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

[cakv]

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[cakv]

Does anyone have a link to Vox's tumblr of all steed suits? I clicked on a link one time and it's since disappeared

@othertravel
Got 3 grossa ties from Sam Hober recently. Mine don't look like that. Hope someone else chimes in too

 

[stgrim]

Anyone knows the best place to get cheap run of the mill shoe trees OEMed by Woodlore?

Jos a bank used to run deep promotions where you could get the full toe variant for as low as $7.50 each back in 2014 and 2015, but they seem to have stopped this year.

 

[pravda]

Try Nordstrom

 

[VirgilVerne]

In the film The Danish Girl Eddie Redmayne wears a high button stance 3-button Edwardian suit - with high stiff detachable collar and a vest.





However unlike the usual three button no roll, he always buttons it at the top rather than always buttoning at the middle, showing the lower part of the vest. Does anyone know if this is Edwardian specific fashion or just a personal stylistic choice made by the costumer?

 

[deadAngle]

People buttoned their coats every which way in the Edwardian period - I've seen plenty of photos of people with just the bottom or the bottom two buttons of a three button jacket buttoned as well as all of the buttons or just letting the jacket hang open. However, the top button only style is mostly carried over from the late Victorian period where it was exceedingly common. How you buttoned your jacket was down to personal choice more than anything - there was no real definitive consistency in what buttons are the ones to button and which are the ones to not button until the 1930s (though the more fanciful buttoning styles were dying off by the 20s).

 

[flvinny521]

My wife and I are planning a 10-day trip to Italy in mid-May next year (Tuscany), with a possible stop at Paris, Amsterdam, or both. Any recommendations on some clothing "staples" to pick up before the trip so I don't stick out like a sore thumb? It will be a casual trip with maybe one or two formal dinners for our anniversary/my birthday. I'd like to pack as light as possible, also.

 

[12345Michael54321]



Any recommendations on some clothing "staples" to pick up before the trip so I don't stick out like a sore thumb?

First, decide precisely what you mean by not sticking out like a sore thumb. Do you mean you don't want to look like an American? That you don't want to give offense by how you're dressed? Or what, exactly?

Some years back, I spent several weeks in London, on business. My dress marked me, in some of my colleague's eyes, as a visiting American. The stripes on my tie ran the wrong way. I wore OCBD's to the office on occasion. I was even caught wearing a pair of Allen Edmonds Verona loafers.

So in this sense, maybe I stood out like a sore thumb. But I wouldn't say I so violated any cultural norms of dress that I insulted my hosts. (Cue "My girlfriend wants to know what color bikini to wear to a party at the Saudi embassy" here.)

It will be a casual trip with maybe one or two formal dinners for our anniversary/my birthday.

Pack mostly casual clothing, with maybe enough more formal stuff to permit you to dress up a little for birthday or anniversary dinners.

I'd like to pack as light as possible, also.

It's a 10 day trip. Pack enough shirts, socks, underwear, etc., for a few days, and avail yourself of a laundry midway through your trip. That alone will keep things much lighter than if you'd packed for 10 days.

Pack fewer shoes than you think you should. Your shoes will not burst into flames if worn 2 or 3 days in a row. Nor need you bring along your complete shoe care kit.

It's quite possible that a tablet can substitute for a much heavier notebook computer. eBooks and the electronic versions of magazines and newspapers can substitute for dead tree books. If you'll be staying at hotels where hair dryers are provided to guests, don't tote along your own 1800 watt Hair Master Extreme. (Or do without a hair dryer, if that works for you). Do you and your wife need 5 different hair brushes? No, you and your wife don't.

I know a fellow who wouldn't dream of traveling without his coffee bean grinder, digital coffee scale, and 4 cup coffee maker. Don't be this guy.

Buy your shampoo and conditioner at a store at your destination, instead of hauling it to Europe with you. If you have to bring your special hair care products, shaving cream, aftershave, facial balm, facial toner, etc., with you, at least transfer to small, TSA-approved containers, instead of traveling with the 38 oz. containers.

