fbpx

The Styleforum Journal

The Editorial Voice of Styleforum.net

The Styleforum Journal

How to Safely Store your Watch

This article originally appeared on Worn & Wound. It has been reprinted here with permission. Words by Hung Doan.

There will come a time when you will need to keep a watch in storage. It may be a watch you rarely wear, a speculative purchase waiting to be flipped, or one that you’re simply saving to pass on to the next generation. My eight-year-old son will get my full-size Omega Seamaster Professional when he comes of age, but until then it’s stored away, safe and sound. Having recently packed that watch away, I thought it would be informative to go over the do’s and don’ts of long-term watch storage.

There are several ways to go about storing your precious watches, from putting them in a bank deposit box or keeping them in a safe at home, to packing them away in a box in the garage. However you decide to store your watches, the following suggestions apply.

Dealing with Moisture

safely store your watchIdeally, watches should be stored in a temperature controlled setting like a safe deposit box or in a secure home safe. But regardless of where they end up, moisture will be a natural enemy of your watches. This is especially true in a cold safe, where moisture and condensation can damage a watch as oils coagulate and lose their lubricating properties. For quartz watches, condensation can be especially damaging to the IC circuits.

To combat the effects of moisture, I recommend storing watches with silica gel, a tip passed on to me by gun owners over the years. It is advice I’ve religiously followed for two decades.

safely store your watchYou can buy silica gel in bulk or recycle the packets that come with practically all electronic gear. My personal recommendation is to get the desiccant gel packets that change color as they soak up moisture. Often, they come in blue. As the moisture builds up the colors change to white or pink, indicating they need to be recharged or replaced.

Boxes and Paperwork

safely store your watch

Boxes, accessories and paperwork are rather easy to store, and worth keeping around for when you decide to sell your watch (“box and papers” can add considerable value to a sale). You should consider storing them in separate locations as boxes can take up considerable space. With paperwork, however, I keep the warranty cards, authenticity certificates and proofs of purchase along with other important documents in the safe. You should separate everything in their own dedicated zip-lock or protective bags.

Moisture can also cause damage to warranty cards and other accessories. Below is an example of two Omega leatherette warranty card holders. Over a 20-year period, the one on the left deteriorated and transferred paint onto the accompanying documents. A separate zip-lock bag, as well as some silica gel, would have preserved the dealer calendar cards and manual.

Appraisal and Insurance

Some homeowners and rental insurance policies offer blanket coverage up to a certain amount. If this applies to you, definitely take advantage of your coverage. In some scenarios, you may opt to have dedicated coverage. Either way, it is strongly recommended you appraise your watches, especially the vintage ones. For current watches, you should keep track of market pricing as insurance companies will offer a replacement according to market value. When insuring my watches, I take photographs of everything–boxes, documents, and the watch itself at various angles to indicate condition. In scenarios where I’ve purchased watches from other collectors or through non-traditional channels, I provided scanned magazine reviews, catalogs and price lists to support the stated value. In the 1990s, for example, my Sinn 156 Military was unavailable through official US retail channels, so I used a Bell & Ross (B&R sold co-branded Sinn watches early in their life) price list and scanned copies of reviews from Watch Time to secure my coverage value.

Boxes

safely store your watch

As I noted above, boxes take up a lot of space, but keeping them is paramount in maintaining value. Finding a replacement box on eBay isn’t difficult for brands like Rolex and Omega, but they can cost you $100-300 a pop so holding on to the original is worth it from a monetary standpoint alone. For smaller brands, finding a readily available replacement may not be so easy, so it is important to keep track of what boxes go with what watch (and era, as manufacturers often alter their presentation boxes). As a buyer, you should do your due diligence and research beforehand to make sure that you’re getting the appropriate boxes with your watch.

Maintenance and Inherent Risk

Idle watches over the long term can be problematic. Quartz watches risk the hazard of battery corrosion and leakage. With these, you should always remove the batteries. I recently put away a Bulova Moon Watch and a rare Omega LCD Speedmaster for long-term storage. The batteries were removed from each watch to ensure they not get damaged.

safely store your watchMechanical watches have their own set of hazards. As oils dry, a movement can freeze. That is why it is often recommended that mechanical watches are wound and worn periodically. However, there is no escaping the fact that oils will need to be replaced. Even unworn watches will need to be sent in for eventual service. If you have a speculative watch you plan to flip in 10 or 20 years, you may forgo service and inform future buyers of the situation, as some would prefer NOS (New Old Stock) status.

safely store your watch
OMEGA CAL. 565 MOVEMENT FROZEN WITH DRY OILS.

