Unfunded Liabilities: a/k/a The Cloth Thread

[ChasingStyle]

I've always contacted Michael first when ordering LL Club cloth, and paid him. He then arranges shipment with the mill. I pay him via Paypal.

I've always paid direct to Lovat, once Michael sends the confirmation. And when I needed odd ends, I went to Lovat directly.

 

[reidd]

Doesn't Solaro already have a bit of a sheen to it? Mohair would seemingly add more...

This feels like potentially going Martin Sheen -> Charlie Sheen.

I have the original Smith's Solaro and it is very matte. The Solaro color scheme plus weave makes it visually "vibrate" but the actual finish is extremely dry and matte.

 

[ericgereghty]

Doesn't Solaro already have a bit of a sheen to it? Mohair would seemingly add more...

This feels like potentially going Martin Sheen -> Charlie Sheen.

I have the original Smith's Solaro and it is very matte. The Solaro color scheme plus weave makes it visually "vibrate" but the actual finish is extremely dry and matte.

I wouldn't say sheen, but certainly a pop/vibrancy as mentioned above, particularly in harsh light when the sun hits and the red shows. Can't speak to the sheen of a fairly bright cloth. Wouldn't shock me if it (assuming there is notable sheen) gets more washed out than it might with darker colors.
They have pictures on their IG of the various weaves, though it wouldn't shock me if all listed were the pure wool makeup.

 

[Concordia]

Random Solaro question-- except for the blue, they are all somewhat the same color. But they photograph very differently. Are, in fact, some more green, or brown, than others? Or is this just an artifact of bad digital photos?

 

[reidd]

Random Solaro question-- except for the blue, they are all somewhat the same color. But they photograph very differently. Are, in fact, some more green, or brown, than others? Or is this just an artifact of bad digital photos?

They are all pretty similar I'd say (speaking about the Smith's) but the barathea weave reads the most brown while the herringbones show more red.

I wouldn't say sheen, but certainly a pop/vibrancy as mentioned above, particularly in harsh light when the sun hits and the red shows. Can't speak to the sheen of a fairly bright cloth. Wouldn't shock me if it (assuming there is notable sheen) gets more washed out than it might with darker colors.
They have pictures on their IG of the various weaves, though it wouldn't shock me if all listed were the pure wool makeup.

The idea of mohair in a Solaro is interesting from the standpoint of possibly wearing a bit cooler. As has been said before, the original Solaro doesn't wear particularly cool. I think of mine as a spring/fall suit for transitional weather.

 

[dan'l]

I've always contacted Michael first when ordering LL Club cloth, and paid him. He then arranges shipment with the mill. I pay him via Paypal.

Completely unrelated but I see you have a new avatar! I was used to the old one and now it feels like the change of an era - Derek 2.0.

 

[mockingboy]

Question for this fun crew: you can only have 3 suits and 3 sport coats for a four season geographic....what fabrics do you choose and why?

 

[reidd]

Question for this fun crew: you can only have 3 suits and 3 sport coats for a four season geographic....what fabrics do you choose and why?

Suits:
Navy H&S Crispaire- Summer suit that can wear ultra dressy or alternatively you can wear the jacket by itself with jeans and sneakers.

Tobacco brown or tan linen- Casual suit for less formal weddings etc. Likewise to the navy Crispaire, the jacket can be worn separate and trousers as well!

Mid/dark grey flannel- If you have one winter suit, it might as well be flannel and should read reasonably formal so this checks both boxes. Bonus that the trousers can be worn with your tweed jackets.

Jackets:
Navy Fox heavy serge or barathea- The winter equivilent to your Crispaire jacket. Might as well go super heavy for a true winter blazer.

2 Brown/green tweed jackets in your flavor of choice- Since the summer suits are doing double duty as odd jackets, all three jackets here can be winter cloth. Maybe one more a mid weight for transitional weather when you need to wear a jacket such as as 12ish oz glencheck or houndstooth.

 

[classicalthunde]

Question for this fun crew: you can only have 3 suits and 3 sport coats for a four season geographic....what fabrics do you choose and why?

