Unfunded Liabilities: a/k/a The Cloth Thread

[TeddyHanoi]

It's pretty warm in Vietnam, even in the winter. Not sure a winter cloth for UK is suitable for winter in Vietnam. I think your current rotation of summer fabrics is better.

Hi Derek - I bought some cloth from you in Dec 2019 (brown linen-silk blend). I've waited 18 months for my regular, competent) HCMC tailor to return to Vietnam from USA where he got trapped pre-pandemic but I've finally given up and am experimenting with different tailors here in my new location, Hanoi. I've already had a powder blue Fox basketweave jacket messed up (cost of material refunded thankfully) and am saving the cloth I bought from you to utilize once a Hanoi tailor passes muster on the other stuff that has been sitting around for 18 months.

I was here in Hanoi last winter and also visited during winter before that and Hanoi really does have a cold winter - falling below 10 degrees. My summer clothing (frescos, hopsacks, tropical wool) was not suitable at all.

I think the Hanoi winter reference is causing confusion and debate.

Basically I'm looking for general cloth recommendations (types) and specifically a weight range that I can use in UK and Ireland autumn and winters as I have never bought autumn or winter cloth before - hope that makes my question more simple

 

[dieworkwear]

Basically I'm looking for general cloth recommendations (types) and specifically a weight range that I can use in UK and Ireland autumn and winters as I have never bought autumn or winter cloth before - hope that makes my question more simple

I'm located in the Bay Area and winters here are about 50 to 60 degrees. Sometimes the evening drops down to 40 degrees, but then I just layer.

For fall/ winter fabrics, I wear tweed and flannel between 12oz and 18oz. I also really like whipcord and cavalry twill for trousers. I believe mine are around 14oz.

 

[Simon A]

Hi Teddy.

Jacketing fabrics I have had made up, which I like, are:

Molloy and Sons Donegal Tweeds: The 545g/running metre material is great. It's a bit soft for trousers, wears out after 2 years, but excellent for jackets.

Lovat Mill Etrick Sporting Tweed: Bombproof and shower-resistant, can also be made into sturdy trousers. Your tailor can order it for you.

Islay Woollen Mill: Made on 19th century equipment and made to last. I have 27 year old hunting tweeds from them that are barely broken in yet. Their lighter tweeds are fine for town wear.

Trouserings that have worked for me

Gorina Flannels: Heavyweight woollen flannels at a very reasonable price, quite sturdy.

Dugdale Cavalry Twills: Drape very well, sturdy and long-lived. :

Good luck!

Basically I'm looking for general cloth recommendations (types) and specifically a weight range that I can use in UK and Ireland autumn and winters as I have never bought autumn or winter cloth before - hope that makes my question more simple

 

[JHWilliams]

Coming to a tailor shop near you...
Received a new F/W 2021 Scabal sample book, Sonata.
320 gram in three weaves. Herringbone, honeycomb and twill. Good colors, great weight and hand. Looks promising. Photos exaggerate the weaves and are a poor representation of the colors.
View attachment 1641742 View attachment 1641743 View attachment 1641744

that Blue tweed looks absolutely gorgeous. I wish the weight was a bit more substantial. Do you think this cloth will drape well?

 

[UrbanComposition]

It's a darker olive than what you may be seeing in this pic.
There is a similar cloth, olive with brown accents in a Drapers book that I can't locate at present.
@UrbanComposition just had it made up. Maybe he can post a pic of the jacket.

This is a pic of the Dtapers cloth:

Unfortunately it’s really hard to photograph since it’s variegated in color. The green itself is a little cool, but I’d say it’s a warm moss due to the brown flecks, though very muted, even in direct light. Here are a few pics of me wearing it around Italy recently (more on the ‘gram):

:

 

[TeddyHanoi]

@TeddyHanoi The 14oz flannels in the Dugdales flannels book are my favorite, if you have access to it. Warm and cozy, and not as heavily milled as say, the Fox Bros stuff that everyone loves, so it wears harder too. It's also relatively affordable compared to very similar stuff from cloth merchants who are more aggressive about marketing.

VBC doesn't get much love but I have some suits from their flannels and coverts book (jump to the woollen subsection). Feels exactly like what I imagined a woolen should feel like, with a warm soft hand and a satisfying drape, like wearing your favorite old sweater.

I think I've seen a book around in one of the tailor stores here re Dugdale and VBC is widespread. Will dive in thanks for the advice.

 

[TeddyHanoi]

I'm located in the Bay Area and winters here are about 50 to 60 degrees. Sometimes the evening drops down to 40 degrees, but then I just layer.