Since the late ’90s, many companies have heavily invested in lubrication R&D. Rolex and Seiko especially have been pioneers in this regard. My dad used to tell me, “change the oil in your car every 3,000 miles and service your watch every three years.” This no longer applies. Just like with cars, there are now synthetic oils that significantly increase maintenance intervals. When Rolex first announced their new oils, there was speculation with regard to how long watches could go without service. Now in 2016, the recommended interval for watches manufactured after 2015 is a whopping 10 years.

For mechanical watches, I recommend getting a tool like a timegrapher. In addition to measuring accuracy, timegraphers offer a snapshot of the health of your watch (a low amplitude or high beat rate can be a sign of mechanical failure). For example, with most modern ETAs, anything under 250 amplitude means your watch should be taken in for service. With some watches, catching this early could mean saving hundreds of dollars in overhaul fees.

safely store your watch

Conclusion

There are many approaches you can take toward storing your watches and this write-up provides a good primer. There is no one absolute way to store your watches,  but whatever you do, keep in mind the key points I wrote about above regarding temperature and moisture, general maintenance, and diligent record keeping. You may not plan to store a watch for 10 to 20 years, but my recommendations are practical even for short term storage.

safely store your watch

Aperitivo Style: Dress for Italy’s Favorite Pastime

You might have heard the word “aperitivo” once or twice if you have Italian friends, as it is a common word we use to describe the light snack, usually accompanied by an alcoholic beverage, which predates dinner.

My job today is to describe in detail what aperitivo implies, so that Americans can hopefully adopt this custom, or so you’ll be prepared should you attend an aperitivo the next time you find yourself strolling the streets of the Eternal City.

Like every occasion related to food in Italy, it is a social occurrence more than a fulfillment of human bodily needs. Unlike American’s happy hour, where places offer drinks and food at reduced prices, aperitivo involves the consumption of a drink that comes with a complementary light snack. The purpose is stimulating the appetite while enjoying a conversation with anyone who is accompanying you – whether it is your colleagues after a day of work, a new date, your spouse, or simply a group of friends. The most similar thing that Americans have is that cocktail hour with the complimentary salted nuts.

The Milanese claim they invented the aperitivo, but the tradition actually originated in my hometown, Torino, in 1786, when the owner of a liquor shop invented vermouth, a white wine reinforced with an infusion of over 30 herbs. Vermouth started being served as a pre-dinner treat along with tiny bites – also typical of Torino – such as tramezzini, olives, and salatini.

What should you wear to an aperitivo?

First of all, you need to make sure your outfit is appropriate for the place and the people you’re going to see. If your aperitivo is going to be a quick meeting with your friends at a café after a football match on a Saturday, you can probably skip the blazer and save your expensive cologne for another occasion. However, if your aperitivo is a date or it takes place at a nicer bar or restaurant, I recommend going for a classic but always appropriate combination of blazer or sport coat and tailored pants. You can play with the accessories to add character to the mix, and to make sure you’re properly dressed for the weather. For instance, if you’re lucky enough to enjoy an aperitivo by the seaside, a light silk scarf might come in handy, and it instantly adds charm to the whole look; a pair of sunglasses will protect your eyes if you’re sipping your drink al fresco while earning you extra cool points (because really, who doesn’t look good in sunglasses?)

My only recommendation is to leave the tie at home – or remove it if you’re going out directly after work: it will make people around you more comfortable, it will show them that you value the leisure time you spend in their company, and that you left behind your work day.

aperitivo styleforum aperitivo style styleforum

Blazer: Sartoria Formosa
Pants: Rota Pantaloni
Shirt: Barba Napoli
Hat: Larose Paris
Scarf: Drake’s
Sunglasses: L.G.R.
Shoes: Barbanera

What do you drink at an aperitivo?

Today, vermouth is no longer the only option when you want to treat yourself to an aperitivo. For the summer months, the most popular drinks are the infamous spritz – a cocktail made of prosecco, Campari, and a splash of sparkling water – and the mojito. White wines are also a valid option, especially if bubbly, and typically every place serves its own aperitivo concoction made of fresh fruit and alcohol. For those who choose not to imbibe, alcohol-free options involve juice-like drinks made of fresh fruit and seltzer water.

During the winter months, the negroni is always a hit, along with red wines and any other cocktail the bar offers.

What do you eat at an aperitivo?

Most places will provide your table with free snacks such as olives, potato chips, and tiny sandwiches to consume while you enjoy your drink. In the past few years, many places adopted the concept of apericena (aperitivo+cena – dinner). With the purchase of one drink, the customer has access to a large buffet that is essentially all-you-can-eat. The selection varies, but it usually consists of cheese and cured meats, pizza, sandwiches, deep fried vegetables, salad, and – occasionally – warm dishes such as pasta and risotto. Apericena are understandably quite popular among young people, since they provide a fulfilling dinner and a drink for less than €10.

