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- Feb 10, 2009
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Pliny
Original WAYWT post here
What this looks like: Dali's model, waiting for a martini - and a head
“The Hebrides,” you say, deflating into your chair, “sound cold.” You’re determined to make the best of your layover in the O’Hare lounge, having so far been unable to produce the thirty minutes of discussion on bulk refrigerators that you’re scheduled to present upon arrival. “You don’t get sick of traveling?”
“Well, it helps to enjoy where you’re going,” says the man in the chair across from you as you fumble with Powerpoint. He lounges back in his seat and swirls his finger lazily through a selection of mixed nuts. He takes a sip of beer, smiles. “It also helps to enjoy what you do when you get there.” You nod, making a move for a pack of pretzels. “I find 6,000 year-old remains very soothing, in a cosmic sort of way.”
Wild archipelagoes, you think, eyeing your own boarding pass and wiping pretzel crumbs off of your polyester trousers, seem much more interesting than endless trips to the Midwest. For some reason, all of the years and all of the miles that earned you your Gold status seem to weigh on you much more heavily than they normally do. “6,000 years,” you say, slowly closing your laptop, “is a very long time ago.”
By the time your gate is called, you’ve already decided that bulk refrigerators can find a new spokesman, and that you’ve always wanted to see Tierra del Fuego.
The Material Goods:
Jacket: Fresco
Tie: Linen
ShirtL Broadcloth
Square: Raw silk
Trousers: Cool wool
Shoes: Boxcalf
Does your interest in clothing stem from passion or necessity?
I guess it’s more something I grew up with than necessity or passion. My interest in elegant dressing was handed down to me, but lay dormant until recently. Okay, maybe still dormant. My Dad worked in television and he was image conscious - he wasn't ‘talent’, but behind the camera in production and design. TV people mostly go for a rustic deshabillé, but Dad fancied himself as a dresser, with bohemian tendencies - desert boots or brown brogues, tweeds or linens, tasteful ties or often a cravatte like Cary Grant in To Catch a Thief. He worked with a few celebrities, but his least favourite was Elton John, who dissed his cravatte as retro. It stung Dad’s vanity - 'He’s a diva - and the man has no clothes sense'. Even I could see that, but it didn’t stop me flirting with polyester, stonewashed denim, lycra, plaid flannel, velour and PVC. But who knows- in a few years maybe it'll be like 'Fresco? OMG You wore what?' I’ll always be learning.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Claghorn
Original WAYWT post here
What this looks like: Maxwell Smart''s bespoke gardener
You’re halfway up the trail to the Château de Montségur, cotton tee clinging to your back, when you decide to take a water break. Wiping your brow in the heat of the Mediterranean sun, you lean against the ancient stone walls and look out over the mystical landscape. You’re just about to resume your trek when a man in a suit, tie and dress shoes sprints past you, no sign of perspiration on his face. He nods at you as he goes by, a smile on his face. While the unmistakable roar of rotor blades fills the valley, you watch in consternation as a blur of checkered fabric leaps off the southernmost tower of the castle and grabs onto the skid of a flying helicopter. As he disappears over the horizon, you look down at your own filthy trainers, and decide that once you’re back from vacation it’s time you treated yourself to a new suit.
When I think of Seoul, I, in my ignorance, imagine a sea of humorless black suits. That's obviously not what you're wearing here. How would you describe the look you aim for, and what drew you to it?
I used to be a part of that sea. Subways in the morning were the weirdest. Everybody was dressed alike--black, navy, or gray. White shirt and various degrees of ugly ties.
The tradition of the jacket and tie appeals to me, and so when I was no longer forced to adhere to strict dress standards, I looked for ways to signal "I dress like this because I want to dress like this, not because I am required to do so." Generally this means odd jackets and odd trousers, but the occasional suit has enough personality to make that statement as well.
Is there a reason you tend to shoot for recognizable individuality, as opposed to a more subdued look with an equivalent focus on quality? Forgive me if this is an incorrect assumption, but it appears that you're a Caucasian who's living the ex-pat life in Korea - does trying to stand out (or blend in) play any role in the way you dress?
Subdued and individuality aren't necessarily at odds here; perhaps that is a result of just how conservative classic menswear is or how rare it is to see a white guy in a jacket and tie. A decently tailored navy blazer, gray trousers, and burgundy grenadine sets me apart plenty. I guess some of it is a reaction to living in a country with a very collectivist mindset, and I definitely enjoy the irony of expressing my individuality in the relatively narrow context of classic menswear.
