How to Style Country Tweed with Mr. Knightley

style country tweed styleforum

Okay, I’ll admit it: I’m American, and half the reason I like this outfit from Mr. Knightley so much is that all the brands in the original post sound so charmingly British. I’ve been streaming a show over Netflix called “Escape to the Country,” which is kind of like a super chillaxed British version of House Hunters where everyone just wants to buy a cottage in little countryside villages that all end with ‘-shire’, and let me tell you, I could really go for a nice walk through the Dales these days. Imagine it! No cars, no coffee shops, no Macbooks, no jokers on the internet telling you to adjust your sleeve pitch or change the cuffs on your jeans; just you, your binoculars, country boots, maybe a walking stick, and some tweed. Ideally, I’d drop my iPhone in the mud, look down at it, shrug, and move on. The only problem is that every house on the show has a 6-foot ceiling since they were all built in 1308 or whatever.

The other reason that I really like this look is that the colors are fantastic. Regardless of whether or not you’re actually in the countryside, earth tones have always been a go-to for fall, and we all want to look as though we haven’t got a care in the world beyond viewing seasonal foliage and maybe some sheep, especially when the exact opposite is true.

In this case, the overall effect is kept very handsome in part because Mr. Knightley hasn’t country-fied everything in his outfit – a smart shirt, shoes, and trousers tie things together very nicely while serving to keep those earth tones from getting too muddy. All in all, this is a great example of an outfit that features seasonal fabrics, pleated trousers, and even a bit of romance.

You can see Mr. Knightley’s original post here

Member Tips: Dress Well While Losing Weight

Many men struggle to dress well while losing weight – especially if it’s a large amount of weight. It can be difficult to know what, if anything, to buy while your body is changing. However, many Styleforum members have gone through the same transformation, and if you find yourself in a similar position it may reassure you to know that you’re not alone.

Here, we’ve compiled some of the best member-submitted tips about how to handle a wardrobe while dropping pounds, and how to look forward to building a new closet. We’ve also included a handful of inspiration photos to help you hone in on your style throughout the process.

The following responses were originally posted in this thread, while the following inspiration photos have been taken from Styleforum’s various WAYWT threads.


“If you don’t have a job that requires suits, no need to invest there. Go to a local store and try on some dress shirts that fit you well…Try and get a spread collar in a white, blue, striped, and pattern to carry you through any interviews/weddings/events, etc. Invest in flat front pants, standard rise, no more than 8.5″ at cuffs. Get blue, grey, and one black.

For casual fits, get a few pairs of well fitting Levis and som

e crisp new polo shirts in new colors. Shoes – plenty of other shoe posters more knowledgeable than me to offer help there, but find the basics and get them.”

– Spoopoker

 

“Don’t spend a lot of money now. Buy interim clothes until your weight stabilizes. I wouldn’t drop big bucks until I hit my goal weight and managed to stay there. If you’re like most people, you’ll go up and down, especially at first.

In the meantime, look around and decide what you like. Check out WAYW and flip through Esquire and the like. Then think about how you could incorporate the styles you like into your own wardrobe.”

– DocHolliday

 

“Finding a good tailor should be your first goal, then go for a progressive move towards better quality and fitting clothes. Do not underestimate the effect of a good tailor. Looks for sales of quality stuff and good shoes.”

– Eight

 

” Look at your situation right now as research, research, research while you move towards your end goals. Sure, you want cool better looking stuff now – and it’s hard to argue when you’ve already lost 30lbs, I’d want to reward myself too. But if you’re not done yet, don’t bother. You’ll end up junking everything again or tailoring the heck out of it…Go crush it in the gym and think about the Partenopea you’re going to score in a couple more months.

Seriously, keep your powder dry for now – stockpile cash for once you get rid of your self described gut and use that as a motivator (“I’m not getting that 42 blazer until I can fit in it,proper!”). Once you get there, or near there, you’ll be ready to go big.

That said, maybe a couple of better items in the meantime, but think of them as a bridge from where you’re at to where you’re going – ie. disposable. Otherwise you’re going to waste a lot of money, time and effort – trust me (us!).”

– razl

 

“Been there, doing that. I still have 30 pounds to go, so I can speak from first hand experience of how frustrating it has been. I’ve dropped 145 pounds in the last 2 years, but have gained and lost the same 15 pounds repetitively over the last year.