If you’re not likely to visit Italy in the immediate future, you’ve still got the chance to enjoy aperitivo in the comfort of your own home – just like I do.

In fact, when I moved to US three years ago I made sure to bring with me a few things I could not live without – the bidet and aperitivo were on top of the list. I will not bore you with the details of the former (maybe that’s going to be Jasper’s next assignment for me), but I can provide you with a list of things you need in order to organize an aperitivo at your own place.

  • Drinks. If you’d like to try your hand at bartending, a spritz is a quick and easy recipe and it’s likely to be appreciated by everyone in your group (but do keep a bottle of wine in the fridge in case a guest asks).
  • Food. If you’re not in the mood to prepare tiny sandwiches and warm dishes, you can just buy plain ingredients and serve them in small cups. Grab some olives from the grocery store – and make sure they’re not pitted and they come from Italy or Spain. Serve them with a plate of your favorite cheese and some cured meats, if you can get them fresh the same day (do NOT buy the packaged types that taste like fat-laden cardboard). Potato chips and similar snacks will work just as fine, especially if you don’t intend this to be your dinner.
  • Pay attention to the setting… Even if it’s just a late afternoon snack, make sure everything looks tidy and pleasant to the eye. Food tastes better when it looks good. Use matching cups and the appropriate glasses for the type of drinks you’re serving. For a full Italian experience, treat your table to a nice, clean tablecloth.
  • …and to the outfit. It would be a shame to present such a lovely table to your guests and not look just as glorious.
  • Repeat. That’s right. Aperitivo is not a special occasion. On the contrary, it is a trivial one, like having coffee after school. It is a time for people to get together and catch up on everything that’s going on in their life, whilst consuming delicious snacks and beverages. Having an aperitivo at your own place is also a wonderful way to save money if you’re on a budget, since it’s way cheaper than having a drink out (and you get to choose the music, which is not of little importance if you, like me, are already sick of Taylor Swift’s latest album blasting out of speakers in any public space).

Naturally, you don’t need to serve wine or cocktails each time; you can get creative and make your own, alcohol-free signature drinks for the aperitivo. It can be as simple as seltzer water with an infusion of citrus fruit and berries, or more elaborate using juice and maraschino cherries to decorate, but I would advise against sodas. As I mentioned at the beginning, aperitivo is a social occasion – and what matters in the end is finding the time to enjoy the company of your friends, your colleagues, your date, or even your partner at the end of a long day.


Food and beverages have the magical power to bring on conviviality; the Romans and the ancient Greeks knew this well, and those who could afford a proper banquet would organize the courses around the topics of conversations that they intended to discuss. The banquet described in the Satyricon by Petronius is a perfect example, with one of the courses being a statue of the fertility god Priapus with the belly filled with saffron-squirting cakes and fruits. Or, think of the power of gathering around the table in Plato’s Symposium, where inebriated men praise the god of love, Eros.

If you’re keen on medieval lore, you’ll certainly know that King Arthur made the round table specifically to encourage conversation and deliver a sense of equality among his knights, so that they all could be served equally and sit equally at its board. Each man’s opinion was therefore equally valuable.

Today, our lifestyles brought us to consider our food as merely either a primary need – thereby consuming our meals quickly in order to be able to return soon to our daily activities – or we focus entirely on the food by experimenting with textures, colors, and flavors, or perhaps calculating those macronutrients. Only during special occasions, such as Christmas or Thanksgiving, or other celebrations, do people and food reconnect to create that special experience that our ancestors so deeply treasured.

The good thing is that we can re-educate ourselves to find balance again, and enjoy company as much as food when the two happen to encounter. You can do so by picking up an exotic custom such as the Italian aperitivo, or you can research yourself the method that best suits your lifestyle and interests.

Whatever your intentions are, bring a good attitude along with a nice bottle and tasty food, and you’ll have the recipe for the best time of your day.

Cin cin!

Member Focus: KamoteJoe

You might be surprised to learn that Streetwear and Denim poster @KamoteJoe didn’t start his journey looking like a photo edit of impossibly cool Japanese brands. We all start somewhere, and Mr. KamoteJoe is no different. Follow along as he describes what brought him to his current, stand-out style, and what he learned along the way.


“Mixing similar shades of color in the same outfit?” was a question I posed to /r/malefashionadvice some 3+ years ago in the middle of my junior spring of college. My other open tabs most likely included TSBMen (now Articles of Style), Put This On, A Continuous Lean, and Fashionbeans. Though I had a penchant for rules and how-to’s, I asked this question because I often broke this “cardinal rule” of mixing blue and black together in my early WAYWT posts, much to the chagrin of others. My then go-to combo were these Black Heschung derbies purchased on ebay for $40 and a Diesel x Self Edge Iron Heart pair found in a Greenwich Village Goodwill for $10. I liked them for rather innocuous reasons: I got them for cheap and people online told me they were from quality brands.