The Goods:
Suit: Howard Yount
Tie: Kent Wang
Shirt: mtm
PS: no name
Socks: Unipair
Shoes: Allen Edmonds Haight chelsea
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Butler
Original WAYWT post here
Photo credits: "The Journal of Style"
What this looks like: Inspector Lafleurie, Head Detective of the Tesla Corps, City of Rasputinus
“They’re horrific creatures,” says the man in the morning coat, adjusting his impeccable cuffs. “Bulbous, exaggerated caricatures of humanity. Gothic monsters, unbounded by law or tradition. It’s my duty – no, my privilege – to stand against their menace, and to preserve the old ways.”
You gulp, shivering in your sneakers, feeling cold and alone in the shadowy streets of the twilit city. You are not a warrior; you have never spared a thought for Time’s capricious hand.
“What are they?” You ask. “What’s coming? Can we really prevent the inevitable? Are they really…so bad?”
“Denizens from beyond the wall,” he says, voice low. He turns to face you. “Ask yourself: What will you do when the time comes. Will you run? Will you yield to the violence and whimsy of modernity? Or will you stand and fight?”
You look into his eyes; grey, like the clouds that swirl over the strange city. You feel excitement, anticipation, terror…slowly, gulping, you come to a decision:
“Suit me up.”
As the mists of the unknown begin to fill the empty streets, the two of you stand side to side, civilization at your back, ready to face the oncoming night.
The Goods:
Morning coat and DB waistcoat: bespoke by Steven Hitchcock
Shirt: Turnbull & Asser bespoke with self designed bespoke Budd detachable collar
Boots: John Lobb
Can you tell us a little bit more about what you're wearing, and why you're wearing it? How did you get drawn into this very formal and traditional world of men's clothing?
It is old family tradition, I presume - furthermore I make a living consulting internationally as an expert in etiquette, style and Butlering for Film and TV companies, private households and individuals, so I have to dress properly professionally, but I enjoy it also in private .
This is a bespoke Morning Suit from my Savile Row tailor, Steven Hitchcock, worn at a summer afternoon wedding in church and at the following reception. A full dress suit (White Tie) was changed into for the Wedding dinner later. The morning coat is formal day wear (stroller being the informal variant), and is worn with a dove gray double breasted waistcoat and light-colour tie and PS as this is a festive occasion - had it been more serious like a funeral, the waistcoat would have been black as would the tie. The trousers would although still striped, be of darker colour and the PS white.
The French cuffed bespoke Turnbull & Asser shirt has a heavily starched and polished detached collar of my own design made by Budd of Piccadilly.
The boots are from my cordwainer John Lobb, St. James's
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leftofthedial
Original WAYWT post here
What this looks like: All he needs is a gun and a girl
You’ve been comparing nice, useful wagons for over a month, and you’ve found one – but not the wagon you were expecting. Black, low-slung; its tires fatter than anything you’ve ever seen, the word “TURBO” in tight little letters below the model name.
“Probably not the car for a person like you,” says the man standing next to you. He’s been showing you around the lot, and talking trash about every car you've looked at together. You’ve decided it must be some subliminal sales technique that you'll google at home. All things considered, he seems like a pretty cool guy.
“What kind of person is it for?” you ask.
“I’d say something about the journey and the destination, but you probably don’t want to hear it.” He flicks his cigarette away, stepping back from the car. “But I’ll tell you this: I try to feel something, no matter what I’m doing.” He turns and walks away from the lot, hands in pockets.
A lifetime of safe bets and straight-and-narrows roars up out of your subconscious, but for the first time in maybe thirty years, it’s easy to push aside. Rear airbags? You don’t even have a girlfriend, let alone children.
“I think I want to test drive it,” you say
“Cool,” he says, looking back over his shoulder. “Tell it to someone who works here.”
The Goods:
Suit: Southwick
Shirt, Tie: Epaulet
Shoes: Carmina
Where does your interest in clothing stem from?
It is hard to pin down, but I think my interest in clothing, and possibly aesthetics in general, comes from growing up in the punk/hardcore scene. I was a small town kid and was drawn to the ethos, but also drawn to the care free and "**** you" attitude and style.
Bands like Rites of Spring, Cock Sparrer, Unbroken/Swing Kids and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones looked so gnarly to a fifteen year old. My first endeavor into clothing was trying to mimic the way they presented themselves.
The actual garments were part of it, but the DIY ethos, I've realized, also played a big role in how I view fashion. Every time I decide to "experiment" on something, or take apart a jacket, or chop the fabric to bits, I think about that kid adding studs to his camo M-65 as a teenager.
And even though my style has changed and evolved over the years, I will always pull inspiration from punk and hardcore. It made me who I am and I am forever grateful.
