• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

The Japanese Repro Clothing Thread (Real McCoys, Freewheelers, Etc.)

Mghart

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
1,715
Reaction score
2,059
I’m not speaking from a CM perspective and I’m specifically addressing Japanese workwear / repro clothing.

A lot of the outfits here are simply not flattering and seem to be, I presume, more about love for the clothes than a pursuit of aesthetics or style. Take for example the relatively relaxed cut of the pants and jeans that appear prevalent. They can maybe work if you are super skinny, but on everyone else they just make legs look like stumpy tree trunks. Similarly, the tops often tend to be too narrow in the shoulders and either too tight or too loose around the gut. Why would anyone want this? In combination, the wearer winds up looking fatter and sloppier than he needs to.

I suspect part of the problem is that the clothes are not cut for the larger Western frame and folks are just trying to squeeze into whatever size spatially accommodates, even if the resulting silhouette is all fucked up.
I'm sure there's a lot of truths there certainly. Speaking only for myself, I'll only wear fuller cut trousers predominantly out of comfort, but I'll also enjoy those types of silhouettes more. I definitely have a longer torso and shorter legs, but the proportions have never bothered me. I wouldn't consider myself all that skinny either.

As you mention, shirting is an issue with a lot of japanese brands as they do tend to run smaller shoulder and chest wise than a comparable US, maybe even EU brand. This ranges wildly from brand to brand however and perhaps others can chime in as I mostly buy from one brand that generally runs closer to TTS.
 
  • Like
Reactions: XWT

TheFoo

THE FOO
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
26,705
Reaction score
9,841
I'm sure there's a lot of truths there certainly. Speaking only for myself, I'll only wear fuller cut trousers predominantly out of comfort, but I'll also enjoy those types of silhouettes more. I definitely have a longer torso and shorter legs, but the proportions have never bothered me. I wouldn't consider myself all that skinny either.

As you mention, shirting is an issue with a lot of japanese brands as they do tend to run smaller shoulder and chest wise than a comparable US, maybe even EU brand. This ranges wildly from brand to brand however and perhaps others can chime in as I mostly buy from one brand that generally runs closer to TTS.

Believe this is your fit, right?

AEE07F4D-428C-48D0-BC9B-2C55B2B4555E.jpeg


I’m sure a lot of folks here like this, but I just don’t get it. No matter how nicely made or vintage accurate the details may be, the clothes just don’t flatter. You look like you probably have a decent/normal build, but the cut and short length of the jacket combined with the big pants make your shoulders look narrow, your mid-section fat, your pelvis oddly prominent, and your legs stumpy. Why?

You don’t need a CM-like approach with a tailored suit to remedy. But a bigger, longer top (shirt, sweater, hoodie, whatever) with broader shoulders combined with slim / skinny jeans or trousers would reverse all the negative effects.

Can we not feed the trolls?

I have 25K more posts than you and 10+ more years of participation. Maybe you shouldn’t assume all critique is disingenuous. Might find life more productive that way.
 

Mghart

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
1,715
Reaction score
2,059
Believe this is your fit, right?

View attachment 1807955

I’m sure a lot of folks here like this, but I just don’t get it. No matter how nicely made or vintage accurate the details may be, the clothes just don’t flatter. You look like you probably have a decent/normal build, but the cut and short length of the jacket combined with the big pants make your shoulders look narrow, your mid-section fat, your pelvis oddly prominent, and your legs stumpy. Why?

You don’t need a CM-like approach with a tailored suit to remedy. But a bigger, longer top (shirt, sweater, hoodie, whatever) with broader shoulders combined with slim / skinny jeans or trousers would reverse all the negative effects.

I can appreciate an honest critique. Truthfully, I enjoy this kind of stuff regardless of wether it’s flattering to others. I wear what I feel good in, and derive a degree of confidence in that. If anything, I just like vintage looking and fitting stuff more than what I can find in modern menswear. I’ve been down that road already and it’s not for me, nor is it nearly as comfortable.
 

ojaw

Distinguished Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2012
Messages
1,159
Reaction score
765
I have 25K more posts than you and 10+ more years of participation. Maybe you shouldn’t assume all critique is disingenuous. Might find life more productive that way.
You clearly have more online experience in men’s fashion than I and have long ago decided on what looks good on you, and apparently what looks good on everyone else as well. What decade would most reflect your proclivities? Timeless doesn’t count : ]
Also, having a fairly odd bod myself I find that Japanese cuts (particularly shirts) work alright for my narrow shoulders, skinny chest and wide hips.
Finally, you’ve been here decades and you’ve just now gotten around to critiquing this thread? What’s it worth to you, what do you gain from dissing stranger’s looks on the internet? Serious question.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: XWT

TheFoo

THE FOO
Dubiously Honored
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
26,705
Reaction score
9,841
You clearly have more online experience in men’s fashion than I and have long ago decided on what looks good on you, and apparently what looks good on everyone else as well. What decade would most reflect your proclivities? Timeless doesn’t count : ]
Also, having a fairly odd bod myself I find that Japanese cuts (particularly shirts) work alright for my narrow shoulders, skinny chest and wide hips.
Finally, you’ve been here decades and you’ve just now gotten around to critiquing this thread? What’s it worth to you, what do you gain from dissing stranger’s looks on the internet? Serious question.

I am not trying to “diss” anyone. I posed an earnest question and always hope to engage in thoughtful discussion (as rarely as that actually happens). The timing means nothing, other than it just happens to be now that my interest in the topic is piqued.
 

ojaw

Distinguished Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2012
Messages
1,159
Reaction score
765
I am not trying to “diss” anyone. I posed an earnest question and always hope to engage in thoughtful discussion (as rarely as that actually happens). The timing means nothing, other than it just happens to be now that my interest in the topic is piqued.
After your earnest question you outlined how awful vintage workwear styles make guys look.
 

XWT

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2018
Messages
1,280
Reaction score
1,780

hoodog

Distinguished Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2012
Messages
4,837
Reaction score
6,722
What kind of fits look good is pretty subjective, as this pic indicates

IMG_2673 (2).JPG
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,186
Messages
10,579,227
Members
223,895
Latest member
amylguardinfo
Top