Mod to Suedehead

[DonkeyJacket1]

I kind of like the bottom button undone, makes the suit flare out a bit, looks alright buttoned at the bottom but perhaps a bit more rigid.

The arms end just below the knobbly bit on the wrist, not too long imo, my awkward lurch while looking at the camera doesnt help.

 

[Yorky]

Hi Donkey, I like the suit a lot it reminds me of one that I had made in the late 80's. I think that a DB suit is fine without a tie, just because someone's manual says it should be worn with a tie, doesn't make it right, just look at photos of bands etc over the years to show this. What shoes do you have in mind to wear with it, again I wouldn't necessarily go with the obvious choices.

 

[DonkeyJacket1]

Never been a massive fan of ties to be honest, just prefer an open neck, looks a bit too formal with a tie imo, while without it still looks smart but more ''street'' i will wear this suit even just knocking about when the weather permits.

For footwear i just wear my boots with it, my 6 eye 70s boots and my monkey boots. I don't have any shoes anymore because i wear them out faster than boots.

 

[covskin]

@DonkeyJacket1 earlier today, something a bit more formal

 

[Bela Kun]

Get them sleeves adjusted so we can see your shirt cuffs.
A DB is a formal look, needs a tie IMO.
General fit looks very good from what can be seen.

Out of curiosity, what collar styles do you wear with a tie? 'You' as in you personally.

I like ties, but I pretty much only have button-down shirts atm, and I have this idea that a tie with a button-down collar is 'American', but not in a good way.

 

[Inkss]

Never been a massive fan of ties to be honest, just prefer an open neck, looks a bit too formal with a tie imo, while without it still looks smart but more ''street'' i will wear this suit even just knocking about when the weather permits.

For footwear i just wear my boots with it, my 6 eye 70s boots and my monkey boots. I don't have any shoes anymore because i wear them out faster than boots.

What about a roll-neck/turtleneck ?

 

[pressuredrop]

Never been a massive fan of ties to be honest, just prefer an open neck, looks a bit too formal with a tie imo, while without it still looks smart but more ''street'' i will wear this suit even just knocking about when the weather permits.

For footwear i just wear my boots with it, my 6 eye 70s boots and my monkey boots. I don't have any shoes anymore because i wear them out faster than boots.

Someone has to say it:

A cravat might also work, for the less formal man-about-town look.

 

[Thin White Duke]

Out of curiosity, what collar styles do you wear with a tie? 'You' as in you personally.

I like ties, but I pretty much only have button-down shirts atm, and I have this idea that a tie with a button-down collar is 'American', but not in a good way.

Well I’m not American but coming up on 30 years living here ...

I don’t like buttonndown shirts with ties. Like you say it’s an American Trad / Ivy look but I’m just not personally a fan. I had a bit of a mental block on BD shirts for a long time but finally got a few and they look decent under a blazer and I like the way the collar stands up better than say a polo which might slide under the collar of the jacket.

Most of my work shirts I wear with jacket / suit and tie are Tyrwhitt. I don’t like cutaway collars. I have a couple of wider spreads but most are medium spread (say 45 degrees?) and medium length - long enough to reach my jacket lapels. Take a look at my pics on the blog. I don’t think there’s any specific ‘Mod’ detail about my shirts but nothing too far from the canon either. Sorta middle of the road.

 

[Thin White Duke]

Never been a massive fan of ties to be honest, just prefer an open neck, looks a bit too formal with a tie imo, while without it still looks smart but more ''street'' i will wear this suit even just knocking about when the weather permits.

For footwear i just wear my boots with it, my 6 eye 70s boots and my monkey boots. I don't have any shoes anymore because i wear them out faster than boots.

It’s a navy double breasted pin stripe suit - you can’t get much more formal than that below a dinner suit!!

I don’t suggest you wear a tie due to some “rule” but there are certain conventions which we can of course choose to follow or ignore. These conventions evolve either due to some sort of social groupthink or maybe because bordering on the objective certain thinks just look better. The open neck looks OK but in my OPINION the formality of that suit suggests it might look better with a tie. And get some shoes man. I can’t think of any clodhopping boots that would do that suit justice! Some shined up Loake 1880 brogues in burgundy or black would match up perfectly.

 

[Ivyskin89]

Apologies if this has been asked before but has anyone got any information about the lad “ joe Hawkins” who’s photo appeared on the cover of the first skinhead book by Richard Allen , tia

His name is Les Kent

 

[Thin White Duke]

Someone has to say it:

A cravat might also work, for the less formal man-about-town look.

Yeah I used to watch ‘Jason King’ when I was a kid too!

(Younguns - ask your dads!)

 

[Man-of-Mystery]

It’s a navy double breasted pin stripe suit - you can’t get much more formal than that below a dinner suit!!

And yet it is so 1960s Carnaby, and was worn with roll necks, or un-knotted ties, or coloured shirts, or a shirt fastened by a brooch.

 

[Man-of-Mystery]

I can't find many pictures of the precise suits and jackets I'm talking about, but I can assure you that not all Mod fashions of the 1960s emulated American/Ivy styles. The more peacock trend experimented with such things as the gangster look, and the regency dandy look. Double-breasted suits had flair/flare to them, and chalk-stripes were fairly common, even in single-brested suits.

Here are two or three instant examples. I may search for more.

 

[DonkeyJacket1]

It’s a navy double breasted pin stripe suit - you can’t get much more formal than that below a dinner suit!!

I don’t suggest you wear a tie due to some “rule” but there are certain conventions which we can of course choose to follow or ignore. These conventions evolve either due to some sort of social groupthink or maybe because bordering on the objective certain thinks just look better. The open neck looks OK but in my OPINION the formality of that suit suggests it might look better with a tie. And get some shoes man. I can’t think of any clodhopping boots that would do that suit justice! Some shined up Loake 1880 brogues in burgundy or black would match up perfectly.

i try and ignore the social group think these days mate, i do what makes me happy most of all, i have always preferred suits without ties and with shades, does look a bit more ''gangsterish'' another reason i bought the suit tbh.

As for boots, its just function over style mainly these days as i don't have my trousers short now, 99 percent of people on the street don't really notice from my experience.

 

[Bela Kun]

Well I’m not American but coming up on 30 years living here ...

I don’t like buttonndown shirts with ties. Like you say it’s an American Trad / Ivy look but I’m just not personally a fan. I had a bit of a mental block on BD shirts for a long time but finally got a few and they look decent under a blazer and I like the way the collar stands up better than say a polo which might slide under the collar of the jacket.

Most of my work shirts I wear with jacket / suit and tie are Tyrwhitt. I don’t like cutaway collars. I have a couple of wider spreads but most are medium spread (say 45 degrees?) and medium length - long enough to reach my jacket lapels. Take a look at my pics on the blog. I don’t think there’s any specific ‘Mod’ detail about my shirts but nothing too far from the canon either. Sorta middle of the road.

I'll admit I quite like the clean look of Italian cutaway collars. I understand they're supposed to be more 'modern', though.