Classic Menswear Lounge

[sugarbutch]

I'll critique one of my own fits from this past week:

I think this suffered from over-thinking the choice of hank. Most of the colors in the hank are seen in the tie or shirt, but the flash of the white ground draws the eye and unbalances the combination.

 

[ctp120]

-nvm-

 

[The Noodles]

I will lurk for now.

 

[EliodA]



The suggestion that Vox could use a taller collar seems not to account for all of that collar band showing beneath the tie.

That's because his tie knot is too tiny...

 

[TweedyProf]

SB

I personally find it daring to wear a "high energy" paisley (cf. Gerry's too). I guess this came from the Khaki's of Carmel owner? Do you like the tie?

The only other thing, perhaps is the scale of the stripes on the shirt (it is striped) and the scale of stripes on the jacket seem the same.

Question: How does one pair a square with a paisley tie?

The challenge, it seems to me, is that one wants a square that isn't as "busy" and yet not a solid. Neat patterns are out, I think (and many wouldn't ever wear a square with neat patterns). Unbel's square in his outfit on the last page might be what one wants, a lightly patterned square (yours is the teal/green Drake's navajo, isn't it?). Yours is a bit stronger in pattern, but I see what you're saying. I'm really at a loss as to a good square for that tie.

Thanks for the self critique.

 

[Pliny]

I'm flattered and a bit horrified that u put me in a category with the likes of gdl etc TP- having nowhere near their level of taste and experience. Anyway kudos to u for running this one up the flag pole - could be awsm.

The most difficult thing IMO is selecting someone else's fit for attention. I'm not keen to point the finger, but here's one that's awful + egregious in Unbel's sense.
SB's WRN20TM in earthy tones and low saturation.



This fit is like the Anti-Braddock (no hayt) .. It's the opposite of those well-executed super-i-gent rainbow Shibumi fits. This one's for grown-ups.

If the shirt was any brighter it wouldn't have worked. There's an ascending intensity of tone from suit to shirt to tie that draws in the eye and (can't see it but probably) balances and complements the face & eyes.

PS fills the contrast gap between tie and SC. It's not shouty and not a place filler. My only nitpick is the tie-ish design. Nevermind, it's a classic cotton hank pattern and goes great with the sedate, autumnal palette.



SB thought about the shoos too (if not the carpet

). A medium tan Oxford for the lighter suit + semi-brogueing to complement the rus in urbe look. And I didn't even get into (outstanding) texture and proportion

 

[TweedyProf]

Nicely put Pliny. I agree, and also nicely paired with SBs more self critical post.

As to the grad students in the lounge, I consider myself a first year, perhaps too confident, must learn more, and certainly too idealistic!

 

[Gerry Nelson]

Thanks for kicking this off with a fit of mine. I'm not a professional photographer but am flattered that the photos look to be at that standard.

I'll contribute when I can but a number of the other people here have far more knowledge than I on these topics.

Regarding the first fit, yes, the tie is 'city' with a 'country jacket but I thought it could work because it was textured rather than smooth. Similarly with the pocket square which is a matte cream silk square which has a lot of texture to it.




Something like this (if I had it at the time) may have been a better choice:



A few people have made the comment that the trousers look purple - they're actually grey and the evening light might have accounted for that purplish tinge. I've adjusted the colour here to show this:



This was the one for the loud tie contest

:

I hope Gerry doesn't mind two of his fits being posted. Of course, it's just him and Vox at this point...

I'm also reposting this as it may be the only time that Vox and I are mentioned in the same sentence!

 

[archibaldleach]

^ IMO there are different kinds of texture. The mere presence of texture on a tie does not make it workable in a "country" vs. "city" context. Of course, I find this distinction is fading more and more over time, so it depends how much you worry about these things.

 

[TweedyProf]

You'll have to excuse my always being academic sounding but...I'm an academic!

It's clear I've conflated two dimensions for dress: city-country and formal-casual. Case in point: a very textured tie might be casual yet city, the white dotted shantung being a case in point.

Is there formal country? Probably, we should think of it as "dressy country"? There's also seasonal distinctions, say spring/summer-fall/winter

So:

• City-Country
• Formal (Dressy)-Casual
• S/S-F/W

I guess you could draw up a matrix if you wanted (hint, hint...). OK, this thread is meant to lead to practical advice and thoughts about combos. As Gerry's example is illustrative, I suppose that the overchecks on the coat are large enough that we should think of it as country, regardless of the nature of the fabric (worsted which is, always?, city). In that respect, the tie and jacket mix a country and a city element.

