Bespoke Trousers at Tailor’s Keep

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It all started a little over a year ago: my first pair of bespoke trousers.
Most people think of suits, or at least a jacket, when it comes to bespoke clothing. Trousers are just there, like the fries that accompany your Niman Ranch burger at Causwell’s. Good, but nothing you’d order on their own. 
Such thinking couldn’t be farther from the truth. Granted, the jacket is probably the first thing noticed, but if the accompanying trousers are garbage, the whole outfit suffers. You’ve seen it before: hem too long or too short, gaping pockets at the hips, slim legs that grab the calves, excess folds at the crotch, a droopy seat. We’ve all experienced it, but are not necessarily condemned to it. 
This is where bespoke trousers come in. The thing is, to nail the fit, multiple fittings are required until everything is just right. Either you spend a week or two near a tailoring house, use a traveling tailor who comes twice a year, or – if you’re fortunate – use a local guy.  I’ve had the opportunity to have fantastic trousers made for me in Sicily, but I’m not always there. Ideally you’d have a local tailor who can make a proper pair, but finding one can be next to impossible. However, if you’re in San Francisco, you do have a local option I wholeheartedly recommend: Tailors’ Keep. 
Located across the street from the world-famous Transamerica Pyramid, on the border of North Beach and the Financial District, Ryan Devens, the co-founder of Tailors’ Keep, runs the show.  Inside is an uncluttered haven of gentlemanly items: a distressed leather couch, paintings from local artists, various libations, and many books of fabrics.  Won’t you won’t see are the workers – they are in a separate shop upstairs.  “It’s great to have the shop onsite,” Ryan says.  “It’s a magical escape, a hidden gem, with music always playing, smiles always on faces, and hands always moving.  There we can make bespoke clothing, or fix up ready-to-wear and vintage pieces.  There is always a special project at some stage in its process – recutting a pair of old trousers for a new and updated fit, or building a new pair of pants from scratch.”
I wish I could say Tailors’ Keep has a house style, but they don’t. This is not to say they aren’t capable; on the contrary, Ryan appreciates all styles, and when I told him I wanted a classic, flat front, slightly slim trouser with a higher rise, he simply nodded, “Yes, we can absolutely do that.”  A few months and fittings later, and the trousers were finished:  14oz Fox Bros oatmeal flannel from No Man Walks Alone, cut into a classically slim pair of trousers, with off-seam hand-tacked besom pockets, button cuffs, and a perfect fit.
The last particular is a particular that cannot be overemphasized.  Sure, you can have a pair of trousers fatto a mano from a tailor whose family has been doing it for generations, complete with hand stitched and attached curtain waistband, pick stitching down the legs, and extended waist tab, but all that means nothing if they don’t fit.  
 Ryan’ crew can do all the hand stitched details you want, but will make sure the trousers fit.  “Fit is everything, we pride ourselves on that,” he says.  “I’d rather lose money than have an unhappy customer who isn’t satisfied what what we give them.”  Such stock in one’s reputation is a rare commodity these days, but Ryan has always carried through on his word.  My first pair took no less than four fittings to get the back and front rise just right.  For me, this meant having an unbroken line from my seat all the way down to my shoe heel.  This is easy with looser fitting trousers, but if you want a slimmer fit, it’s near impossible – the back of the trousers will invariably grab your calves or bunch underneath your seat.   This is no easy task, as Ryan explains: 
“The process of making a pattern normally starts with seeing the client in a pair of trousers that he/she already owns and is decently happy with.  In some cases, I’ll take those trousers and make a few adjustments first, then have a second fitting with that specific pant and assess if that pattern is sufficient for starting a bespoke pattern or not.  The most significant measurement to a proper fitting trouser is indeed the rise – but also the relationship between the front and back rise.  These measurements are based on posture, preference, and the specific style in which the garment is being made – low-rise, mid-rise, high-rise, etcetera.  
 
“For example, if someone has a hips-forward posture, a different measurement will be applied for the front/back rise balance as opposed to someone who may have a high seat or hips-back posture.  This is necessary in order to alleviate the dreaded pocket-pulling effect, which is quite often seen on MTM pants too.  One rise for one client may not fit another client who is the exact same height and weight.  Being able to see these proportions and body-type relationships can greatly assist in creating a very accurate “first pass” on a bespoke pant.  
 
“Since our master tailor/cutter is in-house, I can focus on strictly fitting, consultation, and the measurement process, while he focuses on pattern-making.  I ideally would create a shell trouser that has no pocketing or working fly so that any front/back rise and hip adjustments can be made easily without too much re-work.   This is essential in preventing extensive rework and repatterining, especially in a majority-handsewn piece where time actually does equal money to the tailors involved.”
Such a process can take time, but as anyone who has had bespoke trousers will tell you, it is well worth the wait.  After Ryan and his crew dialed in the fit, I’ve had three subsequent trousers made straight to finish according to my specs.  If something’s not quite right, I don’t have to wait until the next time the tailor comes to town; Ryan pins the adjustments needed, and the final result is ready in a few weeks. Personally, I haven’t experienced anything but a remarkable end product.  If you want to have pants that sit well, lay flat, and hang straight, consider going bespoke.  You’ll be happy you did.

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Invisible Acts Workwear Jacket Review

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Although this review is unfortunately a bit late for our Fashion Revolution feature, I was still very happy to have the chance to discuss the venture that is the Invisible Acts workwear jacket, which is a one-off (for now) project from Nina Aganovich and Brooke Taylor, the duo responsible for the brand Aganovich. As opposed to a runway garment, Invisible Acts is the name for a Kickstarter-led production run of a high-quality, “Ethical” chore jacket (as Invisible Acts terms it), which “[Embraces] the slow fashion/co-op movement to tackle issues of quality, ethics and sustainability” in the fashion world. the resulting chore jacket is made entirely of organic, non-GM cotton woven in Italy on narrow shuttle loom machines (which should be familiar to fans of selvage denim), which is then constructed at a co-op factory in France.

