Ask A Question, Get An Answer... - Post All Quick Questions Here (Classic menswear)

[Essential]

What tie width will be best for you depends on your frame. If you're a smaller guy, you may want something like a 3". If you're a larger guy, 3.75". Or just buy something within that range and don't obsess- it doesn't matter that much anyway, as long as it's not a huge mismatch with your jacket lapel or frame.
As for the difference between silk, wool and cotton, they're made out of different things. Silk is typically smoother and more formal, and is an all season choice, cotton is lighter, wears a little cooler and has a more casual texture with less sheen. Wool is rougher, has no sheen, and is again a more casual alternative. Wears warmer, obviously.

I'm a "small guy" ( 5' 5", 130 pounds) but semi-big for my size (athletic). I'm not sure about my jacket lapel since I haven't received my MTM suit yet. I know the standard is 3.5" and I'm planning to buy some ties from TheTieBar to start off my collection. Do you think 3" or 3.5" would be more suitable? I have a 2.75" at its widest point and I wouldn't mind if it was a little bigger so I'm leaning towards 3". However, on TheTieBar, it lists 3" as skinny (though I don't think it really is).

And I guess I'll go for silk. Is that what people normally use?

 

[cptjeff]



I'm a "small guy" ( 5' 5", 130 pounds) but semi-big for my size (athletic). I'm not sure about my jacket lapel since I haven't received my MTM suit yet. I know the standard is 3.5" and I'm planning to buy some ties from TheTieBar to start off my collection. Do you think 3" or 3.5" would be more suitable? I have a 2.75" at its widest point and I wouldn't mind if it was a little bigger so I'm leaning towards 3". However, on TheTieBar, it lists 3" as skinny (though I don't think it really is).

And I guess I'll go for silk. Is that what people normally use?

Yes, silk is the standard.

And 3" would be good for you. It's slim, but not really skinny, which works for a smaller guy, though 3.5" won't look ridiculous. As for lapels, they'll probably be moderate to narrow, given current trends. The exact measurement is irrelevant. But a fat tie would look awkward with one of those super slim, 1" imitations of a lapel, and a 2" skinny tie would look stupid with the winged jackets they made in the 70's.

 

[MyOtherLife]



Ok, so I have a question, I'll try to keep it brief, this may seem like a weird question but hear me out, and anyone tell me if you have had similar experiences to this: 


Alright, so I have really thick, muscular thighs--my inner thighs actually rub together when I walk--and this causes my entire crotch-region (I'll try not to be too explicit) to get pushed up and out. The result is that if I'm wearing any normal, reasonably tight-fitting pants or shorts--then at its worst--it looks like I'm walking around with half of an erection. My crotch-region just bulges out more than what is typically normal.


Again, without being too explicit, I'm assuming that with most guys, their twig-and-berries just hang straight down between their legs; mine rests almost completely horizontal, and therefore jut out.


I've tried all sorts of different pants and shorts to correct this, to little or no avail. I typically just wear pants that are far too big for me to give that "rumpled" look so you can't tell, but this is very uncomfortable and obviously just looks unprofessional or weird if you're always wearing pants or shorts that are two or three sizes too big. It's therefore impossible for me to wear any kind of tight-fitting gym shorts or professional-looking slacks.


I know this is a weird question but I am being totally legit, and would really appreciate any answers. I am normal sized down there, and I am of a medium build, so I'm not fat or anything else that would cause this, my thighs are just very thick. Thanks in advance for your responses.

You may as well roll with it and begin sporting a well fitted codpiece.



Welcome to Styleforum.

 

[Winston S.]



Sorry, should have been more clear.  "Thanks in advance for any information you can provide", should be read to suggest I'm broadly fishing for any info those more knowledgeable than I might deem relevant or interesting about the shoe.  I'd specifically like to know the last, but if you have any other information that you think may be of interest, by all means, throw it out there.  Thanks.

Also, what is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

The Drummond is on the 348 last.

