Bring Back the Ascot

[LabelKing]

When I was in Shanghai, I saw a man wearing a mink-collared overcoat and a silk ascot with a blue suit. He also had perfectly permed hair.

 

[EricDL]

I like ascots a lot. I have two of them in my closet, one green plaid and the other blue with spots, both from Forzieri.com. I dress more formally than the average guy, and for me, when I want something extra in my outfit, an ascot is the bridge between wearing a tie with a dress shirt and wearing a dress shirt that is unbuttoned. I wear a tied ascot underneath an unbuttoned dress shirt, which I think looks great if it is done correctly.

If you are thinking of wearing an ascot, I suggest that you not wear a solid-colored one unless it is something flashy (ex: orange or pink, though I would not wear those colors personally.) Always go for some sort of pattern; this is what my 'stylistic conscience' says. A solid ascot would appear conservative, and if you are wearing an ascot you are not conservative by the standards of most people. I can imagine the sort of person that would self-consciously buy an ascot, which is a somewhat flashy item, and only go half-way, settling on a solid color and poke his head in his classroom or office looking sheepish, and give the thing away. I think that it's a delicate fashion accessory that has its place in the gentleman's wardrobe, but that it may not be for everyone. I would love to see a revival of ascots, along with all of the other situational items of the past that were left behind when people decided that they only wanted to wear one set of clothes per day.

 

[Maharlika]

Ascots are hard to find in men's stores now. I can't even find them at Department Stores. Maybe it's coming back soon? Yes, I personally like ascots, but has to be done right ala Fred Astaire.

 

[bluewestward]

I'm for anything that might revive popularity of the ascot. They're a great look and I like to wear them. I caught the pictures iammat referenced before they disappeared from the sartorialist's site. While I'm more of a traditionalist, I think the hacking knot look seen in Milan works pretty well.

 

[Edward Appleby]

Also, I'm pretty sure those were silk scarves, not ascots on the men in those photos. They seemed to lack the pleated bit around the back.

 

[Leaveitothexperts]

I am not a fan personally, though I think it can be pulled off well by someone . . .

Something about them makes me think "middle-aged" . . . maybe its just me . . .

 

[Chauncey Gardner]

Yesterday I looked at some handsome ascots in traditional stripes at Bergdorf's, rather English looking; they were available at a very good sale price.

Personally I prefer Italian designs for ascots, they are more carefree, and for years I have particularly cherished one from Cucci that is a pale sky blue with rich darker blue stripes, redolent of the Mediterranean.

 

[tiecollector]

Originally Posted by Leaveitothexperts

I am not a fan personally, though I think it can be pulled off well by someone . . .

Something about them makes me think "middle-aged" . . . maybe its just me . . .


yes, I think you need to be age 38 minimum. Nothing wrong with the look, just not on me.

 

[texas_jack]

So I found as ascot at the store. Never considered buying one but it is a Prada grey with horizontal white pinstripe and was $15. Couldn't pass it up. Now for figuring what to wear it with...

 

[Quirk]

Why on earth would anyone want to revive the popularity of a look that appeals to him? That's the very last thing I'd want to have happen.

 

[lakewolf]

Maybe I got the link wrong. but those are not ascots, those are simple scarves ( Ã

charpes comme on dit ici )

 

[JLibourel]

A lot of the neckwear in the Sartorialist blog looked like what I would describe as "scarves," rather than "ascots" in American usage, what I think the British call "day cravats."

I wore ascots quite a bit around 30 years ago, got out of the habit, but I have gotten back into them of late. In the past year I have increased my collection of ascots from a solitary ascot from Beau Ties Ltd. to a total of seven, the most recent of which I purchased at Carroll & Co. in Beverly Hills Saturday before last. I got a lot of compliments the first time I wore it.

They are not readily to be had at most menswear stores. In Southern California, stores I have encountered that carried them include:

Carroll & Co.
RL Polo BH (the one in South Coast has had them on occasion, too)
Gary's Fashion Island (kinda pricey, about $130, as I recall)
Brooks Brothers, South Coast ($150, ouch!)

Discount bargains in ascots seem very rare. Some Brooks stores were selling them cheaply awhile back.

Probably the best value in an ascot, in my experience, are those from Beau Ties of Vermont. They do not have as much fabric and are not quite as sumptious as those from Carroll & Co., but they cost a third less and are still quite nice. The Carroll & Co. ascots go for $95, the Beau Ties ascots are $65, with discounts for orders of any three items (bow ties, neckties, pocket squares, ascots, etc.) or more. Beau Ties calls their ascots "cravats." Their "ascots" are Velcro fastened affairs suitable for high school ROTC drill teams and such. I eschew solid-colored ascots for the reason that they look most appropriate for drill teams.

An ascot can really spiff up an otherwise mundane outfit. On any given weekend, there are millions of guys out there in sport shirts and khakis. The mere addition of an ascot adds a whole new level of faux-patrician elegance and panache to an otherwise utterly commonplace ensemble.

 

[cldpsu]

Any idea what boots these are? They look kind of like engineer boots with the buckle but then again they're a little more pointed.

 

[trogdor]

Originally Posted by Maharlika

Ascots are hard to find in men's stores now.

I have to dispute that -- I've seen them in Tie Rack for about €30 or less! In Cork! I'm not sure if they have Tie Rack in the US, but it's a not-very-upscale shop (often found in malls). I can't think of a US point of comparison, but it ain't flashy.

They had quite a variety, and frankly, I'm tempted...

 

[Connemara]

Originally Posted by trogdor

I have to dispute that -- I've seen them in Tie Rack for about €30 or less! In Cork! I'm not sure if they have Tie Rack in the US, but it's a not-very-upscale shop (often found in malls). I can't think of a US point of comparison, but it ain't flashy.

They had quite a variety, and frankly, I'm tempted...


I highly doubt there are a lot of ascots sold in Corcaigh, let alone men wearing them!