Details and Options

[adamjaskie]

Anyone seen a belt back with... "fake" pleats? I mean, the pleats are there, but they are sewn in place and are just kind of flaps of fabric; they provide no freedom of movement. I just got something like that on a sport coat I picked up at St. Vincent's for $8, so no big loss, but I found it kind of strange. As far as I can tell, I could pick out the stitches and they would be functional; the fabric is pleated and folded over as usual, but stitched together at the base of the pleat.

 

[MrBern]

Anyone seen a belt back with... "fake" pleats? I mean, the pleats are there, but they are sewn in place and are just kind of flaps of fabric; they provide no freedom of movement. I just got something like that on a sport coat I picked up at St. Vincent's for $8, so no big loss, but I found it kind of strange. As far as I can tell, I could pick out the stitches and they would be functional; the fabric is pleated and folded over as usual, but stitched together at the base of the pleat.

Ive recently seen a RalphLauren beltback that had a centerpleat down the back. It wasnt functional, jsut a fetish detail w/ no extra material to warrant picking out the stitching.
It was a cream color linen jkt w/ surgeon sleeves.

 

[adamjaskie]

Looking more closely it seems that there actually isn't anything that would warrant picking out the stitching. It SEEMS to be a second panel sewn in at the pleat that goes from the pleat to the sleeve (judging by what I can feel of the edges of cloth and angles/thicknesses of stitching and folds by squeezing and feeling around the fabric). Weird construction, I think, but I'm not very knowledgeable about such things.

It's a grey Strathmore SB 2B with patch pockets and notch lapel. 100% wool, grey tweed, with red and blue flecks randomly strewn about. Fits me reasonably well. No stains, seems pretty clean, but smells like it's been sitting in a St. Vincent's for a few months, so I'll be taking it to the cleaners tomorrow most likely. I'm not sure how old it is, but it doesn't seem to be very aged.

 

[dhermann1]

re: Heavy wool

I've just been skimming this whole thread. Very informative.
There was one comment a couple of pages back about a surprisingly heavy wool suit being worn in the hot climate of Australia. I think that in that era heavy wool was not uncommon in hot climates. Baseball uniforms of the 20's and 30's were made of horse blanket heavy wool. Arabs in the desert wear heavy wool bernouses. I believe that wool in these situations absorbs the moisture (sweat) form the body and evaporates it slowly, keeping the wearer cool. At least that's the explanation I've always heard.
That sort of leads to another issue, that of cleaning. If these suits were absorbing that much sweat they MUST have been cleaned regularly SOMEHOW. Anyone have any thoughts on the subject?

 

[Matt Deckard]

Benefit of a stouter wool is that it takes to sponging and pressing better, it doesn't need dry cleaning as often as the lighter softer wools which take on stains easier. You can be rough with a spot on a dense wool. On a modern super and often more flimsy wool you have to baby the material lest you want to mess it up.

The heavier wools of the past also have the benefit of being able to be woven in looser weaves which allows more airflow.

 

[Rachael]

Buttonholes

Forgive this if it's a repeat, I didn't sift through all the pages.

How common (or not) are bound buttonholes as opposed to corded/stitched buttonholes? In 19th century suits they seem to have been common but the more I look at 20th century it appears that stitched buttonholes are almost exclusive. Are bound buttonholes solely on overcoats? Or is it simply that they were on bespoke suits which makes them so uncommon?

I still can't decide with is a more time consuming method, and tend to waver between the two based on the tightness of the fabric.

 

[SteveN]

Broken Image Links?

Am I the only one that sees broken image links at the start of this thread? For example the one for "arm sweatshield"?

I've tried reloading and clearing the cache, several days apart, but still get a broken link icon for a few of the images.

- SteveN

 

[Feraud]

Am I the only one that sees broken image links at the start of this thread? For example the one for "arm sweatshield"?

I've tried reloading and clearing the cache, several days apart, but still get a broken link icon for a few of the images.

- SteveN

Broken image links are possible if the person has deleted the pics from their account.

 

[SteveN]

Other Details

Does anyone have any pictures & examples of side vents, cash pockets & bi-swing pleats?

Putting together a 'wish list' for an upcoming bespoke suit I want to have made.

Regards,
- SteveN

 

[carter]

Look at:

http://www.magnoliclothiers.com/

and

http://www.bookster1uk.com/

 

[SteveN]

Thanks. I've been all over the Magnoli site (am thinking of using him for one of the suits), and now over the bookster site, but haven't seen an explanation of what those features are. Seems either of them could provide them, but I'm not even sure what a 'side vent' is!

Cheers,
- SteveN

Look at:

http://www.magnoliclothiers.com/

and

http://www.bookster1uk.com/

 

[carter]

Side vents are found in jackets that are double-vented. That is a vent on either side in the back. Jackets either are unvented, center-vented, or double/side vented.