Good Natured Advice Thread (improving a business wardrobe)

[Monkeyface]

Are you sure it's hopsack? Looks like fresco to me in your pics...
Anyway, for inspiration how to dress down this suit, look no further than Eidos' own NickP

I'm not entirely sure, but it wears much warmer than my other fresco clothes. Might just be a roughly woven wool. Either way, it looks very nice.

 

[EliodA]

[...]

Either way, it looks very nice.

No arguments there!

 

[kulata]



Despite the hopsack fabric? That would be better for me, as I work in a somewhat conservative business dress environment. Maybe it's a conservative business dress suit that can also be dressed down a bit? 

More about the pattern in this case. Bold pinstripes and chalk stripes just come across as very business-y to me. Not sure Nick can be easily copied though, he has the whole Italian look going on for him.

 

[Coxsackie]

As a matter of fact, some of the Chinese factories do as much hand finishing with as high a level of quality as many of the Italian places.

This. Chinese workers can be highly skilled. However their bosses are often very short-sighted, and as a result, quality control is always challenging. The successful companies expend immense and ongoing effort on rigorous QC and never take their eyes off the ball.

All iPhones are made in China. Some amazingly good high-end audio gear. Countless other examples. Why not clothes too?

Forget about large scale, vertically-integrated Chinese manufacturers though. The higher you go in an all-local outfit, the more corruption and ineptitude you encounter. This is slowly changing but will take a while yet.

 

[kulata]

@The Noodles


Made in Italy by Chinese workers
http://www.reuters.com/news/pictures/slideshow?articleId=USRTX16XEA
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/world/europe/13prato.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

 

[Pingson]



@The Noodles


Made in Italy by Chinese workers
http://www.reuters.com/news/pictures/slideshow?articleId=USRTX16XEA
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/world/europe/13prato.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

If you want some insights into how a lot of the things that carry the "Made in Italy" tag are produced and how companies are cutting corners to apply that tag, read Roberto Saviano's book "Gomorrah". It gives a pretty good description of the conditions under which even really high-end clothing items are produced. A real eye-opener and a very good description of the enormous influence the Camorra has on just about everything in and around Naples.

 

[mimo]

I have been trying to figure out how to wear this navy Eidos hopsack pinstripe suit, but I'm having a hard time. Any advice is welcome! Here are some pics.

Casual with loafers and brown knit:

Navy grenadine and black captoes:

Striped grenadine and black captoes:

This one.

Although your suit cloth might be a lighter and more open weave for summer, a navy pinstripe is still a very formal cloth. I'd even question whether it is quite right for patch pockets (I prefer them on odd jackets, or less formal pieces like Murl's lovely flannel above).

So for me, the black captoes are bang on. A middle ground shoe-wise might be a pair of iGent double monks - but black, or at the least dark brown or burgundy. Being a reactionary old bastard, I'm against loafers with suits in general, though southern European gentlemen and Americans do this a lot, so I'm willing to nod that a shiny black or brown tassel or even moc top, can look sharp in a dainty kind of way. But a suede loafer is for chinos. It's just so far away from a navy pinstripe in tone and personality that it looks like you lost your shoes and borrowed them by way of emergency until you get to a taxi.

I also find the soft BD and the knit a bit of a drop in formality: the BD would be better in a light and crisp version, maybe even non-SF white, and the grenadine is nice and summery while still being just about suit-worthy. I like the stripe more, for contrast with the navy, and as a knowing dressing-down of a formal (military) style with a less serious summery fabric - just like the loose weave and patch pockets on your serious city pinstripe. That is consistency.

The knit tie can stay at home with the loafers and wait for a corduroy jacket to show up. Then they'll both be beautiful.

I think that the top of the notch being in the same plane as the shoulder looks bizarre and my eyes keep trying to make a line there and it looks a bit strange. If the shoulders settle, I agree, it will look awesome. I think the roped+waterfall+self stripe is a little too much going on.

That's the point though. If you happen to have a huge bonce like Noodles (or Claghorn, or mimo), then that line that your eyes try to make, makes the shoulders appear proportionally wider - and the head more human. A slightly wider lapel and a non-skinny tie are also better, for the same reason of proportion.

But I don't like self stripes either.

 

[The Noodles]

A good example that illustrates how misleading MADE IN <insert country> is can be found in the below picture.

Because we live in an age where companies are judged based on EPS, they are trying however they can to lower costs. One would be foolish to believe that a product made in Italy is entirely made in Italy or even by Italians.

But the real question is why SS decides to put on a MADE IN CHINA label while other reputable brands put on a MADE IN ITALY label when they probably are going thru similar manufacturing process.
(By the way, I called the SS store in DC yesterday and the SA said that the La Spalla is made in Italy. I asked her multiple times).

 

[kulata]



If you want some insights into how a lot of the things that carry the "Made in Italy" tag are produced and how companies are cutting corners to apply that tag, read Roberto Saviano's book "Gomorrah". It gives a pretty good description of the conditions under which even really high-end clothing items are produced. A real eye-opener and a very good description of the enormous influence the Camorra has on just about everything in and around Naples.

I am quite familiar with the whole debacle that's why I just laugh when I see a lot of weight thrown behind Made in xxxx country especially for bigger manufacturers. Some elements of the supply chain just has to be executed in Italy before they badge it "Made in Italy" but I think they tried to get strict sometime in 2009. But it's all a sham. A quality product is a quality product regardless of the country of origin.


@The Noodles they chose made in China for cost savings. No need for an interim country before the product gets to the customers.

 

[MGoCrimson]

(By the way, I called the SS store in DC yesterday and the SA said that the La Spalla is made in Italy. I asked her multiple times).

O rly? I've been meaning to get down there and check out their cuts/MTM program. Then maybe Formosa MTM one day

 

[Pingson]

If you want some insights into how a lot of the things that carry the "Made in Italy" tag are produced and how companies are cutting corners to apply that tag, read Roberto Saviano's book "Gomorrah". It gives a pretty good description of the conditions under which even really high-end clothing items are produced. A real eye-opener and a very good description of the enormous influence the Camorra has on just about everything in and around Naples.

I am quite familiar with the whole debacle that's why I just laugh when I see a lot of weight thrown behind Made in xxxx country especially for bigger manufacturers. Some elements of the supply chain just has to be executed in Italy before they badge it "Made in Italy" but I think they tried to get strict sometime in 2009. But it's all a sham. A quality product is a quality product regardless of the country of origin.

Another good book, which should be required reading for people here is Dana Thomas "Deluxe - how luxury lost it's lustre". Highly recommended.

 

[The Noodles]

Another good book, which should be required reading for people here is Dana Thomas "Deluxe - how luxury lost it's lustre". Highly recommended.

 

[Monkeyface]



Another good book, which should be required reading for people here is Dana Thomas "Deluxe - how luxury lost it's lustre". Highly recommended.

It's one of the reasons why I don't care where anything is made, and generally don't buy from the big brands. The good thing with suits is that it's pretty easy to determine whether it's crap or not from just trying it on.

 

[ridethecliche]

Has anyone here bought barney branded footwear? How does the sizing compare to your AE size? They have a few things on sale that I was debating between (brown chelsea boots, brown boots with speedhooks/rubber sole, etc).

Thanks!

Can't find a suit on sale sadly though :/

 

[JubeiSpiegel]



Another good book, which should be required reading for people here is Dana Thomas "Deluxe - how luxury lost it's lustre". Highly recommended.

Big +1
That is and amazing book, a definitely must read...