It’s no secret that the world of fashion – and of fast fashion in particular – is the scene of some pretty damning abuses of both the environment and of human rights. That’s why, in addition to considering what you buy and why you’re buying it, I think it’s important to draw some attention to projects that are making an attempt to better the system. Of course, I think that it’s easy to be (understandably) dismissive of projects such as these, which have popped up occasionally in the world of fashion and menswear as attention- and marketing-grabs void of any real intent or meaning. Many companies have marketed new ‘lines’ of organic or fair-trade goods, which leaves more skeptical consumers wondering what’s happening with the rest of the main product. It’s a good question, and one worth asking. However, in this case Aganovich – a small design studio attempting, as we speak, to make the push into the couture schedule – are both nimble and hands-on enough that I thought the idea was worth another look.

It’s not surprising that initiatives such as these tend to come from smaller, more mobile companies – Aganovich, in this case, is intimately familiar with the labor-hours required for garment production in the way that a massive fast fashion chain simply cannot be. The company, and by extension the customer, is simply too far removed from the product. It’s equally unsurprising that there’s joy to be had from participating in what is, essentially, a GMTO project (a process with which I’m sure many Styleforum members will be familiar). I’ve never minded the idea, because it forces you to slow down and consider whether the product is ordering is actually one you want (need, in the world of clothing, being a relative term) and whether you’re willing to wait for it – overconsumption being, of course, one of the issues of which we as consumers both responsible and otherwise are now more aware.

You can read more about what and who, exactly, is behind the Invisible Acts project on their website, but the gist of it is that sustainable fabric and sustainable production result in a garment that’s both desirable and ethically responsible. Unfortunately, due to some hardware and scheduling issues, I wasn’t able to get my own photos ready in time for this article, and have used Invisible Acts’ proprietary photos instead. However, I find them accurate in their depiction of the product. 

The Jacket

The Invisible Acts jacket is based on a traditional French bleu de travail, although the pattern is mercifully more modern and the product is notably cleaner in finish than what you’d find from both vintage and (most) contemporary version of similar pieces. It’s available for both men and women, and instead of being a purely unisex piece there are some minor pattern adjustments between the two models. All of the seams are well-finished, the reinforced buttons well-attached, and the details well-thought-out: pockets are reinforced, an oft-overlooked interior pocket is present, there’s nothing about it that to me (who has owned and seen countless chore jackets) screams of wasted opportunity or wasted material. It’s also very much not a fashion product, which is particularly notable due to fashion’s current (and ongoing) obsession with workwear silhouettes and styles. It is, conversely, a decidedly functional – though well-designed – jacket. As Brooke Taylor, one of the duo behind the project says:

“As a design house, we could have added a few twirls, some conceptual weirdness – tried to make the jacket more ‘hip,’ to render a fashion interpretation of a workwear garment. We talked long and hard about this and decided ‘No, the starting point has to be simple solid and straightforward,’ it has to pass muster at being what it actually is.”

I’m always intrigued by declarations such as this, and in this case what the jacket actually is, is a very competent and surprisingly effective garment. The cotton drill used for the jacket is a 520g/m weight, which means it’s quite heavy but not oppressively so. For example, a good friend of mine who spends most of his free time in his basement machine shop in front of lathes and CNC machines was very impressed by the weight and mobility when he tried it on, and said that he’d be happy to wear it every day while working. If you’re attempting to make a manufacturer’s jacket, it’s a good thing if an actual manufacturer is happy to endorse it.

I have seen and owned many chore jackets, and most of them – including some of my favorites – don’t pass that test. In this case, the only deviation from a rigorous lack of extraneous detail is the visible selvage line that runs down the center seam of the jacket. It’s a detail I’m neither attracted to nor repulsed by, and somehow it feels unforced despite the ongoing preponderance of selvage-detailed-everything in the denim world.

The heft of the fabric also means that the garment will require some time to break in. I’ve only been wearing mine for a week or so, but it hasn’t shown much sign of softening yet – which is also just fine with me, as I’ve always enjoyed the process of wearing clothing into shape. Another plus is that the jacket is pre-washed, so you don’t have to worry about compensating for shrinkage. It’s also almost a mercy that the jacket isn’t made in indigo, since just about every other chore jacket these days is – the color on the grey model I received is very nice, and the coal black looks equally good. I should note that, according to Invisible Acts, the white model is a slightly lighter weight (250g/m) than the other two fabrics, if you’re after a jacket that drapes more easily out of the box.

I also happen to think that the jacket looks pretty damn good. The pattern is more flattering than it would be from a repro or purely workwear-focused company, and as already mentioned the details are well-considered. Fit-wise, a manufacturer’s bleu de travail was designed to sit close to the body, so that fabric did not catch in moving machinery. The Invisible Acts jacket is not tight, but rather slim and slightly boxy without much waist suppression. If you’re familiar with workwear, it will fit familiarly. 

It fits well, and it’s also a handsome piece, but it’s a two-and-a-half season garment that won’t see much use over the summer or in the depths of winter, unlike other options that might be made from linen blends or lined with sherpa fleece. That said, there’s plenty of room even in your proper size to layer, and you also have some leeway in terms of sizing – you can size up for a boxier fit, or down for a trimmer cut. In effect, it’s an obviously well-designed piece that’s not cutting corners for the sake of a marketing opportunity. Invisible Acts is also not a reproduction of a vintage blue de travail, so you should not expect it to be – it’s a modernized take on the same, which I think has its own charms.

Image via @Invisibleacts on Instagram

I could personally do without the iconography – the oversized brand logo on the interior of the jacket is the combination of a raised fist and a factory – which is also available on buttons that you can purchase separately. I’ve nothing against it per se, but it smacks a little bit of an undergraduate’s first reading of Marx. So does some of the campaign imagery, which I think is slightly misleading, and perhaps to the projects’ detriment. This is a very versatile garment, that I’ve been wearing both with wider twill trousers and with slim Japanese denim. Thanks to the color and inspiration (a chore jacket, rather than a Type 1 or 3 jacket), it doesn’t feel like wearing a denim tuxedo – it’s a garment that would be at home with either ripstop fatigues or faded jeans.