But more to the point, I have also held off having any major suits or coats added to my wardrobe at this point, till I reach and maintain my goal for at least 6 months. But in the meantime, you can do what I do, and pay more attention to the smaller details, i.e., shoes, socks, ties, belts ( which can be shortened very easily by a cobbler) and if they suit you, even the smaller things like cufflinks and wallets, etc.

While most of these things aren’t wardrobe staples, it is fun to pick up things like these as a reward for the progress you make. Even things like dress shirts can be bought now, since your neckline wont likely shrink much more, but at least not enough to affect casual fitting shirts like a classic oxford cloth button down.
And these can be tapered in at the sides and sleeves if necessary by any competent tailor.

But save the suits, sports coats and dress pants, even the casual chinos and such till after you settle out. A pair or two of jeans would be fine, but just keep in mind you’ll likely replace them in about 3 more months.”

– Chips

 

“Just finished the same journey – lost 70 pounds over the past 15 months. Advice:

  1. Spend as little as you can until you hit goal weight. All you really need is one pair of jeans (levi’s are fine for now), one pair of khakis, grey wool trousers, a pair of khaki shorts (since you live in Florida), and maybe some other light-weight semi-nice pair of slacks (I went for seersucker). For shirts, a nice white tee shirt (I liked Alternative Apparel) a couple of polos (two of your favorite / most complimentary colors), a short sleeve linen or cotton shirt, a long sleeve cotton or linen shirt (white and blue), and maybe a rugby shirt. Be disciplined and try not to buy anything else. But as you loose weight, keep buying new items to replace the old. This is your way of rewarding yourself and staying good looking during your slide down the weight scale.
  2. If you want to spend, spend on ties. But since you don’t wear suits every day, you don’t really need to do that unless you just love ties.
  3. As you lose weight, your feet will narrow. Buying shoes now will mean that, when you’ve lost all the weight you plan on losing, your shoes will be too wide. Wait on this … trust me.
  4. Use your weight-loss time to keep reading about clothes and keep your eyes open. You think you like X now, but a couple of months from now, you might start migrating to look Z. A lot of people get the bug and discover how to dress well with a bunch of patterns and colors only to discover down the road that a more pared-down, monochromatic look is their preferred style. No need to rush anything during your weight loss though.
  5. Plan your purchases in advance. Make a budget for what you’re going to do when you hit goal weight and research what you will want. Try to resist the temptation to buy a lot – better to keep a smaller wardrobe that is high on quality than a larger wardrobe that is somewhat lower on quality. Replacing a wardrobe is very expensive, so you need to be disciplined about what you really need versus what you might want. A secondary benefit of this is that your “dream” wardrobe (that is, your planned purchases) will be a wonderful incentive to keep going – a big psychological reward at the end of the tunnel. That helped me a lot. A tertiary benefit of a high-quality wardrobe when it’s all done is that it increases the marginal cost of subsequent weight gain. You just invested a ton on some really great clothes – if you start going up the scales again, they will all have to go. That should provide some degree of deterrence.”

– J. Cogburn


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Member Focus: Protagonist Style with WBaker

WBaker is a denizen of the Streetwear and Denim subforum, and mostly favors brands that make him look like a movie protagonist. Here, he tells the story of a moment that made him think about the way he dresses, and even the way he thinks about clothing.


“Your jackets’ on inside out”

‘Chayyim’ is the code word. Take a left out my front door and you’ll trip into the block’s corner bar, a busy basement where the going rate for a stool is half an hour on the curb. You say ‘Chayyim’ to the door guy. Chayyim is the owner, so he’s not to be confused with the toast ‘l’chaim’. Once you’ve ‘Chayyim’d’ yourself past the door guy someone will sherpa you down a flight of stairs that make you realize how bad stairs can be. The door at the bottom opens to a low-ceilinged, bowling-lane-sized bar. The stools are for people who waited on that sidewalk; you’ll stand on a perfectly empty two square foot plot of land at the edge of the bar. I see this as a plus, drinking to the point of oblivion on a bar stool comes without the buckling and bending alarm system thoughtfully provided by the legs.

One late night, drink in hand, I stood alone following protocol. Saying ‘Chayyim’ doesn’t guarantee a plus one. On this night, however, a friend of a friend’s roommate’s landlord – a random lady – decided she was my plus one.

I like my two by two at the bar because it looks like I got in trouble and people aren’t supposed to talk to me. Mind you this isn’t that ‘saucy bad boy’ type of don’t talk to me, rather its that ‘I might talk at you about Japanese Blade Runner Blaster model kits for three hours’ type of don’t talk to me. When I go to a bar alone I talk to my drink, and find most beverages to be well spoken.

