The London Lounge

I intend to order my first horizontally striped shirt over the coming weeks, and would appreciate the membership's opinion on a suitable pattern. Of the three below (Wide Black, Narrow Black, Grey), which would look best? I'm inclined to go with the Narrow Black but remain undecided.

Unlike Flusser in the last pic, I intend only for the sleeves and body to be horizontally striped, with the cuffs / collar cut conventionally:

Dear Badden,

the most elegant way of doing this - in my humble opinion of course - is having only the front stripes running horizontally, while keeping all the rest normal.

As you are doing it for the first time, I would recommend the pattern in your first picture. Personally, I would even use more subtle stripes.

You are doing something "wrong", so keeping it subtle makes it work. What Flusser is wearing may reflect his personal taste, but he is basically crying at everybody MY SHIRTS ARE BESPOKE, GET IT?

Cheers, David

Thanks, David. To be clear, are you suggesting that the sleeves be cut vertically (in the conventional style)? Wouldn't that look jarring to the eye?

Also, I agree on keeping things subtle. I assumed the first (Wide Black) would be the most prominent, with the Light Grey stripes the most subtle.

Dear Badden,

Badden wrote:Thanks, David. To be clear, are you suggesting that the sleeves be cut vertically (in the conventional style)? Wouldn't that look jarring to the eye?

Not at all. Talk to your shirtmaker
What you generally see when wearing a dress shirt under your coat is a little from the front and the collar. Taking off your coat, you might be wearing a waistcoat or not. Wearing a waistcoat, people also see sleeves and cuffs. Turning these patterns around makes one look like a clown... Look at Mr Flusser

Badden wrote: Also, I agree on keeping things subtle. I assumed the first (Wide Black) would be the most prominent, with the Light Grey stripes the most subtle.

You are right about wide black versus light grey of course.
I made such shirts with two different patterns; I chose blue stripes because they are the most versatile. The first one was a bold Budd stripe. The result is not bad, but it is not easy to combine, and it cries too loud for my taste. The second pattern is from the Alumo Soyella bunch, the stripes are very thin and subtle. This was a success, I made several and wear them a lot. Most people don't even notice, which is a good sign

Cheers, David

Have you considered white collars and cuffs?
I would pick the pink in the first pic and white french cuffs and white collar.
-

Thanks, but contrast collars are a no-go for me. A little too Donald Trump for my taste.

And yet it's a common choice for rugby shirts.

Why on earth would you(or anyone) want to model yourself on Alan Flusser?

SMCK wrote:Why on earth would you(or anyone) want to model yourself on Alan Flusser?

I never said I did, and specifically mentioned that I didn't appreciate his interpretation of this style.

Getting this back on track - anyone else w/ experience, or better yet, actual photographs? I did find Etutee's old thread on this subject, and it was very instructive, but questions remain.

Here is an article in the Gentleman's Gazette on the subject the might answer a lot of your questions.
http://www.gentlemansgazette.com/horizo ... irt-guide/

Thanks, Bespoke62 - a good read.

Badden wrote:Thanks, but contrast collars are a no-go for me. A little too Donald Trump for my taste.

Dear Badden,
a very subtle stripe in light blue combined with a white collar is not Donald Trump at all. On the contrary. I find it to be in very good taste and convention has it that it´s formal enough to be worn (correctly) even with a morning suit.

Gary Cooper with F.D. Roosvelt's son, 1933 (here),
Advert, Spring-Summer 1899 (here).

I just think a horizontal stripe on a shirt is a bit like a lime green Bentley, or perhaps a pair of yellow brogues.

Nothing wrong with the base product, but just a bit off the mark.

aston wrote:I just think a horizontal stripe on a shirt is a bit like a lime green Bentley * * *.

Nothing wrong with the base product, but just a bit off the mark.

Agreed.

It's from an earlier era of dandies, such as Adolphe Menjou or Anthony Biddle. In the 1920's and 1930's films where they are seen occasionally, the body is striped, but the collar is white, separate, and stiff as a board.

Those shirts had very subdued and thin stripes which were almost invisible from afar.

It's not my taste, but if you like it, go for it!