VOL. III NO. I (Mar 07') Formal Daywear / Unique Suits AA

[Sator]

There is such a dearth of cloth for formal trousers. Anyone else interested in a Cloth Club project for some checked cheviot?

What an excellent idea! I am all for it.

[Connemara]

Great post as usual, Etutee. Do you happen to have a large collection of AA issues or are these scanned in from a library/private owner's collection?

[Etutee]

Some of the illustrations above appear to depict plain-tip oxfords with morning dress. Until recently, I had always thought that this was the most correct option for daytime formal and semi-formal. Manton's article on the subject brought that view into question. In researching the subject, I couldn't find a definitive answer: although some illustrations clearly show toe-caps, others are unclear; while the text is likewise opaque. I no longer doubt that toe-caps are correct, but are plain oxfords (not necessarily wholecuts) also an option?

Stephen

You are right both versions are correct & the confusion is coming from the fact that pre 20s or more like WWI era the correct dress footwear constituted of patent leather boots that were often plain tip for formal occasions. After WWI the boots saw a sharp decline & naturally with new modes of clothing there was a need for lighter footwear. So both formal day & evening wear switched to low cut “ties” or oxfords. Patent leather was more-or-less abolished for formal day wear during the 30s & black calf oxford replaced it. Since the most usual / suitable black oxford version was the punched cap…. it got integrated into formal day wear easily.

In the formal evening wear even though boots were dropped in favor of oxfords but patent leather usage remained (& to this date still does). Since it was an oxford for one special use “evening wear”… it retained the plain tip style (more commonly).

Do you happen to have a large collection of AA issues or are these scanned in from a library/private owner's collection?

No library / private owner is that generous to allow scanning of these rusty-old books. Every time they are scanned, these books are bound to get damaged (one way or another). All of the collection is mine.

[uppercase]

Etutee, many thanks for your tremendous efforts and contributions.

Your posts are always an inspiration. You provide so many new ideas and ways of thinking about clothing, patterns, colors and combinations that I inevitably dress better as a result of your posts.

I also note your comments as well on 'body tracing suits' and the preference for drape and elongated shoulder to achieve a masculine, elegant silhouette and do not disagree with this; it is certainly a point to take home and think about.

In all, another wonderful contribution and I certainly hope that you know how much appreciated your hardwork really is.

[stephen]

Etutee,

Thank you for both your wonderful article and for your erudite reply to my query.

Stephen

[Algernon]

Etutee,

Thank you very much for this wonderful post; all the most apposite laudatory remarks seem to have been snapped up - but they should be made again! No praise would be too effusive.

Algernon

[Jackson]

I know I'm a bit late in praise, but this post is outstanding as usual Etutee. I waited until a recent flight to read it. I printed several of the articles in this series and it proved to be an excellent way to pass the time of the flight. The gentleman sitting next to me even got curious after seeing some of the pictures and he asked to read them as I finished each article. Perhaps he'll be joining the Lounge soon? I know it's been said before, but you really should consider putting all of this in a book. It really is first rate material. Bravo!

[Costi]

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

I am at a loss for words – your articles make me realize how poor today’s sartorial world is. The concepts and ideas you so vividly evoke are the springs and lakes of the London Lounge oasis. They make one realize how arid today’s “sartorial philosophy” is and why its expression is most often sorrowful: beauty and elegance have been abandoned out of mere boredom for the sake of originality at any cost and especially by vandalizing the concept of beauty and mutilating elegant appearance. Your articles are not only candy for the eye, they are therapy for the soul.

[wegimental]

Etutee, How splendid ! I will relish a detailed reading with my Lagavulin, arguably the best wiskey available on the East Coast of the US. Only fitting for such a fine piece of research and commentary !
Well Done You !

[alden]

A truly outstanding post by Etutee.

