The Anatomy of a Formal Shirt

Posted on June 25, 2017 by Styleforum Editors

Alexander Kabbaz is a Alexander Kabbaz is a custom shirt maker, clothier, and haberdasher. his article originally appeared on CustomShirt1.com and has been adapted and edited for the Styleforum Journal.

Over the past 40 years of dressing ladies and gentlemen, we’ve found the majority of formal events take place in the Spring, with April/May/June being the height of the season. Of course, weddings will continue to happen throughout the year, and you may be called upon to wear formal clothing well before the weather cools off. In this article, I’ll cover the anatomy of a formal shirt, paying special attention to summer variations in both garments and style.

Number One for Men: formal dressing has Rules with a capital R!

Number Two for Men: dressing has Rules … the top one on my list being Comfort with a capital C. So how do we accomplish Rule Two without making Emily Post turn over in her grave,all the while observing the other Capital C – Caveat?

This line from old friend and renowned menswear scribe G. Bruce Boyer sheds some light on the answer: “…find freedom within the rules. Anyone can be different because it’s easy to be outrageous. The trick is to be just that bit different.”

When you’re attending a formal occasion, remember this: just about the only garments that will be noticed are your shirt, tie, and cummerbund if you wear one. Why? Everything else will be basic black or midnight blue and will be the same as every other monkey suit in the room. So pay attention to what can be different: your shirt. Unless you’re part of a style-dictated wedding party, good taste virtually mandates that the body of your shirt be white. Yes, you’ll see pink ones and blue ones and teal ones and grey ones with pink pique, blue ruffles or grey pleats. However, if you’re past the age when your high school prom was the ultimate concern on your list, leave the colored shirts to the 12th Graders. Start with a white shirt body. What should the shirt body be made of? Here is where the most important of seasonal differences arise.

The Fabric

You have two basic choices: standard poplin/broadcloth or lightweight, breathable voile. Does it matter? Only in terms of the top-on-my-list rule 2: comfort.

Face it: most tuxedos, tails, and the like are hot. They’re black. They’re generally made from a substantial 10-12 oz wool. And you usually don’t take them off and show the whole shirt … at least until everyone’s had sufficient liquid refreshment so as not to notice the fabric of your shirt body. Were it my choice and were I not in the Yukon, I’d have two shirts: one voile body for Spring/Summer and one broadcloth for Fall/Winter. Can’t go for two? Get the voile. Even in winter, the jacket will offer sufficient warmth no matter what the shirt fabric. (Click here for more fabric information.)

The Bosom

We have a box here just above my cutting table labeled “Unique Bosoms.” Most folks coming into our studio give me that ‘you’re a dirty old man’ look and assume it’s my porn collection. Actually, the shirt maker’s term for the decorative front of a formal shirt is “bosom.” Now that what there was of my dignity is restored, let’s discuss bosoms without gawk or giggle.

Will you be wearing a cummerbund? A vest? Nothing but trousers? How much of your shirt will show determines how long the bosom needs to be. You’ll need to know how long the distance is from the bottom of your collar band down to whichever garment (vest or cummerbund or trousers) will cover the bottom of the decorative bosom of your shirt. Then, make the bosom 1″ to 1.5″ longer, ensuring no peek-a-boo ‘twixt bosom and the lower, unadorned shirt front. Why not have the bosom go all the way to the shirt bottom? Because the bosom is bulky and thicker than the plain shirt body. Aside from the discomfort of this heavy material down there, the additional bulk will do its best to push back up out of your trousers, creating unsightly wrinkles in the shirt front.

Here’s where formal shirts get to be fun – at least for me. So share my joy! Let’s start with the basics: do you want the front to be pleated, or would you prefer the more subtle pique look? One important note: if the shirt is to be worn with tails (i.e. with a morning coat, or a tail coat – properly termed a “swallowtail coat”), pique is the only acceptable and very, very, very much preferred front. Did I say Very Much?

There is also a Summer/Winter factor here. Pique, no matter which form thereof, is generally heavy. It will be covering most of the front of your torso so, again, if you can go for two shirts, pleats can be made of broadcloth or voile. Get one with a voile body and voile pleats for the warmer weather.

Pleats

Come in at no fewer than dozens, if not hundreds, of different variations. At least they do at a good custom shirtmaker. The most standard is a very traditional 1/2″ pleat with 8-12 of them on each side of the front. There are 1/4″ pleats, 1/8″ pleats, even smaller ones we call “pin tucks.” There are pleats which vary in size called “variopintuck.” There are pleats designed with a complimentary set of smaller pleats to be used in the shirt’s center front.