I'll take a stab based on my own preferences/tolerances/climate, since I'm in the midst of trying to accomplish something similar anyways

Suits:
1. Dark navy twill suit (Drapers 5-star, 370g)
2. Charcoal high twist (Drapers Ascot, 370g)
3a. Tie - black barathea tuxedo (Smith wool-mohair blend, 310g)
3b. Tie - tan/brown-ish in a Neapolitan style (either W. Bill tobacco linen, 380g or DWW's 'summer tweed' WSL mix, 9/10oz)

Sport Coats:
4. Navy blazer (Fox midnight hopsack, 340g)
5. Brown/Blue overcheck in a Neapolitan style (Cacciopoli 300124 WSL mix, 280g)
6a. Tie- grey herringbone tweed (Shetland or Harris Tweed, ~400-500g)
6b. Tie - brown marled tweed (Shetland or Harris Tweed, ~400-500g)
6c. Tie - green Donegal tweed (W. Bill, 440g)

1 and 2 are good for the formal wedding/funeral/interview trifecta, 3a or 3b as a party suit based on your social life and penchant for casualness/formality. 4 for a formal year-rounder sport coat, 5 for a casual summer one, and 6a/6b/6c to cover the winter season)

So far have 1, 3a (in VBC 110s plain weave rather than Smith barathea), 4 (in H&S serge rather than Fox hopsack), and the fabrics to make up 5, 6a, and 6b. Hoping to place an order for 2, and make up 6a sometime this spring/summer and 5 and 6c sometime next year

 

[dukeaw]

I am trying to get the fabric code for a VBC five stars navy herringbone. I do not have the book, and VBC does not list it on their website. Does anyone have it on hand? the drapers website code does not work for my purpose.

Also, I am looking at the same navy herringbone for Holland and Sherry Target and Harrisons Fine Classics. The fabric codes from their websites dont work for my purpose. Are there different codes in the physical books from the website?

Holland & Sherry

Holland & Sherry

apparel.hollandandsherry.com

FINE CLASSICS ALL WOOL - Harrisons

370gm 11/12 oz All Wool

www.harrisons1863.com

 

[dukeaw]

Question for this fun crew: you can only have 3 suits and 3 sport coats for a four season geographic....what fabrics do you choose and why?

dark grey twill in ~10-11oz
Navy open weave like fresco or crispaire
brown irish linen (Spence Bryson Tropical)

blue wool silk linen blend sportcoat. I'm partial to ordering the first fabric in the Sobiati book. I forget what the book is called
Green donegal tweed
navy twill blazer. But I'd have dark metal buttons, not gold buttons. And this is coming from someone in Connecticut... I had gold buttons for years in prep school and find them to be too loud

 

[classicalthunde]

I am trying to get the fabric code for a VBC five stars navy herringbone. I do not have the book, and VBC does not list it on their website. Does anyone have it on hand? the drapers website code does not work for my purpose.

Also, I am looking at the same navy herringbone for Holland and Sherry Target and Harrisons Fine Classics. The fabric codes from their websites dont work for my purpose. Are there different codes in the physical books from the website?

Holland & Sherry

Holland & Sherry

apparel.hollandandsherry.com

FINE CLASSICS ALL WOOL - Harrisons

370gm 11/12 oz All Wool

www.harrisons1863.com

looks like maybe 9011 at the 37s mark?

 

[dukeaw]

looks like maybe 9011 at the 37s mark?

Ah, this is helpful. I didnt think to check youtube. I'll see if that fabric code works!

 

[The Chai]

Question for this fun crew: you can only have 3 suits and 3 sport coats for a four season geographic....what fabrics do you choose and why?

Mostly for leisure here as I dislike wearing suits for work. I veer towards mohair or silk these days as I find those fabrics have character and dont look out of place in winter or summer (discounting extreme winters here where cold can be countered with sweaters and overcoats) plus I'm obsessed with textures, drape and slubs. Most standard worsteds bore me. I like the idea I can wear crewnecks, turtlenecks, knitted tees, oxfords or linen shirts with all these configurations and they will look at home.
Suits
1. Midnight blue mohair bateman ogden barathea 320-340g dj shawl lapel sb with black shantung facings cause and cocktail cuffs because I love my black tie. The bateman ogden mohair barathea drape is better than most of the other baratheas I've tried. There's alot of heft and volume.
2. Navy/midnight blue slubby silk herringbone from edmorel or bennetts silk 260-300g in 3 roll 2 notch 2 patch neapolitan styled suit because its boss and looks at home in winter or summer and can wear jacket as separates. Dark mop buttons and roping
3. Whatever the grey in between light grey and mid grey 280-320g (charcoal just looks too wintery for me) in a halstead kid mohair or dormeuil tonik. Something for business or summer weddings. Looks boss and understated. 3 roll 2 with notch or Parisian lapel, roping, flapped pockets and dark grey mother of pearl buttons. Think 90s brioni power suit cut. Who doesn't want to look like Sean Connery's bond or Michael corleone in godfather part 2...funnily enough this is the only suit configuration on this list missing from my wardrobe. I do not currently own a grey suit....

