High button stance on DB jacket

"The brute covers himself, the rich man and the fop adorn themselves, the elegant man dresses!"

-Honore de Balzac

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Simon A

Mon Jul 05, 2010 11:14 am

The talk of uses for the LL Donkey flannel reminded me of the Noel Coward play Hay Fever. The character Mr Richard Greatham, a diplomat, is a guest for the weekend in a country house, dressed in a DB donkey flannel suit with a SB waistcoat. The wardrobe for this TV version of the play is excellent, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDNlHlxv ... re=related

The play is set in the 1920's. The suit in question has a somewhat nipped-in waist and a very high buttoning point.The person wearing it is quite tall and very lean.

Image
Image

Perhaps the members could give their opinion on this button stance in a DB, for a tall lean person. Do you think it looks appealing, or is it considered an "archaic" style of no further relevance today? More to the point, do you think such a button stance is appropriate for a tall lean man at all, and why/why not? Thankyou for your suggestions.

p.s. I do like the Balmoral Boots the actor is wearing, but I don't think I could wear them.
ay329
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Mon Jul 05, 2010 5:09 pm

This DB jacket looks horrible. The wimpy lapels ruin the overall look. This thread should be a poster child for how not to do a DB jacket.

Perhaps much larger lapels might save this DB jacket...but It makes a tall person look even taller.
I thought perhaps this look might assist a shorter person since the longer body would elognate one's body

P.S.: I thought he was wearing spats on top of his shoes (not boots)
alden
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Mon Jul 05, 2010 6:16 pm

The fabric seems more of a taupe shade..I like it.

The DB is cut too high, even for a 6 x 3, the button spacing is wrong, and the coat is too long. But that is probably how they were worn at the time...quien sabe?

Cheers

Michael
Simon A

Tue Jul 06, 2010 2:21 pm

Thanks for the feedback. Michael, I also like the colour.

Here is another DB piece, this time an overcoat, with a very high buttoning point and modestly sized lapels. It was commissioned by a small, slim person.
Image

What do you think; is this style now considered anachronistic? I must admit I have not seen such a style in use for some time.
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culverwood
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Tue Jul 06, 2010 2:30 pm

I do not find the original jacket oddly high buttoned it is a 6x3 so is bound to have higher buttoning than normal. I do find it long but perhaps that is the aspect ratio of the television it was viewed on stretching everything.

The 6x3 does not get much love here or on other men's fashion forums but there are still a few of us ex-Mods left who keep it going.
couch
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Tue Jul 06, 2010 7:07 pm

Windsor's naval greatcoat has a wider collar and lapel, higher gorge, and much wider button stance (overlap). These would be a bit too much on a lounge coat, but they do make the chest and shoulders seem broader and more substantial. The OP's photo shows a narrow overlap with the buttons tightly clustered above and below the nipped waist, leaving the impression of a very long skirt. This does balance the somewhat lower gorge, I suppose. It's possible that in person the highly waisted effect might make the button placement seem a bit more logical (the first photo cuts off the torso in a way that shows the coat to its worst advantage). It also looks quite possible that the actor has extremely long legs and a short waist, leading to some tradeoffs here. But I'd agree that a good Mod 6x3 would probably have slightly different proportions.
shredder
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Tue Jul 06, 2010 7:17 pm

Yes, it can work on a tall, lean man. The horizontal and vertical spacing between the buttons will need to be determined based on the person's proportions.

s
Simon A

Wed Jul 07, 2010 3:19 pm

Thankyou for the detailed responses, it is all very useful information.
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