And yes … there are colored pleats. Reds, blues, black & white. There are white pleats with sparkly trim. There are pleats with metallic threads intertwined. There are white pleats with interspersed colored rows. Suffice it to say you should have a wide choice of pleats, and in addition to the traditional hand-made pleats, many weavers such as Switzerland’s Alumo offer stylized pre-made bosoms.

Having had the privilege for decades of creating Leonard Bernstein’s “formal” (he called them “conducting”) shirts, our repertoire of pleats and our variety of piques grew to be rather enormous. We actually have boxes labeled ‘Unique Bosoms II”, “Unique Bosoms III” and more – but for the reasons outlined above I now store these in a couple of drawers.

Pique

The most basic, traditional, often-seen pique is called “birdseye.” Why, you may wonder. Because, son, the little itty-bitty pique thingies are shaped like birds eyes. Duh!

Is that it? Of course not! There are square piques. There are basket-weave piques. There are cord piques (picture narrow-wale corduroy). Actually, there are some really interesting piques for folks like us who look at them through magnifying glasses.

Don’t fret if your shirt maker has only the standard birdseye. Stand back 18″ and you’ll never know the difference. Reminder: wearing tails? Select a pique.

Shirt Body

When it comes to the seasonal appropriateness of your formal shirt body, there are other warm weather fabric alternatives to consider. I have at times made a voile shirt body, the bosom of which was nothing more than another layer of voile cut in the shape of a round-bottom bosom and stitched onto the shirt front with two parallel rows of stitches. Very plain and tasteful, the additional outline layer of voile adds little in terms of warmth and breathes beautifully. Although voile cannot be used to imitate pique for a black tie shirt, there are a number of looser square basketweaves available which can. These don’t have the extremely tight and thick, hot construction of birdseye pique and will breath more than their heavier counterpart. In this case, one could even consider using a royal oxford. Its highly lustrous little “diamonds” would well-imitate the desired look and, again, will breath much better than the traditional birdseye.

Front Closure

While we’re still on the shirt front, let’s deal with the studs/button issue. You have three basic choices: studs, buttons, or concealed closure (also called “fly-front”).

The most acceptable option is studs. Let’s return to that measurement you took from your collar band to the bottom of the bosom. Was it 15″ or less? 3 studs will suffice. More than 15″? Spring for the additional, fourth stud. If you don’t, you’ll have too much space between the last stud and the bottom of the bosom. The shirt front will gap open. Studs require advance decision-making: your shirt maker must make holes in both the left and right fronts to accommodate the studs.

There is a “cheating” alternative: specify the shirt for studs, then ask your maker to provide a “button strip” with small black mother-of-pearl shank buttons. This is a narrow strip of fabric adorned with black shank buttons which imitate studs. The wearer can use it when choosing not to use his studs or when traveling to places where the value of jewelry is a concern.

The second alternative is to use buttons as on a regular shirt. Ugh – this ain’t a regular shirt.

The final choice is concealed buttons. Personally, I’ve never understood that one. You’ve got these wonderful nature-made iridescent mother-of-pearl buttons – the absolute top of the button food-chain – and you’re gonna hide them? Whatever for?

Cuffs

Of course a formal shirt has French cuffs. Right? Wrong!Although French cuffs are sort of (severe nose curl here) acceptable on a shirt for wearing with a tux, they are absolutely, definitely not acceptable for a shirt meant to be worn with tails.

Instead, opt for single link cuffs. They have only two holes. They do not fold over. They are the first cuff ever used on a shirt (back in the day, they were tied closed with a string through the two holes). They are the most formal cuff. They are the most comfortable cuff.

Let’s do some name dropping here: Leonard Bernstein wore only them. Tom Wolfe wore only them.

Personally, I prefer them on all but my casual shirts if for nothing more than their understated elegant appearance and unparalleled pure comfort. Have I sold you yet?

The Collar

Let the arguments begin!

Which is the proper collar to wear with a tux? With tails? In the morning? Evening? For the type of occasion?

The wing (properly called batwing) collar is the correct one to wear with a tailcoat. You’d look rather ignorant in a tailcoat with a turndown collar. However, a turndown collar can be worn with a tuxedo. Furthermore, a properly made batwing collar can be as beautiful and distinctive as it is tasteful and flattering.

