A Youngster's First Bespoke Experience in Asia

[edhayes]

I think the suit is fine, it might be a bit big but I hate tight suits on teenagers(they look like they're trying out to be hanging on street corners in Capri), the shoulders are also fine-I like the way he ties the tie(and the choice of tie)very much, I really like the way he folds the pocket sqaure.
I still have questions about the hat, I love the newsboy cap on him but the fedora seems too big and affected.
I tell you one thing though-if the girl in the black dress likes the hat, don't listen to a word I say about it. Wear whatever makes her happy and the hell with me.

[Mr. Rover]

Thanks, Mr. Hayes. I've actually found that I'm growing into this suit alright, and I actually need to get some of my other suits altered a little larger.
Yes, the hat does help with the ladies somewhat...

[acidicboy]

mr rover,
i've been meaning to ask you if there are any good local shirtmakers/tailors in taipei. seems that i have several taipei trips to do this year.

[Mr. Rover]

Yes, there is one that I've been recommended to but have yet to visit. There's an old shirtmaker/tailor in the Sheraton Hotel in Taipei. I hear he makes a nice product and his prices aren't bad. It's a little bit out of my way, so I haven't paid him a visit yet.

ray

[acidicboy]

thank you for that information. maybe i will visit the sheraton on my next trip. xieh-xieh!

[exigent]

I must say that you look swell in your new grey chalk-stripe suit!

A few observations: the jacket fits you well, and I shouldn't be overly concerned about length; your trousers are good, too, and it seems unproductive to raise the waist-line...but if you choose to do so in future, please consider that just a short inch will actually produce discernible effects; I don't know how tall you are, and the suit's proportions actually balance your appearance quite convincingly, but you might consider widening the legs on your next trousers--wider legs give a kind of flowing elegance to a smaller man (for reference, consider Windsor, who was just 5'6", always looked taller, and often wore something just shy of an Oxford bag). And when I say wider, I also mean straighter. My own trousers are 24" at the knees and 21.5" at the cuffs, regardless of whether the things are pleated or not.

My only criticism concerns your shoes, which are too clunky. A classic English shoe with closely-cropped soles will complement your tasteful appearance. In addition, and this might have something to do with counselor Hayes's comments, your hat is worn too high. I wear a fedora daily, a homburg with suits and dinner clothes, and a chapeau haut-forme with morning coat or evening dress. I am a quite bald fifty-seven-year-old retired officer, who rides, shoots and eats massive amounts of unhealthy food on a regular basis. Take it from me, wear your hat lower on the head, tilted a bit if you feel the need, and the thing will look more natural by half. And if the current model won't accommodate your hair and skull together, then find an equally chic fedora in a larger size.

You are a very commendable young fellow!

[Mr. Rover]

Thanks, exigent. The problem with buying vintage fedoras without trying them on (via eBay) is that you never know precisely what you'll get with sizing. That gray fedora has shrunken considerably. That fedora is closer to a 6 3/4 than a 6 7/8, as labeled. It also doesn't help that my head has grown to a size 7, so a 6 3/4 will naturally slide a little higher onto my head. I wear it because the wide and flat brim helps to balance out the wide shoulders. I have about 6 hats (8 if you want to count my newsboy caps), but now I must restock my hat collection. I've tried to use a hat enlarger, but its fruits only last for a few hours before the hat returns to its original too-tight state.

Truthfully, I am not a big fan of black shoes for daily wear. Being in a casual setting where people are wearing jeans and t-shirts (even a majority of the teachers), I am prone to dressing down and wearing burgundy or brown shoes 90% of the time. Those shoes are much more classic in design, moc toe and cap toes. Black shoes are too stuffy for this environment, and I can't justify splurging on a pair of black shoes that won't see wear. When I am in the states over the summer, I will keep an eye open at the outlets.

I love roomy trousers! I love the fullness of my 1930's trousers, and I hope to find more in the future. The look of the 30's and 40's was for a wider trouser leg, whereas the current 60's revival seems to have most styles gearing towards skinny-legs. Having some real 60's trousers myself, I think that they're quite claustrophobic and impractical.
Back to the hats, no tryingt to sound like I'm justifying my too-tight hat, but back in the 30's most gentlemen wore their hats very high on the head to begin with. There is this one scene in the first Thin Man movie that shows how tight some people wore their hats- the thin man's wife's new husband is putting his hat on before he goes out and he just about wiggles that thing on as hard as he can. MY hat, however, is just way too small.
Mr. Grant:
.
Bogey:


and my personal favorite, Jimmy Stewart's hat:


I am visiting London in a week (stopping off in the countryside for a few days first), and I hope to buy some vintage suits and hats while I'm there. Does anyone have any stores to recommend? I already have the address for Bertie Wooster, which sells vintage Saville Row suits. I know Swaine Addeney Brigg has relocated to Fleet Street temporarily, and I want to check out Lock & Co.

Mr. Hayes, I don't really fold my pocket squares unless I'm wearing a 60's suit (Bond always does that square look). I just sort of stuff it in my pocket. Afterall, you don't want to look like you're trying too hard. And thank you about the tie! It's 1950's dead stock.


Ray

EDIT:


Same hat circa 6 months ago before my head grew. These are the 1930's trousers I spoke of before- very comfortable pants. I think the pants balance the size of the shoes a little better, too.