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

[AlonsoMerino]

All knowing styleforum,

Soon I will be moving to a much colder city, which means I'll need to buy a few winter garments.

My main concern is that whatever I buy needs to last me for a while, but I have a few doubts

Between a 100% wool coat, an 80%-20% wool-polyester blend coat and a Down jacket, which one will last the longest on average? Considering similar care conditions

Is it true that a having a polyester blend with the wool, will help reduce pilling and make it last longer? Are there any drawbacks with having 20% polyester in your wool coat vs 100% wool?

How big does my coat rotation need to be to maximize its longevity 4,5,6 or more?

BTW it almost doesn’t rain during the winter where I am going, it barely snows and my daily work outfit is fairly casual, **** and slacks or chinos

And sorry for the long post!

 

[papado]

All knowing styleforum,

Soon I will be moving to a much colder city, which means I'll need to buy a few winter garments.

My main concern is that whatever I buy needs to last me for a while, but I have a few doubts

Between a 100% wool coat, an 80%-20% wool-polyester blend coat and a Down jacket, which one will last the longest on average? Considering similar care conditions

Is it true that a having a polyester blend with the wool, will help reduce pilling and make it last longer? Are there any drawbacks with having 20% polyester in your wool coat vs 100% wool?

How big does my coat rotation need to be to maximize its longevity 4,5,6 or more?

BTW it almost doesn’t rain during the winter where I am going, it barely snows and my daily work outfit is fairly casual, **** and slacks or chinos

And sorry for the long post!

There are probably some people better suited to true cold-weather but I can give some brief thoughts:

As you say your wardrobe is fairly casual, I would definite suggest picking up some kind of down jacket with a hood (hood is good for any rain, but also keeps the whole noggin warm when it's blustery out!) as a starter. You'll need to be careful on wool coats as most are cut to be worn with a suit/sportcoat underneath so make sure you size it appropriately for how you'll wear it--also it may cause issues in the event you do need to dress up and your only coats are fitted/slim/not designed to handle that tailored clothing underneath. For the price you'd likely be paying I would not spend money on a 'wool' coat which is actually 20% polyester; get the good stuff unless the other one is an amazing price and fulfills some need you can't get elsewhere.

Also pay attention to jacket length--if you'll be outside for good amounts of time you'll greatly appreciate some extra length on your coats to keep you warm.

I would recommend at least 2-3 to start out and then you can probably add one or two more once you figure out what you need. I'd also recommend if you start with a small wardrobe make sure to keep colors fairly muted if you're worried about people recognizing it i.e. people will know your bright red jacket and how frequently you wear it, but if you have 2 mainly black ones people likely won't notice as much (or just wear whatever you'd like!).

 

[Thin White Duke]

You're entitled to your opinion, but need is too strong a word.

Nah it’s just wrong.
This sockless thing has its place I suppose if worn with something like a linen SC and open neck shirt and cotton strides. Everything else about your outfit looks like summer business formal and to go without socks for that outfit just looks wrong.

 

[flipstah]

I did it today. View attachment 1192055 View attachment 1192056

I have similar loafers but black!
Sorry just got back from Europe and been busy catching up on things. Here are the suits. Please ignore the collar. Did this in haste and wasn't going out.

Also are two pinstripes overkill? If so, which one is a keeper? Or keep both?

 

[AlonsoMerino]

There are probably some people better suited to true cold-weather but I can give some brief thoughts:

As you say your wardrobe is fairly casual, I would definite suggest picking up some kind of down jacket with a hood (hood is good for any rain, but also keeps the whole noggin warm when it's blustery out!) as a starter. You'll need to be careful on wool coats as most are cut to be worn with a suit/sportcoat underneath so make sure you size it appropriately for how you'll wear it--also it may cause issues in the event you do need to dress up and your only coats are fitted/slim/not designed to handle that tailored clothing underneath. For the price you'd likely be paying I would not spend money on a 'wool' coat which is actually 20% polyester; get the good stuff unless the other one is an amazing price and fulfills some need you can't get elsewhere.

Also pay attention to jacket length--if you'll be outside for good amounts of time you'll greatly appreciate some extra length on your coats to keep you warm.

I would recommend at least 2-3 to start out and then you can probably add one or two more once you figure out what you need. I'd also recommend if you start with a small wardrobe make sure to keep colors fairly muted if you're worried about people recognizing it i.e. people will know your bright red jacket and how frequently you wear it, but if you have 2 mainly black ones people likely won't notice as much (or just wear whatever you'd like!).

yes, those are some great remarks! I already have a wool overcoat, which is tailored to fit me with a suit underneath, that I got a couple of years ago but which I only need to wear when I travel to colder places (I guess that covers my formal occasions). I've been thinking on getting 2 additional coats, which could be a combination of either:

1 peacoat + 1 down jacket
1 peacoat + 1 topcoat
2 peacoats

a lot depends on durability and I was really interesting in knowing about the longevity of down vs wool garments?

 

[SimonC]

Both will last indefinitely if cared for. Biggest risk factor for wool is moths, and for down clothing is poor washing that clumps the down and reduces effectiveness.

Avoid both of those, and you’ll get as much use out of the garment as the care you put into it. Oh, with one other caveat - poor quality wool will pill and otherwise degrade in a way that a synthetic-outer down jacket will not.

 

[AlonsoMerino]

Both will last indefinitely if cared for. Biggest risk factor for wool is moths, and for down clothing is poor washing that clumps the down and reduces effectiveness.

Avoid both of those, and you’ll get as much use out of the garment as the care you put into it. Oh, with one other caveat - poor quality wool will pill and otherwise degrade in a way that a synthetic-outer down jacket will not.