My early interest in clothes originated from two sources: the Styleforum Thrift and Discount Bragging thread and my being in a northeast liberal arts college where oversized fisherman sweaters and vintage Reyn Spooner Hawaiian shirts dotted my peers like a Dunkin’ Donuts on the I-91. Back then, I barely knew what it meant to have a personal style. I was an international student starting a new life in the USA – and culture shock was the best way to describe my confusion with American customs and values. How could I communicate that I was beginning to understand these things? Through clothes of course! I made a habit of checking out the local Goodwill and frequenting ebay for cheaper clothing that allowed me to try All-Black, Vintage Americana, and the MFA uniform. I even started a photoblog with a dear friend as an excuse to skirt more pressing responsibilities. There was so much information out there that I never envisioned being able to narrow the endless possibilities into a concise vision of what I wanted for myself.

The time came for me to pack my belongings and head home to the Bay Area for post-graduate life. Because a “real job” was not waiting for me, I continued this thrifty approach until my breakthrough moment in the fall of 2015. I purchased a Kapital denim ring coat off /r/rawdenim with barely any knowledge of the brand and its offerings. Upon its arrival, I remember spending an hour trying to figure out the button configuration and how the heck I was supposed to wear it. It was the first non-form-fitting jacket I had ever owned and I could have easily passed it on as another expensive mistake in my style journey. But I didn’t bend this time.

Slowly but surely, I began trading my white sneakers, slim button downs, and bombers out for unconventional and wider pieces from more niche labels. One thing led to another and, feeling empowered to build up my wardrobe, I continued to scour Grailed and local consignment stores for the brands I wanted. As my style started changing, the impulse to purchase something based solely due to its label had waned. That’s when I thought to myself So this is what it means to have a personal style. It was no longer a question of what to wear but what would I wear.

To this day, dressing up in the morning is one of the things I look forward to when I wake up. There’s a consistent sense of pleasure that I derive from knowing that I’m wearing some of the best-made clothes out there. If you went and told my 2014 self that “Made in Japan” would dominate the care tags of my clothes, that I only wear slimmer fitting pants on a night out, and that I do not even consider wearing any tailoring except for special occasions, then 2014 me would have probably closed all those clothing tabs and chosen another hobby. It’s been a journey rife with mistakes and mishaps, but my fashion identity would not be what it is without this learning experience.

You’ll notice that my wardrobe leans towards Japanese Americana: Kapital, Engineered Garments, and Nepenthes labels (Needles, South2West8) to name a few. These are clothes that may seem normal from afar but there’s always a detail or two about them that makes them very unique. Kapital’s mantra of wearing clothes that make you happy really resonated with me and it’s made this hobby less about impressing and more about wearing clothes that are an extension of my personality. Looking to the future, I might venture into more Junya and artisanal label territory but I wouldn’t want to make any sort of compromise on my lifestyle because I still buy clothes that are meant to be lived in. What’s a garment without the story that the owner passed onto it? You carry your stories, values, and experiences on the clothes you wear – might as well enjoy them! I am still on an inexplicable honeymoon with clothing that has led me to the most knowledgeable, kind, and genuine people inside and outside this community. I cannot thank the Styleforum community enough for helping me find a unique way of expressing myself.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Outfit Inspiration: SprezzaTrash

SprezzaTrash (or Ethan), as you may know, is a big fan of thrifting and of vintage styles. Most of the time, he’s wearing vintage tailoring, but I liked this outfit in particular because it could have come from just about any decade, and offers a nice blend of vintage styles that still looks contemporary. Ethan suggests that it’s his take on Bryceland’s style, but it might be more recognizable as a take on the late Bill Cunningham’s signature look:

Bill Cunningham – Image c. Fashables.com

That certainly doesn’t take anything away from how nice it looks, of course, and Ethan’s interpretation is a bit more tailored. If you’re familiar with the Teba jacket, the chore jacket operates similarly here, albeit as a slightly more casual choice of outerwear. In any case, this combination also a great base for a casual outfit – the tie can be removed, the derbies swapped out for sneakers, etc.

If you’re looking for a bleu de travail, there are a number of companies that offer them. Vetra offers a very classic, shape, while Carrier Company also produces a work-ready version, though They don’t come pre-worn, however, so if want you want is sweet fades or patching, I’d suggest searching Etsy for bleu de travail, where you’ll be able to find a selection of vintage pieces in varying shades of blue. The rich indigo color is, obviously the draw.

Weekend Reading from Around the Web: August 27, 2017

If you didn’t get a chance to read these pieces, you’re missing out. This weekend, broaden your mind with some diverse writing on men’s fashion.


jun takahashi new york times styleforum weekend reading

Photo: The New York Times

Jun Takahashi: The Sorcerer of Fashion // The New York Times

Gaby Wood explores the world of Japanese artist Jun Takahashi, and places the designer’s personal history alongside that of his brand, Undercover.

