Ask A Question, Get An Answer... - Post All Quick Questions Here (Classic menswear)

LOL That true.

bought a pair of AE park avenues today and wanted to know what I should do to protect them before wearing them out the first time. i've tried searching the forum but haven't really found a definitive "quick start guide." i'm also a bit lost on the distinctions between waxes, creams, conditions, etc. i have a tube of the AE premium polish. can i just apply this, brush/buff it off, and go? or will this make it harder (less effective) to apply cream in the future? maybe i should go back and grab a jar of the cream and put that on before the first go? any help would be appreciated.

Originally Posted by calebhanie56

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bought a pair of AE park avenues today and wanted to know what I should do to protect them before wearing them out the first time. i've tried searching the forum but haven't really found a definitive "quick start guide." i'm also a bit lost on the distinctions between waxes, creams, conditions, etc. i have a tube of the AE premium polish. can i just apply this, brush/buff it off, and go? or will this make it harder (less effective) to apply cream in the future? maybe i should go back and grab a jar of the cream and put that on before the first go? any help would be appreciated.
your shoes are ready to go right out the box. if the leather's particularly stiff or dry you can give 'em a coat of polish but I wouldn't worry about it. shoe care, you'll need: old toothbrush old t-shirt / cloth like the shoe bags horsehair or plastic bristled brush (AE has one for about $10) polish wax or cream (the AE is a cream based, I use it and i think it's good stuff) - they're similar products. wax will give a higher shine but may dry out the leather and it's harder to work with. conditioner/cleaner - buy saphir renovateur, it's like $25 and worth every penny. your routine should be as follows... every 3-5 wearings or whenever your shoes need a polish, use a brush and cloth to first wipe off any dirt, dust, pebbles, etc. pull out the laces. now either use the foam applicator of the AE shoe cream to apply a thin layer of cream, rubbing in circles. alternatively, screw off the foam applicator and apply a dab of polish to a cloth/old t-shirt and apply that way. use a toothebrush to get into the harder to reach spots. Do the second shoe while the first dries. gently use a cloth to wipe away some excess polish if you've used too much. now use a horsehair or soft bristled brush and rub vigorously back and forth all over the shoe to build up a shine. repeat a few times if you want to build up a high gloss or just at certain areas like the toes. ignore any advice useing the words water or lighter/flame every once in a while, after cleaning the shoes from dirt, apply some leather conditioner and cleaner to a cloth then rub gently around the shoe to clean off any grime. let them dry for a few minutes.

Currently eye balling a jacket on ebay, have two questions.

-If a 17.5" shoulder fits me really good, can I buy a 18" shoulder? Will it hurt since it's only .5" larger?

-Why are some flap pockets on jackets does not function? They were designed sealed, just for looks?

^^^ for shoulders depends on preference... I'm a true 16.5 shoulder, but I have jackets that are a little padded with a 17 and they're fine. by SF standards maybe there's a bit of a divot but by normal person standards they're absolutely fine. no more than 0.5 though.

unless you're buying something REALLY cheap (like walmart cheap) i've never seen a jacket htat doesn't have functioning pockets. they're always sewen shut so you have to cut the thread. maybe if there's a ticket pocket it could just be a flap. I'd find a pockletless flap very unusual/strange.

As putting almost anything in side pockets of a jacket will either spoil the line and/or cause bulges I always leave them stitched closed. Keys in left trousers, handkerchief in right trousers, wallet in right arse pocket, phone in inside right jacket pocket, sunglasses in outside chest pocket. No need to put anything in jacket side pockets.

Originally Posted by Pieceofsand

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Currently eye balling a jacket on ebay, have two questions.

-If a 17.5" shoulder fits me really good, can I buy a 18" shoulder? Will it hurt since it's only .5" larger?


Some jackets are intended to be a little extended. Some are intended to fit flush. So make sure you're comparing the same sort of jacket.

Originally Posted by Master-Classter

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unless you're buying something REALLY cheap (like walmart cheap) i've never seen a jacket htat doesn't have functioning pockets. they're always sewen shut so you have to cut the thread. maybe if there's a ticket pocket it could just be a flap. I'd find a pockletless flap very unusual/strange.

My 70's green suit (the one I posted on WAWRN for the FU challenge) has a flapless ticket pocket. Everything else works. Yeah, it seems a bit odd, but I'm leaving it as authentic to how Anderson Little made it as possible, so I can show future generations just how high people in the 70's were.

