Random fashion thoughts - Part II (A New Hope)

[Spehsmonkey]

Really don't see anything innovative and how beauty and craftsmanship are different. I'm confused by his use of "class." Wearing sashiko dyed shirts might be classy as in stylish, but never as strong of a signifier of social class as even Brooks Brother which targets a much more specific culture of men and lifestyle, and their implied social status. All I've seen are that labels whose reputation and aesthetic blatantly evoke either the nouveau riche or old rich are generally frowned upon. Calling internet fashion a "class-centric" project apart from the egalitarian nature of the forum itself seems a bit ridiculous. There are still conservative factions of fashion forums like CM and SZ in its own way. The biggest thing, in my opinion, that's changed in the past ten or so years is the rise of fast fashion.

As for the issue of how class dynamics and signifiers of class get mixed around in the men's fashion world, think about:

• upper-middle class guys wearing workwear when they never meaningfully interact with the construction worker building the luxury condo next to their apartment
• discussing suits, of which the low-tier of acceptability are $500 (a HUGE expenditure for most Americans)
• $100 Nonnative T-shirts designed to look "broken in"
• obsessing over tiny signifiers of "quality" only accessible to certain income levels and noticeable by certain levels of taste

Today, looking like a kinda rich guy dressed like a poor guy is pretty in among some kinda rich guys. Looking like a poor guy dressed like a poor guy is just not the same...it might be on a blog as inspiration for rich guys...And this scenario is only the most obvious example, since the workwear craze (which is alive and well in many blogs and even parts of this forum) is so patently a topsy-turvy class fantasy thing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_capital

 

[BostonHedonist]

I think it was Tim Allen who said, "Being wealthy when noone else is, is like being the only one at the party with a drink."

 

[bows1]

I have a raw edged coat, and I need to shorten the sleeves. Best way to approach this? Guessing to cut out enough to shorten where I want it, and then reattached the raw edge?

Maybe @conceptual 4est knows a tailor around nyc that can do it?

edit -

@Fuuma Hope everything is good with you and your family.

 

[nicelynice]

Shorten from the shoulder

 

[BostonHedonist]

Honestly @bows1 , you've got to find the most skilled alterations tailor around and ask him to give you the options. It will probably come down to shortening from the shoulder and possibly ruining the contour of the sleeves, or being okay with new stitching at the sleeve placket.

I had a similar issue with a tricky Italian jacket with working buttons, mixed fabric and a raw edge. Long story short, the raw edge had to be folded and there was a new stitch line along the buttons from being re-attached and some fabric adhesive magic came into play. But the work was done beautifully (albeit expensively) - with as little visible stitching as possible - and it's infinitely better looking than having the sleeves too long. Worth the compromise.

 

[bows1]



Honestly @bows1
, you've got to find the most skilled alterations tailor around and ask him to give you the options. It will probably come down to shortening from the shoulder and possibly ruining the contour of the sleeves, or being okay with new stitching at the sleeve placket.

I had a similar issue with a tricky Italian jacket with working buttons, mixed fabric and a raw edge. Long story short, the raw edge had to be folded and there was a new stitch line along the buttons from being re-attached and some fabric adhesive magic came into play. But the work was done beautifully (albeit expensively) - with as little visible stitching as possible - and it's infinitely better looking than having the sleeves too long. Worth the compromise.

Well on that note does anyone know a top-flight tailor in NYC?

 

[Trit]

I posted a while ago about tailoring my 5-Zip. No one was for it, with good reasons. I have had tailors ruin a 5-Zip before, so it's definitely something to be more careful about than a textile jacket. Took it to an actual leather worker guy and he did a good job. It's a little tight now, but who cares. It was a Frankenstein fit anyway.

I like it a lot. Only piece of clothing that gets compliments on the streets. Old ladies dig it. On the Margiela roulette wheel, it's nice leather and has aged well.

That's it. I'm happy.

