Category Archives: Culture

Friday Style Debate: Is this the most versatile of coats?

Time to Debate!

FSD - top coats

Friday Style Debate: Is this the most versatile of coats?

For those paying attention we missed two debates while I was away in Paris splitting time on holiday as well as conducting some business.  What quickly became very apparent on the streets of Paris was the prevalence of the top coat on both men and women.  Unstructured, structured, fitted, over-sized, in lighter shades or dark – all of the above were on display.

On the men’s side what was most noticeable was the varied way they were worn; from the traditional manner over a suit, to a dressed down aesthetic with casual clothing and sneakers all the way to pairing them with ‘athleisure’ gear like jogger pants and trainers.  At every level the influence on the over-all look was the same – it added an extra hint of flair that further elevated the guys look.  Which brought me to the conclusion that by far the top coat is the most versatile coat there is.  What other coat can be as comfortable in such a wide variety of styles?

So – what do you think?  Is it the most versatile coat out there or have I overlooked another option?  Let the debate begin…

Friday Style Debate: how do you scarf?

Time to Debate!

scarves - color vs basic

Friday Style Debate: how do you scarf?

With the cold rudely arriving this week it’s definitely time to be breaking out the scarf collection. As I did exactly that it got me thinking as to how others approach what in my view is the ultimate winter accessory.

In my case it goes without saying that I’m a fan of the more muted and subtle approach; I tend to focus more on the richness and depth of muted colors and their texture as opposed to pure boldness.  That said I do marvel every time I visit London in the winter and witness the incredible barrage of color that the English favor in their scarves.  Nothing screams a Mayfair businessman quite like a muted navy suit paired with a dose of color from their socks at the bottom and a scarf from the top!

So – how do you scarf?  Do you lean towards the muted and subtle or do you get pulled to the boldness of color?  Or perhaps you’re someone who likes to dabble on both sides of the sartorial spectrum and keep the rest of us guessing?  Let the debate – or poll in this case – begin…

Is This The Ultimate Shirt?

the ultimate shirt II (1)

Is this the ultimate shirt?

In my opinion yes it is; and I say that as someone who is yet to even have one in their closet.  I came to this realization last week after going through the design and fitting process with a brand new client.  His request for me was simple; he wanted a clean, minimal design that could be as equally elevated to formal use as it could be reduced to a more casual one.

In the end it worked out eerily similar to this guys shirt – timely isn’t it.

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Here is how we got there:

Without question the starting point is a crisp white cotton poplin cloth; white obviously being the only color option with the versatility to be both formal and casual.  In our case we chose a strong and lustrous plain weave version from the Tessitura Monti mill of Italy.

From there the discussion moved to the front of the shirt.  Quite often clients like to begin with the collar; in this case though the starting point was down the front.  We did this because “clean and minimal” was the stated DNA of the shirt.  As such we chose to pare down the front as much as possible by covering the buttons with a fly front and electing to forgo the beast pocket.

Ultimate shirt

6 Inch Spread Collar with Covered Buttons Fly Front

The simplicity of the covered buttons provide unquestionable elegance for formal moments; equally it provide a level of visual interest for casual use as a fly front is relatively uncommon. In the end it’s a perfect example of less is more.

Next up was the collar.  The traditional wing tip collar was obviously too formal and my client rightly viewed the pointed style collar as lacking of character when worn tie-less.  In the end we chose a healthy 6 inch spread with a 3 inch tip length – essentially what you see in the image above.  For me this is the perfect middle ground; it works equally well for a bow or long tie, it sits high, open and with tips covered when worn with a sports jacket or sweater and looks clean and contemporary when left on its own.