For fall/ winter fabrics, I wear tweed and flannel between 12oz and 18oz. I also really like whipcord and cavalry twill for trousers. I believe mine are around 14oz.

Thank you, particularly the specifics re trousers as I haven't tried either whipcord or cavalry twill - I can pick up that material online I'll give it a shot. Thanks again

 

[TeddyHanoi]

Hi Teddy.

Jacketing fabrics I have had made up, which I like, are:

Molloy and Sons Donegal Tweeds: The 545g/running metre material is great. It's a bit soft for trousers, wears out after 2 years, but excellent for jackets.

Lovat Mill Etrick Sporting Tweed: Bombproof and shower-resistant, can also be made into sturdy trousers. Your tailor can order it for you.

Islay Woollen Mill: Made on 19th century equipment and made to last. I have 27 year old hunting tweeds from them that are barely broken in yet. Their lighter tweeds are fine for town wear.

Trouserings that have worked for me

Gorina Flannels: Heavyweight woollen flannels at a very reasonable price, quite sturdy.

Dugdale Cavalry Twills: Drape very well, sturdy and long-lived. :

Good luck!

Thanks Simon - very specific recommendations I'm going to look into each of them and am looking forward to taking a shot on some of these materials. Was nice reading about certain fabric suppliers that I hadn't heard of before too. Thanks very much again.

 

[FlowableFill]

Loro Piana Sopra Visso has some really great looking fabrics.

The houndstooth with the blue overcheck is calling to me.

 

[usctrojans31]

This is a pic of the Dtapers cloth:
View attachment 1642102
Unfortunately it’s really hard to photograph since it’s variegated in color. The green itself is a little cool, but I’d say it’s a warm moss due to the brown flecks, though very muted, even in direct light. Here are a few pics of me wearing it around Italy recently (more on the ‘gram): View attachment 1642111 :
View attachment 1642110

Well, this conversation originally started with my claim that the cloth is either the greatest jacketing in months or turf for a putting green. Greatest jacketing it is.

 

[dieworkwear]

Gents could use some feedback. I'm looking to add a black suit to my wardrobe, mainly so I can have appropriate attire for funerals. However I would also like to be able to wear it for more dressed up social occasions that are less formal. I found a jet black hopsack that I think could work, but my concern is that weave may be too informal for a funeral. Is hopsack a complete no go for something that formal or is it not a big deal? Better options out there that can serve both functions? Don't think I have room for 2 black suits.

View attachment 1635552

Also I know no one gets excited for VBC, but it always seems to be a good value. But I don't mind paying up if the cloth is actually better.

A counterpoint to the earlier discussion about black suits: Jeffery's suit here looks great. But he also wears it in a way that looks very cool and it's not the sort of thing everyone can pull off.

 

[bourbonbasted]

Add it to the long list of things LabelKing can make cool, but I'd never personally wear.

I think there is utility in a black suit. The issue is that utility is incredibly narrow (e.g., going full-on Johnny Cash for an upscale dinner). Too often I see guys try to "substitute" black suits in situations when a blue or charcoal option would be better.

A black suit is really cool if you have the lifestyle, eccentricity, and presence to make it work. Otherwise, it's just stand-in for another, better option.

 

[reidd]

Fabric needs to be heavy and or textured for a black suit to work. Probably both. I kind of want to get a black suit in heavy Irish linen. I'm thinking blue or ecru chambray shirt and black grenadine tie and black loafers. Not sure where I would wear it, but I think it could be cool.

It might be something you would wear to dinner in Positano if you frequently docked your yacht there.

 

[JHWilliams]

Fabric needs to be heavy and or textured for a black suit to work. Probably both. I kind of want to get a black suit in heavy Irish linen. I'm thinking blue or ecru chambray shirt and black grenadine tie and black loafers. Not sure where I would wear it, but I think it could be cool.

It might be something you would wear to dinner in Positano if you frequently docked your yacht there.

as a funeral director, I am forced to wear black almost year round. There is nothing cool about it. The sun absolutely bakes you. I should think linen may be a bit cooler, but not by a long shot.

 

[reidd]

as a funeral director, I am forced to wear black almost year round. There is nothing cool about it. The sun absolutely bakes you. I should think linen may be a bit cooler, but not by a long shot.

I meant cool in the Miles Davis stylistic sense of the word. However If I were a funeral director, I would absolutely have some black linen and fresco suits for summer even if they wouldn't necessarily be "cool" in the context I was referring to. If you must wear black, might as well be the most breathable material you can find.