The Rubinacci Thread.

[zalb916]

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

Your pic is small and cute, like you.

A senior member has made fun of my height in "The Rubinacci Thread." I feel like I've made it in this world, and I didn't even have to drop $6K, plus a flight to Naples.

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by zbromer

A senior member has made fun of my height in "The Rubinacci Thread." I feel like I've made it in this world, and I didn't even have to drop $6K, plus a flight to Naples.

Here's the back of the Solaro on the left, again courtesty of the Decadent Dutchman, a.k.a., The Netherlander (although, I realize that the nicknames really don't narrow things down):

- B

 

[zalb916]

Does Solaro have to be red? I quite like that blue, much more than the red. Is it called something different, but have the same properties?

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by Parker

That Matteo guy always looks good. Is that a Rubinacci suit?

Will says that he usually wears Caraceni.


- B

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by zbromer

Does Solaro have to be red? I quite like that blue, much more than the red. Is it called something different, but have the same properties?

The ones on the right in that photograph are Loro Piana from summer line of fabrics back in 2005...I think similar in concept to Solaro but in lighter weight. It should be late afternoon where T4 is, so he should be waking up now...maybe he can comment.

A post of Logsdail's on LL:

"Solaro, This brings back memories. Many moons ago (1970/71) I worked at Welsh & Jefferies. I still remember the first time someone came in and ordered a three piece Solaro suit for a safari trip he had planned in Africa. I thought he was nuts. After all, the cloth was at least 14oz back then. This gent, however, was not the exception. Being the only cloth of it's kind and not having the luxury of the featherwight fabrics that can be produced now, people accepted what they could get. Especially the Brits who seem to pride themselves on enduring the unendurable.

"Solaro, I was told, reflected the heat of the sun. I have never experienced this myself, but do believe it to be true.

"In July I made a Smith Solaro safari jacket for one of my clients going to Africa on safari. However, while he did shoot in it once and found it very good (more from the comfort level) he preferred a cotton coat for the bush. He wanted this particular coat more for strutting the streets of Cape Town. In fact he called me upon his return, quite chuffed, saying how a gentleman ran across the street one day to ask where he got his coat. I think he enjoyed this more than anything he shot!"



- B

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by zbromer

Will says, "Solaro is an open weave 11/12 ounce cloth that's actually heavier than most men's winter suits. It's the open weave that's important for summer wear in mild temperatures (I'm using the term summer in the English sense - Solaro would be too warm for truly scorching temperatures but that's OK as it never gets truly hot in the City) because it lets air flow through the cloth so it wears cool."
http://asuitablewardrobe.dynend.com/...or-summer.html

I have always thought it looked weird so have never ordered any. But I've seen lengths many times. It does not appear to be the least bit open to me.

 

[courty]

Smith's Solaro is quite a tight weave, similar to gabardine in my opinion. However (possibly because of its comparative rarity) I have never heard a tailor complain about working with Solaro. By contrast, tailors will freely complain about working with gabardine and how the cloth will not take the iron.

 

[aportnoy]

Originally Posted by Manton

I have always thought it looked weird so have never ordered any. But I've seen lengths many times. It does not appear to be the least bit open to me.

Agreed. The ones I have seen are memorable for the melange of colors and the fac tthat they always seem to be olive.

 

[TheFoo]

I f*cking hate Solaro.

 

[T4phage]

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

The ones on the right in that photograph are Loro Piana from summer line of fabrics back in 2005...I think similar in concept to Solaro but in lighter weight. It should be late afternoon where T4 is, so he should be waking up now...maybe he can comment.
....

yes
the sun has set.

i'll give the same answer i gave to dopey when he asked me about solaro, that it was no more breathable or open weave than an equivalent weight worsted in herringbone or twill. i.e not particularly compared to a fresco or an open weave hopsack. i don't particularly like the colour which i think of as exorcist puke green with a bit of bloody goodness added. the reason people should get it is for the colour, and not for any pretensions of 'air-yness', and if you are living in a sundrenched country, there are better alternatives.

the same weaver who made the solaro also made a version with a blue back, which BenedictSpinola called a 'lunaro'.. it was made exclusively for Dante Da Paz and is available in his store in Bologna.

the loro piana (summer greens) above is a much lighter weight fabric than the smiths, but is much more a warm weather fabric than the traditional solaro. also, the dual sided nature of the fabric is used not for any pretense of heat reflection, but more for the effect.

 

[edmorel]

Oh well, so it will be me an dopey living the high life in our Solaro, you guys can continue in your sanitation frescos.

 

[Cravate_Noire]

Originally Posted by edmorel

Oh well, so it will be me an dopey living the high life in our Solaro, you guys can continue in your sanitation frescos.



sanitation frescos.

sanitation frescos.

sanitation frescos.

sanitation frescos.

sanitation frescos.

 

[George]

Well, it looks settled.

Solaro, has a density of weave that makes it a suitable candidate for nuclear shielding, which is intresting to know given the ongoing depletion of the ozone layer.

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by George

Well, it looks settled.

Solaro, has a density of weave that makes it a suitable candidate for nuclear shielding, which is intresting to know given the ongoing depletion of the ozone layer.

Just wear red underwear beneath your Tonik.

- B

 

[whnay.]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

I f*cking hate Solaro.

It hates you too Foo