Next up was the cuffs.  Right away the traditional double french cuff was off the table as it cannot be used casually.  In the same vein the standard barrel cuff was out as it lacked the formality needed for certain situations.  The solution – the rarely used single french cuff.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with this style it is a single layer cuff that can be closed formally via cuff links (as Robert Kennedy is showing us below) or casually like a barrel cuff with a button.

cuff styles II

The trick is that there are buttonholes on both sides of the cuff as well as button sewn to the end of the buttonhole on the inside side.  This allows the shirt to be worn to black tie events, in standard business situations as well as casually with sleeves rolled.

There you have it – a walk through of the design details behind what I now view as the ultimate shirt.  A shirt that is equally comfortable at a black tie event as it is paired with dark denim and a blazer for a casual evening out.  In terms of fit; we decided to cut the armholes high to enable the arms to move freely and independent of the body of the shirt.  This is crucial is it also removes the unnecessary excess cloth that bunches in the armhole area when worn with a trim jacket or a sweater.  We also took the decision to reduce the back panel by 3 inches from the mid back down to the bottom.  This was done so we could avoid putting darts in at the back to create the desired shape.  We took this decision because when using white cloth the darts can often be quite visible; something we wanted to avoid so as to not detract from the overall clean and minimal aesthetic.

When the shirt arrives I’ll be sure to post some images to show you the final product.  Hopefully this was an interesting insight into the design process for some of you who have yet to go through it.  As always please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions and/or thoughts.  Better yet book a free appointment and we can banter in person and see if we might be a good fit to work together.

Take care – Michael

info@martinfishertailors.com

 

Tradecraft feature on Scout Magazine…

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I was fortunate enough to be featured in the Tradecraft section of Scout Magazine this past Friday.  It’s always welcome to get a little assistance in the exposure game so head on over and check it out.  For those of you that aren’t familiar with the site do take some time to explore as it’s full of great intel on the food and culture scene in the city – an absolute gem of a resource.

Happy reading…

 

Friday Style Debate: the thin line of contrived…

Time to debate!

FSD - too Affected- II

Friday Style Debate: the thin line of contrived…

A bit of a conceptual debate this week; all based on my reaction to this image that was posted on The Sartorialist last Friday.   My initial reaction is that he absolutely nails it – here was the quick analysis:

The denim shirt and knit tie are paired perfectly with the heavy wool herringbone jacket – a combination that creates an elevated look but one that is definitely casual in nature due to the less formal materials chosen.  This is coupled with the fact that jacket itself is already on the casual side of the formality scale due to the military inspired cargo pockets on what is otherwise a traditionally designed jacket.  The weathered belt is a great touch while the pocket square softens the entire look.  I even like how the sunglasses are nonchalantly tossed in the breast pocket – it’s practical place for them after all.

But something wasn’t right for me – somehow the overall look felt too polished and slightly affected.  What was throwing me off?  The flipping up of his shirt cuff.

This decision screams out to me that he is actually trying to be stylish and fashionable.  The problem is that to my eye this overpowers all of the other details which he has absolutely nailed.  I loved it when it was all about the subtle details of the cloth and the design but with the flip he crossed the line and became too contrived for me.

Harsh?  Fair?  Somewhere in the middle?  Let the debate begin…

The Absolute Basics: 5 Keys To Suit Care

Whether you’re new to wearing suits or you’re a veteran of the game it’s always good to get a refresher on the keys to caring for your suits.  These are the absolute basics and will keep your suits both looking crisp and in the best condition possible for a longer life.  For a few other tips have a quick look at this earlier journal post from last year.

The Absolute Basics- 5 Keys To Suit Care

The Absolute Basics: 5 Keys To Suit Care

1.  Proper Hangers

This one is easy – it’s just a matter of making it a priority and getting it done.  Dress clothing is expensive and an investment thus you need to treat them exactly as such.  Two hangers are needed:

A) Jacket Hanger

Two keys here; firstly the width at the end of the hanger needs to be substantial coming in at a minimum of 2″ in width.  This is necessary to support the shoulders of the jacket and enable the roundness of a perfect shoulder to be maintained.  The second key is the actual length of the entire hanger; it needs to be long enough that the ends are supporting the shoulders but not too long whereby they push past the shoulder seam and distort how the sleeves fall.