“Your shoes are all ‘GQ’, how much did you spend on them?” she said, taking perhaps her first stab ever at talking to another person.

“Tomenosuke used way too light an amber tint in the resin for their blaster grips, considering how well they got the knurling…” I gurgled into my drink.

She called my cardigan ugly. Asked if it was on inside out. Suddenly I felt like I was on the receiving end of some negging pickup routine ala The Game: See How You Like It.

“I mean if they’re gonna get the underside of the Steyr .222 bolt action dead-on with a working receiver, why cop out on a spray gun paint job over vacuum metalizing…” I said, abiding by the cone of silence that is Chayyim’s 2×2.

She was setting up this point about, to quote her, how “A portrait is any painting in which there is something wrong with the mouth”, thereby meaning she liked my outfit because the cardigan was wrong. She spoke with this bullshit-meter-ticking ‘just thought of that’ tone. I’ll admit to listening to Radiolab and stealing its better talking points for casual conversation with friends, so maybe the devil met the devil that night.

wbaker styleforum member focus

She said she was an artist, and to prove it she gave me a business card that did in fact say “Artist” on it. I want to get business cards that only say “You just gave me a business card and I didn’t want you to feel left out”.

I’ll have to talk with Chayyim about upgrading to a three by three one day. Maybe Geller will make a “do not pet” vest I can don like a service dog.


Like a top 5 song, the portrait shtick bounced around my head for a week or two after. I’m hasty to mistrust others so I did some googling and it’s a quote from John Sargent, a new-to-me turn of the century American painter. Oh sweet nirvana! Not only did I learn something new, but my reflexive mistrust had been vindicated. There are only so many days in one’s life where you can both learn something new and be proven right. I’ve learned to hold dearly to those fleeting moments.

As I first got into dressing myself with gusto I made the error of becoming obsessed with the individual garment. I’d hunt for these epic-overdone-protagonist pieces because when they’re draped alone on a white plaster mannequin they seem like the solution to life’s problems. I got into garments that excited me from the hanger without even thinking about the outfits they’d be Frankenstein’d into.

I started posting outfits onto Styleforum around 2011 to mostly negative response, and rightly so. Once combined, my “über-cool” pieces were a muddled mess. Without strangers on the internet and even stranger ladies in bars I’d still dress like The Dude got hired by UPS:

wbaker styleforum member focus

Mr. Sargent’s words capture how visually satisfying it can be to defy a base reality. Hearing a trite line about portraits broke my habit of dressing in a way that was putting sprinkles on my sprinkles. I found my outfits more exciting when the effort I put into the crazy stuff was matched with the effort I put into my basics. Basic button downs, trousers, and T’s can make a better canvas for when I wanna wear that single button belted officer jacket and cream side-zips.

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How to Style White Jeans with @eddiemczee

style white jeans

I think that a pair of cream trousers is one of the most enjoyable and versatile garments to be had in a man’s wardrobe, and I’m likewise a fan of white or cream jeans. That said, some men may struggle with how to style them. It’s understandable, given that denim is a relatively rugged fabric generally associated with workwear, and as white is usually a warm-weather color, not many people are interested in wearing denim when it’s hot out – especially as it’s not known for being breathable.

Fall, then, is really the perfect time to ignore the rule about white after Labor Day (we all know it’s bunk anyway) and pull out your white jeans. That means, however, knowing how to style them. Ignore the advice about heavy boots and denim – nothing looks more awkward than a heavy workboot and white pants. Instead, opt for either a slim, lighter boot, a pair of sneakers, or as @eddiemczee shows here, loafers. His are cuffed, but white jeans usually end up being easier to hem than washed denim, as the stitching is less noticeable and you’re less likely to alter the wash in a funky way. Don’t be afraid to buy white jeans with no or minimal break, as they arguably work better for these purposes than dark jeans do. Just don’t buy white jeans too slim, as not only does it mean you’ll run hotter, but white denim has a very real sausage casing effect when the thighs are too tight.

If you find a comfortable fit, however, you’ll realize just how versatile they can be. As Eddie says:

“The great thing about white jeans is that they can be worn casually and with tailored clothing. In the summer, I like to wear them with a linen button-down and navy blazer or denim jacket. In the winter, I’ll sometimes wear them with a navy sweater and olive field jacket and boots…I wear jeans over trousers when I want my outfit to look more casual. For white jeans, I feel like they’re the perfect middle ground between standard indigo denim and trousers. Plus, if you wear them to a picnic and get some stains on them, you can just throw them in the wash instead of having to dry clean them.”