On the other hand, the more forgiving side of me – and, perhaps, the part that still remembers what it’s like to read Marx as an undergrad – thinks it’s just fine to let the imagination run a little bit, the way Aganovich obviously does when crafting its runway collections. After all, part of fashion’s charm is to take us to places we might not go, and part of the magic is that garments can become more than the sum of their parts.

Final Thoughts

The Invisible Acts jacket in Slate grey

At approximately 200$ (the Kickstarter price – the predicted future retail price is 518EUR), the Invisible Acts jacket falls within the same price range as some of the more affordable workwear and repro brands (think Sugar Cane or Rogue Territory), while the retail price would see it in line with a brand such as Mr. Freedom or Iron Heart), although it’s obviously dissimilar in looks. To me, that’s more than fair, and not out of line with what I’d expect. The jacket is available in Coal (black), Slate (grey), and Snow (white), and if you are interested in one, take note because the Kickstarter campaign ends this Sunday, June 4th, after which point the early backer price disappears.

As for the jacket itself, I’m a fan. It is, admittedly, not pushing any boundaries – although that was not the intention. Instead, it’s a quality version of a garment that most of us have or will have owned at least once. I’ll be interested to see if Invisible Acts goes anywhere after this Kickstarter, and Mr. Taylor says that, now that the project “Has established a base…it can go in all sorts of directions.” I don’t know if there’s room for a high fashion brand’s experiments in ethical workwear, but I suppose the market will let us know. At the very least I can say that there’s room in my closet for more projects such as this.

As is always the case with clothing, the question of whether or not you should buy the garment comes down to whether or not you yourself like it. For me, a person who likes chore jackets but has no real desire to wear denim jackets or look like a 20th century rail worker, it’s one of the relatively few options that’s both aesthetically appealing and, well, functional. And importantly, the fact that this is an ethically-made jacket doesn’t take away from either its form or its function – you’re not sacrificing quality or design by purchasing a garment made this way, and it shouldn’t be a surprise to hear that instead, you’re gaining from it.

None of us are perfect. That’s something that Mr. Taylor is quick to point out: “Anyone that says they can get it all perfect is lying. Because no matter how ethical your garment may be, you’re going to deliver it burning jet fuel. As a former deckhand I have a dream of one day delivering by sailboat, but…well, I’m sure our customers would be overjoyed.” Even so, Mr. Taylor is also happy to declare that the project itself has been an educational experience, and that he hopes that by “Asking the questions, keeping up the conversation, challenging [our]selves, that it influences others to do the same.” We’ve seen, the past few years alone, a massive shift in awareness towards ethical manufacturing, and while it’s always difficult to get consumers to think beyond the pocketbook – and to keep that momentum going – and projects such as these are perhaps more important than any of us think.

For both Aganovich the brand as well as readers of Styleforum, we’re somewhat – somewhat – insulated from these concerns. However, during Fashion Revolution week we suggested that you ask both yourself and your favorite brands: “Who made my clothes?” In this case, it’s nice to know that the answer won’t keep you up at night.

This is not sponsored content. To read Styleforum’s review policy, please click here.

Member Focus: Diplomatic Ties

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Styleforum member Diplomatic Ties is, as you may expect, a fan of fine neckwear. However, he has more valuable insight to share than just how to pick your next tie. Here, he talks about growing up, finding your own style, and how to feel good in what you’re wearing.

I don’t come from a background where ties were common. In my family, no one had a job where you needed to wear a tie. Ties were just a very uncomfortable piece of clothing to be worn on big occasions: weddings, funerals, graduations. When I finished University and started out on what resembles a career, the tie was something I first struggled to get used to. Which ties to buy, which fabrics, how to match them, different knots, shirt collars. But I gradually became fascinated. How this seemingly redundant slice of fabric dangling over your belly became such an important social, cultural and, yes, even class (in every sense of the word) marker. As a man with an interest in fashion and color, the tie quickly became a part of my identity, a way of expression. Today I have quite a substantial collection and I am very protective of them.

I’m not going to pretend that it has any fundamental meaning for me or that there are it holds a number of hidden emotional layers. But clothes are often more significant than we want to admit. When I get dressed in the morning, I adjust my personality just a little bit to become the professional version of myself. In my teens I was involved in several sports, mainly basketball, and I still remember the feeling when you put on your team’s jersey. You suddenly represented something a little bit larger than yourself. Getting dressed for work is a bit like that.

The adjustment (transformation is too strong a word, I’m not “A Single Man”) from the leisure me to the professional me is strongly connected to the tie. Children often like to dot their i’s with something a little fancier than just an ordinary dot, like a heart or a smiley. When I put my tie on in the morning it is much like dotting the i, the final part of the puzzle, and I feel it should be done with a little flair. Without a great tie the flair is gone.


My interest in ties lead to me having a rather odd wardrobe for a while where my ties were usually much nicer than the rest of my clothes. It took years for me to find some sort of balance. That is also when the idea of the blog Diplomatic Ties started. My wife is a talented photographer and she agreed to take pictures because it showcased some of her skills too (I’m not sure that she would have signed up for it had she known how long it would go on…). I wouldn’t say that my family necessarily supports my hobby, but I’m tolerated as long as I don’t plunge us into financial ruin. But when you have children in their teens, ‘tolerated’ is pretty much the best a parent can hope for anyway.

When I started building a wardrobe, I was often insecure and followed whatever “rules” I could find. But I have learned to let that go. Being in your 40’s and at the same time having an interest in fashion can sometimes be tricky. In menswear you can always play safe and go classic but that can also be boring and restrictive. You can also find these restrictions in both ends of the fashion spectrum. You will realize that a relaxed surfer look might look sad and pathetic on a middle aged, slightly overweight man. But it can be equally pathetic to try and fail to pull off a Panama with a linen suit and suede loafers.