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B) Pant Hanger

Always folded along the center crease to maintain a crisp appearance and always hung upside down from the pant bottoms.  Gravity combined with the fact that the waist band is heavier means the legs of the pants will be taut and hence the wrinkles and creases from daily wear will fall out of the pant.

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2.  Space

Giving your clothes room to breath is crucial – both right after use and in how they are stored. Nothing is worse than after a long day of use you cram your suit back into a tight closet for the days wrinkles and smells to remain firmly in place.

Instead begin by letting your clothes hang out in the open for awhile – ultimately by a window – and let air circulate around them.  This will allow any heat and moisture from your body to dissipate and with it the associated smells.  When it’s time to put them away the key is to again have some room to let them breath – a rough rule being to have one inch on either side enabling the garment to hang freely.  Pay particular attention to jacket lapels – they get easily distorted and miss-shapen when pressed up against the back of another jacket.

3.  Spot Clean

Any time you get a stain or spill something make sure you spot clean.  Simply take a damp hand towel and carefully dab at the foreign substance.  Be sure to avoid wiping and pushing the substance deeper into the cloth; rather use a twist and lift motion so as to ‘pull’ it out of the garment and into the hand towel.  When done make sure you allow the area to completely dry and then lightly brush any remaining excess off.

Crucial – only after going through this process and it failing to lift the substance do you consider going to a dry cleaner to deal with a stain.  The chemicals used in the dry cleaning process are very harsh and as such we should only dry clean our dress clothing 1-2 times a year at most.

4.  Brushing

The ultimate goal should be to brush down your suits after every use; reality though means this is unlikely thus let’s settle on every second wear.  Brushing is crucial as it gets rid of the surface dust and grime that accumulates on the cloth in daily use.  Failing to do so means over time the natural pores of the wool fibers become clogged and filled with these particles resulting in a lifeless and often dingy smelling cloth.

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How?  Go to any shoe store or cobbler and get yourself a five inch shoe brush with soft bristles made of hoarse hair.  Lightly brush the coat after each use; start at the shoulders and work your way along the collar and down the lapels.  Next look after the body of the coat before completing the process with the sleeves.  As you do this you will visually see the cloth ‘perking’ up as the fibers are opened, cleaned and given room to breath.  Think of it as the clothing equivalent of washing your face!  As for the pants it’s much the same though pay particular attention to the seat and pant bottoms; it’s amazing what we sit on in a day and the amount of splatter that comes up off the ground as we walk.

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5.  Awareness

As you go through all of the above steps make sure to take a look at your clothes and keep tabs on their general wear and tear.  Check under the arms and crotch area to see how the cloth is standing up to the inevitable rubbing, check on the stitches of the seat and across your blades for signs of stress, make sure all the threads of your buttons are firm and not starting to fray, etc.  Being on top of the little things means we can address them before the become full blown problems and are much more difficult to deal with.

I hope this quick list helps – and inspires – you to take a touch more care with your clothing.  As I stated at the beginning a wardrobe takes time, effort and funds to build thus maintenance and care are crucial for longevity.   As always please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.  Better yet book a free appointment and we can banter in person and see if we might be a good fit to work together.

Take care – Michael

info@martinfishertailors.com

 

Friday Style Debate: to turtleneck under the jacket or not?

Time to debate!

turtleneck + blazer II

Friday Style Debate: to turtleneck under the jacket or not?

Over the last few seasons the 60’s throw back of the turtleneck under a jacket has re-emerged and it shows no signs of slowing down as of yet.  At this point everything is fair game – whether it’s a thin turtleneck or something more chunky; or whether it’s combined with an odd jacket, a blazer or a full blown suit.

The main question of course is how do we feel about it – are we on board with the style or is the overall look a bit too contrived for your tastes?  Perhaps the individual needs a touch of je ne sais quoi to pull it off?