Spoiler

The suit looks okay to me for a daytime wedding in June. Then again, I'm unfamiliar with Chinese wedding customs, so for all I know it might be completely inappropriate.
A white shirt with barrel cuffs and point collar sounds fine, too. (Due to the size of my neck, and the shape of my face, wide spread collars don't really appeal to me, personally. So it's nice to see that not everyone else on SF is in love with them.)
I like the idea of a green silk tie w/white dots. Green ties usually goes well with tan suits. Plus, in traditional Chinese culture, doesn't green represent health, prosperity, and harmony? Seems like a good choice for a wedding - although, again, I know little of Chinese weddings, and scarcely anything more about traditional Chinese culture, so please don't give my opinion more weight than it deserves.
Alternatively, I'm a sucker for bow ties, and a blue and white bow tie would go fine with your suit. And the OCBD is my #1 choice for wearing with a bow tie, so you've got that right. (Even many men who disapprove of wearing a buttondown collar shirt with a suit will often make an exception if it's to be worn with a bow tie.) Plus, with the relatively plain (I don't want to say dull) suit, and the plain white shirt, a bow tie adds a worthwhile element of interest to your outfit. (Earlier today, I offered very similar advice to dgonsh.)
Whichever tie you choose, wear a nice pocket square or boutonniere. It doesn't have to be anything flashy, but with a solid tan suit, I'd stay away from a solid white flower or square. Just a personal preference, but there you have it.
Sorry, but I don't like the AE MacNeils. Well, I don't dislike them; I simply don't care for them all that much with your suit. I won't tell you they're a horrible choice, just that I have several other pairs of shoes which I'd choose before considering the MacNeils. (My first choice would probably be my AE Graysons, in merlot. As with bow ties, I like wearing tassel loafers with a suit every once in a while. And the fact that a tan cotton twill "summer" suit is a somewhat informal suit - well, at least compared to, say, a typical charcoal wool suit - makes it all the better a choice for wearing with a pair of dress tassel loafers.) But if the AE MacNeils are the only choice available, and you'd really rather not drop $300 on a new pair of shoes right now, go ahead and wear the MacNeils. They're not wildly inappropriate.
--
Michael

Thanks for the thoughts.

I think one of the things with a Chinese wedding is that the guests should not wear any red, as its something that only the bride should wear.

Regarding the shoes, I though the MacNeils would be a good choice because they're a little bit more casual than an oxford, but I don't really have that many other bluchers. I do have some Navy Rancourt venetian loafers I picked up recently, but think those would be too casual. I'll take another look through my shoes. Thanks again.

 

[KObalto]



You may as well roll with it and begin sporting a well fitted codpiece.

Welcome to Styleforum.

Don't be silly, Eldridge Cleaver solved this problem years ago.

 

[fritzl]



Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Think I will answer my own question, from threads read a JL 11E would be a US 12D.

I just bought these JL Foxton's at a great price they fit well but the 1 inch extra in the front lead me to question if they are the appropriate size.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

It would be a shame to have to return them, the color is amazing, aside from feeling silky smooth.
http://s1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb347/jubeispiegel/?action=view&current=IMAG0537-1.jpg

one inch is pretty standard. ymmv.

 

[CalTex]



Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Ok, so I have a question, I'll try to keep it brief, this may seem like a weird question but hear me out, and anyone tell me if you have had similar experiences to this: 


Alright, so I have really thick, muscular thighs--my inner thighs actually rub together when I walk--and this causes my entire crotch-region (I'll try not to be too explicit) to get pushed up and out. The result is that if I'm wearing any normal, reasonably tight-fitting pants or shorts--then at its worst--it looks like I'm walking around with half of an erection. My crotch-region just bulges out more than what is typically normal.


Again, without being too explicit, I'm assuming that with most guys, their twig-and-berries just hang straight down between their legs; mine rests almost completely horizontal, and therefore jut out.


I've tried all sorts of different pants and shorts to correct this, to little or no avail. I typically just wear pants that are far too big for me to give that "rumpled" look so you can't tell, but this is very uncomfortable and obviously just looks unprofessional or weird if you're always wearing pants or shorts that are two or three sizes too big. It's therefore impossible for me to wear any kind of tight-fitting gym shorts or professional-looking slacks.