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I have no perfect remedies. I have certainly looked both pathetic and stupid many times in my life and I am sure that it will happen many times in the future as well. My love for streetwear, sneakers and bucket hats are probably the biggest risk factors. The question is: should one care about that? The simple answer is no. Just go for it. Clothes generally look good when they fit well and the person wearing them feels comfortable and confident. Then you can pull off almost anything. When you start dressing to please others or to conform to some perceived standard or norm, that’s usually when it goes horribly wrong. There will certainly be days when you look in the mirror and realize that your fashion sense let you down and you actually do look like a fool, but you need to take that in your stride, learn from it, embrace it and move on. Shame has no place in fashion.

You can find more Diplomatic Ties at http://diplomaticties.se/

How and When to Wear a Boutonniere

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Warmer months mean more time spent outside, where you can soak in the sun’s warm rays and take in the intoxicating perfume of spring’s flowers in full bloom.  While doing so, you may even be tempted to pluck one and place it in your jacket’s lapel, because why not?  Flowers are, after all, one of Mother Nature’s most beautiful creations and have been used since ancient times to celebrate everything from birth to one’s memory.

“Why” is not the subject of this article – “how” is, because the simplicity of wearing a flower in one’s lapel, a boutonniere, has been morphed into all-too-often complicated mess, with results both unpolished and overly precious.  In short, the process can be put into five words: put it in your buttonhole.  And then: put it through the loop.  Okay, so that’s ten.

There are more than a few things about menswear that may never get used but do serve a purpose, however remote.  One of those things is the boutonnière loop.  Found on some bespoke and higher-end suit jackets and sport coats, this little loop is just underneath the buttonhole on the underside of the lapel.  Here are a few examples:
Truth be told, the boutonniere never was a staple even in menswear’s heyday.  Hats and handkerchiefs were worn on the daily, but boutonnieres were saved primarily for special occasions.  Nowadays they are even more rare, but that doesn’t mean you can’t wear one.
Some may be inclined to pop a flower in his lapel whenever it suits their fancy.  After all, they muse, isn’t every day special?  Pollyannas and dandies may do as they wish; I won’t cast a pall over their rainbows and unicorns.  Special occasions, though, do exist, and are a perfect time to dress up your lapel. 
Weddings – Most men know that boutonnieres are for the groom and his entourage, but two things should be mentioned.  One, they are usually much too large, bordering on a bouquet, when single simple flower will do.  Two, they are not the only ones who can wear a boutonniere; the invited may wear one as well.  Pair it with a navy or grey suit, white shirt, appropriate wedding tie, black shoes and belt, and there’s your no-brainer outfit for the wedding season.  Deep in Esquire’s archives, this spread from 1948 lists appropriate wedding attire for both participants and guests.  Since not much has changed, use it as a starting point.
Here are two examples of men who wear a boutonniere correctly:
And here are examples to avoid:
Note that if you are attending a wedding as part of the groom’s entourage, you should graciously accept both the honor and whatever boutonniere you are given, even if it is not to your taste. 
Special religious/state ceremonies – if you are participating in or invited to one, a boutonniere may be an acceptable accessory.  For example, cloth poppies are often worn on Remembrance Day.  Just be sure to remember that certain colors may or may not be appropriate, depending on the affair .  Do your due diligence and research to choose one that doesn’t offend or attract attention away from the solemnity of the event.
Festive celebrations – a bit more leeway is allowed here, since the main point during such soirees is to have fun.  There are many opportunities throughout the year where flowers fit in fine, so look for them.  The Kentucky Derby immediately springs to mind, as the most exciting two minutes in sports is well-known for its blanket of roses given to the winner.  Not just observed in Louisville, Kentucky, pop-up celebrations are observed everywhere, thanks to televised satellite locations.  Just a few short years after the first Derby in Kentucky, Britain had one, and since then Derby Day has seen even the Queen participate with flowers in her hat.  Boutonnieres in this environment would blend in quite nicely and add to the spirit of the event.
Wearing a boutonniere is easy: grab a carnation or small rose, clip the stem a couple of inches, and slip it through your jacket’s lapel and loop.  Don’t have a loop?  Look online for video tutorials on how to make your own, or ask your tailor if he can (he’s probably better).  Some opt for a fake flower, but unless you wear the same flower multiple times during the year, you’re better off with what nature provided.  If you can spring to go to a social event, a real flower won’t break the bank.  Try this: next time you go out to a nice dinner with your partner, wear a boutonniere along with your suit and tie.  If he or she asks why, just say it’s a special occasion and smile.
 
Finally, take moment to watch, in real time, how simple it is to add a bit of floral inspiration to your outfit:
You’re welcome.

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What to Wear on Memorial Day

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what to wear on memorial day

Let’s be honest with ourselves: almost nobody wears tailored clothing on Memorial Day, which is a day generally dedicated to backyard grills, beer at noon, and a swimming pool or a beach if you’ve got one. I could sit here and tell you that you needed to wear a seersucker blazer, and you’d be like, “Cool, but what happens when I drop my burger on myself?” Frankly, you’d have a point. If we’re being even more honest with ourselves, let’s admit that we’re all most likely to end up in our most comfortable shorts, an acceptably clean shirt, and maybe a snazzy apron if we’re cooking and also really trying hard.

A few weeks back, I made some suggestions for packing for the long weekend, and with the realities of life in mind I’m going to re-up on those recommendations by laying out some suggestions that you might actually wear. You’ll note that all of the items – 9 in total – can be mixed and match to your heart’s desire.

First, if you’re going to a pool/beach/waterpark/slip ‘n slide, opt for a pair of swim trunks that make you look like a grown up. That means that they’re not actually running shorts (I mean, I’m guilty of that), and that they have some pockets so that you’re not carrying around everything you own like an idiot and/or losing it in the pool/ocean.

Second, there’s a good chance that you’ll want a pair of pants or jeans with you, wherever you are. Your festivities will probably last until the sun goes down, at which point you’ll be happy to have something to wear to counter the late spring chill.

Third, if you want to wear leather-soled shoes, go for something lightweight and flexible. Like, say, a pair of loafers. That way you can wear them with your shorts or your pants, and if you are headed to a place where you might not want to wear sneakers, loafers offer a casual alternative to laced shoes.