Originally Posted by Ianiceman

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As putting almost anything in side pockets of a jacket will either spoil the line and/or cause bulges I always leave them stitched closed. Keys in left trousers, handkerchief in right trousers, wallet in right arse pocket, phone in inside right jacket pocket, sunglasses in outside chest pocket. No need to put anything in jacket side pockets.

Various things made of paper fit in there nicely, or you can slip a flash drive in there, a measuring tape for thrifting excursions, or any number of smaller items that won't make any real difference unless the jacket is made of a really lightweight fabric and/or is skintight.

Originally Posted by mktitsworth

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Hey, another: Gunboats and longwings: Synonyms?

Often, but not always. Longwing means that the sides of the wing bits go all the way around the shoe, a shortwing means that those wings taper back and fade down into the sole. Too lazy to pull up pictures.

A gunboat is a big, heavy wingtip. Double soled, 360 degree welt. Shoes that look like they could survive a nuclear attack, or dish one out.

Ok, so I'm generally not someone who enjoys to spend a ton of time or money on fashion, but I do love to spruce up my wardrobe with some H&M every once in a while. Yesterday I went shopping and two of the things I picked up were a plaid patterned shirt- a mix of light greens, white, and red; and a pair of watermelon pants. Not thinking too heavily and eager to throw on some color, I combined the two. Sure it's a loud statement, but the pants matched perfect with the colors on the shirt, even if the pants did reinforce the watermelon vibe that the shirt already going for it.

My girlfriend saw the outfit later in the day and her reaction was to ask me if I had gone outside yet. According to her, waaay too much going on, and the garish colors make me look like a golfer. Of course I stubbornly defended myself, but inside I felt ashamed and could easily see her point.

Was this a huge fashion mishap as I'm starting to think it was, or do I have allies here on SF that can give me permission to let my quasi-obnoxious hipster flag fly??

Originally Posted by Agriff

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Ok, so I'm generally not someone who enjoys to spend a ton of time or money on fashion, but I do love to spruce up my wardrobe with some H&M every once in a while. Yesterday I went shopping and two of the things I picked up were a plaid patterned shirt- a mix of light greens, white, and red; and a pair of watermelon pants. Not thinking too heavily and eager to throw on some color, I combined the two. Sure it's a loud statement, but the pants matched perfect with the colors on the shirt, even if the pants did reinforce the watermelon vibe that the shirt already going for it.

My girlfriend saw the outfit later in the day and her reaction was to ask me if I had gone outside yet. According to her, waaay too much going on, and the garish colors make me look like a golfer. Of course I stubbornly defended myself, but inside I felt ashamed and could easily see her point.

Was this a huge fashion mishap as I'm starting to think it was, or do I have allies here on SF that can give me permission to let my quasi-obnoxious hipster flag fly??

Pictures please

Hello,do you like the fit of this jacket?should i keep it?

Originally Posted by IsteRed

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Hello,do you like the fit of this jacket?should i keep it?

Too short. Get rid of it for something longer.

Thanks to onix and wetnose for your comments. I'll bring up what you've both mentioned when I go in for alterations.

Originally Posted by onix

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Quarters too closed. Buttoning point is a bit high. Boxiness or not is really subjective, on average it's fine. There is a slight break under the elbow of the left arm, is it always there?
I'd not noticed the buttoning point thing before but now I can't stop staring at it. Augh indeed.

As for the break in the left elbow, possibly. What could cause this to happen? I've attached another photo below for your further diagnosis.

Originally Posted by wetnose

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It could probably do with a wee bit of waist suppression. Sleeves can be taken in by .5". Quarters are also too closed but a good tailor can fix that.

In the future, your shoulders could probably extend out .25" each way to give the jacket more shape. Also see if they can do a bit more structure in the shoulders too.

Who was the tailor?

Interesting that you mention the shoulders. I was worried that they were a bit too big and heavily padded. Does structure = padding in this case?

The tailor was William Cheng in Tsim Sha Tsui, who I visited on the recommendation of a family friend. I think he charged me very reasonably (that might have be more to do with the strong AUD), and so I'm okay with paying for alterations (although I would have thought it difficult to muck up the sleeve length in MTM).

Originally Posted by mktitsworth

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Hey, another: Gunboats and longwings: Synonyms?

Pretty much. Gunboats are generally shoes with a thick sole and external welt. Usually longwings are constructed like this, although I guess they wouldn't have to be.

Originally Posted by IsteRed

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Hello,do you like the fit of this jacket?should i keep it?

Yeah, too short. If it were a more casual, unstructured jacket, it would look better, but with the pockets and roped shoulders, it looks funny short.