I know this is a weird question but I am being totally legit, and would really appreciate any answers. I am normal sized down there, and I am of a medium build, so I'm not fat or anything else that would cause this, my thighs are just very thick. Thanks in advance for your responses.

I have pretty big thighs as well, I wear boxer briefs, fitted dress pants, and fitted jeans. If you look closely you can see my package bulging a bit but it never bothers me and I do not remember ever being called out. People typically ask me why I am so formally dressed and that does not bother me at all.

unless you literally have a huge package, I think you are noticing the bulge a little too much.

 

[MyOtherLife]

You may as well roll with it and begin sporting a well fitted codpiece.

Welcome to Styleforum.

Don't be silly, Eldridge Cleaver solved this problem years ago.

Can you find a bigger photo? I want to read the text of that pic.

 

[KObalto]



Can you find a bigger photo? I want to read the text of that pic.

That super-classy designer "Eldridge de Paris" promised you'd be COCK OF THE WALK with his fall 1975 collection. "Life is just a chain of daisies," reads the text, "when you slip into (careful, now) these revolutionary hot pants – with their ever-so-daring accent provacateur – just unveiled by famous radical designer Edridge Cleaver of Paris. They're bad, they're mad, they're up front (but never out of sight)... and, of course, they're for men only... REAL men... the three-fisted variety. 'There's no mistaking they are men's pants,' says M. Cleaver (seen here modeling a high-waisted two-tone pair of 'Cleavers' with side zipper and matching 'appurtenance.' 'The pants that men wear now will be seen as girls' pants after my models are sold. And don't forget... HEAVY ON THE STARCH!"

 

[beansach]

Groom in a southern california day time, outdoor summer wedding. (Southern California casual summer wedding must conjure up awful images of khaki suits and white vans... gag) My instinct is navy 2btn, black balmorals, glenn plaid tie. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of my navy suit. I am extremely picky about suits, and don't have the budget to buy one I would be happy to get married in. I do have a navy blazer that works for me, right width lapels, right gorge height, all that picky stuff. Would it be a crime to wear navy blazer, wool trousers, blue shirt, chocolate suede cap toes and belt, and the tie of SF's choosing?

 

[amathew]

Noob here and I have a question about washing dress shirts. I generally wash them machine wash cold and then hang them to dry. I DO NOT iron them when they are damp as it seems many of you do. As a result, it seems that a lot of my shirts have odd creases and look "bad". Is it really necessary to iron a dress shirt an hour or so after it's been taken out of the washer?

I'll usually let it hang dry for a few days and a week later when I go to wear it again, I'll iron the shirt that morning.

I'd say some of my dress shirts have fared better than others in this regard, but my Harvie and Hudson shirts get in really bad shape after I hang dry for a few days, and ironing never bring them back to usual shape.


EDIT: I also had a small mud (?) stain on my favorite pink dress shirt (near lower back area) and I kinda ironed over it this morning. I haven't worn it since washing the shirt two weeks ago. I'm going to try and handwash it after work today (I wore it to work because it wasn't all that noticeable), but if anyone has suggestions on this, that would be great also.

 

[Liquidus]



Noob here and I have a question about washing dress shirts. I generally wash them machine wash cold and then hang them to dry. I DO NOT iron them when they are damp as it seems many of you do. As a result, it seems that a lot of my shirts have odd creases and look "bad". Is it really necessary to iron a dress shirt an hour or so after it's been taken out of the washer?

Instead of hang drying them, try machine drying for 10 mins and then ironing.

 

[Liquidus]

Should the waist of a MTM shirt be wide enough so that the front placket is completely straight even when sitting down? Or is some pursing typical?

 

[RomanCastro]

Hello all,

I'm new to the forum and after reading some threads and "Dressing The Man" I need some help determining if I have a Medium or High Contrast Complexion.
That's me in my avatar.

Thank you.

 

[PhiPsi32]

Dark hair and eyes with pale complexion qualifies for "high contrast".