Back to Rule Two: Comfort. If you’re uncomfortable in a wing collar, then have your (not for tails) formal shirt made with a turndown collar.

Planning to use the same shirt for both tux and tails? Have the shirt made with two, detachable collars. They’re a bit of a pain-in-the-ass to work with, but that way you can have one shirt fill two purposes. You’ll have no choice but to select the pique (or previously discussed pique alternative) front if you are going to use the same shirt for tux and tails.

There are two final but important things to remember: one, the bow-tie needs a bit of tie space to sit properly with a turndown collar, so make it a semi-spread. Two… and the most often answered question: Tuck the “wings” of a batwing collar behind the bow tie. The only time to leave the wings up above the tie is never.

The Basics Make You Proper

This is a word used more often when discussing men’s formal dress than when discussing anything else in the universe of menswear. Were I to show three men the same wing collar, I can virtually guarantee that one would consider it perfect; the second would blanche at the “too large wings;” the third would wonder why I had made the wings so small. And the first guy who considered it perfect? That’s on a good day!

In short, observe the basics of formalwear: Tuxedo. Appropriate shoes. Cufflinks. A shirt made for the occasion. Beyond that? Be yourself. Be comfortable in your clothes. And once you’ve checked yourself out in the mirror, forget what you’re wearing and enjoy the party!

Alternative Outfit Inspiration from Pitti Uomo

Posted on June 25, 2017 by Jasper Lipton

Do you know how difficult it is to find a purple blazer that doesn’t come with a picture of Prince on its accompanying costume box? It’s certainly not easy, and that’s one of the reasons I really love this photo for a bit of alternative summer inspiration. Combined with the grey band-collar popover, it’s a really nice, washed-out color combination that’s eye-catching in a good way – and a far cry from the garish neon colors that are no doubt on display on the wall just out of sight. It’s interesting – to me – how much of Pitti has inflitrated Styleforum and is now seen as normal, and I don’t think it’s a bad thing. In the USA, men’s tailoring gets more relaxed every year, and it’s nice to see an outfit that makes you excited about tailored wear, rather than bored. This is relaxed, it’s worn well, and even the lilac straw hat doesn’t look out of place – because come on, it’s Pitti.

I’ve said it before a million times, but there are countless well-dressed men at Pitti, and that includes those who dress well outside the confines of the very real Styleforum Groupthink. It’s a pity that the only ones who get the press continue to be the peacocks, especially as the shift in the last few seasons has been towards streetwear peacocks – a different subspecies, I suppose, but an equally boring one.

Perhaps what I like best about the photo, though, is that it shows one of style’s real truths: it’s more about how you wear the clothes than what you’re wearing, and less about centimeter-perfect fit from top to bottom. When you meet stylish people at Pitti, they come across as stylish not across the main plaza of the Fortezza, but in conversation. This man’s at home in his clothing, and you should be too.

1. Barneys wool-silk piqué sport coat

2. Eidos linen band-collar popover from Unionmade

3. Luxire cotton twill trousers

4. Edward Green “Portland” tasseled loafers from Mr. Porter

5. White/Brown cotton and silk square from Drake’s

6. Oliver Peoples ‘Delray’ sunglasses

Styleforum Member Instagram Inspiration

Posted on June 22, 2017 by Styleforum Editors

Styleforum’s wide-ranging community isn’t active only on Styleforum.net. You might know that we’re also active on Instagram, and that we often feature Styleforum members who use the hashtag #styleforum. Direct from our feed, here’s some Styleforum member Instagram Inspiration.

This month, we reached into the vault to collect the 18 most-liked outfit photos from the Styleforum Instagram page. All of these great looks were found under the #styleforum tag, and one was the feature of a Styleforum Member Focus. If that sounds like something you’re interested in, make sure you’re tagging us in your own outfit posts (and following us, of course).

Which of the below is your favorite?

What My Father Taught Me About Clothing

Posted on June 21, 2017 by Peter Zottolo

My father had a routine before every Memorial. An hour or two before leaving, he’d take out a shoebox and begin layering newspapers on the table. Out of the shoebox came two tins of Kiwi shoe wax, a brush, and an old shirt. After daubing a bit of black on a clean spot on the shirt, he’d swirl the wax on the leather while the shoe sat on the newspapers. After a few minutes, he’d take the other shoe and repeat the process on the other shoe. Returning to the first, he’d brush it until it reached a dull shine, then on to the second, and finish by grabbing the shirt with his hands on both ends and buff the toe and vamp to a high gloss.

