Double vs. Single Breasted

[Costi]

All dear Pinocchio ever wanted was to be a REAL boy, no strings attached. Why take that away from him?
Puppets need strings to hold them up, but we ARE real boys and can hold ourselves up and yet you want strings to keep us down to earth. Social strings. But we can only bring a positive contribution to society if we are free, REAL boys. Puppets have no influence on men.

[rodes]

Gentlemen, I am enjoying your thoughtful discussion. Indivigual style should be cultivated,yet Gruto has made an excellent point. Ideally, we would all live in the society that Alden enjoys where the DB coat is appreciated for the stylish garmet that it is, rather than the affectation that it is not. The sad truth is, some of us do not. Style is important but so is business and social context. Can we have the former without risking the later? Generally there may always be some tension. However, in this particular case may I suggest that it is minimal perhaps even negligible.
The DB coat is hardly outlandish. My own experience in the staid mid-Atlantic US is that any negative impressions are likely mistakenly perceived and surely short lived. After all the DB coat was worn by nearly all public figures,even the least dandified,only a few decades ago. We still see them in classic film and photo. The coat is still appreciated in many quaters as Michael has shown. Plus we have the constant example of Prince Charles and his circle,always respected for their aesthetic taste. As Costi wrote last year,anothers' perception of you will not change,at best their perception of the DB suit may.

[Costi]

Thank you, rodes, for your wise synthesis. I believe a man of Style may wear anything and still look great and be perceived positively. "Anything" for a man of Style means anything he is inspired to wear, so he won't even be thinking of what doesn't work for him. He may well decide he doesn't like DB coats, I have no issue with that, but not because of "society". Indeed, thank you for reminding me this:

As Costi wrote last year,anothers' perception of you will not change,at best their perception of the DB suit may.

I would add, others' perception of you will not change FOR THE WORSE, at best their perception of the DB suit may change FOR THE BETTER. IF you are convinced that wearing it is good for you. I understand Copenhagen will have one citizen wrapped in a DB coat tomorrow!

[rodes]

Indeed. Copenhagen is already the better!

[Costi]

If I were to imagine a professional environment where men spend so much time worrying about the clothes other men wear rather than the mission at hand, it would be a place to avoid.

We cannot worry our way to Style.

[Gruto]

If I were to imagine a professional environment where men spend so much time worrying about the clothes other men wear rather than the mission at hand, it would be a place to avoid.

We cannot worry our way to Style.

It's DB day, and I feel fine

I wouldn't be worried about Copenhagen. It is a nice and beautiful city in many ways, even though people don't care much about DBs. It would be a shame avoiding the city, if you love classical buldings from the 19th century and tall blonde women!

[Costi]

I am not at all worried about Copenhagen! In fact, this topic awakened pleasant memories and I felt the need to look up a few pictures of the city just this morning to remind me of the atmosphere. An elegant and stylish city it is. I think it is a perfect city for a DB suit!
Enjoy the feeling and let us know about reactions - you're an LL embassador there today

[Gruto]

let us know about reactions

Everything went well, thank you

[ItsLouis]

Surely there is an irony in here, in that the only people who will label it an affectation are those that have the interest or else wherewithal to notice such a stylish garment. I think it's easily forgotten how few men take the time to recognize and judge these things.

[Costi]

What a fine point you bring to this discussion, Louis. I couldn't agree with you more. How a person comes across in its contacts with others depends so little on such matters. Some of us here suffer from an overly acute perception of dress, we may even make the mistake of judging others by their dress. So we expect others will do the same, but they don't. How much will it weigh in your perception if you see a man with a pair of brown sunglasses? Yet he may have fretted a long time before going out whether he should put on the brown ones or the green ones, for reasons only he understands. You just perceive him as he is.
Does a DB coat say something about its wearer? Perhaps, but you'll never know WHAT, simply because it's different for everyone: one likes the look, another inherited the garment and enjoys wearing it for sentimental reasons, yet another hates it but just grabbed that one from the closet in the morning and never bothered to choose again.
The moment we stop worrying about how others perceive us and instead focus on being authentic and sincere - even in our originality - we project confidence and people surely like confidence and sincerity more than SB coats. Style may dress as it well pleases, it will never come across as wrong.

[Gruto]

Surely there is an irony in here, in that the only people who will label it an affectation are those that have the interest or else wherewithal to notice such a stylish garment.

Good point

I think it's easily forgotten how few men take the time to recognize and judge these things.

Some are more conciouse about it than others but I guess most people will somehow make a judgement. It is a part of our nature to classify what we meet.

[Costi]

Some are more conciouse about it than others but I guess most people will somehow make a judgement. It is a part of our nature to classify what we meet.

Perhaps, but not in the least the way you would expect. One may think "What kind of jacket is that? Nobody wears them in my highschool", another may think "Oh, I haven't seen one of these in a while, I wonder where mine are", yet another may think "What a fuss, he thinks he's Prince Charles, or what?" or "Great cloth, but I'm not very fond of the cut. Nice tie!" (an LL-er? ).
People will not judge you the way you judge yourself, other than by mere coincidence. They will probably not make a sartorially conscious judgment of the kind we often see posted here - and here I very much agree with Louis. Unless you and I bump into each other on the street
The only person who keeps scrutinizing my clothes when I talk to him is my tailor.

[bond_and_beyond]

My concerns with wearing a DB to work are twofold:

1) I spend most of my day in front of the computer, and sitting with a buttoned jacket all day strikes me as uncomfortable. I could unbutton it while sitting down, but would need to button everytime I get up, as I do not find a DB looks very good unbuttoned while the wearer is in the standing position (or walking etc). So that is my practical concern.

2) I work as a lawyer in the financial services sector, and the only ones I see around me wearing DBs (which has made quite a fashion comeback with slimmer, shorter jackets it would seem) are trader/brokers in their mid- to late twenties who are trying to emulate Gordon Gekko (complete with slicked back hair, and braces even though the pants are low cut and with beltloops). Given that I am also in my late twenties I'd hate to be mistaken for one of these guys, which portray an image I am not a big fan of (even though I love the GG character and Michael Douglas' brilliant perfomance ).

Just my 2 eurocents...

S

[Simon A]

Why not wear a waistcoat and hang the coat up when working with the computer?

Don't worry about the Gekko wannabes, you can demonstrate your own sense of style as you see fit, and they can enjoy their period of experimentation too. Look on the bright side, better to seek inspiration from "Wall Street" than "The Sopranos".

If you dress harmoniously, people dealing with you, as they leave the office, won't remember whether you wore DB or SB, French cuffs or barrel cuffs, monks or Oxfords; they will just remember dealing with a well-presented confident gentleman. Do we really want to be remembered for our possessions or for our qualities?

[Costi]

1) I spend most of my day in front of the computer, and sitting with a buttoned jacket all day strikes me as uncomfortable. I could unbutton it while sitting down, but would need to button everytime I get up, as I do not find a DB looks very good unbuttoned while the wearer is in the standing position (or walking etc). So that is my practical concern.

1 eurocent back...

As for no. 2, it's a great opportunity to demonstrate what a well cut and worn DB can look like! You have the perfect foil for your great Style, what more do you want?

Do we really want to be remembered for our possessions or for our qualities?

NOW we're talking!