This is another look that doesn’t need to break the bank, and exemplifies the standard Styleforum philosophy of spending your money on shoes and outerwear. White denim and chambray shirts can be found anywhere, including the Levi’s sale rack. The Land’s End model that Eddie’s wearing has a comfortable rise and leg, however, and is a good choice if you’re planning to wear loafers regularly. While a nicer leather jacket is almost always worth the expense, there are of course models that won’t set you back quite as much. Eddie let me know that his A-1 came from Schott’s ‘Perfecto’ line, from which you can often find steals. Unfortunately, that has since sold out, but if it is ever restocked you can expect to pay a bit less than you would for the Valstar jacket featured below.

Spezzato: Mixing Suits like an Italian

Spezzato: the past participle of the verb to break in Italian.


Many things can be broken, both in the Italian and English language: a vase, a mirror, a heart, a dream. However, one thing the Americans and the Brits do not break, unlike their Mediterranean fellow menswear enthusiasts, is the suit.

To the Anglophone population, there is no greater shame than being spotted wearing suit trousers without a jacket. This is probably rooted in a conservative mentality that considers suits a garment to wear when the wearer is required to look their best: business hours, ceremonies, or a house of worship. These are all occasions that require a suit, and why would anyone break something that in itself represents following protocol?

Italians, on the other hand, wear suits for leisure time as well as on formal occasions, and the difference is that they take pleasure in wearing them.

I will never forget my biggest college crush, my Latin professor, who used to march into the classroom, throw his jacket on the chair, and then reveal a painfully perfect single break by placing his feet on the desk and shout “BONUM MANE!” to a crowd of fawning students of both genders. You can tell I was a weird kid back then because I always noticed his jacket and pants were never matching, and it wasn’t because he was a young and broke professor who couldn’t afford a trip to the tailor. The man knew style.

Unlike the average American, who typically scoffs at the idea of having to dress up, for an average Italian it’s completely normal to seek that degree of sophistication for even the most trivial of circumstances.

Since dressing up is fun, Italians don’t mind fooling around with their clothes, and that’s how they oftentimes end up mixing up the tops and bottoms of different suits, in order to create new outfits and color combinations. Breaking up your suits is also an excellent way to repurpose those items that you can’t fully enjoy because they don’t meet your degree of satisfaction, or because you simply got bored of them.

In the broader sense of the word, spezzato indicates an outfit in which top and bottom show a bold contrast in either color or material. A white sport coat with peak lapels will create a beautiful spezzato with some blue linen pants, and you’ll still get the feeling of a “curated mismatch”. The same can be said of jeans; Styleforum has more recently started to embrace the charm of sport coats worn over denim, a form of spezzato Italians have always cherished.

Here is a guide to create awesome spezzato combinations that will revamp your wardrobe and awaken the #menswear god that hides inside your closet.

Color is everything

You have probably already noticed, but the best outfits out there are those that flirt with the most intriguing color combinations. You have to train your eyes to capture the shade of blue that goes best with that precise shade of green, because – everyone knows – god is in the details. You technically can just throw on a pair of grey suit pants and a blue suit jacket, and chances are it won’t look terrible. But will it look good? Will it make feel the way you feel standing in front of a painting by Monet? That precision, that careful research of color, should live in our daily life just like if we were crafting our own artwork.

Pay close attention to how you mix fabrics

It goes without saying: you can’t just grab a cream linen suit and your beloved Harris Tweed sport coat and call it a day. Try mixing fabrics – and therefore textures – while remaining within the limits established by the season. Cotton and linen are a beautiful combination for summer and spring, while wool and heavy silk work magic in fall and winter.

Go for contrast

If you’re doing spezzato, you gotta go spezzato all the way. Don’t break your blue suit just to choose another blue pair of pants to go with it. Don’t pick two shades that are too similar, or it will look like you got dressed in the dark after one too many gin tonics the night before (which can be charming, in a way, but we’ll talk about the disordinato effect another time.) Don’t choose two textures that are similar but different, or it will look just as bad. Go for a bold yet tasteful contrast that will tell people that you chose to be bold.