None of that means you can’t look nice, of course. Swap the aforementioned ‘comfy shorts’ for something a little sharper, put on a henley as opposed to a gym tee, and wear white jeans just because it’s summer and you can and you’ve got all year to wear your other, blue-er ones. My only other tip? Don’t wear anything tight. After three beers and two burgers (and innumerable handfuls of potato chips), you’re not going to want anything – shirt or trousers – to be tight around your waist.

Enjoy the long weekend, and stay safe!

Outfit 1: At the Pool
Outfit 2: By the Grill
Outfit 3: Evening Drinks

Memorial Day Sales Guide

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Just in time for you to revamp your summer wardrobe, we’re happy to present our Memorial Day Sales Guide! We’ll be updating this list through the weekend, so stop back regularly to check for new deals.

Acrimony: Save 30% off Spring collections* PLUS an additional 10% if you shop in-store. Use code: MEMDAY30 today through Monday 5/29.

Alternative Apparel – 45% off the site with code FRIEND45

Atelier New York:  – SPRING SUMMER 2017 SALE STARTS ON FRIDAY MAY 26TH 30%-50% OFF SELECTED DESIGNERS AND STYLES

Baracuta: sale of 30% off.

Barneys: up to 50% off

Barney’s Warehouse: Up to 80% Savings in Our Memorial Day Sale!

Bodega: Memorial Day sale up to 60% off footwear take an additional 25% off with footlover25

Billy Reid: early access Memorial Day sale – reductions of up to 50% off.

Bloomingdale’s: 30-50% off mens designer shoes. Also. use code BIGBAG for 20% off nearly all sale items (but not combinable with the above).

Bluefly: up to 85% off, plus an additional 20% off on selected items.

Brooks Brothers: 2 summer suits for  $899, men’s sweaters and outerwear up to 40% off

Cali Roots: 30% Mid Season Sale.

Carmina Shoemaker: 15% off with the code 15OFF-CARMINA

CENTURY 21:  MEMORIAL DAY EVENT $30 OFF Your $150+ Or $40 OFF Your $200+ Purchase Online & In-Store!

Club Monaco: Summer’s finest: 25% off for him & her

Coggles: 30% off with discount code PREVIEW

Couverture & The Garbstore: 25% off with HOLIDAY25

Cruvoir: 20% off sale items with CROIX20.

Dope Factory: 30% off with code MIDSEASON

East Dane: spring sale is live!

eBay: $15 off 75 until 8pm PT with code PREMEMDAY15

Farfetch: sale of up to 50% off.

Forward: up to 50% off

Flannels: up to 80% off discount on outlet items.

Frances May: Memorial Day sale now on 30% off a selection.

Harvey Nichols: 30% off for members only – sign up

Haven shop: 20% off Outerwear with code OUTERWEAR20

HBX: End of Season Sale – Up To 50% OFF

Hotoveli: up to 50% off

Huckberry: sale up to 70% off.

Hunting Ensemble: 30% or more on Norse Projects, A.P.C, Our Legacy, Nanamica, Etudes, Han Kjobenhavn and more.

Idol Brooklyn: UP TO 40% OFF SELECT DESIGNER COLLECTIONS

Independence: 20% off

Indigo and Cotton: 20% off with GETAWAY.

J. Crew:  30% off your purchase with code SWEET

Jonathon + Olivia: up to 50% off

Lanieri: $200 off any suit with the code STYLEFORUM200 || 25% off blazers with the code BESTFRIENDS

Lanvin: Free delivery and up to 50% off

Last Call: an extra 40% off everything

Lawrence Covell : 25% off with code May17

Levis: Memorial Day sale ongoing – use code MEM30 for 30% off.

LOIT:  – Memorial Day Sale: 30% off on full priced items with code MDLOIT30 (Offer valid through 5/29/2017 11:59PM)

Luisa Via Roma: save 20-50% using code BIG || Memorial Day Sale now on up to 50% off.

MAAS & Stacks: 25% discount on select SPRING SUMMER 17 items
when you enter code MEMORIALDAY25 at checkout

Maison Margiela: up to 40% off

Matches: sale on now for up to 50% off

Need Supply:  Sale! New additions 30%, 15% order off through June 15th, LILSOMETHING

Neiman Marcus: 75% off today (5/25) only! Extra clearance savings

Nordstrom:  Save up to 40% during Half-Yearly Sale

Other Shop: The code SPRING25 is available to use on all products now, with the exception of Fanmail and Good News

Ralph Lauren: sale on now 40% off, including RRL and Ralph Lauren Purple Label.

The Real Real: men’s sale up to 40% off / summer preview sale up to 50% off

Rooney Shop: Memorial Day sale now ongoing up to 25% off.

Saks 5th Ave.: up to 40% off.

Sartoriale: Memorial Day Sale up to 90% off with code MEMORIAL20

Shoes.com: Memorial Day sale 30-75% off

SSense: sale up to 50% off

Standard and Strange: – 40% off clearance section with code NOTGOINGBACK

Steven Alan: Up To 50% Off | Memorial Day Sale Starts Now

StyleBop: Memorial day sale 10% off non-sale items with code SUMMMERISHERE243

Tessabit: 40% off sale

Unis: sale on Common Projects

Y-3: sale on now of up to 30% off of that SS17 collection

Yoox:  up to an extra 50% off.

