Illustration of the week #6

[alden]

As many of you will know we are working on a subscription for a white with gray hue flannel in the cloth club. And I recently posted the comment that a suit made of such a cloth has great chic potential. So here is the illustration of the week with an example of same:



I am not to fond of the green shirt or tie selection in this print but you can imagine a nice shade of pale blues at work here. The coat has besom pockets that appear to be cut very high and leads one to think of a 2 button, or 2 button both fastening coat.

If you have a nice selection of highly aged brown shoes with rich patina, you will enjoy wearing them with this suit as seen in the illustration. I often will choose suit colors as a function of the shoe colors I like to wear and that has always lead me to lighter colors.

And wearing lighter colors amplifies the requirements of the already stringent Savile Row diet, you are best advised to keep slim to wear them unless, that is, you have the natural style of Mr Ferre.

Cheers

Michael

[uppercase]

It's interesting that you post this illustration at this time because I was just thinking to myself why so many bespoke suits today look so dull and frankly abysmal.

I will keep my general houghts on that matter to myself though I will venture here that the unimaginative choice of cloth importantly contributes to my sense of schmerz.

Alden inserts an insidious word in his post, a word seldom seen, and much less observed in practice: chic. Who would dare today!?

I am prepared to wager right now that we shall not soon see anyone rush to their tailor, inspired by this cloth., this light grey flannel.

Refer to the Valentino photo under "Feature #4" for just how absolutely striking a light grey can look.

[DD MacDonald]

When ever you venture into the "white zone" you have the risk of turning out like an icecream-man.

For what its worth, as I understand the cloth, its woven from threads of white, gray and cream which could produce an excellent result if it moves off of white, though I'm really thinking of trousers.

Thinking out lound about Uppercase's comment, if one is shy about white then "donkey" may be a great alternative, albeit not for summer. I saw a great post on another forum that has a gent in a shade just darker than what I imagine to be Michael's "donkey" color. I thknk that the cloth looks great though I really can't tell if its a tweed or a flannel. I'd wear that suit in a second.

Any way, here is the link:http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=103945

DDM

[alden]

DDM

Its hard to tell from the photo but it could very well be an olive/brown Donegal. The pleats in the trouser do not look like Donegal or Flannel pleats so it might be a worsted spun Donegal.

I have thought to do a 565 gms pure Donegal version of this cloth for the club and some tests in other colors are underway. The olive green is very handsome and there is a shade that is exactly that color though I have chosen a light gray with a blue hue and olive flecks as a test. Its a color combination I recently had made up in an old hand woven Shetland found at W Bills.

Cheers

Michael

[pbc]

And wearing lighter colors amplifies the requirements of the already stringent Savile Row diet, you are best advised to keep slim to wear them unless, that is, you have the natural style of Mr Ferre.

I agree with you. This suit looks great, though one must always take into account the model. They will often look good in just about anything. In this case, look at the face and head. He has the coveted silver hair of wisdom and grace that perfectly compliments his suit. He is also very tan, athletic, and youthful (despite the silver hair). Very dashing, indeed!

This color worked well on Mr. Ferre at least in part because of his grooming. The shape and color of his glasses complement his face, as does the short silvery beard and smile. The trimming of his hair and beard are done well, not just "short." The result is a head and face that will compliment and uplift the clothes, as opposed to having to search for clothes to minimize the look of hair loss or de-emphasize loud glasses.

In comparison, can you picture this suit on an average man with pale skin and blond or red hair? To me that would be a harder match.

pbc

[pbc]

This suit seems very casual to me, only for vacation or very hot climates. The shoes look like a very good match though more dressy than I would expect. I see light brown or off-white buckskins. Would that be too much with such a suit? Or does the suit lend itself to flexibility as dictated by the shoes?

pbc

[dopey]

As many of you will know we are working on a subscription for a white with gray hue flannel in the cloth club. And I recently posted the comment that a suit made of such a cloth has great chic potential. So here is the illustration of the week with an example of same:



I am not to fond of the green shirt or tie selection in this print but you can imagine a nice shade of pale blues at work here. The coat has besom pockets that appear to be cut very high and leads one to think of a 2 button, or 2 button both fastening coat.

If you have a nice selection of highly aged brown shoes with rich patina, you will enjoy wearing them with this suit as seen in the illustration. I often will choose suit colors as a function of the shoe colors I like to wear and that has always lead me to lighter colors.

And wearing lighter colors amplifies the requirements of the already stringent Savile Row diet, you are best advised to keep slim to wear them unless, that is, you have the natural style of Mr Ferre.