The fit must be consistent

As tempting as it may be to grab your first suit from the college years to take her out for a spin, perhaps it’s not that good of an idea if your current collection of clothes fit completely different. Try to make a clear distinction between slim cut, regular, and classic fit, so you don’t end up looking like you raided your older brother’s closet.


That seems a lot of things to pay attention to, doesn’t it? And aren’t the Italians the people don’t give a damn about looking too good; screw the rules, life is too short not to laugh at an espresso spilled on your shirt?

That is absolutely true – life is way too short to worry about the state of your garments, and this is usually that point where I tell you to forget everything you just read and go wear whatever the hell you like, as long as it makes you smile. But at the same time, life is too short to miss out on the pleasure that comes from caring for your person, and present the best version of yourself to the world that’s hosting you.

That barista you saw yesterday; the one who had the most radiant smile you’ve seen in a while? She deserves to see your extravagant cufflinks peek underneath the jacket you’re wearing while you thank her for your coffee.

Even the asshole that cut in front of you on the 405 deserves to know that the effort you made to look at your best today is also a gift for him.

One of the most fulfilling moments of my life – and you may very well laugh at this – has been walking on a street of Naples and being greeted by two old, impeccably dressed gentlemen, who took their hats off and smiled at me before returning to their conversation.

Those two men left their home that morning – it was a scorching day of July in Naples – looking as if they were going to attend their daughter’s wedding, and all they were out to do was enjoy each other’s company and walk along the seaside. They took two seconds of their time to acknowledge my presence, and they interrupted their conversation to smile and take their hat off for me. They didn’t do it because it was me – they would have done it for anyone else, and that was the beauty of that gesture. I was honored to be part of the bigger picture in the micro-world of those two Italian men.

But what if people won’t notice, you might ask. What if they don’t care?

It is true that we are living in a world that doesn’t train people to understand and appreciate beauty, and that’s perfectly okay. Those two Neapolitan gentlemen couldn’t possibly have known that their gesture would have made my day.

We don’t do it for anyone in particular, just like flowers don’t care if there isn’t anyone admiring them while they bloom. They just bloom, because that’s what we’re supposed to do in this flawed yet beautiful world of ours. We contribute to its beauty.

Whether it is menswear or something else – it all adds up to create the bigger picture. Practice elegance religiously, and become a master of the small things, and people will remember you as well as they do those details.

And if that still isn’t enough, we will always be there to stroke your ego on the What Are You Wearing Today thread on Styleforum.

Fall’s Best Transitional Fabrics

The Autumn Equinox for 2017 in the northern hemisphere fell on Friday, September 22, and menswear aficionados couldn’t be happier – shorter days and cooler temperatures allow for heavier fabrics, which generally drape and tailor better.

My first real experience with autumn was in ’95, after suffering an intolerably muggy summer in the Hudson Valley in New York.  The absurd amount of sweat that poured out of my glands in that heat could have produced a small lake, but I often found respite at the rope swing at Pawling Reservoir.   Finally, the temperatures gradually fell in late September, until it was tolerable, even pleasant, at the beginning of October.  It’s at that time that the white oaks in Putnam county change first, the edges of the green leaves yellowing slightly, from a muted amber to a bright gold, then mellowing to dark saffron orange just a month’s time.  The sugar maples, though, were the real showstoppers, with their striking crimson red and yellow foliage carpeting the whole valley in fiery beauty, from Sleepy Hollow to Mohonk.  That’s the season for fall, that window of time when you can see your breath in the crisp autumn air, before the leaves fall in surrender to the impending bitterness of winter.  
Heavier than summer dress, lighter than winter gear, transitional clothing is 45°-75°F (7°-24°C) apparel, taking you from autumn’s cool mornings, through mild afternoons, and all the way to brisk evenings.  In other words: San Francisco weather.  With the average daytime temperature in hovering around 64 degrees (with the exception of the recent inferno that sent temperatures soaring to their highest ever recorded), the City is the perfect place for transitional fabrics. Here are a few ideas.