“At least once a year,” he proclaimed, “you should shine your shoes.”

To his credit, my father never shared my enthusiasm for menswear. He didn’t care who made his suit, what kind of leather his shoes were, or if his shirt was Sea Island cotton; provenance didn’t concern him. What did matter, as evidenced by virtually every memory I have of my father in a suit over the years, was simplicity and propriety.

He always wore a white shirt. In later years he ventured into blues and light greys, but they were always solid. Ties were never too skinny or fat, trousers never too narrow or wide, jackets never too short or long. Mostly, the ties were solid silk twill. Once, I found a black velvet tie with yellow flowers in his closet that I had never seen him wear. For a split second I had a vision of my dad as one of All The Young Dudes on Barnaby Street in Cuban heels and bellbottoms. When I asked him about it, he shrugged indifferently.

“I think I wore that once, but it wasn’t me. You can have it.”

No, velvet was not my dad. Neither were bellbottoms, Cuban heels, leisure suits, polyester prints, beads, or anything else that ever pushed the envelope. Even at his most rebellious spell as a teenager, his craziest outfits were comprised of Levi’s 501s and sweatshirts or Ocean Pacific shorts and t-shirts, which he still wears today. Footwear was a pair of dress shoes, a pair of work boots, and flip flops. That’s it. His closet was lean, practical, basic.

Every year as we grew my parents would take us shopping to get new jeans, so when the faded jeans fad arrived, we felt out of style. My dad’s jeans, though, looked just like them. I remember asking him how he got them like that – were they stonewashed? Acid washed? Blasted?

“I just wear them and wash them,” he replied. The concept of wearing something for years is understandably foreign to a growing child, but now that I think about it, those jeans were probably as old as I was at the time. In fact, I don’t remember my father ever buying new jeans. He’d just wear what he had until it fell apart.

During my late teens I went through a skater phase, when Jive ruled the world and pants had leg openings big enough to cover your suede Pumas. At this point my dad stopped telling me what to wear, but he did warn me: “One of these days,” he’d say, “when you dress normal again, you’re going to look back and laugh.”

I can truthfully say that day has come.

Today, I have a shoebox of my own, and shine my shoes before every Memorial. As it turns out, I now wear jeans and flannels to work like my father did. In fact, a large part of my closet reflects what my father taught me about clothing. While it’s true that the sheer volume of clothes I have could dress an entire football team, the players would all look pretty much the same: properly conventional.

My dad always had a solid tie in his closet, something that I find myself reaching for probably more often than I should. Almost all of my shirts are plain, white or blue, with one yellow and one pink for when it’s sunny and I feel audacious. The striped shirts I do have are also blue. Most of my suits are solid colors, and my sport coats are all in a varying shade of brown. None of my dress clothes are terribly exciting. I have only one pair of what might be considered “nice” jeans, but everything else is years old, missing buttons, starting to get holes, or already patched.

If my dad were to look in my closet, he’d shake his head at the size of it. He’d laugh when I showed him the difference between the collar roll of an unlined Brooks Brothers oxford cloth shirt and an Italian-made one. He’d shrug in indifference at the clean, taped seams inside a bespoke jacket, or the buttoned cuffs of a locally-made trouser. He’s just a no-fuss kind of guy, and he’d probably think my interest borders on the obsessive. But I’d wager he’d wear everything in my closet, not realizing how much it mirrors his.

At least I’d like to think so. I should ask him. what my father taught me about clothing styleforum dad style styleforum

Member Focus: Upr_Crust

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Styleforum Editors

One of Styleforum’s best-known and longest-serving members, Upr_Crust can often be found in 3-piece suits, looking about as elegant as a man can look. Here, he talks about the reasons behind his interest in menswear, and what led to the development of his own style.

I cannot remember a time in my life when I was not interested in clothing, perhaps first inspired by my father, who was fearless in what he wore, though perhaps at times he rushed in where proper sartorialists feared to tread (the 1960’s and 1970’s have much to answer for in such matters).

My tastes were refined by my exposure to New York (I moved to New York, poor as a church mouse, when I was 24), and by my first husband, a stock broker by profession, and a sharp dresser, with more means than my schoolteacher father to express himself sartorially. It was his taste that informed mine, certainly exposing me to better sources for menswear, and changing my perception of what constituted proper attire.

