On online reviews of artisans

[bond_and_beyond]

Interesting from Simon Crompton:

https://www.permanentstyle.com/2016/08/ ... icism.html

BB

[alden]

We were doing online reviews ten years ago and at the end of the day I am not sure they were of real value to anyone. These kinds of reviews work well with industrially made products, and I will often search out reviews when I am in the market to buy a new camera for example. But the experience with a craftsman, who makes one of a kind hand made products, is very different. I suppose one could judge and comment on their commercial manners, if they were responsive, professional, courteous, though some of the best tailors I know are none of these. And one tailor can one man look fine and another a sack. Is it the tailor's fault? Never.

Cromp's own reviews are pretty hilarious. What will someone even more inexperienced than he be worth? I am not sure. And the reviews mode always opens up the avenues to occult advertising as if there were not enough shameless examples already on the dress net.

I have always thought that videos, like the ones I made for DWS, are the best way to really see both the clothes and the man who must animate them to make them great. But it has always been that even the most loquacious of the "experts" {chuckle} never want themselves to be seen. I know why and down deep so do you. But a channel of great dress videos would be interesting if you had enough guys who really know how to "DO IT", instead of just blah blahing about IT. And guys like that are very rare.

Cheers

[Concordia]

But it has always been that even the most loquacious of the "experts" {chuckle} never want themselves to be seen. I know why and down deep so do you.

Obviously, some of us look so fabulous that we fear stalkers.

[hectorm]

...if you had enough guys who really know how to "DO IT", instead of just blah blahing about IT. And guys like that are very rare.

This is the key point regarding this type of reviews that IMO makes it or brakes it. As I have written before in this forum, what I perceive as the reviewer´s shortcomings in personal magnetism and style, is what makes guys like Simon Cromptom, Sven Raphael Schneider, etc. unconvincing proponents of the gentleman´s dress. Many times they might have a good point regarding, for instance, the quality of a Drake´s necktie or the matching of suede shoes and flannels, but -since now we know them and we see they don´t "DO IT"- they become poorer advocates on how those objects would (if they could) translate into style.

[alden]

hectorm

It very well could be that "bloggers blog because they can't DO.....IT" And yes, those of us who live in real time, in the moment, right now (not in a half drugged, assisted dream-like stupor) want to see IT always. Life is way too short for any copies or facsimile's in the real time, in the moment, right now world! Especially when you are my age

Look the great dressers we so admire were almost exclusively creative artists of some sort: actors, writers, painters, poets,dancers and singers, with an odd politician or royal thrown in to round things out. You just don't find many lawyers, bankers, accountants or orthodontists on the list. And no bloggers. That is because the former were able to see, feel and do IT beyond the capacity of almost all men. And if you try to communicate what the creative men were able to see, feel and do, you wind up hearing the sniggering from here to Topeka from the bean counters on the back benches of IT.

But a video blog with examples of men who can do IT would be a welcome thing. It is so vital to see style in movement. Other than that you will have to content yourself with watching movies of Gable, Cooper, Astaire et al, what a writer here recently described as the "old men", as if style had an age! Or you could just give up and read a good book: Shakespeare, Goethe, Proust...Gads, what am I suggesting? They are "old men" too.

Cheers

[aston]

Cromps started posting about various tailors he had commissions with, only about 8 or 9 years ago.

He became a self-appointed style expert shortly afterwards because more and more people started asking him dumb questions about wearing green socks with blue trousers or how deep trouser cuffs should be. And the more he pontificated, the more folk asked silly questions. And thus the more he became a style messiah.

But he has found a market where people who can't tell worsted from crimplene hang on his every word. I like wearing a cream oatmeal coat with mid grey chinos and a pale denim shirt, finished off with burgundy loafers, but only because they are hand made by artisans in various bits of Italy, but mainly because Simon says..............

Remember the playground game?

[davidhuh]

Gentlemen,

while I respect all the arguments here, I prefer not to join the bashing. The writers mentioned might have some genuine interest, they have obviously found an audience and a market. Good for them, and good for some artisans who have found an easy and cheap way to promote their craft.

If this helps some people using a tailor for the first time, instead of buying overpriced and ill fitting stuff with a designer label, wonderful. Some of them will discover pleasures they didn't know before and even find the way here and to the cloth club. I'm happy about every effort that helps people to develop their understanding. The spirited daddies helping their boys finding their way to elegance and style have become a rare species.

The biggest limitation in these blogs is the poor know how about the main ingredients - good cloth and an experienced tailor who understands and advises his customer. In other words: all halleluja for a caprese doesn't help those who believe tomatoes are dutch and you get them all year. The Larousse on cloth has to be written yet

Cheers, David

[alden]

and good for some artisans who have found an easy and cheap way to promote their craft.

Could not agree with you more. And the young guys out there looking to learn should spend some quality time on these blogs learning directly from the craftsmen. I was here when Tom Mahon, an LL member, opened the world to bespoke tailoring with his first blog posts. HIs great success is merited and applauded because his contributions to our general knowledge has been just as great. Steed does a great job as well and there are many others of merit.

Cheers

[old henry]

I have wanted for the longest time to make a short film demonstrating the mostly forgotten and time consuming method of applying a lapel completely by hand. Mr Alden has for years told me to set up a blog and to do it. I am going to now. I think setting and gathering a sleeve by hand will be interesting too. Perhaps also showing pattern manipulations such as the English chest dart would be interesting.
FS

[couch]

I would love to see all of these, Frank. Please keep us posted.

[alden]

I have wanted for the longest time to make a short film demonstrating the mostly forgotten and time consuming method of applying a lapel completely by hand. Mr Alden has for years told me to set up a blog and to do it. I am going to now. I think setting and gathering a sleeve by hand will be interesting too. Perhaps also showing pattern manipulations such as the English chest dart would be interesting.
FS

Now that would be a blog worth following every day!

Cheers Frank, now do it!

[J.S. Groot]

That would be wonderful, Frank!

[hectorm]

If this helps some people using a tailor for the first time, instead of buying overpriced and ill fitting stuff with a designer label, wonderful.

I think David fairly points out at a potential contribution of the writers in question. I could also gladly recognize a few other benefits of their labor I've enjoyed myself (mainly regarding information).
If only they could keep their egos in check and forgo all the style guru self-appointing .....

[alden]

hectorm

I know this is going to sound like one of those “and I walked fifty miles in the snow every morning to go to school” kind of stories but I grew up without blogs, without style gurus, without infomercials and I did just fine. I know others who did just fine and even better.

But as I said before we live in an “assisted” world. We cannot imagine doing anything for ourselves, We need assistance from governments, communities, reviewers and bloggers before we can take even the most irrelevant of decisions like what clothes we should wear. The extinct species known as “the individual” (shudder) can be found only in museums. And you guys can equivocate until hell freezes, but true style comes from individuals.

Cheers

[mek]

Could not agree more with you Michael. So true.