Flannel – My favorite fabric of all time.  Flannel’s unparalleled softness and ample warmth is so seductive it might make you look forward to cooler weather, just so that you can be cradled in its alluring coziness.  Woolen tweed is magnificent, but might run too warm for fall.  In such a case, look for worsted flannel.  Andy57 has several pairs of 8.5oz Fox Bros’ Queen’s Award worsted flannel, which he vouches is wearable up to the 80s.  Generally speaking, though, heavier fabric is superior, as it usually drapes and tailors better and is best for suits. 
Stick to 12 ounces or lighter for transitioning into fall and save the heavy stuff for winter.
Faux tweed – Woolen tweed announces that you have decidedly embraced the upcoming chill, but might be overkill for some temperatures.  For less extreme weather, look for a faux tweed to carry you through the shoulder seasons.  These fabrics look like the real thing, but since they are worsted, they run cooler and softer traditional tweeds and are perfect for fall.  Usually reserved for sport coats, but can also be used for suits, especially in subdued patterns like herringbone or birdseye.  Abraham Moon has a relatively light weight faux tweed in their Heritage Collection, and many swear by Minnis’ Worsted Allsport II range (what they call “town tweeds”), which hovers around 12 ounces.  Look for colors in autumnal tones in dusty brown, burnt orange, and olive green.
Corduroy – Often overlooked, corduroy has texture and comfort in spades.  However, the traditional cotton fabric can feel like stiff cardboard, and needs to be tailored quite precisely for ease of movement.  If you can find it, look for corduroy made with other fabrics.  The cotton-cashmere stuff can be prohibitively expensive, but Gus (@GusW) has a moss green corduroy sport coat made for him by Ring Jacket in a reasonably priced Zegna fabric comprised of cotton with 2% stretch for comfort.  I just purchased a length of 10oz chocolate brown corduroy in wool from Sultan’s Fine Fabrics in Canada.  Described as a “tweed”, its ribbed weave makes it essentially the same as corduroy.  It should arrive just in time for my visit to my tailor in Sicily at the end of the month.

Nailing Trad Style with Roycru

nailing trad style styleforum

You may remember Roycru from his member focus, and this week we’re looking to him for some American inspiration. It’s nice to see one of our members nailing trad style, since it’s a look that has grown rarer on Styleforum over the years. And if you, like me, aren’t often found singing the praises of ‘timeless’ style, this tidbit from Roycru should make you take notice: “People often say things like ‘nice vintage clothes’ to me. I always thank them and then mention the clothes I am wearing were new when I got them.”

It’s easy, when battered by advertising on all fronts, to forget that we really don’t need to buy new clothes every season, and that smart purchases can make for a wardrobe that lasts a lifetime. Take, for example, the gunclub sport coat featured above. No, it’s certainly not the universal constant that is the navy blazer, but look at how easily it’s worked into a great outfit that doesn’t look like it came from a cookie cutter. There’s no reason to limit yourself to the most basic of basics; what matters is finding clothing that you know you’ll wear regularly.

I’ll also note that in Roycru’s original WAYWT submission, he’s wearing very accessible brands. In a sea of bespoke Italian suits, high-end denim, and hand-made shirts, sometimes it’s refreshing to be reminded that the key to looking great isn’t necessarily to bankrupt yourself.

 

 

Fantastic Deals from the Styleforum Classifieds

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


Suits

RICHARD JAMES NAVY SEISHIN SLIM-FIT BRUSHED COTTON TWILL SUIT, SIZE 38R

Eidos Navy Solaro suit, Size 36/38s

Orazio Luciano navy blue suit, size 52

Sartoria Partenopea navy suit, size 44/46

 

SEE MORE SUITS


Shirts

Kiton Napoli light blue dress shirts, size 40/15.75

Eton contemporary dress shirts, size 16

SHIRTS FROM CHESTER BARRIE, ETON, HUGO BOSS, size 41/42

Post-Imperial Lagos shirt, size S

SEE MORE SHIRTS


Shoes

St. Crispin’s Mod 108, size 7.5F (8.5US)

Brooks Brothers #8 Cordovan Wingtip, size 9.5D

Carmina brown cap-toe oxford, size 9.5UK (10.5US)

Alden Ravello straight tip bluchers, size 11

Edward Green Berkely, size UK9 (US10)

Allen Edmonds x Massdrop unlined chukkas, size 9

Guidi Horse Leahter Backzip Boot, size 45 (fits 44)