Sports coat
1. Dark navy dormeuil traveller heavy mohair hopsack/fresco 450g 3 roll 2 triple patch with notch lapel, green grey corozo or dark mother of pearl buttons and roped shoulders as blazer/sports coat
2. Cream silk/mohair sbpl or 6x2 db in hopsack or herringbone weave 280-320g with roped shoulder. Scabal, dormeuil, halsteads or bennett silks for fabric source. Surprisingly versatile piece. Can wear with virtually any color trousers. Navy for formal black tie. Jean's for smart casual. Light grey or white linen for summer beach parties. As much as I love a full cream suit, the jacket or trousers individually get more use.
3. Dark brown/chocolate heavy linen with big herringbone 450-480g from ulsters. The heavy linen herringbone weave ensures it does not look or feel out of place in winter. 3 roll 2 neapolitan styled triple patch with dark brown horn, lapel tabs and western action back hybrid.

 

[reidd]

Mostly for leisure here as I dislike wearing suits for work. I veer towards mohair or silk these days as I find those fabrics have character and dont look out of place in winter or summer (discounting extreme winters here where cold can be countered with sweaters and overcoats) plus I'm obsessed with textures, drape and slubs. Most standard worsteds bore me. I like the idea I can wear crewnecks, turtlenecks, knitted tees, oxfords or linen shirts with all these configurations and they will look at home.
Suits
1. Midnight blue mohair bateman ogden barathea 320-340g dj shawl lapel sb with black shantung facings cause and cocktail cuffs because I love my black tie. The bateman ogden mohair barathea drape is better than most of the other baratheas I've tried. There's alot of heft and volume.
2. Navy/midnight blue slubby silk herringbone from edmorel or bennetts silk 260-300g in 3 roll 2 notch 2 patch neapolitan styled suit because its boss and looks at home in winter or summer and can wear jacket as separates. Dark mop buttons and roping
3. Whatever the grey in between light grey and mid grey 280-320g (charcoal just looks too wintery for me) in a halstead kid mohair or dormeuil tonik. Something for business or summer weddings. Looks boss and understated. 3 roll 2 with notch or Parisian lapel, roping, flapped pockets and dark grey mother of pearl buttons. Think 90s brioni power suit cut. Who doesn't want to look like Sean Connery's bond or Michael corleone in godfather part 2...funnily enough this is the only suit configuration on this list missing from my wardrobe. I do not currently own a grey suit....

Sports coat
1. Dark navy dormeuil traveller heavy mohair hopsack/fresco 450g 3 roll 2 triple patch with notch lapel, green grey corozo or dark mother of pearl buttons and roped shoulders as blazer/sports coat
2. Cream silk/mohair sbpl or 6x2 db in hopsack or herringbone weave 280-320g with roped shoulder. Scabal, dormeuil, halsteads or bennett silks for fabric source. Surprisingly versatile piece. Can wear with virtually any color trousers. Navy for formal black tie. Jean's for smart casual. Light grey or white linen for summer beach parties. As much as I love a full cream suit, the jacket or trousers individually get more use.
3. Dark brown/chocolate heavy linen with big herringbone 450-480g from ulsters. The heavy linen herringbone weave ensures it does not look or feel out of place in winter. 3 roll 2 neapolitan styled triple patch with dark brown horn, lapel tabs and western action back hybrid.

I have been intrigued by the possibility of a heavy linen that could be worn in the winter. I agree that chocolate brown would probably be the prefect color for this but I have always been unsure of the practicality. Have you ever worn linen this heavy? Does it work in winter?