Pinstripe suit with Pinstripe Shirt rule..

[dietcookie]

If I had my self a pinstripe suit, could I sport a pinstripe shirt? Whats the general rule and consensus on this matter? And for the tie? I'm looking at FIH's suits, he carries 34R suits (god knows why but I am glad) and the one I really like is here http://www.fourinhand.com/Product.as...oduct=PDS04-07 . If I got that, what shirt should I be wearing with it, or could wear with it I should say. Thanks guys.

 

[zjpj83]

Good question. Whenever I mix stripes and my mother sees me, she goes crazy and says it's too busy. I've been known to wear striped T&A shirts with pinstripe suits. I think it looks ok...different. Obviously at least one person I know thinks it looks bad. You certainly don't want too much of the same pattern - I mean, I would never also wear a striped tie. I think it ultimately depends on the patterns you are trying to match...

 

[johnnynorman3]

A plain shirt is obviously the "safest" choice; the next safest would be some sort of herringbone or something -- where the pattern in the shirt comes from the weave, not extra color.

But I've always though a good rule is that the pinstripes in the shirt should not be the same as the pinstripes on the suit. This is where I think a thicker chalkstripe -- like the one on the suit you linked to -- is more versatile in terms of shirting choices. You could very easily wear a shirt with narrowly spaced thin pinstripes. Indeed, I think any classically conservative thin pinstripe pattern would work here.

IMO, it gets infinitely more difficult to pull off the "double pinstripe" look when the suit has narrowly spaced thin pinstripes (incidentally my favorite pinstripe for a suit, but one that drives me nuts when pairing with shirts).

 

[dietcookie]

Good question. Whenever I mix stripes and my mother sees me, she goes crazy and says it's too busy. I've been known to wear striped T&A shirts with pinstripe suits. I think it looks ok...different. Obviously at least one person I know thinks it looks bad. You certainly don't want too much of the same pattern - I mean, I would never also wear a striped tie. I think it ultimately depends on the patterns you are trying to match...

Yeah I just got 3 more T&A shirts, all pinstriped to add to my arsenal. So I could probably wear this suit with the shirts, but not a pinstriped tie? I like to match (don't we all), but not being to matchy match if you know what I mean.

But I've always though a good rule is that the pinstripes in the shirt should not be the same as the pinstripes on the suit. This is where I think a thicker chalkstripe -- like the one on the suit you linked to

That being said, you do think that the suit from FIH is a versatile suit?

 

[johnnynorman3]

Is it versatile in that you could wear it three times a week? NO..

Is it versatile in that you could pair it with a pretty decent amount of shirts and ties. I think so, yes.

 

[Alex_O]

Prince of Wales certainly wore stripe on stripe.

Safe bet imo is thin stripe on suit fairly widely spaced and closely spaced shirt stripes that arent't all that thin.

I think the rule as for most patterns is you don't want to have too many similar looking patterns.

And I wouldnt stay away from trying to adhere to a color pattern in shirt, tie, suit. Would this be a good time for introducing a complimentary/contrasting color somwhere ?

 

[dietcookie]

Is it versatile in that you could wear it three times a week?  NO..  

Is it versatile in that you could pair it with a pretty decent amount of shirts and ties.  I think so, yes.

Haha oh no, not 3 times a week, more like 3 times in a six month period or something...Well John is gonna shoot me some pics tommorow and i'll decide then.

 

[johnnynorman3]

So this is more of a "special events" suit, or is it a "I'm a witness in court today" suit? If the former, I think a fabric like this is really quite dashing. A little too dashing for the latter though.

 

[dietcookie]

Special events I should say. I don't own a nice suit. I'll probably use it for work related times, going to dinner and anything else I need a suit for. It's hard enough finding a 34R suit, so I mind as well get something nice if I do get one.

 

[Will]

Two stripes worn together are fine, as long as they are different widths so as not to confuse the eye. A solid necktie would complement them best, in my opinion.

There is a studio photo of Grant, Hepburn and Stewart taken for Philadelphia Story. Grant is wearing a dark pin stripe with wide spacings, a dress shirt with narrowly spaced stripings and a solid tie. He looks impeccable, as always.

Stewart wears three stripes and comes in a distant second place.

Will

 

[kidkim2]

Full disclosure: I learned what I'm about to say from the much-maligned Mr. Flusser.  (See Dressing the Man, p 62 ff.)

Pattern mixing is a subtle art, mastery of which denotes one a sartorial expert.  The general rules are these: when the patterns are of the same type (e.g., all stripes), make sure the dimensions are different (e.g., narrow, wide, wider).  When the patterns are different (e.g., stripe, check, herringbone) make sure the dimensions are the same.

These rules came as a revelation to me.  When I first tried putting them into practice, I was astonished to see how well they worked.  (And incidentally, the very same principles are visible in many of the Laurence Fellows fashion plates from the '30's.  I wonder if they may have been Flusser's source.)

So, in short, there is no reason to shy away from pattern mixing.  Au contraire.   Rely on your eye, guided by the above rules.  You may find, as I did, that the results breathe new life into your wardrobe.

 

[amirrorcrackd]

Two stripes worn together are fine, as long as they are different widths so as not to confuse the eye. A solid necktie would complement them best, in my opinion.

There is a studio photo of Grant, Hepburn and Stewart taken for Philadelphia Story. Grant is wearing a dark pin stripe with wide spacings, a dress shirt with narrowly spaced stripings and a solid tie. He looks impeccable, as always.

Stewart wears three stripes and comes in a distant second place.

Will

Where did you see this picture? Could you post a link please?

Thanks,

Dan

 

[ROT]

I frequently wear a pinstriped shirt (so thin and closely drawn that it "reads" solid from three feet away.) with a chalkstripe or glen plaid suit. I have two such shirts. One is blue, the other pink. I usually stick to a spotted tie, but break out a very wide stripe or solid as the mood moves me. I t works well.