SEE MORE SHOES


Sport Coats

Eidos x NMWA blazers, size 52L

Orazio Luciana navy shadow stripe blazer, size 54/52R

SEE MORE SPORT COATS


Bottoms

13 PAIRS OF BNWT ORLEBAR BROWN “BULLDOG” SWIM SHORTS – 4 COLORS – SIZES FROM 30 TO 38

Kapital Century Denim Cisco Sumi x indigo 7S, size 34

RRL Low Straight Raw Selvedge, size 33×34

Eidos linen drawstring pants

Rota x NMWA trousers, size 54

SEE MORE SHORTS AND TROUSERS


Outerwear

BILLY REID LEATHER BOMBER JACKET WITH REMOVABLE SHEEPSKIN COLLAR, size S

Robert Geller Emil Bomber, size XL

Isaia Aquaspider cashmere coat, size 40

Luigi Bianchi Mantova grey coat, size 50

Zegna Couture mohair harrington, size 50

SEE MORE OUTERWEAR


Ties

Panta clearance: multiple ties

Breuer scarves: blue, grey, brown

Ties: CAPPELLI, DRAKE’S, PANTA, YELLOW HOOK, TIE YOUR TIE, MARINELLA

 

SEE MORE ACCESSORIES

Anu Elizabeth on Menswear for Women

You may recognize Anu Elizabeth from Styleforum’s regular Pitti coverage; as one of the tradeshow’s well-dressed female attendees she makes her way into a lot of pictures. She’s often found in tailored clothing, which prompted Arianna to reach out for a discussion about what inspires her stylistic decisions, and how she thinks about menswear on women.

Arianna Reggio: Anu, you told me that you’re a “jeans kind of girl” most of the time. However, we’ve seen you at Pitti in tailored clothes wearing men’s accessories. Where does that come from?
Anu Elizabeth: I have always disliked uncomfortable and ill-fitting clothing. I haven’t been able to find blazers or sports coats that fit me – for a reasonable price, at least. I only got into wearing jackets and blazers after I got together with my fiancé Jussi Häkkinen (@jussihakkinen on Instagram), who started making those pieces for me. The suits he has made for me are mostly made according to my wishes. I’ve chosen the fabrics and what style I would like in general. Jussi creates the pattern and makes the smaller stylistic decisions according to the house style of their company, E-F-V Gentlemenswear, as my suits are also concept studies and prototypes for their future ladies line. This suits me just fine, as I love their classic yet slightly rugged style.
I’d also like to emphasize that I don’t consider suits to be menswear per se, just a type of clothing that can be womenswear just as well. Accessories, like neck ties and pochettes, are considered mainly as menswear, yes, and sold in menswear stores, but I’d like to see that to change in the future, too. They can complement the outfit, adding interesting details to it. They make the wearer look more dressed, and show an effort. Of course the same dressed-up effect could be attained with “ladies” accessories, too, but I personally find men’s accessories more interesting and versatile. I like, for example, to wear pochettes as scarves, too.


Arianna: What’s your style on a daily basis?
AE: For the office I generally wear jeans or chinos with collared shirts and knits. I like heavy boots and military parkas for the winter and field jacket with loafers or sneakers in the summer. I don’t see customers face to face in my job, so relaxed, smart and comfortable is the way to go. I mainly use Uniqlo and army surplus stores for my everyday clothes.
Arianna: Do you dress in tailored clothing on occasions outside of Pitti Uomo?
AE: I do, on weekends and holidays and other special occasions, although I do wear dresses and heels for parties as well.
Arianna: Your fiancé works in fashion; what differences do you see between men’s approach to clothes – specifically tailoring – and women’s?
AE: Not that big a difference, in the end. In the menswear circles, classic tailored clothes and bespoke are the thing now. Outside that group, however, men and women are pretty equally into disposable fashion and, of course, some could not care less about what they are wearing, as long as it’s comfortable – this group seems to increase with age. I don’t see much difference between sexes here.
It does seem, though, that in women’s fashion comfort and classic style seldom meet, at least at the commonly available and affordable vendors. There are far fewer bespoke makers for women’s suits and shoes than there are for men. I know maybe two women who use bespoke and dozens of men, but my view on this is probably a bit distorted because we know so many menswear people.


Arianna: Do you see differences in terms of quality between menswear and women’s clothing?
AE: Outside of bespoke circles, especially in the lower price range, there might be some difference, favoring men. Maybe it is due to the faster rotation on women’s fashion. I really can’t say. I try to avoid buying disposable fashion items.
Arianna: What has been the response of you wearing men’s tailored clothing?
AE: Surprisingly positive, although I still do not consider it as men’s clothing – but I know what you mean. I have felt very comfortable and well-dressed in a suit or similar styles everywhere I’ve been. No one has ever commented anything negative or told me that I’m dressed like man. Rather, I feel I have just been viewed as “well-dressed” when Im out in a suit. Compared to the more traditional way of being a well-dressed woman, the power and comfort of the well made suit is something different. It makes one feel very confident.
Arianna: Lastly, if you were a man, what do you think your style would be?
AE: Pretty similar to what it is now, I think. Jeans and parkas for everyday wear, suits for weekends and occasions. I might have a lot more shoes than I do now, because there would be more well made, comfortable and stylish shoes available in my size – assuming my feet would be somewhat bigger than they are now. I do like the way high heels look, but I’ve never liked the way they feel.