Personally I’m starting to warm up to it after a bit of a slow start.  This feeling was enhanced by a client who dropped by for a fitting last week executing the look beautifully – that said he has a hint of je ne sais quoi assisting him though!

Let the debate begin…

Friday Style Debate: to roll your dress shirt sleeves or not?

Time to debate!

FSD - sleeves II

Friday Style Debate: to roll your dress shirt sleeves or not?

This is no definitive rule on this matter thus it’s a subject totally open for debate and to the whims of your personal sense of style.

I’ll get the ball rolling as for me the moment your jacket comes off the sleeves must go up.  This is the case regardless as to whether you are wearing a tie or not.  A dress shirt is exactly that – and by that I mean it’s dressy and to be worn to a certain degree of formality.  The moment a jacket is removed or not worn in the first place means the formality of the situation has been lowered and hence it’s time to roll.  As such I think the guy on the right looks comical – he’s totally looking formal but lacking the most important element of the look in the jacket.  The fellow on the left however looks completely put together.

Do you agree? Disagree? Perhaps you have another theory as to what you do in certain situations?  Either way I’d love to hear your opinions on this subject matter – I look forward to hearing from you.

Let the debate begin…

Friday Style Debate: who wears the odd suit best?

Time to Debate!

FSD - odd suit

Friday Style Debate: who wears the odd suit best?

This is a fitting subject matter considering the debate always falls on the traditional business casual day that is Friday.  Last week I received a text message urging me to do a debate featuring well executed odd suit combinations – the impetus being that this person was seeing too many guys in the office dressing down suit jackets with poorly executed casual pant.

As such here are two examples of very solid odd suit execution – in this case both going with the timeless and classic blue + grey combo.  By breaking things up you’re clearly dropping on the formality scale but you’re keeping things elevated at the same time.  To be more casual still it’s an easy play – especially for the guy on the right.  Drop the tie and he’s just as perfect as the layering cardigan brings a bit of a pop from a color and texture point of view yet he’s totally put together.  For those who want a bit more information check out this previous post on the odd suit that I posted a few months back.  Let me know if you have any questions and/or thoughts.

So – let’s get down to business.  Who is wearing the odd suit the best?  I’d love to hear you thoughts on this one – let the debate begin…

What is Wednesday #8

What is Wednesday.

WIW #8

This weekly Wednesday post is aimed at answering some of the more basic and critical aspects of tailoring and the terminology we use to describe them. It stems from realizing that I’m constantly throwing out different terms with my clients and quite often they’re unsure as to what I exactly mean.  The goal of this section then is to alleviate this terminology gap and provide you with some know-how to talk tailoring with a little more ease.

What is…the difference between a natural and unstructured shoulder?

This is a nice follow-up to last week’s post on the natural shoulder line.  As a quick reminder a natural shoulder line is one that is cut to mirror the wearers actual shoulders as much as possible.

With that in mind an unstructured shoulder always has a natural shoulder line.  It is devoid of all internal padding and structure hence the natural shape of the wearers shoulders and body in general is expressed through the jacket.

A natural shoulder is slightly different though as it will always have a certain amount of internal padding and structure.  It is a minimal amount but it is done to create subtle shape over the chest and collarbone area without altering the natural appearance of the shoulders.

Still with me?  Put simply both have a natural shoulder line but one has padding and structure (natural) while the other has none (unstructured).  As you can see in the images below the visual difference is often be difficult to see.  A give away is that the unstructured sleeve often falls downwards right at the shoulder seam – this being due to the fact that in unstructured jackets a sleeve head is usually avoided.  The main difference though is how the jacket “feels” on the body – you simply have to try them on the get a sense.

WIW #8 II

As always I’d love to hear your opinions on this or any sartorial subject for that matter.  Better yet book a free appointment and we can banter in person and see if we might be a good fit to work together.  You can also come by and try on an unstructured jacket if you want!

Take care – Michael

info@martinfishertailors.com