Original WAYWT post here
What this looks like: Dali's model, waiting for a martini - and a head
“The Hebrides,” you say, deflating into your chair, “sound cold.” You’re determined to make the best of your layover in the O’Hare lounge, having so far been unable to produce the thirty minutes of discussion on bulk refrigerators that you’re scheduled to present upon arrival. “You don’t get sick of traveling?”
“Well, it helps to enjoy where you’re going,” says the man in the chair across from you as you fumble with Powerpoint. He lounges back in his seat and swirls his finger lazily through a selection of mixed nuts. He takes a sip of beer, smiles. “It also helps to enjoy what you do when you get there.” You nod, making a move for a pack of pretzels. “I find 6,000 year-old remains very soothing, in a cosmic sort of way.”
Wild archipelagoes, you think, eyeing your own boarding pass and wiping pretzel crumbs off of your polyester trousers, seem much more interesting than endless trips to the Midwest. For some reason, all of the years and all of the miles that earned you your Gold status seem to weigh on you much more heavily than they normally do. “6,000 years,” you say, slowly closing your laptop, “is a very long time ago.”
By the time your gate is called, you’ve already decided that bulk refrigerators can find a new spokesman, and that you’ve always wanted to see Tierra del Fuego.
The Material Goods:
Jacket: Fresco
Tie: Linen
ShirtL Broadcloth
Square: Raw silk
Trousers: Cool wool
Shoes: Boxcalf
Does your interest in clothing stem from passion or necessity?
I guess it’s more something I grew up with than necessity or passion. My interest in elegant dressing was handed down to me, but lay dormant until recently. Okay, maybe still dormant. My Dad worked in television and he was image conscious - he wasn't ‘talent’, but behind the camera in production and design. TV people mostly go for a rustic deshabillé, but Dad fancied himself as a dresser, with bohemian tendencies - desert boots or brown brogues, tweeds or linens, tasteful ties or often a cravatte like Cary Grant in To Catch a Thief. He worked with a few celebrities, but his least favourite was Elton John, who dissed his cravatte as retro. It stung Dad’s vanity - 'He’s a diva - and the man has no clothes sense'. Even I could see that, but it didn’t stop me flirting with polyester, stonewashed denim, lycra, plaid flannel, velour and PVC. But who knows- in a few years maybe it'll be like 'Fresco? OMG You wore what?' I’ll always be learning.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Claghorn
Original WAYWT post here
What this looks like: Maxwell Smart''s bespoke gardener
You’re halfway up the trail to the Château de Montségur, cotton tee clinging to your back, when you decide to take a water break. Wiping your brow in the heat of the Mediterranean sun, you lean against the ancient stone walls and look out over the mystical landscape. You’re just about to resume your trek when a man in a suit, tie and dress shoes sprints past you, no sign of perspiration on his face. He nods at you as he goes by, a smile on his face. While the unmistakable roar of rotor blades fills the valley, you watch in consternation as a blur of checkered fabric leaps off the southernmost tower of the castle and grabs onto the skid of a flying helicopter. As he disappears over the horizon, you look down at your own filthy trainers, and decide that once you’re back from vacation it’s time you treated yourself to a new suit.
When I think of Seoul, I, in my ignorance, imagine a sea of humorless black suits. That's obviously not what you're wearing here. How would you describe the look you aim for, and what drew you to it?
I used to be a part of that sea. Subways in the morning were the weirdest. Everybody was dressed alike--black, navy, or gray. White shirt and various degrees of ugly ties.
The tradition of the jacket and tie appeals to me, and so when I was no longer forced to adhere to strict dress standards, I looked for ways to signal "I dress like this because I want to dress like this, not because I am required to do so." Generally this means odd jackets and odd trousers, but the occasional suit has enough personality to make that statement as well.
Is there a reason you tend to shoot for recognizable individuality, as opposed to a more subdued look with an equivalent focus on quality? Forgive me if this is an incorrect assumption, but it appears that you're a Caucasian who's living the ex-pat life in Korea - does trying to stand out (or blend in) play any role in the way you dress?
Subdued and individuality aren't necessarily at odds here; perhaps that is a result of just how conservative classic menswear is or how rare it is to see a white guy in a jacket and tie. A decently tailored navy blazer, gray trousers, and burgundy grenadine sets me apart plenty. I guess some of it is a reaction to living in a country with a very collectivist mindset, and I definitely enjoy the irony of expressing my individuality in the relatively narrow context of classic menswear.