 

[accordion]

As for the issue of how class dynamics and signifiers of class get mixed around in the men's fashion world, think about:

• upper-middle class guys wearing workwear when they never meaningfully interact with the construction worker building the luxury condo next to their apartment
• discussing suits, of which the low-tier of acceptability are $500 (a HUGE expenditure for most Americans)
• $100 Nonnative T-shirts designed to look "broken in"
• obsessing over tiny signifiers of "quality" only accessible to certain income levels and noticeable by certain levels of taste

Today, looking like a kinda rich guy dressed like a poor guy is pretty in among some kinda rich guys. Looking like a poor guy dressed like a poor guy is just not the same...it might be on a blog as inspiration for rich guys...And this scenario is only the most obvious example, since the workwear craze (which is alive and well in many blogs and even parts of this forum) is so patently a topsy-turvy class fantasy thing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_capital

You're right, and I misread the article cuz I didn't know what #menswear was. As an outsider I just find it weird to see that people who dress on a spectrum of "up" or "down" are attributed with instigating a class revolution when they were the only ones who lived by a hierarchy of associating appearance with social class. In that case then yes, wearing a chambray work shirt with a business suit is subversive. I feel like the article is written from a perspective that assumes clothes are first and foremost expressions of gender and social class, hence it's interesting when they're not, then they're costumes; instead of clothes as expressions of aesthetic taste within the confines of gender and class.

While there's plenty about internet fashion to politicize, race/gender/class are really some of its least interesting aspects, at least to me. I mean comfort is just as important. When I'm wearing joggers and sneakers and being totally fashionable I bet even a class full of lit. theory students will think I'm pretty comfortable before they analyze what my outfit says on a cultural level. And then there's the aesthetics part, of what looks good and why, which I think should be the starting point of criticism instead of an afterthought.

 

[shoreman1782]

I mean, I don't disagree I guess but clothing choices are inherently expressions of class (and gender, etc.). No matter what you wear you're communicating something about how you see yourself, even if the implications and inferences people draw can vary. You can't just say "I want to wear comfortable clothes so I'll wear sweatpants, I don't MEAN anything by it." You're still making a choice that's unavoidably connected to your social standing.

The disconnect in the last few decades has been the costume aspect, as in the overall casualward movement of men's clothing has disassociated older, stricter meanings of clothing designs. So anyone can pretty much wear anything; but that doesn't mean they're free from more complicated meaning.

 

[hooker4186]



Well on that note does anyone know a top-flight tailor in NYC?

I've used Allen Tailors multiple times with good results - 150 Allen St. Never anything as complicated as what you're looking to do but they came to me highly recommended by some other SF members I respect.

Another option I can't vouch for personally that people do mention quite a bit tho is Dashnor Tailoring, 320 E 81st St. Apparently he's the tailor where all Tom Ford alterations are performed.

 

[Bam!ChairDance]

One of my facebook friends, who as far as I can tell is not a stylefarmer, just posted a pic with label king and now my world is imploding

 

[gong]

i know a couple of people here own Kamakura shirts, is that still the best ocbd in that price range? is the fit accommodating of any appreciable muscle mass?

maybe i'll trek to nyc

 

[Parker]

I like the details and collars on Kamakura, but I find the chest is relatively tight/narrow relative to BBBF, Gant etc.

 

[bows1]



I've used Allen Tailors multiple times with good results - 150 Allen St. Never anything as complicated as what you're looking to do but they came to me highly recommended by some other SF members I respect.

Another option I can't vouch for personally that people do mention quite a bit tho is Dashnor Tailoring, 320 E 81st St. Apparently he's the tailor where all Tom Ford alterations are performed.

Appreciate it! Thank you

 

[1969]



I like the details and collars on Kamakura, but I find the chest is relatively tight/narrow relative to BBBF, Gant etc.

+1 at least on the Vintage Ivy. I guess it fits someone perfectly, but if I size up it's bigger than I'd like.