Groupthink or Connoisseurs' Consensus?

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by RJmanbearpig

Never done time, eh?

Not of the Turkish kind, no.

- B

 

[Film Noir Buff]

Originally Posted by RJmanbearpig

FNB puts Manson in his place yet again!!! Story at 11! How do you tell it's off balance simply from a frontal pic?
The real story is that it's only 16oz. It looks like a sturdier cloth of at least 22 oz. Ill bet it practically tailors itself.

Originally Posted by RJmanbearpig

you may say I'm biased because Manton and I had terrific makeup sex two nights ago.
You may have competition, apparently he gets dressed for a lot of guys on here.

 

[JLibourel]

Getting back to Manton's original question:

Rather than in matters of proportions, rations, colors, textures, etc., where I think men of taste may share certain common assumptions but are less inclined to articulate them, I think that "groupthink" manifests itself most strongly in brand loyalties.

Frankly, sometimes it's hard to know what to think: For example, in the years I have haunted AAAC and SF, I always thought that Church's shoes had pretty much gone to hell under Prada's ownership, yet I was surprised to see that they have some staunch defenders over on the Advanced Forum. The very few Church's shoes left me unimpressed and inclining toward the AAAC/SF orthodoxy on the topic, but the fact that some seemingly knowledgeable men defend them is food for thought. This is just one example.

Then there are some brands, designer labels mostly, that no self-respecting SF stalwart would consider owning. I'll confess, I did buy a pair of pants at a Nordstrom's sale this summer from one of the despised brands. My reasons were that they were on sale, fit well and were in a color I had wanted but had had trouble finding. I'll have to say that they strike me as decent enough slacks despite bearing a hated brand.

Another confession: I almost bought a pair of Johnston & Murphy shoes this past summer. They were some striking looking white buck brogue wingtips and were on-sale at $68, so I thought "what the hell?" However, they were out of my size. Although I was slightly disappointed, I also felt relief at not having violated the CODE OF THE FORUM.

 

[Manton]

Jan, I visited the Church factory in NH (largest one in town) and it was not a pretty sight. The shoes are really not what they should be. Alfred Sargent charges a lot less for a comparably made shoe that is better designed.

 

[JLibourel]

Thanks for the tip, Manton, although I doubt if I would ever have bought any, having been spoiled by having gotten so many A-Es on the cheap. I don't know if it's a manifestation of my inner Cruiser, but if I can get cheap products that satisfy me and produce the desired aesthetic effect, e.g., Costo BD shirts and "Fancy Pants," I tend to stick with them. At least I have the good grace not to attack those who favor finer apparel as "hateful snobs," etc.

 

[RSS]

Oh my. Haven't posted in three months ... and it's just as if I haven't missed a day.

Hello everyone ... see you again in February.

 

[grimslade]

Originally Posted by Manton

Grimslade saw that suit in action last night. He can give you a rundown on its poor quality, slovenliness, and unkempitude.

The pattern matching sucked. That's all I'll say.

Originally Posted by Film Noir Buff

Sloppy, sleeves, skirt. Terrible lapels, jacket too long and off balance. Fortunately Grimslade probably was oblivious to that sartorial train wreck because he is...

I was still right about that parquet number, though. I know it's painful to admit.

Originally Posted by iammatt

?

I hate you. And thanks to you I just had to explain--but not demonstrate, mind you--what a pink sock was.

 

[mmkn]

Originally Posted by Manton

This is my favorite suit of yours, the sleeves and chest particularly.

I remember asking you who made it, and the reply was, "A more or less unknown London tailor."

A&S, it makes sense now.

- M

 

[Nantucket Red]

Regardless of my never having actually seen an A&S suit nor having set foot in London in 35 years, this is the internet and I must form an opinion on the matter. The question is: Should I follow the FNB goupthink, as a Bastard in good standing, or should I follow the Manton groupthink because he posted a pic (and in quintessential iGent fashion also!)?

I'll consider the majority opinion gospel. Please let me know which opinion is right.

I hope Dopey weighs in on this.

 

[emptym]

Originally Posted by Manton

You are out of your mind....
I often wonder why you give him the time of day. The disadvantages seem to outweigh the advantages.

Originally Posted by grimslade

...I hate you. And thanks to you I just had to explain--but not demonstrate, mind you--what a pink sock was.
Would you mind doing the same for me? Or should I go straight to the source?

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by RSS

Oh my. Haven't posted in three months ... and it's just as if I haven't missed a day.

Hello everyone ... see you again in February.

We're all delighted that you weighed in.


- B

 

[Film Noir Buff]

Originally Posted by Nantucket Red

Regardless of my never having actually seen an A&S suit nor having set foot in London in 35 years, this is the internet and I must form an opinion on the matter. The question is: Should I follow the FNB goupthink, as a Bastard in good standing, or should I follow the Manton groupthink because he posted a pic (and in quintessential iGent fashion also!)? I'll consider the majority opinion gospel. Please let me know which opinion is right. I hope Dopey weighs in on this.
If being less than inclined towards the drape style or the Anderson and Sheppard style is FNB groupthink at least the concern are the quality, the price tag and the effect the suit's look/cut will have on people in the real world rather than the general forum groupthink about whether your choices are considered brave and the stuff of bravissimo on the clothing MBs. There are so many elements to consider including what you want to do. However, anohter difference is that you should be free to do what you want and indeed enjoy doing what you want without the validation of needing people to copy you or tell you you have the best suit or made the best choice. Personally, i realize that Anderson and Sheppard make a suit and that it is preferable to wear one of their suits to wearing say a track suit but within the world of suits, to a conoisseur, the Drape look is fussy, affected and dated; which works in some professions but not the traditional ones). I personally prefer simple, honest and current. Maybe that's just me. I dont want to sachet sideways in my superior drape style and have people marvel at what a gentleman I am or how elegant I am due to the grandiosity of the cut of my suit. Again, a main ingedient of groupthink has to be that because I get it, you should get it. Personally, I let people express themselves and I deter them from copying me or things i like.

 

[merkur]

..

 

[Film Noir Buff]

Originally Posted by merkur

What are the traditional professions? Church, military, law, medicine?
Accounting, etc... What I meant is that there are idiosyncratic walks of life that may call for the drape's dramatic and frankly self conscious silhouette. It's not that the A&S make and the drape style are sloppy and out of date but that one can choose the look for themselves without having to enlist everyone else to go get it; as if it's the best thing to do. Wear, the look, enjoy it but please just because you personally like it, dont put some poor, new entrant who has to look normal to his clients into the "drape" look because it's "superiority."

 

[gnatty8]

Originally Posted by JLibourel

Frankly, sometimes it's hard to know what to think: For example, in the years I have haunted AAAC and SF, I always thought that Church's shoes had pretty much gone to hell under Prada's ownership, yet I was surprised to see that they have some staunch defenders over on the Advanced Forum. The very few Church's shoes left me unimpressed and inclining toward the AAAC/SF orthodoxy on the topic, but the fact that some seemingly knowledgeable men defend them is food for thought. This is just one example.

This is one of those internet fallacies that I get particularly giggly about. I noticed no change in Church's shoes, which I am sure was intentional on Prada's part. It's the type of Groupthink that made some Jaguar owners swear off Jag when Ford got involved.

Not that anybody cares, but I do find groupthink a little troubling, and it does not mix well with the punk rock sensibilities I grew up with. However, I am sure from the pictures I have posted that it should be pretty clear to most that I at least do not succumb to Groupthink tendencies; another aberrant internet behavior.