I guess the question for you (me) is whether the city/country boundary identifies a norm or merely an advised boundary. I take it that the "old hands" take it more of as a norm, and so Gerry's fit (which wasn't thoughtless) is a violation. If you grow up imbibing that division as a norm, the fit will look off. I think for many of us, a small scaled neat with that jacket would look off. Unbel's point about distinctions and their being blurred leads to the other iGent principle I noted above: that city casual is ok with country, so a textured, larger scale white dotted tie is ok. iGents would never take that as a "rule" or norm. And they probably wouldn't care if the two principles clashed. This is the "generational" divide.

I suppose the way to ask whether you care and how you do about the distinctions is how you respond to that dimension of Gerry's fit.

PS: I wouldn't want my suggestions for Gerry to get lost, i.e. alternative fits.

 

[sugarbutch]

The suggestion that Vox could use a taller collar seems not to account for all of that collar band showing beneath the tie.

That's because his tie knot is too tiny...

Surely you jest

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

SB

I personally find it daring to wear a "high energy" paisley (cf. Gerry's too). I guess this came from the Khaki's of Carmel owner? Do you like the tie?

The only other thing, perhaps is the scale of the stripes on the shirt (it is striped) and the scale of stripes on the jacket seem the same.

Question: How does one pair a square with a paisley tie?

The challenge, it seems to me, is that one wants a square that isn't as "busy" and yet not a solid. Neat patterns are out, I think (and many wouldn't ever wear a square with neat patterns). Unbel's square in his outfit on the last page might be what one wants, a lightly patterned square (yours is the teal/green Drake's navajo, isn't it?). Yours is a bit stronger in pattern, but I see what you're saying. I'm really at a loss as to a good square for that tie.

Thanks for the self critique.

Yes, this was from Khaki's. The shirt is actually a micro-houndstooth.

 

[TweedyProf]

Point about the thread:

1. It would be great that the "invitees" are the ones who initiate "example posts" drawn from WAYWRN (see post 1), but fine from the internet or archives. Something that made you think, etc.
2. All serious SF members are invited to take part in the discussion so long as they can keep conversation helpful and constructive.
3. Old hands ("professors", professionals whose names begin with "M" and "docs") are of course invited, but should probably best keep a light hand.
4. Please use my post on the good-natured Gerry Nelson as a rough guideline, but see SBs self-critical post and Pliny's praise of SB post as alternatives.

I apologize for omitting many whose names did not occur to me in post 1. I was envisioning active and constructive folks from the Noodle's thread as starters. Use your judgment if that applies to you, and then, post!

 

[TweedyProf]

Yes, this was from Khaki's. The shirt is actually a micro-houndstooth.

Thanks, couldn't tell. Still, and this is a nitpick, do you think difference in scale would have been better, focusing on shirt and tie, as the houndstooth does resolve at a certain distance to thin lines?

Of course, the tie is the focal point and probably something around which the fit should be built? The big question you raise is what square to pair with that tie and, for me more generally, for paisley's in general? Did you resolve that to your satisfaction? I'd look forward to the next fit with that tie.

I'll ask in the Noodle's thread how the meetup was...

 

[sugarbutch]

I think the shirt resolves to solid at a distance, and the scale of the check is much smaller than that of the stripes. I don't see any conflict, but I know that people perceive these interactions differently.

I think I was on the right track with less saturated colors in the hank, but for the reason mentioned above plus perhaps the sharpness of the pattern, it just didn't work. I think the scale of this paisley will make it more challenging. It's just larger than a neat, which may put it in a no-man's land. We'll see.

 

[TweedyProf]

I think the shirt resolves to solid at a distance, and the scale of the check is much smaller than that of the stripes. I don't see any conflict, but I know that people perceive these interactions differently.

I think I was on the right track with less saturated colors in the hank, but for the reason mentioned above plus perhaps the sharpness of the pattern, it just didn't work. I think the scale of this paisley will make it more challenging. It's just larger than a neat, which may put it in a no-man's land. We'll see.

Well, it was free (?)