Unfunded Liabilities: a/k/a The Cloth Thread

[Andy57]

Thanks Andy. I enjoy your “Style after 50” blog.

Alan Bee

That's very kind of you.

 

[ericgereghty]

No DB checks for fat lads is it?

Lol, not fat. Actually tougher for someone very fit. Tougher work for a tailor to shape the cloth.

 

[SartodiNapoli]

I am sad to annouce the owner of Albini Group ( Thomas Mason etc.) has passed away today. RIP.

Con profondo dolore annunciamo l’improvvisa scomparsa di Silvio Albini, 61 anni, Presidente del Cotonificio Albini.
In questo triste momento siamo più che mai vicini alla famiglia, a cui porgiamo le nostre più sentite condoglianze.

 

[justinkapur]

Alan that jacket is fantastic, well done sir!

 

[lordsuperb]

View attachment 912842 View attachment 912843

Interesting observation Dimitris. Here’s a pic of a garment at forward fitting now finished and delivered.

W. Bill Lamlana cloth in light beige. Playing around with ideas and wanted to make a dressy spring evening sport jacket with a shawl lapel.

I got this idea from a fellow here who had same cloth made up in peak lapel S/C but the cloth is just so beautiful and dressy I thought it’d make an elegant (non-formal) dinner jacket.

Alan Bee

You're having this made and worried about a checked flannel suit standing out.

 

[Alan Bee]

Alan that jacket is fantastic, well done sir!

Thank you sir!

 

[The Chai]

Has anyone tried the blue tweed jacket with navy trousers look?

 

[Alan Bee]

You're having this made and worried about a checked flannel suit standing out.

Indeed LS.

I'm rather tentative with bold patterns. Small Checks, Gun Checks & Plaids, sure. But bold checks particularly in suitings, I've yet to get my head around. I tend to avoid anything that exaggerates my physique hence a tendency towards textured solids.

Alan Bee

 

[S K M]

Hi guys, saw the photos and discussion of Harrison's Spring Ram revently, and I'm really considering having a DB made up during my nwxt trip to Naples. But just to make sure: it's open weave Fresco style, right? Will be using it for summer so quite important.

Cheers,
SKM

 

[Alan Bee]

Hi guys, saw the photos and discussion of Harrison's Spring Ram revently, and I'm really considering having a DB made up during my nwxt trip to Naples. But just to make sure: it's open weave Fresco style, right? Will be using it for summer so quite important.

Cheers,
SKM

Hi SKM,

SpringRam is indeed a fantastic fabric with a price to match. I was initially hesitant thumbing through the swatch but just had a mid-gray 2pc business suit (simple 2 button, besom pockets) delivered and it is exceptional, simply stunning. Hard to describe how the body holds when fully tailored.

I have an older H&S Crispaire suit (another Fresco) which appears almost lifeless placed against the SpringRam. I also simultaneously had a 2pc suit made up in Smith Finmeresco in Steel Blue (blue gray shade) for comparison and while its a very nice fabric, has nowhere the depth and complexity of SpringRam.

The SpringRam is so deep and rich you can almost see the yarns in the fabric in motion while you move with the garment. To my mind, the grays are the only color I would consider in this book owing perhaps to the mixing of the black and white yarns. Every other color in the book looks too "dead" and simple.

I am right contemplating the lightest (dove) gray for a more casual suit with double stitching and patch pockets.

As to how it wears, it is listed at 13oz and it feels every ounce a 13. Clearly the weave is very porous when held against light but it isn't a lightweight suit by any standard. Having it made up in D/B (which I considered and dismissed) perhaps compounds this. Perhaps a late spring/early summer suiting - but a fantastic one.

Alan Bee

 

[lordsuperb]

Indeed LS.

I'm rather tentative with bold patterns. Small Checks, Gun Checks & Plaids, sure. But bold checks particularly in suitings, I've yet to get my head around. I tend to avoid anything that exaggerates my physique hence a tendency towards textured solids.

Alan Bee

Not the biggest fan of flannel suits. They run hot. I'd stick with solids if you don't want to exaggerate your physique......

I occasionally wear this from time to time.

Spoiler: checks & balances

 

[Alan Bee]

Not the biggest fan of flannel suits. They run hot. I'd stick with solids if you don't want to exaggerate your physique......

I occasionally wear this from time to time.

Spoiler: checks & balances

View attachment 914930

For those in warmer climes, I agree flannel is impractical for most of the year. But I consider neither myself nor any of you gentlemen on this thread a pragmatist. You get to a point where you've crossed the "point of no return" and it becomes more about form than function

Re: Your Windowpane suit. Subtle as it is, I doubt I'd be able to get away with even that. I think I'll pass on the windowpane idea for now. For my next project, I may settle on a B/W (without the blue overcheck) PoW flannel - 3pc Peak Lapel Coat with two buttons and besom pockets, simple single breasted vest, as a substitute

 

[mactire]

Lol, not fat. Actually tougher for someone very fit. Tougher work for a tailor to shape the cloth.

Beg pardon, didn't mean to suggest anyone was fat other than myself!

 

[S K M]

Hi SKM,

SpringRam is indeed a fantastic fabric with a price to match. I was initially hesitant thumbing through the swatch but just had a mid-gray 2pc business suit (simple 2 button, besom pockets) delivered and it is exceptional, simply stunning. Hard to describe how the body holds when fully tailored.

I have an older H&S Crispaire suit (another Fresco) which appears almost lifeless placed against the SpringRam. I also simultaneously had a 2pc suit made up in Smith Finmeresco in Steel Blue (blue gray shade) for comparison and while its a very nice fabric, has nowhere the depth and complexity of SpringRam.

The SpringRam is so deep and rich you can almost see the yarns in the fabric in motion while you move with the garment. To my mind, the grays are the only color I would consider in this book owing perhaps to the mixing of the black and white yarns. Every other color in the book looks too "dead" and simple.

I am right contemplating the lightest (dove) gray for a more casual suit with double stitching and patch pockets.

As to how it wears, it is listed at 13oz and it feels every ounce a 13. Clearly the weave is very porous when held against light but it isn't a lightweight suit by any standard. Having it made up in D/B (which I considered and dismissed) perhaps compounds this. Perhaps a late spring/early summer suiting - but a fantastic one.

Alan Bee

Thanks a lot, I'll definitely go for it then, and grey was what I had in mind anyway. I guess a DB version should be okay if I go for half lining.

Thanks for your input!

 

[WillingToLearn]

Is there a lighter weight version of spring ram to compete with the true summer fresco, the 8/9 oz. Stuff?