ZFACTORIE: 50% off some styles

Women’s

 

Making a Handmade Wallet with Pierpont Leather

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There’s a lot of work that goes into making a handmade wallet, as you might expect.  Here, Parker Pierpont of Pierpont Leather walks us through the labor-intensive steps that go into crafting luxury leather goods. Enjoy the beautiful photos!
Making a Handmade Wallet
​
Part 1 of 7: Clicking
Usually, there are several hours that are dedicated to developing a pattern that meets the physical or aesthetic needs of a client. Sometimes, it can take days. A truly deep understanding of patterns and design emerges from hundreds of hours that are spent designing and realizing patterns for projects. It’s the direct relation of designing, patterning, and constructing a piece from beginning to end. This iterative process allows the maker to say “Oh, that’s a bit short,” or “I want this to feel softer” – and to then take a pattern out and write notes on it to implement for the next project or final iteration of the work at hand. Once the pattern (shown above) is settled upon, the leather is painstakingly ‘clicked’ – or cut – with hand tools.
Making a Handmade Wallet
Part 2 of 7: Lining and Trimming
Lining is extremely important to the integrity of a piece. It allows for a certain rigidity, and for a final product that feels lush and luxurious in the hand. After clicking and dimensioning, we arrange pieces together with their lining. Usually all of these pieces (in the case of the wallet shown, there are about 20 individual pieces of leather at this stage) have been refined to a very specific thickness already, within a tolerance of about .1mm. After all of the pieces are sorted and checked, the parts are carefully laminated, pressed, and allowed to cure for some time before being trimmed to final size. Below, you can see how the leather looks upon completion of this process.

​Making a Handmade Wallet

Part 3 of 7: Finishing Pt.1
All edges that can’t be accessed later in the process are individually creased, sanded even, dyed, waxed, and polished multiple times. This seals any exposed edges and provides a finished look. This is especially time-consuming, but incredibly important, as it prevents unwanted moisture from entering what would otherwise be the very absorbent edges of the raw leather. Pictured below is the second to last stage of the edge finishing process, before the final polish.
Making a Handmade Wallet
Part 4 of 7: Assembly
Next, the internal pockets are assembled, sealed, and stitched down one by one. (This is the stage we’re at in the photo below). Afterwards, the entire card pocket assembly is lined and stitched closed on the side that will sit on the interior of the wallet.
Final assembly consists of lining the main pieces, stitching down any full-length pockets into place so as to limit their depth to a useful amount, and carefully lining them up to be perfectly symmetrical to one another in order to prepare for the next step.

​Making a Handmade Wallet

Part 5 of 7: Stitching
After the wallet has been assembled completely, holes are marked along the exterior of the wallet to prepare for saddle stitching. All holes are placed with great consideration so as to make sure that any pieces that may be under stress are held down under a well-positioned stitch. The best part of this type of assembly is the amount of control that you feel you have with the final piece. It’s generally an extremely enjoyable process, though some find it slightly tedious.

Making a Handmade WalletMaking a Handmade Wallet

Part 6 of 7: Finishing, pt. 2

Edge finishing is pretty straightforward – you make sure your edges are level, you seal and crease the perimeter, and then you polish with with dye and wax. In the first picture, you see a refined edge that is about halfway through the finishing process, and the final result in the photo below.
Making a Handmade WalletMaking a Handmade Wallet
Part 7 of 7: The Reveal
This is the final piece – thanks for working along with us!
Want to know more about Pierpont Leather? You can view their affiliate thread (and ask Parker all the questions you want) here.

The Best Aprons Money Can Buy

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The apron is a criminally underrated and under-used garment. While protecting your shirt (or your naked torso, for the more daring among us) from spattering oil is a noble cause, cooking isn’t the only occasion that’s suited for apron-wearing. They’re handy in the garden, in the garage, in the shop, and for any other activity where you’re likely to get yourself at least a little bit filthy. I like to buy ‘souvenir’ aprons when I travel, but these – although fun – are generally made of flimsy cotton that doesn’t stand up well to the repeated washing that most aprons endure, which can leave you with fading, wrinkled aprons. No one wants that. Besides, although a simple apron is a perfectly effective garment, there are a few details – like pockets – that can make life lived in an apron so much more fulfilling. With a bit of longevity in mind, as well as a bit of style, here’s my list of the 5 best aprons money can buy.

1. For the Artisan: Vanda Fine Clothing Irish Linen Apron ($50.49)

Vanda’s beautiful Irish Linen apron sports beautifully large pockets front pockets, as well as a single smaller, meat-thermometer sized pocket. Perhaps the most elegant option on this list, the color is gorgeous, and the whole thing looks so damn nice that I might be a little afraid to get it dirty.

  • Elegance: 7/5 stars; a beautiful accessory suitable for any number of pursuits. Practically a piece of tailored clothing.
  • Bare Skin Factor: A full 8/8, perfect for shirtless cooking when the weather’s nice; equally at home with a shirt and tie.
  • Utility: 12/13; the pockets look ideal but I worry about grease spots.

2. For the Gardener: Carrier Company Cotton Drill Apron (55 GBP)

If you’re often in the garden, either digging in the dirt or hosing things off (or changing your car oil), this very, very sturdy cotton drill apron from Carrier Company is an excellent bet. It will, of course, function perfectly in the kitchen, although its slightly rougher nature begs you to wear it in the great outdoors. If you live somewhere wet, windy, or otherwise wild, this option – with its extra width and extra-long straps – is the natural choice.

  • Elegance: 3/5; a true working apron suitable for working pursuits involving dirt or very hot pans
  • Bare Skin Factor: 3.5 /4; may be lacking in pizzazz, although likely perfect when worn with wellies.
  • Utility: 17/9; excellent pockets and excellent length make this a fantastically functional option.

3. For lovers of tortilla: La Portegna leather and water-resistant canvas apron (70 GBP)

It is no surprise that the Spanish option looks as though it would be perfectly at home in a tiled courtyard or in front of a professional range – or even with a brush and tin of shoe polish. This one hits all the right notes: hard-wearing without being dowdy, elegant without being precious; it’s the paprika your thinly-sliced potatoes so desperately need. Add the supple leather that will age over time and you have yourself an heirloom apron.

  • Elegance: 17 stars; the beautiful colors offered as well as the single front pocket of beautiful, vegetable-tanned leather make this a gorgeous option.
  • Bare Skin Factor: 4/6; solely due to the lovely colors and materials you may want to accessorize your apron with a fine shirt or cashmere sweater.
  • Utility: 3/3; a single pocket is likely all you’ll ever need, and despite the lack of an adjustable neck strap the water-resistant canvas makes this a sure win.