Cheers

Michael

This is a great photo. As for the shirt and the tie, I like each with this suit, just not together.

uppercase's comments also bear some thought:

Alden inserts an insidious word in his post, a word seldom seen, and much less observed in practice: chic. Who would dare today!?

I am prepared to wager right now that we shall not soon see anyone rush to their tailor, inspired by this cloth., this light grey flannel.

I would not hesitate to wear this suit on the right occasion, but uppercase is right that I am not likely to commission it. Why? Because I still operate under the delusion that I am building my wardrobe and find it hard to order a suit that I expect to wear very rarely and, unlike a dinner suit, I never really need. As chic as this suit is, on any occasion when it is called for, I can always wear something else that is just as appropriate if even a tad lass stylish.

But I will take this discussion to heart. In truth, I no longer need to buy anything. Since my love for tailoring means I am still going to buy bespoke, perhaps I should focus on things that are simply beautiful even if not always the most practical.

Not likely, though.

[alden]

Well I have published a few wardrobe lists in my day while keeping the bare minimum for my professional life and investing in what pleases me. I have three off white suits today and the light grey flannel one is at end of its road. I would add as many a four such suits these days given my residence in light filled southern climes. That being said I am almost tempted to say that an off white suit is a requirement you would only understand after wearing one a few times in the right circumstances ie anywhere that sets off the dreary scuttling black.

One’s vision of life plays an important role in all of this. Those who believe in their immortality tend to play it safe. Those who delight in each day and understand a days quintessential finite value, like to risk. If mortality did not exist we would surely have to invent it. Some men late in life wake up and understand, hopefully before it’s too late. So my advice is to make a white suit now to celebrate that first birthday.

Cheers

M Alden

[le.gentleman]

Well I have published a few wardrobe lists in my day while keeping the bare minimum for my professional life and investing in what pleases me.

I remember that you once posted a minimum wardrobe list as well as a medium wardrobe list. Could you also post your ideal wardrobe list? Of course this is somehow subjective and everybody has other preferences about the 20th suit - I still think it would be interesting.
Maybe you can even combine the 3 lists into one sticky posting...

[storeynicholas]

if you're going to push the boat out on this, for truly sunny climes, surely co-respondent shoes/spectators have an arguable place here - maybe navy blue leather and off-white buckskin - or the more familiar varieties?

[img][img]http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg55 ... 9CHTR2.jpg[/img]
NJS [/img]

[alden]

NJS

We are in the London Lounge after all, and these are de rigeur



Cheers

Michael

[storeynicholas]

They are splendid - the GG special orders. They'd also make a less stark contrast than just solid colour shoes and plain, light buckskin might look too much - Randall and Hopkirk (deceased)...Here, today, is the lead-up to the local Carnaval and there are many loungers in evidence - but none out on the street seem to hail from the London Lounge...because clothes don't feature very much at all ...even the cats are in festive mood...and if not the most seasonably dressed, they are most conspicuously clothed...
NJS

[uppercase]

But I will take this discussion to heart. In truth, I no longer need to buy anything. Since my love for tailoring means I am still going to buy bespoke, perhaps I should focus on things that are simply beautiful even if not always the most practical.

Not likely, though.

Ahh....practicality.

It's probably not practical to be getting the same colors, over and over, with small variations. Hence a dramatic step is needed.

I think that the white flannel would make a beautiful suit.

I have to agree with Alden, and he's posted this nugget a long time ago, that it would do us a world of good to generally lighten up the color of our wardrobes.

Ofcourse, these colors are not for businesswear nor autumn country colors, hence the conundrum. They are colors for the boulevardier.

But these guys are now extinct, aren't they?

Can you find a better looking suit than this today:?

[dopey]

My most recent suit order is a light gray, though not as near to white as in the illustration. It is closer in color to Valentino's suit, in a twist fabric with a very faint pastel plaid. It is intended to be a more casual suit than my usual business wear. In fact, I have already made the mental note to try to wear casual suits more often, as opposed to sportcoats and trousers. And it is not just a mental note - recent orders have been in that direction, though not entirely as it is hard to just put aside tweed sportcoats.

And what a great comment from Alden:

One’s vision of life plays an important role in all of this. Those who believe in their immortality tend to play it safe. Those who delight in each day and understand a days quintessential finite value, like to risk. If mortality did not exist we would surely have to invent it. Some men late in life wake up and understand, hopefully before it’s too late. So my advice is to make a white suit now to celebrate that first birthday.

[soupcon]

That really is a great suit and look by Valentino.There is so much harmony in that outfit that is suprises me he doesn't try it more often. Any ideas what that material is? Is it a light flannel? Would it work as well in a subtle POW?