effect. So that you see criticism of someone who looks great based on say, slight lapel flare, or twist in pants and yet praise for another that has all of the iGentt elements details right but looks like a drip overall.

It's possible to dress better than most iGentts and yet have some collar gap, closed front, shirt collars not touching lapels and not be wearing a four in hand knot and pants wider than 8.5".

The whole is much more than just the sum of the parts.

 

[thebrownman]



Great points in whole post fxh, the part quoted above is an exact thought I have had a few times. Something about great minds and fools...
On another note, a little research via Google (most of which leads back to Style Forum) talks about functional sleeves needed to be shorten from the shoulder and how expensive/messy (without the right tailor) that can get. I have heard/read this many times in passing (ie it was not relevant to me at the time).
Am I completely wrong in thinking that it is only a small change it could be done from the cuff (cheaper and easier?), even on working cuffs. This particular coat has a fair amount of sleeve before the buttons start (if that makes sense)? Could that be shortened? Or am I being naive?
Melbourne tailor suggestion (esp. ones people may have used for sleeve shortening) still appreciated.

I agree, great post from fxh.

The guy from Media Watch is Jonathan Holmes, and from what I've seen he does a good job. I took a photo of him in April from the TV screen - http://thediscoursecircus.tumblr.com/post/21206558113/holmes-can-dress-abctv-taken-with-instagram

Compared to everyone else on television, this looks nice.

As for the sleeve shortening, even in the case of working sleeve buttons, it's sometimes possible to alter from the sleeve cuff. I've had it done on several Herringbone suits. I took a cm off, and usually the person tells me not to bother, but it's just how I prefer it..