You need fewer blazers, sport coats, and suits than you will want to bring. Don't worry about extreme, hypothetical situations where you'll be glad you brought along a navy blazer, 2 sport coats, a navy suit, and a charcoal suit, on your 10 day, mostly casual, trip.

Buy a cheap fisherman's vest. (Identical to a photojournalist's vests, but costing much less.) It'll have about a dozen pockets, with a total carrying capacity roughly equivalent to a medium-sized duffle bag. But because the vest is clothing, you can wear it onto the plane and probably not have it count against your "1 carry-on per passenger" limit. Of course, you'll remove it and stuff it into the overhead storage compartment on the plane, as soon as you board. Because it'd be insane to wear the monstrosity any longer than you have to.

Visit some "How to travel light" websites, and consider their advice.

 

[clarksdb]

Why does SF talk about American styles in bad light? I dont see Europeans coming to America and wanting to dress in penny loafers and OCBD.

 

[breakaway01]

don't worry about sticking out too much. More important to feel comfortable in your own clothes; I wouldn't recommend dressing up in ways that you wouldn't normally dress at home. In any case, as Michael suggests, locals will recognize you as a visitor quickly enough regardless of how you're dressed.

Weather in Tuscany in May should be great but be prepared for temps ranging from 50s to 70s F. My advice is to layer. Have a great time!!

 

[12345Michael54321]



Why does SF talk about American styles in bad light? I dont see Europeans coming to America and wanting to dress in penny loafers and OCBD.

Because when an American visits foreign lands, looking and thinking like an American, he's being ignorantly provincial.

But when a foreigner comes to America, looking and thinking like a foreigner, he's being intriguingly exotic.

This derives from the - admittedly, mutually incompatible - beliefs held by many Americans, that our ways reflect a confidently youthful vigor which makes them far superior to those of other cultures. And that our ways are rather infantile when contrasted with those of other, more history-drenched, cultures. (Or, to put it another way, we're ever so proud of having thrown off the shackles of a hereditary monarchy. While longing for royalty of our own.)

It's also a big part of the reason why we won't wholeheartedly adopt the metric system, or soccer as the only real "football."

 

[Churchill W]



Why does SF talk about American styles in bad light? I dont see Europeans coming to America and wanting to dress in penny loafers and OCBD.

I think, in general, the majority of Americans dress poorly and that is the style that SF folks are referring to.

 

[flvinny521]

First, decide precisely what you mean by not sticking out like a sore thumb. Do you mean you don't want to look like an American? That you don't want to give offense by how you're dressed? Or what, exactly?

Some years back, I spent several weeks in London, on business. My dress marked me, in some of my colleague's eyes, as a visiting American. The stripes on my tie ran the wrong way. I wore OCBD's to the office on occasion. I was even caught wearing a pair of Allen Edmonds Verona loafers.

So in this sense, maybe I stood out like a sore thumb. But I wouldn't say I so violated any cultural norms of dress that I insulted my hosts. (Cue "My girlfriend wants to know what color bikini to wear to a party at the Saudi embassy" here.)

Pack mostly casual clothing, with maybe enough more formal stuff to permit you to dress up a little for birthday or anniversary dinners.

It's a 10 day trip. Pack enough shirts, socks, underwear, etc., for a few days, and avail yourself of a laundry midway through your trip. That alone will keep things much lighter than if you'd packed for 10 days.

Pack fewer shoes than you think you should. Your shoes will not burst into flames if worn 2 or 3 days in a row. Nor need you bring along your complete shoe care kit.

It's quite possible that a tablet can substitute for a much heavier notebook computer. eBooks and the electronic versions of magazines and newspapers can substitute for dead tree books. If you'll be staying at hotels where hair dryers are provided to guests, don't tote along your own 1800 watt Hair Master Extreme. (Or do without a hair dryer, if that works for you). Do you and your wife need 5 different hair brushes? No, you and your wife don't.

