Tip Top acquisitions, July 28, 2007

[tteplitzmd]

I saw an interesting cloth a few months ago at Tip Top (thanks to Bry2000) and went back for a second look. I bought it this time as well as three other cloths:

The first a Drapers milled worsted with unusual chalk stripes:



The second a linen/cotton shirting:



The third a cotton/cashmere, "cashco" of Italian origin:



And finally my favorite, an unusual cashmere/silk/linen blend perhaps 8 ounces:





The latter two I would like to eventually use for Saharianas. Has anyone had one of these made with a lightweight Bemberg lining by a shirtmaker?

[dopey]

Can't help with your question, but please tell more about the cashco. Is it strictly a shirting?

[tteplitzmd]

No, it's too heavy, more like maybe 10-12 ounces, thick. I had slacks made from another color, very soft texture. Sorry the photos are rather close up, I don't know how to control that.

[edhayes]

I have cashco pants, run- do not walk- run, to get some of that fabric and have it made into pants, I am calling tip top tomorrow

[MTM]

Congratulations! I love blends, especially linen blends. In this DC heat I've been thinking of having a navy blue blazer made in a linen or hemp blend, perhaps from your recommended tailor, Dr. Teplitz.

[tteplitzmd]

Ed, you can walk, you don't have to run in those expensive shoes. They have a book of the cashco, that is, it's a stock item for them. They are all solids, have a soft finish, and a twill like weave. They feel like heavy cotton, just softer. I had Ambrosi make a pair of trousers for me, somewhere in the LL photo'd, they're terrific. Not for summer though. I want a Sahariene made out of Cashco. Who will do this with a lining? Anyone? Anyone?

[tteplitzmd]

http://thelondonlounge.net/gl/gallery/D ... d/PICT0910

[Costi]

Dr. Teplitz, I think a Saharienne WITH lining is very unlikely enterprise to talk a shirtmaker into. I had a hard time persuading mine to make me a normal (shirt-like) one, let alone lining it...

[tteplitzmd]

Costi,

Yes I think you're right, no lining from a shirtmaker. Mr. Alden was successful in having a Roman shirtmaker put a lining in one of his.

What do you think accounts for the resistance to their making even the conventional kind. I don't really understand it. I do recall the photos I think of yours. Very nice.

[Costi]

Actually I think the double stitching used in shirt-making is more resistant than he simple one typical of suits. Besides, the patch flapped chest pockets and the machine-stitching involved in applying them have the effect of strengthening (or rather stiffening) the chest, similar in a way to what the canvas does to a tailored jacket (provided the cloth has a certain consistency - mine was in linen). Perhaps one of the few cases where machine-stitching is preferrable over hand-stitching (in my opinion).
Why do you think lining would be desirable? Is the cloth scratchy?

[tteplitzmd]

Lining for a heavier variant only. Not really necessary I guess, but in theory you could do the same design in a tweed for example (see Alden's photo somewhere in the LL).

[tteplitzmd]

[tteplitzmd]

[Costi]

you could do the same design in a tweed for example (see Alden's photo somewhere in the LL).

I haven't seen his tweed saharienne, but I have seen (one of?) his beautiful belted back jacket in heavy tweed with no canvassing and spalla camicia - a thing of beauty really. A shirt-like construction in a heavy tweed looks better to me in the shape of a coat rather than of a saharienne (with its flapped patch pockets and all).

[tteplitzmd]

This is Mr. Alden's lined field jacket, made by a Roman shirtmaker:



This field jacket is from a book, doubt it is lined:



Comments? I have some Zegna Trofeo jacketing that I would like to have made into a Sahariana-like filed jacket, preferably lined with light weight Ermezine lining.