The End of the Sartorial Road

[FlyingMonkey]

Could always be worse. Like the white guys who go to Japan and walk around in rented yukata.

What's wrong with that? Jinbei and yukata are the coollest thing in the summer in Japan (as season I try to avoid because it's way too sticky for me). I wear both in the summer in Canada too.

 

[dieworkwear]

The interest in (fetish for?) Sulka gowns is one of the more obscure, intriguing, CM micro niches to me. I’ve a weakness for the brand, as a college gift of a Sulka scarf was my first real high-quality menswear.

It’s a no go at home though. I showed my Shanghai born girlfriend a picture of an ancient madderesque gown. She asked if I’d been cast in a revival of The Mikado.

Some of the things Sulka made back in the day were really lovely. Although, like with all companies, they also made some questionable things.

Their dressing gowns had a sort of luxurious, old world charm. They were also often made from very fine silks. It's hard to find silk dressing gowns nowadays with these sorts of patterns.

I can't find a photo of it right now, but they made a dressing gown once with the painted scene of some bacchanalia. I can't remember the painting, but the dressing gown looked tremendous.

I don't think these things have to be worn in a "I am a Gentleman and welcome to my drawing room" kind of way. I have a friend who's a musician/ farmer/ artist type. Kind of a hippie hobo. He very much lives an artist's lifestyle and travels a lot by hopping freight trains. Even he wears a dressing gown at his Los Angeles home.

It can look and feel out of place if you wear it in an inauthentic way, but you can also authentically like something. I feel like dressing gowns can look very normal if you don't affect some kind of attitude with it.

 

[ValidusLA]

What's wrong with that? Jinbei and yukata are the coollest thing in the summer in Japan (as season I try to avoid because it's way too sticky for me). I wear both in the summer in Canada too.

I think tourists wearing them in the streets of Kyoto to go temple sightseeing are pretty weird. Like....do I put on lederhosen to visit Salzburg? No.

I never go in summer, prefer fall, and during koyo the streets are full of non-japanese in yukata and kimono rentals (mostly Chinese tourists these days it seems).

If I were a Westerner who moved to Japan and spoke the language, sure maybe. Otherwise it seems very costume-y to me.

 

[Easily Amused]

I am a Rye Manhattan or scotch guy myself.

I look forward to meeting you at the soon-to-be DC SF meetup, sir.

 

[JJ Katz]

..do I put on lederhosen to visit Salzburg? No.

No? Pity...

 

[1969]

I skipped this thread and finally read through it, enjoyably, last night. Not much to add except that the dilemma of having more things than I can realistically wear feels both wasteful and burdensome. I still occasionally feel like I need to buy this or that to resolve a styling problem "once and for all" lol or decide to go down a slightly new road but I'm at least aware that it's not going to change my life at this point. I do keep a lot of stuff in storage and limit myself to a capsule closet more or less by season.

Here's a pedantic list of what I have in the house now-

1 navy suit and corresponding shirt/shoes/tie.
1 sportcoat (brown linen Ring jacket from the Armory)

1 Mid Grey sheatland crewneck William Lockie
1 Beige/Brown linen Inis Mein crewneck
~7 t-shirts, grey, white, indigo mostly 3 Sixteen

1 Khaki Chinos (Armoury)
1 Brown Chinos (45 rpm)
1 Dark Green Fatigue Pants Engineered Garments
1 Resolute Denim 501 type fit
1 Chimala Black Denim loose and wide

1 White Polo Armoury
1 Beige Polo 45 rpm

3 pairs shorts, Fujito, Commes des Garcon, Engineered Garments

~7 generously sized OCBD's in light blue, white and striped from Gitman, Drake's and 45 rpm
3 vacation style shirts (guayabera, camp, etc) from Monitaly, Camoshita
3 western shirts- Doppiaa and Fullcount


Too many shirt jackets and lightweight jackets to list (these are what make the rest of my boring stuff look cool)

Clean white Italian sneakers (CPQ)
Alden LHS loafer Burgandy Cordovan
Chamula Brown Huaraches
Beat up white van slip on
Birks

 

[pasadena man]

No? Pity...

Some of my Munich alpinist friends insist that if you haven’t climbed the Matterhorn in lederhosen, you haven’t really climbed the Matterhorn. Of course, that might just be a Bavarian thing.

 

[pasadena man]

Some of the things Sulka made back in the day were really lovely. Although, like with all companies, they also made some questionable things.

Their dressing gowns had a sort of luxurious, old world charm. They were also often made from very fine silks. It's hard to find silk dressing gowns nowadays with these sorts of patterns.


View attachment 1611911 View attachment 1611912 View attachment 1611910


I can't find a photo of it right now, but they made a dressing gown once with the painted scene of some bacchanalia. I can't remember the painting, but the dressing gown looked tremendous.

I don't think these things have to be worn in a "I am a Gentleman and welcome to my drawing room" kind of way. I have a friend who's a musician/ farmer/ artist type. Kind of a hippie hobo. He very much lives an artist's lifestyle and travels a lot by hopping freight trains. Even he wears a dressing gown at his Los Angeles home.

It can look and feel out of place if you wear it in an inauthentic way, but you can also authentically like something. I feel like dressing gowns can look very normal if you don't affect some kind of attitude with it.