Excerpt:

“Undercover’s early shows were run guerrilla-style, in warehouses and parking lots, with friends turning up to model, many of them drunk and argumentative. The press was relegated to the back row, while Takahashi’s cohort of fans sat in front, on the floor.”


riki brockman styleforum weekend reading

Photo: GQ

Meet Riki Brockman, the Future of Savile Row // GQ

In June, Riki Brockman, a relative newcomer to Savile Row, won the 25th Golden Shears. His is a name you’ll no doubt see more in the coming years, so take this chance to familiarize yourself with his background if you haven’t already. 

Excerpt:

“Outside of work I wear ripped jeans, a cap and a bomber jacket, and I suppose I don’t look like a traditional cutter from Savile Row. I love making suits and the tradition, but it doesn’t dictate who I am or how I dress. There are rules to tailoring, but as long it’s made from tailored cloth, it’s tailored.”


Stefano Ricci styleforum weekend reading

Photo: Stefano Ricci

Heritage And Fine Craftsmanship With Stefano Ricci And The $100,000 Bag // Forbes

In the world of menswear, heritage and tradition have become as sought after as brand names, if not more so, and luxury brands have begun to struggle with how best to preserve their history. In this piece, read about Stefano Ricci’s take on balancing the modern and innovative with the traditional.

Excerpt:

“In 2009, Stefano Ricci purchased the silk factory which fittingly dates back to the 14th century. Just as the process of the cocoon of the worm fed with mulberry leads to the silk fabric itself, innovation continues with the considerable work of experienced hands and the unique formation of the very often made-to-measure cloths to fulfill the desires  of the most refined clientele. Indeed, how a company manages it’s skilled artisans can tell you a lot about the state of its stability and progression.”


Photo: Jack Nichol

‘Extreme ironing’ adds challenging wrinkle to a simple hike // KOMO news

Have you ever considered dragging an ironing board out into the middle of the wilderness? No? Well, consider it.

Excerpt:

“We were immediately faced with the problem of getting the ironing board out of the hotel through the lobby, which Paul solved by wrapping a coat around the board, and his arm around the coat, as if he were walking his ‘date’ to dinner.”

Great Styleforum Classifieds Listings

If you haven’t checked our B&S section recently, you’re missing out. Here are some great Styleforum classifieds listings that offer great style and great value.


Suits

Pal Zilieri Sartoriale summer suit, sz. 36 – 575 GBP

Brunello Cucinelli 100% Fine Wool Tweed 2-Piece Suit Size 50/40 US – $650

Orazio Luciano wool mohair suits, sz. 48 – $850

Eidos Navy Solaro suit, sz 36 – $630

 

SEE MORE SUITS


Shoes

Carlos Santos field boots, sz. UK 7.5 – $335

Alden unlined tan LHS, size 7.5D – 200

J. Fitzpatrick Madison penny loafer, size 8.5 – $180

Zespa ZSP4, size 42 – $100

Epaulet MTO museum calf trainers, size 10.5 – $225

Gaziano & Girling ‘Sinatra’ wholecut, sz. 11UK – $829

Eidos x Christian Kimber suede chukka boots, sz. 11.5 – $175

 

SEE MORE SHOES


Sport Coats

Corneliani wool/silk/linen SC, size 42L – $359

Isaia jackets x2, s. 46 and 48 – $95

Sartoria Partenopea white sport coat, peak lapesl. Sz. 36r – $350

Ring Jacket grey sport coat, sz 44-46 – $250

Eidos windowpane sport coat w/suede elbow patches, sz. 38 – $290

 

SEE MORE SPORT COATS


Outerwear

Brunello Cucinelli wool/cashmere/silk DB quilted jacket, sz. XL – $540

Engineered Garments long mac/rain coat, sz. M – $190 

Luigi Bianchi Mantova basketweave overcoat, sz. 56 – $445

Incarnation black leather jacket, sz. M – $1,350

 

SEE MORE OUTERWEAR


Accessories and Cloth

Ties: EG Capelli, Drake’s, Panta, Tie Your Tie, Yellow Hook, Marinella – $85

 

CARLO BARBERA, LOVAT MILLS, ZEGNA, PORTER AND HARDING, WILLIAM HALSTEAD CLOTH – $70

Ermenegildo shepherd’s check cloth, 2.5m – $250

 

SEE MORE ACCESSORIES

Grenadine Fabric: History, Tradition, and Ties

There is no question that grenadine ties have become a staple in many wardrobes: they brighten up a dull outfit with their particular texture, they rarely collide with other patterns, and they are an excellent option when you’re unsure about the accessory to choose.