But, I am not referring to the quite self herringbone seen in worsteds these days. I am referring to honest-to-God old-fashioned Bold herringbone pattern in suitings of Cheviot types with rough & hairy textures. So for the first four illustrations it is… herringbone, herringbone, herringbone!

The herringbone has always been the foundational country suiting. If you want to adventure into casual suits it’s a very good place to begin. Look for a weighty Cheviot cloth that is tightly woven (for the trousers) and one that has a mix of many colored threads.

Secondly, certain type of cloth is know of their bulk & that is precisely what makes them elegant in the first place. Cheviots, Shetlands, Flannels are some of the examples of this.

These fabrics look best on men with good figures. If you have too much bulk then loose the bulk and wear bulky fabrics. Bulk that you can remove from your body is so much better than the kind you carry around your waist.

These are not cylinder type “straight leg” pants but are of the tapered shape even though you may not believe it. They follow the shape that of a cone than of a cylinder and that is vital to its “fall” or proper line.

The cone shape confers line, line and line.

Similarly shoulders can be exact, they don't have to be extended always BUT they should never be narrow as to interfere with proper "fall" of the cloth at the sleeve head.

This sartorial axiom bears repeating over and over again.

the extreme cutaway front quarters

I think the front quarters in the illustration are as they should be and certainly not extreme, but it’s a matter of personal preference.

The breast pocket is also patch with a flap over it.

I would like to remove flaps from all my pockets as they do interfere with the line of a coat. So I would not suggest loading down a breast pocket with a flap.

Overcoats that go well with this dark cheviot lounge suit are the various types of fleecy fabrics, such as the one sketched, which happened to be a town Ulster. Over coatings with an overplaid are especially suitable with rough textured suitings.

It is interesting to note that of the 8 overcoats pictured in the suitings section of this post, five are light colors with pattern. There are three illustrations of tweed OCs in tan with brown windowpanes.

Bear in mind that flannel by its nature lends very well to drape so if you are to move way from drape towards more slim lines then opt for a worsted striped suit instead. A slim-fitting woolen flannel stripe suit, these days is a waste of good cloth! Do that in worsteds if you must.

I agree and well said!

When you gentlemen think of boldness, do you think in terms of pattern or boldness in terms of color?

The other major influence on the boldness of a cloth is texture. For example a clear cut worsted herringbone can almost vanish; a wooly tweed herringbone will stand out very much.

When was the last time you saw a DB houndstooth suit (in UK or anywhere else)? Exactly!

It’s probably because they tend to be awful things. I can’t say I have ever seen a tweed DB look very well. Etutee correctly explains that the DB is a city cut and does not work well with a country fabric.

Your 4 basic odd combinations are as follows.

1. Dark patterned jacket with solid light-colored pants
2. Dark solid jacket with patterned light-colored pants
3. Light solid jacket with dark-colored patterned pants
4. Light patterned jacket with dark-colored solid pants

Now out of these four No. 1 & 4 is most often deployed, the others 2 & 3 while being perfectly correct are extremely rare & take a careful study of pattern / color matching skills

Patterned trousers are very useful with navy blazers. If you are a bit bored with gray flannels, try a black watch tartan or some other pattern. You can also use patterned trousers well with bulky sweaters, and beautifully aged brown leather shoes.

[Gruto]

I have the Handbook of English Costume in the 20th Century 1900-1950 by Mansfield and Cunnington.

They have a short description of the stroller, although they don't call it a stroller, but "a black jacket":

"The virtual disappearence of the frock and morning coats from everyday life led to an increase in the wearing of a black or very dark grey jacket and waistcoat with striped trousers. This outfit was advertised in 1931 for "professional and business wear", and it was generally considered incorrect for social occasions."

[pbc]

I may be a little late to the game on this, but I sincerely appreciate the great effort put forth to create such wonderfully informative articles. I've read it several times and will read it several times more. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words, but a few of your words make the image 4-dimensional. Thank you for the article. Using this motivating information I plan to add a dimension or two to my own wardrobe.

-pbc