As I established myself in my professional career, my wardrobe benefited from greater means, and from international travel – London was my first overseas destination, and is still one of my favorite foreign haunts. There is a strong Anglophilic element to my sense of style, the byproduct of over 30 years of visits to the UK.

Like many who develop an interest in menswear, part of the impetus for dressing well was visual defense – I was, at one time, about 35 to 40 pounds heavier than I am now. I needed all the means at my disposal to best disguise my excess avoirdupois. Conversely, when I began to lose weight, and particularly after the death of my first husband eight years ago, I had to un-learn a view of myself as an overweight person, which had a beneficial effect on both my appearance, and on my self-regard.

I started posting photos of myself on Styleforum on a regular basis shortly after the death of my first husband, which was both a form of therapy, and a source of some initial shock, as I was informed, at times in no uncertain terms, that I was not quite the well-dressed person I imagined myself to be. I learned from the criticisms (at least those with which I agreed), and have continued to post here, with perhaps unnerving regularity, to this very day.

The process of photographing oneself on a regular basis does make one more acutely aware of the details of one’s appearance. The mirror can be a shameless flatterer; a photograph (or a set of them) can be more truthful. I have enjoyed the dialogue between my inner self and my appearance; the daily act of snapping shots of myself has helped me focus on the details of my attire (and has cost me much in both alteration fees, and in new suits).

My style is, for this day and age, very formal. I like the visual vocabulary of wearing a suit and tie, and all of the detailing that can accompany it. Perhaps I am like the ermine, at my visual best in the winter, when it is cold, rather than the summer, when the ermine is just another long-haired rodent, and I am just another New Yorker, attempting to survive bouts of boiling heat waiting for a subway car, wearing as little as possible.

A very long time ago, when I was a painting major at the Rhode Island School of Design (until I woke up), I learned that you have to have respect for the material with which you make art – to appreciate the qualities of a piece of wood or stone from which one would make art, and to work with those qualities. I think that I have done the same with my personal style, working with my natural rather professorial mien (both of my parents were schoolteachers – there was no escape from that).

I have taken great pleasure from posting on Styleforum, and have had the pleasure of meeting a number of other regular posters. I look forward to continuing with this for as long as I something to contribute to these forums.

Pitti Uomo Outfit Inspiration from Andreas Klow

Posted on June 18, 2017 by Styleforum Editors

This week, I thought it would be fun to take some Pitti Uomo outfit inspiration from Andreas Klow, who has been our photographer in Florence for Pitti Uomo 92. In particular, I quite like this picture – not one he took, but one he’s in, so that we can see how the photographer himself dresses. Of course, he’s in good company: he’s standing next to Simon Crompton of Permanent Style and Greg Lellouche of SF affiliate No Man Walks Alone, both of whom are some of the better-dressed men at Pitti each season, but he’s holding his own very well.

I also like that this picture shows one of the big draws of Pitti: the cordial atmosphere outside the Fortezza, and how generally good-natured people are despite the heat. After all, Pitti is as much a chance to see old friends (and shake on some business deals) as it is a tradeshow – and a chance to enjoy a lot of free cocktails.

In this photo, I particularly like how Andreas has paired dark colors in a way that still manages to look summery and comfortable. A green jacket is a great and oft-overlooked option, and Andreas (well, all three of these handsome gents) does a great job showing how relaxed and comfortable and generally un-stuffy tailoring can look. It’s neither restrictive nor is it overwrought in Pitti Peacock fashion – all in all, a great summer look.

Oh, and it looks as though beards are still in fashion, so if you’re fortunate enough to be able to grow a nice one (sob), I suppose you can take comfort in your facial hair being on-trend (though why you’d want a beard for summer I don’t know).

Our garments this week are all relaxed, summery options – and all Italian, of course. When you’re considering your summer tailored outfits, consider some less traditional, more saturated colors, and enjoy the change of pace.

1. Sartoria Formosa olive cotton suit from No Man Walks Alone

2.Incotex linen shirt from Mr. Porter

3. Barbanera Woven Leather ‘Rimbaud’ Loafer from Unionmade

4. Rubinacci ‘Raspberry Sireneuse’ square from Exquisite Trimmings

5. The Bespoke Dudes Green Tortoise Sunglass es

6. Santa Maria Novella Acqua di Colonia Vetiver

Streetstyle from Pitti Uomo 92, Day 3

Posted on June 16, 2017 by Styleforum Editors

Today’s photo selection of streetstyle from Pitti Uomo 92 shows us two things: first, even the brutal Tuscan sun can’t keep a Pitti-goer from enjoying their tailoring, and second, that a lot of attendees – even in summertime – manage to look very good. Let it be a lesson to you: don’t let summer get you down!