But what exactly is grenadine?

First of all, grenadine is a small miracle of sartorial tradition, since its making employs, even today, machines that originated in England during the Industrial Revolution – or their direct descendants.

Grenadine fabric is produced with a gauze-style weave, often referred to as a Leno or Cross weave. It involves two warp yarns twisted around the weft yarns in order to provide a strong yet sheer fabric. The structure is similar to the English gauze bobbinet tulle; bobbinet tulle was the first machine-made gauze to be produced, when John Heathcoat invented the bobbinet machine (also called Old Loughborough) in 1808.

However, everyone knows original grenadine is produced exclusively in Como, a small town in northern Italy you may have heard of because rich celebrities do love a mansion overlooking a beautiful lake.

The wooden looms used in Como to produce grenadine weaves are usually referred to as Jacquard looms, but they are in fact descendants of the English gauze machine invented by John Heathcoat – only upgraded to produce a more elaborate weave. Even the Italian word for grenadine is a tribute to the English gauze: “Garza a giro inglese” means “English weave gauze”, and the two varieties of grenadine are respectively referred to as Garza fine (or Garza piccola) and Garza grossa.

It’s not clear how this technique travelled from the Old Blighty all the way down to Como, but it seems to have passed through France:

“Lyon: an important French center for silk machine laces. […] A fierce competition begun between France and Britain: the English inventions – the Warp Frame (1775) the organ barrel for automatic patterns (1780) and Dawson wheels, also for patterning (1807) – were quickly copied in France, while the English were also quick to apply the French Jaquard. In 1885 an old Loughborough was smuggled across the Channel. In England, Heatcoat had used these machine for cotton nets. In France, because of import restrictions on cotton, silk was used, with great success, and nets such as Meklin, tulle illusion, and black grenadine were soon being made.”1

The Industrial Revolution and two wars played a crucial role in shaping the economies of many countries of what todays is known as the European Union – and the history of many traditions born in the 20th century are certainly worth researching and upholding.

Como’s tradition of silk-making, however, dates back to the 16th century, when the Duke of Milan – under whose jurisdiction Como fell at the time – made the decision to promote sericulture. At first, Como established itself as a crucial part of the initial process of silk-making through the breeding of silkworms and the yard spinning, whilst the weaving process used to be almost exclusively executed in other European cities (Lyon above all).

Only in the 20th century and especially after WWII did Como become the sovereign maker of silk in all aspects of its process – from sericulture to the spinning of the yarns. Other European cities did not survive the aftermath of the wars and ceased to be textile centers, propeling Italy – specifically Northern and Central Italy, and the centers of Como, Biella, and Prato – towards a second Renaissance of the textile production.

Today, sericulture is no longer part of the silk-making process that happens in Italy, due to the elevated costs of an activity that cannot be supported by technology and remains reliant on principally human labor in a hands-on job. In modern days, the silk yarns come from China or Brazil, and they are dyed and woven in Italy.


Fermo Fossati and Seteria Bianchi are perhaps the most renowned and appreciated makers of grenadine in Como.

The former is the oldest silk-making company in Italy – the third oldest in Europe after the British Vanners and Stephen Walters & Sons. They have been associated with neckties since the early 1900’s, when ties made their appearance as an accessory to embellish the necks of European gentlemen.

However, you might be more familiar with Seteria Bianchi, which produced the fabrics for the Brioni jackets worn by Daniel Craig in 007 Casino Royale. If you’re a car aficionado, you might know that Seteria Bianchi also provided Mercedes Benz with the interiors of the concept car F125. The list of prestigious clients goes on, culminating with Sartoria Gammarelli, which is the official supplier of clothes for the Church and, by extension, the Pope. On their website, they state that they can provide over 100,000 patterns for their fabrics, and that the selection of textiles is just as broad; they even offer a mind-blowing textile fiber made of silk wrapped in pure gold.

Ettore Bianchi, the former owner of the Seteria, wrote the International Dictionary of Textiles, published in Italian in 1997, from which I took the liberty to translate “grenadine” (“Garza a giro inglese”): “A fabric quite common in the past, now forgotten, which was employed to make shirts and colonial uniforms in Tropical areas due to its incredible breathability. The fabric employed is cotton, and the weave is an English gauze in which two warp yarns are twisted around the weave and around the weft. The weight is between 150 and 250 gr/m2, but the open gauze weave makes it a quite light and breathable fabric that is excellent in presence of harsh climates such that of the Tropics. This fabric has been also employed to produce curtains.2


There is still much for me to discover about this incredible fabric, and my sources in the United States are limited to what I can find on the Internet. I am certainly going to research the topic further the next time that I return to Italy, and I hope I’ll be able to provide even more details about grenadine and its history when I get the chance to talk with those who make it.