I know a fellow who wouldn't dream of traveling without his coffee bean grinder, digital coffee scale, and 4 cup coffee maker. Don't be this guy.

Buy your shampoo and conditioner at a store at your destination, instead of hauling it to Europe with you. If you have to bring your special hair care products, shaving cream, aftershave, facial balm, facial toner, etc., with you, at least transfer to small, TSA-approved containers, instead of traveling with the 38 oz. containers.

You need fewer blazers, sport coats, and suits than you will want to bring. Don't worry about extreme, hypothetical situations where you'll be glad you brought along a navy blazer, 2 sport coats, a navy suit, and a charcoal suit, on your 10 day, mostly casual, trip.

Buy a cheap fisherman's vest. (Identical to a photojournalist's vests, but costing much less.) It'll have about a dozen pockets, with a total carrying capacity roughly equivalent to a medium-sized duffle bag. But because the vest is clothing, you can wear it onto the plane and probably not have it count against your "1 carry-on per passenger" limit. Of course, you'll remove it and stuff it into the overhead storage compartment on the plane, as soon as you board. Because it'd be insane to wear the monstrosity any longer than you have to.

Visit some "How to travel light" websites, and consider their advice.

Very helpful, thank you. I had two main goals by asking this question. First, for specific examples (like "bring one pair of 'X' shoe and you can wear it for the whole trip") or also things to avoid that would make me look clueless (like rules that we have in America, for example "no white pants after Labor Day"). I was planning on basically wearing chinos/casual trousers and button-down OCBD shirts the whole time (jacket or sport coat recommendations welcome; is solid blue a safe bet as it would be here?), which is obviously an American look, but one that I don't think would draw ridicule.

Why does SF talk about American styles in bad light? I dont see Europeans coming to America and wanting to dress in penny loafers and OCBD.

It's not so much American style that's the problem, but the prevailing stereotype that Americans are selfish, rude, stupid and uncultured.

don't worry about sticking out too much. More important to feel comfortable in your own clothes; I wouldn't recommend dressing up in ways that you wouldn't normally dress at home. In any case, as Michael suggests, locals will recognize you as a visitor quickly enough regardless of how you're dressed.

Weather in Tuscany in May should be great but be prepared for temps ranging from 50s to 70s F. My advice is to layer. Have a great time!!

That weather sounds great. I live in south FL, so I really don't have much in the way of layering clothes. I'll have to look around.

 

[Churchill W]



Very helpful, thank you. I had two main goals by asking this question. First, for specific examples (like "bring one pair of 'X' shoe and you can wear it for the whole trip") or also things to avoid that would make me look clueless (like rules that we have in America, for example "no white pants after Labor Day"). I was planning on basically wearing chinos/casual trousers and button-down OCBD shirts the whole time (jacket or sport coat recommendations welcome; is solid blue a safe bet as it would be here?), which is obviously an American look, but one that I don't think would draw ridicule.

I think the OCBDs are fine, but think button-down collars are very American, someone not from here can opine on that though. If it were me I would take maybe 3 collared shirts, one OCBD, one pointed/spread collar, and maybe a polo (short sleeved). Light blue on both of the dress shirts. I think captoe open laced shoes are a very versatile shoe and would probably be my dress shoe, then either a boat shoe or loafer (for easy on and off at the airports, then maybe a sneaker or sandals if your travels are going to take you to the beach or pool. Navy sportscoat to dress things up.

A pair or jeans and a pair of chinos.

 

[breakaway01]



That weather sounds great. I live in south FL, so I really don't have much in the way of layering clothes. I'll have to look around.

Do you have a summery dark blue/navy unlined sportcoat? Add a thin light grey V-neck sweater or cardigan underneath over a light blue shirt for a cool evening. Or a long sleeve polo. Stuff like that.