The Coat Matrix: Choosing Versatile Outerwear

Looking at my backlog of posts, I’m starting to think I’m getting typecast as the “choosing versatile clothing X” guy. That’s okay, because generally speaking, versatility in menswear has been a key motivating factor for me. At a certain point versatility can breed boredom (a perspective shared by venerable menswear icon and Styleforum member Mark Cho), but it can be a necessity for many men, especially as they’re just beginning to build a wardrobe. Consider this in the coming months, when you start putting your fall and winter wardrobe together and building your purchase list.

Depending on where you live and what kind of daily routine you have, outerwear can either be a necessity for surviving the winter or just another delightful category you get to spend money on and take pleasure in. I’ve lived in both types of climates and lived both types of daily routines (as a student in northern Indiana I braved single-digit temperatures at a school that took pride in never closing due to weather conditions, and currently live in Tennessee where I work from home). Drawing on those experiences, I have developed a system of categorizing and choosing versatile outerwear that I thought might be helpful for others.

I call it the Coat Matrix [cue lightning and thunder].


A Two-Axis System

The name of my outerwear scheme comes from the fact that it is aligned along two axes that create a matrix of four quadrants. Brilliant! On the vertical axis is the temperature outside, and the horizontal axis of the grid is formality.

Choosing versatile outerwear styleforum coat matrix styleforum

40+jeans: Brandit M65 Giant; vintage café racer style leather jacket; Barbour Bedale/Ashby; Aspesi chore coat. 30-jeans: Schott NYC peacoat; Patagonia puffer jacket (with hood); Peter Millar suede safari jacket; Eidos Maremara hunting jacket. 40+tailoring: Sartoria Formosa jacket (No Man Walks Alone) 30-tailoring: Original Montgomery duffle coat; Uniqlo camel topcoat

You’ll notice that, contrary to nearly all my WAYWT posts, I have chosen to separate jeans and sportcoats. This is a somewhat arbitrary choice on my part, but a helpful one, I think.

The two axes create four quadrants: above 40° in jeans-level formality (for shorthand, we’ll call this 40+jeans); below 30° in jeans-level formality (30-jeans); above 40° in tailoring-level formality (40+tailoring); and below 30° in tailoring-level formality (30-tailoring).

In 40+jeans a lot of really great, versatile and wide-ranging designs come into play. This is where you’ll find shirt-jackets, military-inspired jackets such as M65’s and the like, bombers, safari jackets, Barbour jackets, motorcycle jackets and chore coats. Generally speaking, outerwear in this quadrant are shorter in length and made of materials like waxed cotton, linen blends, canvas and lightweight wool.

In 30-jeans you can find many of the same styles, just with beefed-up fabrics. By switching out waxed cotton for heavy tweed, a safari jacket that buttons all the way up should be able to keep you warm. You’ll also find more heavy-duty coats developed specifically to stop cold weather, like pea coats and technical gear originally made for outdoor adventuring (such as down puffer coats made by companies like Patagonia or North Face).

In 40+tailoring, you actually don’t really need outerwear. This is where, if you’re wearing a tailored jacket, you can get away simply by layering. Scarves and knit cardigans or pullovers under a tailored jacket are a time-tested way to warm up when there’s just a hint of chill in the air. Of course if the weather is wet, you want to get a lightweight rain jacket.

In 30-tailoring is where you find topcoats and overcoats meant to be worn over a tailored jacket. Shorter car coats and covert coats have been popular for a while, but a classic topcoat will hit at the knee (or below in decades past). Chesterfield coats dress things up (historically made with a velvet collar), and duffle coats dress them somewhat down with large toggles that you can easily undo with gloves on. If you want more warmth, double-breasted styles like the Polo coat or the more military-inspired Officer coat give you a tall collar you can turn up against the wind and extra protection from the cold seeping into your coat.

There are, of course, a multitude of styles in each of these quadrants, and of course other ways to categorize outerwear. But this has helped me to determine where my dollars are best spent when I’m hunting for a new coat—and I hope it does for you, too.

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