Or, perhaps we should just enjoy the beauty of grenadine and only wonder what brought it to us throughout the centuries of textile traditions in Europe. Sometimes I am torn between the desire to acquire knowledge and to indulge in the poetry that lies in the unknown.

The Romantics felt outraged by Isaac Newton’s theory of light, as they thought he stripped poetry out of the rainbow; the moment magic had a name and an explanation, it stopped being inspiring. The recent solar eclipse made me reflect on this exact thought; we all knew what was coming and why, but perhaps in our knowledge we missed the poetry of the event. Darkness overcoming light, only to let light forcefully shine again – so bright that the human eye cannot even stare at it.

“Philosophy will clip an angel’s wings,” reads one of the most beautiful poems of our era.

For the time being, let us enjoy the things we don’t know, even if it is just the obscure history of a woven fabric coming from a distant, lake-side city in Italy.

vanda styleforum grenadine tie grenadine fabric


1. P. Earnshaw: A Dictionary of Lace (Dover Knitting, Crochet, Tatting, Lace), Dover Publication, 2012, p. 103.

2. E. Bianchi: Dizionario internazionale dei Tessuti, Tessile di Como, 1999.

Great Styleforum Member Outfits, Aug. 7-21

It’s hard to look good in the heat of summer. When August rolls around, most of us are more concerned with avoiding the heat or dreaming of autumn collections than we are with staying put together. That’s not the case for all of our members, though. As you’ll see from this gallery of great Styleforum member outfits, the best among us manage to look great no matter the month. Whether you’re interested in Classic Menswear, Streetwear & Denim, or a combination of the two, we hope you’ll find some inspiration in the photos below – enough, at least, to take you through to the changing leaves.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

How to Dress like Cleav

cleav outfit inspiration styleforum dress like cleav styleforum

Our man @Cleav dresses the way that many users of Styleforum aspire to dress: impeccably, gentlemanly, and fuss-free from head to toe. This week, I want to focus on an outfit he recently shared that shows off how strong a relatively simple combination can be when it’s put together perfectly.

First of all, @Cleav’s suit exemplifies why navy is still a men’s wardrobe essential. Paired here with a striped shirt, earthy-red tie, and split-toe derby shoes, it shines purely on the merits of the perfect fit, and is complemented – rather than overshadowed – by the accessories @Cleav has chosen. While this is certainly a more conservative combination than most of what is now shown on Instagram feeds or in Pitti write-ups, many beginners nonetheless struggle to understand that you don’t necessarily need a more complex outfit to stand out. In fact, part of what distinguishes @Cleav is that his outfit choices are consistently executed to perfection, without the distractions of gaudy fabrics, experimental cuts, or overbearing accessories.

Of course, in order to look as good as @Cleav does, you need to make sure your suit fits perfectly, you need to know how to choose a shirt that’s not too busy, and you need to know when a loud accessory is unnecessary. When you’ve managed all that, you’re left with a foundation that’s not just versatile, but sharp enough to pay respect to both the wearer and whatever event he happens to be attending.

Bravo to Cleav, for showing the rest of us how it’s done.

 


Note: this article has been corrected as of 8/21 to reflect that @Cleav is wearing a navy suit, not charcoal as originally written.

 

Buying Jeans for a Tailored Wardrobe

The ‘blazer and jeans’ look is as common today as it ever has been, championed by retailers and social media accounts of all sorts. Most commonly, you’ll see narrow black blazers paired with narrow black denim or torn jeans, or you’ll find true dad-wear diehards wearing stonewashed Levi’s with too-big sport coats. On the other side of the spectrum are Styleforum’s SW&D posters, who have long been sharing less rigid and rule-bound takes on the same combination.

However, if you fall more on the Classic Menswear side of things, don’t lose heart. There is certainly – perhaps more so now than ever – a segment of the denim market in which you can find some very versatile jeans for a tailored wardrobe. If that sounds like you, here are several considerations you’ll want to keep in mind when you’re shopping for denim, along with some tips from Styleforum members to send you on your way.


1. What to Consider

Remember that Jeans are Jeans

First and foremost: jeans are not trousers. The key to wearing them with tailored clothing is understanding that they don’t need to be forced into a role as stand-ins for trousers, but that they offer new and different styling possibilities for your wardrobe. If you think that jeans are too casual to be worn with tailored clothing, then you’ll likely be happier if you stick with trousers than you would be trying to force denim into your wardrobe.