4. For the Denimhead: American Native Goods Selvage Denim and Leather Apron ($185)

Are you still obsessed with six-inch selvage cuffs? Are the seats in your car stained blue from years of crocking denim? Do you lust after things like handmade knives and well-polished stones to put on your mantlepiece? Look no further, because this selvage denim and leather number is perfect for you. With one chest pocket and a leather kangaroo pocket, it has room for all of your German-made drafting tools, and after a few months of rinsing artisanal coffee grounds out of the denim you’ll have fades so nice you’ll want to wear it under your denim trucker and over your heavy jeans.

  • Elegance: 2/5; made for HARD WORK, which is SERIOUS BUSINESS.
  • Bare Skin Factor: 16/37; not recommended for the average shirtless person; if you are bearded and very muscular you’ll have better luck.
  • Utility: 15/10; guaranteed to protect the rest of the denim you’re wearing underneath it.

5. For the Cook: Haküi Bib Apron (10,000JPY, ~100USD)

For the serious chef, or the chef who thinks they’re serious, or for the person who really wants a nice apron, look no further than this beautiful and beautifully-designed masterpiece. Featuring brilliant design details that go beyond just “a pocket,” this apron is perhaps the pinnacle of apron technology. It’s handsome, is functional, and at home in a number of environments. Keep in mind that when you inevitably by one, you’ll have to do so by email. 

  • Elegance: 100%; you’ll cut a fine figure anywhere you go, and depending on the color you choose you’ll be right at home in any situation, whether it involves fancy knives or seed packets. Note that it lacks some of the fun ‘details’ of the other choices in favor of a minimal appearance and raw utility.
  • Bare Skin Factor: 50/43; I want to wear it right now.
  • Utility: Off the charts. With numerous pockets, slits so that you can access trouser pockets, and fully adjustable straps, this is the ur-apron you’ve been dreaming of. While not suitable for welding, I struggle to think of many other household chores that would not be made instantly more satisfying through the wearing of this apron.

How to Choose an Engagement Ring

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Shopping for an engagement ring can be a difficult, stressful experience – especially if you decide to go in on a surprise and not on a trip to Tiffany & Co. with your significant other.

Here are a few useful tips to narrow down the options, followed by examples of both classic and unconventional types of engagement rings that might bring you some inspiration.

First of all, ask yourself the following questions:

Does your girlfriend wear statement jewelry on a regular basis?

If you girlfriend is the type who wears minimalistic jewelry – or no jewelry at all – it makes no sense to look for huge gems and elaborate designs, because she will probably feel uncomfortable wearing them: you can cross those off the list.

Is she more of a white gold or yellow gold type?

Notice if she chooses silver or white gold or yellow gold. The color of the metal is incredibly important, because this is a ring that she’ll be wearing for the rest of her life, and it has to match with her style and meet her tastes.

Are her fingers small, regular, or large?

The size of the ring depends a lot on the size of the hands: a tiny gem will look even smaller on a wider finger, while a huge rock will look vulgar on tiny fingers.

Does she like colorful gems?

Diamonds are not the only options when it comes to engagement rings. In fact, millennials seem to be less inclined to buy diamonds – possibly because they’re too concerned with saving to buy property or because the diamond industry doesn’t approach personalized consumption in the same way in which millennials have been exposed. Many women have a favorite gem, which could be their birthstone or a particular gem of which they like the color. Notice what your girlfriend likes wearing and ask questions about her favorite pieces of jewelry to get a clue of what she might like.

TYPES OF ENGAGEMENT RINGS:

 

DIAMOND RINGS

Suited for: a woman of classic taste

We owe folkloristic introduction of the diamond ring as a promise of eternal love to Maximillian of Asburg, who gave one to Mary of Bourgogne in 1447 as a promise for their wedding. However, diamonds didn’t really become the common choice to seal an engagement until the first decades of the past centuries, when a gigantic marketing plan based on the false scarcity of the gem convinced the American people that “diamonds are forever,” as well as “a girl’s best friend.” You can read more about the history of the diamond industry in this article.

You are probably familiar with the 4 C’s that matter when shopping for a diamond: Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat are the characteristics that you should examine in order to determine whether a rock is worth the splurge. Of these four, the cut is probably the most important one, because it impacts light refraction: a good cut can make a lower carat diamond look brighter, or vice versa, it can turn a perfect gem into a poor jewel. When you visit your jeweler, make sure to ask them to illustrate these characteristics and point them out using an ideal-scope. This tool is able to show the light, highlighting the cut of the diamond. Nowadays, most diamonds are cut to emphasize carat weight rather than brilliance, and this impacts the overall quality of the gem you’re buying. A trusted jeweler will use an ideal-scope to let you inspect the cut pattern and make sure it’s a gem worthy of your money and for your love.

DO NOT fixate on the size of the diamond: if you are looking for a big rock but you can’t afford the carats required for it, you’ll end up buying a poorly cut diamond that will have little to no brilliance. Instead, look for the best cut you can afford, and you’ll be sure to deliver a gem that’s as blinding as your love for the lucky recipient.

Naturally, for the reasons I just illustrated, I strongly recommend shopping for a diamond ring locally and avoiding the Internet.

ANTIQUE RINGS

Suited for: educated and classy women with an appreciation for art.

These are my personal favorites, and something I always suggest to anyone who’s looking for something truly unique with which to promise eternal love. On the internet there is a wide variety of antique jewelry, and I find amazing that we can now own and promise love in the United States with a ring that belonged to some French dame two centuries ago.

As I pointed out earlier, diamonds didn’t become common gems in engagement rings until they started to appear at the fingers of Hollywood stars in the 20th century; before then, any gem was suitable – even semi-precious stones like garnets and peridots- and more attention was paid to the metalwork of the jewelry. For this reason, you can find quite old diamond rings dating all the way back to 1930s, but you’ll have a hard time finding antique solitaires.

If you’re willing, you can find outstanding pieces of excellent craftsmanship and rich in history and tradition; a cameo is a type of ring that has been in fashion since the Renaissance, and it makes a perfect gift for a refined woman who appreciates art and history; they consist of a shell on which lies a carved relief – usually the head of a woman. The technique dates back to Ancient Greece, but this type of ring became popular during the Renaissance, when the Medici women commissioned them to their favorite jewelers and sent them as gifts throughout Europe.

