sartorial elegance?

**madmacs** · 11th March 12, 06:26 PM

Well seeing as I decided a few weeks ago that cargo pants and polo shirts were just too casual for me now (I could still wear them at work, but somehow dont want to.) I've gone back to a collar and tie... I wore one for 20 years... It's very strange being better dressed than the state president...

Have been lurking on some decidedly dodgy other forums (askandyaboutclothes.com, styleforum.net) did run across an interesting article on Bond that's worth reading
http://www.jamesbondlifestyle.com/in...es&g=art070101 and am struggling with the whole American sizing thing...

Fortunately my half decent suits bought in the UK are still presentable, but I'd welcome any views on other forums or makers to check out... I'm not really a fashion forward type of guy, and dont have a problem with showing an inch of cuff... Although most of my jackets dont show that much...

**Mickey** · 11th March 12, 08:35 PM

I can only offer that here, we expect the jacket sleeve to be shorter then the shirt. Not much point in having a jacket that covers the cufflink. In most pics that I see with an Argyle, the sleeves seem to be extremely long, to the point of being far too long, where they bunch up on the arms, or cover half the hand. Not a good look, in my book. To me it looks rather sloppy. If you are wearing a jacket, the shirt cuff and button/cufflink should be visible when standing.

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 12th March 12, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by Mickey

I can only offer that here, we expect the jacket sleeve to be shorter then the shirt. Not much point in having a jacket that covers the cufflink. In most pics that I see with an Argyle, the sleeves seem to be extremely long, to the point of being far too long, where they bunch up on the arms, or cover half the hand. Not a good look, in my book. To me it looks rather sloppy. If you are wearing a jacket, the shirt cuff and button/cufflink should be visible when standing.

Quite right you are! Any competent seamstress can shorten the sleeves of an Argyll jacket, almost as easily as they would shorten the sleeves of an ordinary jacket.

**madmacs** · 15th March 12, 07:13 PM

So I was trawling ebay... and came across this... It would be soooooo right for work...

**madmacs** · 16th March 12, 08:12 AM

Any guesses on the tartan? I know what it is, just cant think of it at the moment... Is the one thats the same as godon but with alternating yellow and white stripes rather than just yellow...

**TheBrus** · 16th March 12, 08:22 AM

Is it Campbell of Argyll?

**Lime** · 16th March 12, 08:42 AM

I enjoy these sites for non Highland attire musings:

http://asuitablewardrobe.dynend.com/

http://www.englishcut.com/

**MacLowlife** · 16th March 12, 12:15 PM

Madmacs, I have that jacket. In fact, I searched and found its matching trousers. For just the right party it is a lot of fun.The tailoring is pretty minimal- it is more like a woven sweater than a tailored suit coat- not much facing, interlining, etc. It is a touch skimpy around the middle, which I am not. I wear an American 42 and the shoulders fit fine, but my stummick is not covered adequately, even after the tailor worked on it a little. That maker is a little dangerous in his wide range of interpretations of "jacket". I gather he wanted this one to be light and breezy and rumpledy. If you can pick it up at the right price ( under $150?) I think you will enjoy it. Just do not expect Savile Row construction...

**MacLowlife** · 16th March 12, 12:32 PM

I believe it is Campbell of Argyll, which is controversial in its own right.

As for other sites and ideas, I vote that you buy other people's better made clothing and have it altered to fit you. Joseph A Bank was once considered The Poor Man's Brooks Brothers. These days, I would emphasize the poor part most. Brooks Brothers is all over the place, as is Polo Ralph Lauren, in all of its multiple layers of aspirational marketing influenced price structure.

If you can find good clothes that fit, don't let the fact that they are not new deter you from buying them. I think Oxxford clothing is wonderful, as is Hickey Freeman. There is a line called Crittenden that sometimes makes nice things. Sometimes you can find them cheap here or there. Because I am sometimes a slave to fashion, I try to keep a sharp eye on the Lapel O Meter. Currently, the fashion is for narrower lapels. Instead of width, I try to think of proportion. My most dated looking suits have lapels that cover a little more than half of the distance between the crease and the sleeve seam. The hottest looks today are closer to a third of the way.

Another thing I have noticed shifting is the length of jackets. Women did this first and men seem to be copying- the overall look is a shrunken silhouette, with slightly shorter sleeves and a jacket body that looks more like a kilt jacket than a standard suit coat. I think it looks fine if you are 25 or so and if you haven't ACTUALLY outgrown your clothes. It looks downright stoopid on 55 year olds, IMHO.

If your weather permits, may I also put a plug in for BOOKSTER, whose specialty is tweed. I have not seen their lightweight things, but I like the cut of their tweeds. Their clothes are not cheap in any sense, but I think they look good for the money.