Consider the cut

Before you consider the hem width or color of your jeans, make sure that you’re keeping an eye on the rise. Are you planning to tuck in your shirt? If so, you’ll want to stay away from low-rise jeans, which will result in untucked shirts and unsightly bulges at the crotch and belt line. If your tastes tend toward the classic, you’ll probably want to look for a ‘medium rise,’ as most men’s jeans won’t be marked as a ‘high rise’ (if you’re looking for explicitly high-rise denim, your best bet is to search Western and Cowboy supply stores for brands such as Lee and Wrangler). This has the added benefit of making your jeans resemble trousers more closely in silhouette, which means that if you’re sticking with your classic clothing, it will be easier to work denim into your wardrobe.

Determining hem width

Do you plan to wear your jeans with espadrilles and camp collar shirts? With loafers and a polo? With chunky, English footwear and a sport coat? This will help you do decide on the inseam length and hem width that you prefer. I suggest not going wider than 8-8.5″, as denim has its own characteristics and quickly starts to look sloppy when overly wide.

For example, you’re looking for a pair of jeans to wear in the summertime, consider a cream fabric hemmed to no break, as these will pair well with loafers. If you plan to wear them with chukkas in the fall and winter seasons, a longer inseam and some tasteful stacking will look nice.

Similarly, too-narrow jeans may look at home in a streetwear context, but be out of place in a more traditional getup.

Fabric

Texture is as important in denim as it is when choosing trousers. Wearing thin, uninteresting denim that doesn’t stand out won’t necessarily elevate your look – however, pronounced slubbiness or neppiness may not be what you want either. The latter fabrics can be difficult to dissociate from their rugged, workcloth origins, and don’t necessarily pair well with tailored clothing, while the former can read as bland and unconsidered.

There’s no specific ‘best’ denim for wearing with tailored clothing, but I prefer to err on the side of textured. This limits the chances that you’ll look like a boring office drone.

What about the color?

My personal opinion is that very dark jeans look silly with sport coats and a tucked-in shirt, as they go too far in aping the look of trousers and instead ignore the characteristics of denim. Jeans are not a formal garment, even in this informal world, and that’s not changed by pairing them with more formal clothing. A highly-textured denim can alleviate this effect somewhat.

Obviously, you may choose to go the raw route, and wear your jeans until they’re distressed to your tastes. Otherwise I’d suggest looking for a light to medium-dark blue, depending on the look you’re after. Faded indigo is a lovely color, and works very nicely with tailored jackets in a way that navy trousers can’t.

There are also more and more makers offering tasteful washes, should you prefer your jeans pre-washed.

To cuff or not to cuff

There’s no right answer here. Generally, I recommend avoiding thick, heavy cuffs – a single cuff or micro-cuff can look nice, but this depends greatly on the width of the hem and the shoe you’re wearing. Here are some examples that I think look good, followed by others that I think miss the mark. Ultimately, the choice is up to you.

A note on alterations

Don’t be afraid to hem or taper your jeans, the way you would alter any other garment. They’re still an off-the-rack garment, so the chances that anything you find will fit you or your tastes perfectly are as slim as they are in any other case. For example, Levi’s had so many customers request that the legs of their 501 jeans be tapered that they introduced a new fit, the 501 CT. Keep that in mind if you’re looking through thrift stores for the perfect, already-broken-in wash.

However, don’t get too precious – remember, jeans aren’t trousers, and part of what makes denim pleasant is its innately unkempt, casual feel.


2. Brands to try

The following are brands that offer denim in cuts amenable to tailoring or to a more classic wardrobe. Keep in mind that there are many, many others – a cruise through most of the Italian RTW brands on Yoox will net endless results. Levi’s offers numerous budget options, and would be my choice if you’re looking to keep costs down, but if you have the cash to spare there are far nicer options available.

Levi’s

Japan Blue Jeans

Orslow

Kapital

The Armoury


3. Member Tips

Lots of people have already figured out what works for them. Like other members, I happen to think that dark denim worn with a dark, office-ready blazer is a strange look. Here are some selected tips and impressions. For more, check out the Sport Coats and Jeans thread. I’d also direct you to our contributor Mitch, who nails the blazer-and-jeans look.

“I think the best way is to just throw it on and think no more of it. A very casual jacket helps of course.”

– E.F.V.

“I don’t do the denim+SC look often – I generally prefer chinos – but I do think it can work. When I’ve done it in the past I’ve usually reached for gray tweed, brown flannel, tan linen, things like that (depending on the weather). I’ve never tried the navy on navy, I just haven’t felt good about it whenever I looked in the mirror.”

– Brillopad

“It helps to have awesome hair. Or some interesting detail so it doesn’t feel like ‘I just got home from the office but only had time to change half of my outfit before going out to dinner.'”

– ChetB

“I’ve debated this with folks here before, but I think for all but the tallest of dudes, jackets worn with odd pants generally and jeans particularly should be shorter than a standard suit jacket. If this isn’t done, the jacket makes the look top-heavy and dumpy. One inch minimum, probably no more than two.”

– Sugarbutch