Art-deco rings can be incredibly beautiful and intricate: their style takes inspiration from nature, so it’s not uncommon to spot art-deco rings with intricate foliage engraved on the band, or with corals and other natural gems and materials mounted on them.

You can also find an abundance of Victorian rings online; these complemented the Victorians’ love for symbolism, and they often hide secret messages or mysterious meanings. Due to their popularity, you can find them in a variety of metals and gems, from the more precious (solid gold, rubies, etc) to more modest like rose gold, freshwater pearls, and semi-precious gems.

ACROSTIC RINGS

 

Suited for: free-spirited and artistic souls

I find this type of ring to be perfect for the artistic type of girl who doesn’t care for a shiny diamond to weigh down her hand. This type of ring was popular during the Victorian era, when feelings were hardly ever expressed in words and people sought symbols to speak their minds and hearts. Acrostic rings featured gems of which the initials formed words such as “love”(lapis lazuli-opal-vermarine-emerald) or “dearest” (diamond-emerald-amethyst-ruby-emerald-sapphire-topaz). If you’re lucky and your girl has a short name, you can even create your own, personalized acrostic ring. For instance: LISA (lapis lazuli-iolite-sapphire-amethyst).

GIMMAL RINGS

Suited for: a woman with classic taste who wants something other than a diamond

It’s impossible to talk about gimmal rings without mentioning the most famous of them: Jean Cocteau created the Cartier Trinity for Cartier, a ring that has been worn by celebrities from the present and the past, in the Twenties. However, the gimmal ring was not Cocteau’s invention. Gimmal rings – in which two or more bands are intertwined – were common engagements rings during the Roman era (the word “gimmal” comes from the latin gemellus, which means “twin”). Each partner wore one band, and the two were reunited on the day of the wedding, where occasionally a third band was added to symbolize a third person protecting the couple (a god? a friend? who knows…)

The sinuous shape of the ring makes for a classy engagement ring with a beautiful symbolism for the union of souls.

CLADDAGH RINGS

Suited for: Irish descendants

This incredible ring, which is made of two hands holding a crowned heart, features three symbols: the hands symbolize friendship, the crown signifies loyalty, and the heart means love. For this reason, friends and brothers also use this highly symbolic ring to exchange vows of loyalty. The meaning is different according to how someone wears it: fiancés must wear it on the left hand, with the heart pointing to the wrist – otherwise it means friendship. Wife and Husband have to wear it on the right hand, with the heart pointed to the wrist – otherwise it means widowhood.

COCKTAIL RINGS

Suited for: a woman with a strong personality

Cocktail rings -characterized by huge and colorful gems- were popular during the Prohibition. Rich ladies would often gesticulate while drinking alcoholic beverages at a party to make their transgression more apparent and draw the attention to their glasses. Kate Middleton’s engagement ring – previously worn by Lady Diana Spencer – is a sort of mini-cocktail ring.

It’s the perfect ring for a powerful, strong, and confident woman…

Whatever your choice will be, remember that buying an engagement ring is an act of love towards the woman of your life – and that she and only she should be the center of your thoughts when shopping for the perfect ring. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what magazines and websites tell you to buy – it should all come down to the tastes of the person you love.

Perhaps this article has given you an idea of less mainstream options you have to choose a symbol of your love and devotion. Even if not all of them can be classified as a “conventional” choice, you don’t necessarily have to buy into the 21st century conventions if these don’t meet your tastes and/or means.

Most of you will end up choosing a solitaire, because that’s the most obvious choice and many women “expect” it. However, this doesn’t mean that it cannot be a personal and intimate choice; remember that she will be wearing the ring for the rest of her life; she will be growing old wearing it.

Make it personal, and make it authentic. Make it a symbol of the experiences you shared, and a promise of many more that you’ll be living together.

Member Focus: Beepbop

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Beepbop may be new to Styleforum – or at least to posting here – but he’s already proven to know his way around some of Streetwear & Denim’s favorite designers. With a taste for patchwork and embroidery, he’s brought some welcome color and quirk to the What Are You Wearing? thread.

I got my start in fashion on /r/malefashionadvice on reddit. I had just started college, and I figured that I should probably move on from the oversized polos, and baggy Costco jeans that I had been accustomed to. I spent all of my time in class reading threads about the best Red Wing Iron Rangers alternative and the most timeless oxford cloth button downs. It is still a great community for people who are new to fashion, but I wanted more. I remember someone mentioning StyleForum on MFA, and I spent a year or two lurking without an account and accessing my favorite threads via a bookmarks folder.

It was shocking just how many different styles were represented in both the CM and SW&D forums, and I was honestly feeling a little overwhelmed. Everyone looked really cool and comfortable in what they were wearing, but I had no idea how I could translate what I was seeing into what I was wearing. I had limited access to any of the “cool” brands, and I had a tough time buying clothing sight unseen. I actually ended up spending all of my money on shoes, and my outfits at the time were probably best described as JCrew, Uniqlo, and moderately priced shoes.

beepbop member focus beepbop styleforum

The jump from taking what I was seeing and actually wearing it didn’t really happen until I saw the Dries Van Noten FW16 show. The patterns were bright and bold, some of the cuts were slightly unconventional, but it all felt so wearable. To me, that collection was as much about the restraint shown in the design as it was about the embellishment. I was enamored with Dries’ masterful use of pattern and color, and it was abundantly clear that a ton of thought had gone into the design of each garment. I actually ended up buying quite a few pieces from that collection, and wearing it made all of the difference. The fabrics draped beautifully, the details were great, and it was so much fun wearing the clothing.

I work in a pretty casual environment, so that gives me a lot of flexibility with regards to my dress. I enjoy finding new brands, and trying to put them together in ways that are a little different from the norm. These days, I’ve mostly been playing with mixing pattern and embroidery using some pieces from By Walid and Dries Van Noten. It’s been a lot of fun experimenting, and I’m not sure if I will ever resign myself to a specific “genre” of clothing, since trying new things, failing, and then finally getting it right-ish is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.