Some men may be able to wear a dressing gown in the fashion you describe, but I am not one of those men. I’ve returned to my CM roots here in the (relatively) CM tolerant city of Pasadena. It’s a razor’s edge though. I’m not willing to be one of a hundred in a SC at a social function, although I am willing to be one of five out of one hundred in a SC.

A dressing gown is one garment, but one that would cast a long shadow, and might tip the balance. I fear it would be like saying to myself: “Why not try crystal meth this weekend? What could be wrong with trying it just one time?”

So Sulka dressing gowns must remain the sartorial love that dare not speak its name to me.

 

[BespokeBrooklyn]

I have also been reappraising my wardrobe and the things on which I spend money. We had moths last fall, and while it would always have been disappointing to find damaged clothes in my closet, I once would have looked forward to the opportunity to replace them with nice new suits, and possibly taken the opportunity to try some new brands about which I have read on here. Instead, the prospect of shopping for nice replacements for my damaged suits, simply so that I can wear them on public transit and then sit in a half-empty office and join the occasional zoom call, holds no appeal. I would rather spend that money on better shoes and casual clothes, or towards something else altogether. I still have enough good suits for the occasions on which I need a good suit, but it feels as if the “return” on dressing well in tailored clothing — my own feeling of satisfaction and the extent to which others note my appearance — is lower than it has ever been.

 

[hpreston]

I skipped this thread and finally read through it, enjoyably, last night. Not much to add except that the dilemma of having more things than I can realistically wear feels both wasteful and burdensome. I still occasionally feel like I need to buy this or that to resolve a styling problem "once and for all" lol or decide to go down a slightly new road but I'm at least aware that it's not going to change my life at this point. I do keep a lot of stuff in storage and limit myself to a capsule closet more or less by season.

Here's a pedantic list of what I have in the house now-

1 navy suit and corresponding shirt/shoes/tie.
1 sportcoat (brown linen Ring jacket from the Armory)

1 Mid Grey sheatland crewneck William Lockie
1 Beige/Brown linen Inis Mein crewneck
~7 t-shirts, grey, white, indigo mostly 3 Sixteen

1 Khaki Chinos (Armoury)
1 Brown Chinos (45 rpm)
1 Dark Green Fatigue Pants Engineered Garments
1 Resolute Denim 501 type fit
1 Chimala Black Denim loose and wide

1 White Polo Armoury
1 Beige Polo 45 rpm

3 pairs shorts, Fujito, Commes des Garcon, Engineered Garments

~7 generously sized OCBD's in light blue, white and striped from Gitman, Drake's and 45 rpm
3 vacation style shirts (guayabera, camp, etc) from Monitaly, Camoshita
3 western shirts- Doppiaa and Fullcount


Too many shirt jackets and lightweight jackets to list (these are what make the rest of my boring stuff look cool)

Clean white Italian sneakers (CPQ)
Alden LHS loafer Burgandy Cordovan
Chamula Brown Huaraches
Beat up white van slip on
Birks

I am curious with this capsule style wardrobe, what you wear with your one sportcoat (brown linen)? Chinos and polos? Seems like an opportunity for one or two pairs of trousers to expand the business causal portion of the wardrobe.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

I would rather spend that money on better shoes and casual clothes, or towards something else altogether.

May I suggest watches?

 

[1969]

I am curious with this capsule style wardrobe, what you wear with your one sportcoat (brown linen)? Chinos and polos? Seems like an opportunity for one or two pairs of trousers to expand the business causal portion of the wardrobe.

Well, it's not really "business" wear for me, it's going out to eat, etc. I wear it with blue jeans or Armoury sport chinos and a light blue shirt or even indigo-dyed t-shirt. I have several Rota trousers, I just don't wear them very much. I've got some nicer Inglese dress shirts in storage that work too.

 

[bdavro23]

May I suggest watches?

Jesus man! What did he ever do to you???

 

[ValidusLA]

No? Pity...

Some of my Munich alpinist friends insist that if you haven’t climbed the Matterhorn in lederhosen, you haven’t really climbed the Matterhorn. Of course, that might just be a Bavarian thing.

Frankly, to be blunt. I'm a white dude of German descent. My ancestors came from southern Siegen. I am tallish, quite broad shouldered, and have a large drop. At least wearing lierderhosen in Munich I might make some sense.

People who look like me walking around Kyoto in Japanese festival dress look like weebs.

 

[ValidusLA]

Some men may be able to wear a dressing gown in the fashion you describe, but I am not one of those men. I’ve returned to my CM roots here in the (relatively) CM tolerant city of Pasadena. It’s a razor’s edge though. I’m not willing to be one of a hundred in a SC at a social function, although I am willing to be one of five out of one hundred in a SC.

A dressing gown is one garment, but one that would cast a long shadow, and might tip the balance. I fear it would be like saying to myself: “Why not try crystal meth this weekend? What could be wrong with trying it just one time?”

So Sulka dressing gowns must remain the sartorial love that dare not speak its name to me.

Full agreement. I also live in Pasadena, and though its fairly CM friendly, it's still not common.

If I go our in an OCBD, chinos, and sport coat with a pocket square in, people constantly tell me they like my "suit".

See very few people in Old Town in suits, if any.

Covids also killed some of our better restaurants, and very few people in town dress to go out to eat.

Everyone here would think a dressing gown was super weird. And I'm not old enough to be that eccentric yet.