Don’t forget to check out the previous days’ Pitti streets style shots:

Pitti Uomo 92 Streetstyle Day 1

Pitti Uomo 92 Streetstyle Day 2

5 Best Jeans for Men with Big Thighs

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Fok-Yan Leung

One of the most common questions that is asked on the forum – alongside “Where can I buy Common Projects on sale?” – is “How do I clothe my athletic thighs with denim?” It seems that, while malls across America are well-equipped to outfit the girthier amongst us and fashion brands like Saint Laurent Paris can clothe kale-eating hordes of models, there is a dearth of denim choices for the mesomorphs in our midst: those who begin and end each day with a strong dose of creatine, and whose Instagrams and Snapchats are riddled with words such as “swole” and “gainz.” Styleforum, alway inclusive, is happy to present the 5 best jeans for men with big thighs: powerlifters, strongman competitors, or those who aspire to be Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (or just want a pair of jeans with some room in the thigh).

Jeanshop “Rocker”, $260 at www.jeanshop.com
I’ve visited the flagship Jean Shop store in lower Manhattan, and like many stores who can trace their genesis to the mid-noughties, it looks like ye olde general store, with a lot of wood and wrought iron. The brand is famous for its thick leather jackets (which I once coveted as a broke postdoctoral scholar), and of course for its jeans, which are topstitched with a distinctive orange thread. The owner of Jean Shop, Eric Goldstein, is a big guy (in one conversation with him he told me that he was “not a small guy,” and the cut of his earliest models reflect his understanding that big guys like to wear nice jeans too. The Rocker cut is a straight legged model with ample room through the seat, thighs, and legs.
RRL straight fit denim – $275 at www.ralphlauren.com
Possibly the most comfortable jeans that I own are a pair of 15 ounce straight fit selvedge jeans from RRL. The denim is washed, and so there is very little break-in time required, which means that even though they have the look of dark denim, they don’t have the stiffness that often accompanies “raw,” a.k.a unwashed, jeans. A lot of guys talk about the thighs on their jeans being restrictive, but if you are doing squats, you are probably going to want some extra room in the seat – which these offer. Ralph Lauren is a billion dollar company, and with that much money, you can afford to hire good pattern makers. This pair of jeans shows that.
Naked and Famous Easy Guys, in black for $170 at East Dane
One of the most popular styles of jeans right now is a tapered black jean, and this is a relaxed fit pair that tapers down to a neat hem. Naked and Famous, hailing out of Montreal, is the brainchild of Brandon Svarc and is known for putting out crazy denim blends. It’s been a while since I’ve run into him, but he always has a demonstration set up at trade shows – a pair of jean that stand up by themselves, or a pair of jeans in tricolor (all blended into the yarn), or whatever else comes to his mind that season. Behind all of the theater, though, is a family of jean styles designed so that everyone can wear a pair. The Easy Guy is the high end denim answer to those Wrangler jeans commercials, in which guys are playing football in jeans. Why you would want to do that is beyond me – it’s easy enough to tuck away a pair of technical fiber pants or training pants. That said, if you are drawn into that madness, the Easy Guy will carry you through.
Japan Blue High tapered $127 at www.denimio.com
The “carrot” shape is very in fashion right now, but it can be hard for bigger guys to fit into typical carrot jeans. However, Japan Bue developed their high tapered cut specifically for lifters – apparently being swole has caught on in Japan as well. The jeans feature a higher rise, generous seat and thighs, and a very deep taper. They come in a variety of denim types and weights, from the standard 14.5 ounce denim (linked) show below to a beefy 18 ounce “monster” denim.
Levi’s 541, 50$-70$ at Levis.com
These jeans really don’t require that much explanation. They are Levi’s standard “athletic cut” and meant for men who need, or just want, jeans that hit at the waist, have a bit more room in the seat and thighs, and have a whisper of a taper. These are jeans with no time for nonsense.

Streetstyle Photos from Pitti Uomo 92, Day 2

Posted on June 14, 2017 by Styleforum Editors

Day 2 is over, and once again Andreas has put together a selection of his best streetstyle photos from Pitti Uomo 92. See any familiar faces?

All photos: Andreas Klow