The Goods:
Suit: Howard Yount
Tie: Kent Wang
Shirt: mtm
PS: no name
Socks: Unipair
Shoes: Allen Edmonds Haight chelsea
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Butler
Original WAYWT post here
Photo credits: "The Journal of Style"
What this looks like: Inspector Lafleurie, Head Detective of the Tesla Corps, City of Rasputinus
“They’re horrific creatures,” says the man in the morning coat, adjusting his impeccable cuffs. “Bulbous, exaggerated caricatures of humanity. Gothic monsters, unbounded by law or tradition. It’s my duty – no, my privilege – to stand against their menace, and to preserve the old ways.”
You gulp, shivering in your sneakers, feeling cold and alone in the shadowy streets of the twilit city. You are not a warrior; you have never spared a thought for Time’s capricious hand.
“What are they?” You ask. “What’s coming? Can we really prevent the inevitable? Are they really…so bad?”
“Denizens from beyond the wall,” he says, voice low. He turns to face you. “Ask yourself: What will you do when the time comes. Will you run? Will you yield to the violence and whimsy of modernity? Or will you stand and fight?”
You look into his eyes; grey, like the clouds that swirl over the strange city. You feel excitement, anticipation, terror…slowly, gulping, you come to a decision:
“Suit me up.”
As the mists of the unknown begin to fill the empty streets, the two of you stand side to side, civilization at your back, ready to face the oncoming night.
The Goods:
Morning coat and DB waistcoat: bespoke by Steven Hitchcock
Shirt: Turnbull & Asser bespoke with self designed bespoke Budd detachable collar
Boots: John Lobb
Can you tell us a little bit more about what you're wearing, and why you're wearing it? How did you get drawn into this very formal and traditional world of men's clothing?
It is old family tradition, I presume - furthermore I make a living consulting internationally as an expert in etiquette, style and Butlering for Film and TV companies, private households and individuals, so I have to dress properly professionally, but I enjoy it also in private .
This is a bespoke Morning Suit from my Savile Row tailor, Steven Hitchcock, worn at a summer afternoon wedding in church and at the following reception. A full dress suit (White Tie) was changed into for the Wedding dinner later. The morning coat is formal day wear (stroller being the informal variant), and is worn with a dove gray double breasted waistcoat and light-colour tie and PS as this is a festive occasion - had it been more serious like a funeral, the waistcoat would have been black as would the tie. The trousers would although still striped, be of darker colour and the PS white.
The French cuffed bespoke Turnbull & Asser shirt has a heavily starched and polished detached collar of my own design made by Budd of Piccadilly.
The boots are from my cordwainer John Lobb, St. James's
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leftofthedial
Original WAYWT post here
What this looks like: All he needs is a gun and a girl
You’ve been comparing nice, useful wagons for over a month, and you’ve found one – but not the wagon you were expecting. Black, low-slung; its tires fatter than anything you’ve ever seen, the word “TURBO” in tight little letters below the model name.
“Probably not the car for a person like you,” says the man standing next to you. He’s been showing you around the lot, and talking trash about every car you've looked at together. You’ve decided it must be some subliminal sales technique that you'll google at home. All things considered, he seems like a pretty cool guy.
“What kind of person is it for?” you ask.
“I’d say something about the journey and the destination, but you probably don’t want to hear it.” He flicks his cigarette away, stepping back from the car. “But I’ll tell you this: I try to feel something, no matter what I’m doing.” He turns and walks away from the lot, hands in pockets.
A lifetime of safe bets and straight-and-narrows roars up out of your subconscious, but for the first time in maybe thirty years, it’s easy to push aside. Rear airbags? You don’t even have a girlfriend, let alone children.
“I think I want to test drive it,” you say
“Cool,” he says, looking back over his shoulder. “Tell it to someone who works here.”
The Goods:
Suit: Southwick
Shirt, Tie: Epaulet
Shoes: Carmina
Where does your interest in clothing stem from?
It is hard to pin down, but I think my interest in clothing, and possibly aesthetics in general, comes from growing up in the punk/hardcore scene. I was a small town kid and was drawn to the ethos, but also drawn to the care free and "**** you" attitude and style.
Bands like Rites of Spring, Cock Sparrer, Unbroken/Swing Kids and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones looked so gnarly to a fifteen year old. My first endeavor into clothing was trying to mimic the way they presented themselves.
The actual garments were part of it, but the DIY ethos, I've realized, also played a big role in how I view fashion. Every time I decide to "experiment" on something, or take apart a jacket, or chop the fabric to bits, I think about that kid adding studs to his camo M-65 as a teenager.
And even though my style has changed and evolved over the years, I will always pull inspiration from punk and hardcore. It made me who I am and I am forever grateful.
Last edited:
![icon_gu_b_slayer[1].gif](http://files.styleforum.net/images/smilies/icon_gu_b_slayer[1].gif){kind=icon}
