Big men, soft cloth

[alden]

Something just occurred to me. I write these things down more in the form of a diary just to remind myself really. But if any of you happen to read it, great.

Large men, not necessarily tall men, but large men, large frame, muscles, or stomach would do very well choosing soft flannel suits over hard worsteds. Soft worsteds are out of the question by default. And hard worsteds, especially those made up in a very structured style, will just have a tendency to enlarge an already large man in a way that is not always flattering. A beautiful and softly draping DB chalkstripe suit on a stout man can be the essence of elegance.

If New Years feasts have done you wrong, or your personal trainer gone overboard, rather than get a Luca Brazzi suit made of cement for deep diving adventures...try to soften things up.

Cheers

[davidhuh]

Dear Michael,

very true. What I would add here is: get room in your suits. Don't get fooled by clothes fitting too tight. The wearer should live in his clothes, and not being worn by them.

Cheers, David

[old henry]

Big guys need a suit that fits well just like skinny guys do. Not looking like a sausage , which I think is what David means, but a suit that fits well. Look at Jackie Gleason. Sydney Greenstreet. It's not more cloth. It's clothes that fit and function without tugging and pulling. They fit the man properly with function built in. The pattern fits. Well fitted , spiffy , big guys look great. Watch Jackie Gleason play pool in his suit the The Hustler.
( Bill Fioravanti made for Gleason. Bill was the nicest guy around. Along with his best friend Tony Maurizzio )

[alden]

Well fitted , spiffy , big guys look great.

David,

WE are so used to seeing men going around in adhesive, tight fitting clothing (meant for shapely women) that we forget Frank's tailor's wisdom: it's all about being well fitted. That is a pure, centered note of truth. Well fitted.

And when a man is well fit, the cloth choice becomes secondary.

That being said, I still love flannel. Its stronger than me.

Get fit and be well fit! Get a good pattern.

Cheers

[davidhuh]

Big guys need a suit that fits well just like skinny guys do. Not looking like a sausage , which I think is what David means, but a suit that fits well.

Dear Frank,

this is what I meant, indeed. What provoked my remark is fellow member Belimad's second fitting pictures. They made me remember what an old tailor told me when I was young. He advised me to take "possession of my suit" by wearing it two, three days in a row. I should take a nap in it on a settee, feel comfortable and forget what I was wearing. I have almost always followed this advice.

Cheers, David

[old henry]

I would advise belimad to try to forget his also

[Screaminmarlon]

I would advise belimad to try to forget his also

No pun intended

[couch]

He advised me to take "possession of my suit" by wearing it two, three days in a row. I should take a nap in it on a settee, feel comfortable and forget what I was wearing. I have almost always followed this advice.

This is famously the advice director Terence Young gave Sean Connery about his dinner suit for Dr. No. It worked; Connery never looked stiff in a suit again.