Thanks for the comment! regarding care, do you know how many times per year should you wash a wool or down jacket, once, twice or more?

Besides, most wool coat fabrics have flannel-like finishes (aka melton wool) and I was wondering if I should use a lint remover like the ones used for suits or if that damages the outer fibers? or what should I use to remove dust and avoid the trip to the dry cleaner?

thanks!

 

[Epicure]

Thanks for the comment! regarding care, do you know how many times per year should you wash a wool or down jacket, once, twice or more?

Besides, most wool coat fabrics have flannel-like finishes (aka melton wool) and I was wondering if I should use a lint remover like the ones used for suits or if that damages the outer fibers? or what should I use to remove dust and avoid the trip to the dry cleaner?

thanks!

A clothes brush, such as those made by Kent. It's all you need for all your tailored clothing. It will do a far superior job, used regularly, than any modern lint remover. Spot clean wool, as necessary, using nothing but water. If that doesn't work, then you may well then consider dry cleaning. Don't ever dry clean clothes with water-soluble stains, it doesn't remove them, as dry cleaning solvents are geared to remove biological stains containing fats and oils.

To dry clean something with a coffee stain for example makes no sense, as it won't be removed, and is therefore a waste of time and money. Dry cleaning water based stains, if I recall correctly, can make the problem worse. As such, dry cleaning is always a last resort. Do your best to find someone reputable. Unfortunately, that is no easy task.

I avoid dry cleaning at all costs. What do you think was done prior to the Industrial Revolution? Maybe people stank and were dirty, but I have wool coats and jackets I've owned for the better part of a decade that have never been dry cleaned. No stains or smell are evident. My wife would be sure to tell me if I stank, as she has a particularly keen olfactory sense. And I'm sure my close friends would too. If you're worried about dust and contaminants building up (eg. dead skin, which makes up the majority of environmental dust indoors), don't, that's what regularly brushing is for. Done regularly, it never goes further than the surface. And if you hang your garments in a well ventilated space between wears, the day's odours usually dissipate. If not, there are methods other than dry cleaning. I've never had to resort to them, as regularly airing my clothes for a day or two between wears has always been effective. One method involves spraying vodka: https://www.gentlemansgazette.com/how-to-get-the-musty-smell-out-of-clothes/

I might add that overall, your mileage may vary, and trousers for summer wear in particular may be a different kettle of fish , given they're worn directly in contact with the skin and the smellier, sweatier parts of the body. Dry cleaning more regularly may well be indicated in these scenarios, but it will vary from person to person, as some people hardly sweat even in the heat, and others have pores that seep profusely. Use your discretion to determine when and if dry cleaning is needed based on how smelly and sweaty your own body gets, not generic advice about how often you need to dry clean.

The idea that clothes need to be entirely clean, with regular harsh routines like dry cleaning is somewhat of a modern myth, particular for jackets and coats that don't directly contact your body. Bad dry cleaning will make them dirtier and less hygienic in the long run. Unscrupulous operators do not change their solvent as regularly as they should, so if you use such an operator, you get everyone else's grunge added to your own clothes.

Take home message without the how and why: brush regularly, spot clean with water, and avoid dry cleaning unless absolutely indicated.

 

[wdrenth]

Recently I bought a pair of unworn Grenson unlined suede derby shoes on Ebay. No further details were forthcoming, other than size. This pair is not of the Rose, Feathermaster, or any other collection of Grenson. They are simply called 'Grenson, the good shoe'.

I have two questions of this pair, and hope that the collective knowledge of this forum has the answers.

1/ would anyone recognize this model and know the pedigree of this pair, the age, etc?
2/ the heel is all leather, i.e. without the rubber tip seen these days. I can't remember having seen an all-leather heel, other than in old advertorials etc. And I guess in those days heel tips of iron/metal were commonplace to ensure durability. What could that tell about the age of this pair. More in general, when made the rubber tips their first appearance? (Stitching of the sole is, by the way, very fine)

Enclosed two pictures as illustration to my questions.

Thank you for watching and any further information!

All leather heel, neat row of nails.


Simply, Grenson, the good shoe

 

[Joffrey]

Are there any suggestions for wallets with a few (2-4) card slots AND a money clip for cash? I'm not a fan of traditional bilfolds as they're quite bulky (IMO) and normally have too many card slots.

 

[justridiculous]

Are there any suggestions for wallets with a few (2-4) card slots AND a money clip for cash? I'm not a fan of traditional bilfolds as they're quite bulky (IMO) and normally have too many card slots.

MCW-Standard American Cowhide

American cowhide is our most affordable leather yet it's nicer than most department store leather. The Chocolate Brown has a tan interior and the Black Pebble has a grey interior.Our famous money clip wallet is the most efficient way to carry a combination of cards and cash. It's slim, elegant...

mitchell-leather.com

 

[Joffrey]

MCW-Standard American Cowhide

American cowhide is our most affordable leather yet it's nicer than most department store leather. The Chocolate Brown has a tan interior and the Black Pebble has a grey interior.Our famous money clip wallet is the most efficient way to carry a combination of cards and cash. It's slim, elegant...

mitchell-leather.com

Thanks. I actually came across that in another thread and have bookmarked it. Would love to see what else is out there.

 

[jtorres94]

Any recommendations for quality menswear in Venice and Rome? Currently in Venice and only seem to be finding cheap tourist aimed shops.

 

[Nbarbar]

Any recommendations for quality menswear in Venice and Rome? Currently in Venice and only seem to be finding cheap tourist aimed shops.

Barba Napoli in Rome is great, then there is Sartoria Ripense.

 

[HollyJoint]

I'm going to buy a winter coat, a duffle coat.
I am wondering if I should buy the classic size (almost knee length) or the mid length. Which one looks better for you?