The London Lounge

Dear All,

I am 31 and quite style conscious with both formal and casual and have up to now worn nice jeans with a blazer/ jacket. I am though getting to dislike denim and it seems for the young man nowadays there are few alternatives. I find it somewhat incongruent that for a night out in the evening, one's wife will make a big effort and makes up in a dress, but men are left with jeans. (I also dislike chinos as I think them a bit cliche now with a blazer).

I am thinking about flannels but not sure if it would look too grand-daddy.

Any thoughts?

Gordon

For winter, flannels are fine. Perhaps even for cool summer days, if you can bear to risk having light-weight flannel. I'm now over 30, so take that for what it is worth.

Otherwise, if you want something a little less civilized, Bedford cords and whipcords are nice, as is corduroy.

In the summer, heavier linen makes a nice pedestal for a blazer. You can do khaki, but sage, cream, grey, even light blue could work also, depending on where you plan to be at what time of day.

Of course, your basic tropical worsted is also fine in the summer if linen is too summery. All shades of grey, tan, olive...

May I add to the list fresco in the summer (or a wool mohair/kid mohair mix) and cavalry for autumn and winter?
You might also try an informal suit (PoW flannel, donegal, herringbone tweed and so on) to break out of blazer-trousers recipe.
Hope this help
Saluti
M.

Dear Gordon,

gcg wrote: I am thinking about flannels but not sure if it would look too grand-daddy.

Depends entirely on you - without kidding: a mid grey flannel is very versatile and will go with pretty much everything. It is the odd trouser type I am wearing most.

A part from what is already mentioned, I would add linen in different weights, cotton, whipcord and hopsack. It might help you talking with a tailor, visiting a cloth merchant on the Row or a shop like Wilhelm Jungmann & Neffe in Vienna.

Cheers, David

Tailored cords or moleskins are a nice substitute for denim in the winter.

gcg wrote: I find it somewhat incongruent that for a night out in the evening, one's wife will make a big effort and makes up in a dress, but men are left with jeans.

Dear Gordon,
"Somewhat incongruent" is an understatement. Your spouse must love you a lot if until now she was putting up with your evening jeans.
The equivalent of your wife´s wearing an evening dress is your wearing a suit. I agree with Screaminmarlon and I like the idea of a rather informal suit for the evening much more than wearing the combo of flannels or linens with a blazer. Worn without a necktie or with a knit polo or turtle neck, will make you feel very comfortable. There are plenty of stylish suits for a 30 y.o. in case you don´t want to risk looking like myself.

hectorm wrote: The equivalent of your wife´s wearing an evening dress is your wearing a suit.

Dear Gordon,

I'm sorry, I was not reading your question as I should have. And of course, Hectorm is 100% right - when your wife is dressing up nicely for the evening, you please do the same and wear a suit

cheers, David

hectorm wrote:

gcg wrote: I find it somewhat incongruent that for a night out in the evening, one's wife will make a big effort and makes up in a dress, but men are left with jeans.

The equivalent of your wife´s wearing an evening dress is your wearing a suit. I agree with Screaminmarlon and I like the idea of a rather informal suit for the evening much more than wearing the combo of flannels or linens with a blazer. Worn without a necktie or with a knit polo or turtle neck, will make you feel very comfortable. There are plenty of stylish suits for a 30 y.o. in case you don´t want to risk looking like myself.

I totally agree, I would feel much more comfortable in a suit, but we are living in very unstylish days, in my opinion. (Particularly in the corner of Yorkshire I am living in at the moment.) I like the idea of an informal suit, I will discuss with my tailor.

Thanks for the other very helpful ideas and suggestions. I had never heard of fresco.

gcg, have a look at some of the outfits that the young gents at the Armoury put together:

http://thearmoury.tumblr.com/

...for my money they succeed in making 'well dressed' look youthful, cool and never stuffy.

Gordon,
My choice would be a black and white PoW check in a bolder pattern than one would expect with a suit and no overcheck. Something one would wear with a stroller. As our worthy Etutee wrote a few years ago,"The checked trouser is a lost art form." The blazer is the perfect article to bring about welcome revival.

Perhaps don't be too quick to write off the chino. It's true that it's been ruined by horrible fits and stodgy versions of boring tan, but especially with summer coming up, there are a number of very interesting possibilities with them.

Assuming you are not looking for a wool, tailored option:

I like very dark & rich burgundy, purple, midnight blue or green corduroys or moleskins and a dark navy jacket for a night out in the winter when a suit would be too much. I think the slightly reflective sheen the nap of these fabrics gives is pleasantly decadant at night, especially juxtaposed against a white shirt and shiny black leather - but definitely a little continential .

The summer is more difficult but I think a darker colored linen or chino is your best bet.

Cordings of Picadilly has a nice selection that is reasonably priced, and goes on 50% sale several times a year.

emc894 wrote: Cordings of Picadilly has a nice selection that is reasonably priced, and goes on 50% sale several times a year.

With the summer months in mind I have been looking to their cotton trousers/chinos as a budgetary less demanding alternative to custom made trousers. But I cannot get an idea of their fit and design based on the online pictures. So I fear the leg might be trimmer and the rise lower than I would like. Has anyone given them a try?

I wear Cordings moleskins most of the time.
Perfect for me.
I have not tried their summer trousers but am anxious to do so .If they are equal to the winter version I will like them.
Seem to be a good selection of colours etc.

The main problem with men used to wearing jeans etc. is the difficulty in getting used to a looser fit.
A compromise would be slim fitting trousers which don't give a line as Michael Alden would like, but mostly work very well.

Recently we have been watching Richard Grant in a luxury hotel TV series.He does have the benefit of long legs; but he does seem to opt for the casual close fitting suit option, which works very well. Maybe someone could put up a photo of that.

T.K. wrote:

emc894 wrote: Cordings of Picadilly has a nice selection that is reasonably priced, and goes on 50% sale several times a year.

With the summer months in mind I have been looking to their cotton trousers/chinos as a budgetary less demanding alternative to custom made trousers. But I cannot get an idea of their fit and design based on the online pictures. So I fear the leg might be trimmer and the rise lower than I would like. Has anyone given them a try?

If you're needing a long rise and forward pleats, try Maus & Hoffman or Ben Silver in the States. Also, Bill's Khakis, for an even more spacious fit.