The Official Dieworkwear Appreciation Thread

[dieworkwear]

I think this has become the general discussion thread of sartorial matters that Derek might write or has written about? He's certainly written a bit about ecru. I thought I would take the plunge on a shirt but it's hard to figure out the right tone. Here are three fabrics photographed against a white sheet of paper. The very yellow fabric is left out since I think that's too yellow to count. I worry that the top Oxford might be too "dirty" but that the twill might be creamy but maybe too yellow. Obviously light matters, but I am focusing on the sliver of white paper between the two fabrics to be "white" View attachment 1672434 . Assuming the colors are close enough to reality...

Thoughts on Ecru? Fabrics that you've like for tweed shirting, non-white options?

I bought an ecru shirt a while ago, and while I like it, I find that I don't wear it as much as my basic options. Meaning, light blue oxfords and white-and-blue stripes.

I think it depends on how your shirt wardrobe is already structured. If you already have things such as tattersall and graph checks in your wardrobe, and you don't find yourself wearing those very often, then I say just accept that you're a more basic shirt wardrobe person. You can still get variations on your favorite shirtings. I like light blue oxford and find that I also like very subtle variations on that fabric, such as brushed oxford or chambray. This still allows me to wear a light blue shirt, but in a slightly different weave.

On the other hand, if you already find that you wear different shirtings, then an ecru can be a nice addition. I agree that it looks nice with brown tweeds.

I remember looking at your photo in the afternoon and thinking that the top one was better. But now that I'm looking at this under a yellow light, the bottom one looks better. TBH, I think both options are good. When in doubt, I always go for the subtler option (which during the day, seemed like the top one to me).

Below is a brushed version of oxford.

 

[sargeinaz]

I love ecru shirts. I almost never wear white shirts unless it’s for a wedding or something very formal. I’m just more comfortable in off white. Regular white is way too stark for me.

 

[apShepard]

Would dww recomend against wearing an all linen ansamble (trousers,shirt,coat)?

 

[TweedyProf]

I love ecru shirts. I almost never wear white shirts unless it’s for a wedding or something very formal. I’m just more comfortable in off white. Regular white is way too stark for me.

How do you work out the best shade of off-white/ecru?

@dieworkwear those brushed oxford fabrics are very nice...mill?

 

[1969]

I think I read somewhere that ecru works better with white skin tones that aren't tanned and I've found that to be true for myself. I have an ecru ocbd from Drake's and reach for it more than my pure white one. Especially works well with browns as said above.

 

[jaaz16]

Ecru with brown looks so nice IMO. Wish I had more of it in my wardrobe.

 

[sargeinaz]

How do you work out the best shade of off-white/ecru?

@dieworkwear those brushed oxford fabrics are very nice...mill?

I’m afraid I don’t think about it that much. I have 2 of them and they’re different shades of ecru. I just bought them because I liked the color.

 

[TweedyProf]

I think I read somewhere that ecru works better with white skin tones that aren't tanned and I've found that to be true for myself. I have an ecru ocbd from Drake's and reach for it more than my pure white one. Especially works well with browns as said above.

I want an alternative to light blue for winter since that's the staple color in the wardrobe (white reserved for suits or for the navy blazer). Like many, I find white is too stark against autumnal/country colored jackets, so off-white seems better as is the received wisdom.

The skin tone issue is interesting. Interesting about ecru not working with darker skin tones. I'm not sure I have an opinion about that. I always thought yellow hues worked better with dark skin tones than light honestly. But I am not sure...

I'll probably go for the Monti in the pic above, the the Soktas might be slightly more "buttery". I'm trying to avoid yellow on one end and "dinge" on the other.

 

[1969]

I want an alternative to light blue for winter since that's the staple color in the wardrobe (white reserved for suits or for the navy blazer). Like many, I find white is too stark against autumnal/country colored jackets, so off-white seems better as is the received wisdom.

The skin tone issue is interesting. Interesting about ecru not working with darker skin tones. I'm not sure I have an opinion about that. I always thought yellow hues worked better with dark skin tones than light honestly. But I am not sure...

I'll probably go for the Monti in the pic above, the the Soktas might be slightly more "buttery". I'm trying to avoid yellow on one end and "dinge" on the other.

It's not that ecru doesn't work well with darker skin, but that pure white on pale white skin makes a person look 'washed out' whatever that means. I don't worry much about skin tone as it relates to color, but I have noticed that in winter when I've been indoors a lot that ecru looks better on me than white.

 

[TweedyProf]

It's not that ecru doesn't work well with darker skin, but that pure white on pale white skin makes a person look 'washed out' whatever that means. I don't worry much about skin tone as it relates to color, but I have noticed that in winter when I've been indoors a lot that ecru looks better on me than white.

I can rationalize the "washed out" idea. A little contrast goes a long way.

 

[dieworkwear]

Would dww recomend against wearing an all linen ansamble (trousers,shirt,coat)?

I wear linen suits. Normally wear them with an oxford shirt, but you can also do a linen shirt.

How do you work out the best shade of off-white/ecru?

@dieworkwear those brushed oxford fabrics are very nice...mill?

Actually not sure. I bought the roll from someone.

 

[apShepard]

I wear linen suits. Normally wear them with an oxford shirt, but you can also do a linen shirt.



Actually not sure. I bought the roll from someone.

How about linen separates?

 

[dieworkwear]

How about linen separates?

I bought a linen suit a while ago with the intention of breaking them into separates, but over time, find that I never do. I just wear it as a suit.

That said, I plan to get a cream linen sport coat sometime in the future and think that will go with tropical wool trousers. Not sure I would wear it with linen pants.

 

[cr2596]

All linen. All day.

You can feel the breeze, can’t you?

 

[justridiculous]

All linen. All day.

View attachment 1672691

You can feel the breeze, can’t you?

Awesome look