How deep is your style?

[Wild Root]

I agree with you when it comes to menswear—the whole casual image is getting a bit tired. I’d love to see more men in suits; there seems to be a real lack of stylishly dressed men in AZ!

Well I'd like to see my fellow men in something other then flip-flops, torn jeans and T's that have obscene messages on them. Also, a good clean hair cut would be nice too! I mean, don't get me started on the long hippy hair I've seen all over the place! Casual can be nice, I dress casual all the time... gab slacks, gab shirt and nice leather shoes or Converse All Stars... a guy who is dressing 40's or 50's casual is going to look dressed up next to what today considers casual!

=WR=

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Well, I'm very fond of the period of 1937-1942.

For me, there is one perfect pair of years for men's suits, at least in America. Those two years were 1937 and 1938.

For some reason, everything came together then: the shoulders padded just so, the lapels just the right size, the "English drape/blade" chest, the jacket length (not too short, not too long), and the trousers (just slightly tapered). Before 1937, the jackets were too short for my taste, and the shoulders were too narrow. After 1938, the shoulders became too padded and the jacket and trousers too baggy.

Let me show you what I mean. Here's a Kuppenheimer "young adult" suit from 1937 or '38. To me, its proportions are ideal:

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[The Diva Pinup!]

This has been an interesting thread to read. Yes I "dress" all the time. 99 % of the time anyway. Once and a while you'll find me in a t shirt but it's usually on the way to sleep!

Suzanne

 

[dr greg]

flophouse

What astounds me these days with "young people" and most of my contemporaries, is that they will pay 100 bux for a Billabong imitation Hawaiian shirt with Tiki designs made in China in some brutalised sweatshop, but if you offer them the real thing at a market for 30 bux in as new condition, they laugh and call you a rip-off merchant. The label is more important than the garment..it's the same with what's called 'rude' shirts here; 50's-60's shortsleeve sports shirts which are very big with the doof crowd. You can't get more than 15 bux for the real thing, but an imitation on a well-known surf label is 5 times the price, and badly made...I could also go on about the faux-punk beige T-shirts splattered with newsprint that Rolex-wearing yups combine with their fake military pantaloons....aaaaagh (runs screaming into the night)

 

[Tin Pan Sally]

Hi Suzanne!

 

[Benny Holiday]

or buying a brand new pair of jeans with holes already in them?
vintage style clothes are so elegant! And what's also so great about them is that they'll never go out of style either

I guy I used to work with years ago used to turn up to work on casual Fridays wearing his latest trendy purchases: a DrunknMonkey T-shirt and a pair of cargo pants with holes and fraying built into them!

I'd show up wearing 40's trousers, polished loafers, a gabardine shirt and sportscoat or zip-up gab jacket, looking neat, shaved (Heaven forbid!) and with my hair combed (Heaven forbid no. 2 - I can't get this persisting style here where guys have to wear their hair all messy like they just got out of bed). Now who do you think was considered the oddly attired one out of the two of us?

 

[The Diva Pinup!]

Hi Sally!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

"G'night, John-Boy!"

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[jp*81]

Paisley~

BTW, I think the uniform of the Marines looks very smart. Can't you use fabric sizing instead of starch in the summer?

I used fabric sizing on the dress uniforms, but 99% of the time I wore camouflage utilities and if you use sizing on them, they wrinkle faster. It also depends on where you are stationed and who is inspecting you. Some people only want you to iron. Others want you to have a crisp heavily starched uniform.

I know that was off topicfftopic:

There is no reason why casual clothes, vintage or not, can't look nice. Casual clothes, ideally, should be in good repair, in a flattering cut and color, should fit, and should be worn in an appropriate setting.

I agree.

I guess I just have the image of "have yourself and children looking nice and clean and dinner ready when their father gets home" if your a housewife. Which I do, but we aren't all dolled up.

 

[mysterygal]

Now who do you think was considered the oddly attired one out of the two of us?

oh, they probably looked at you and thought, "and this guy thinks that is casual?"....am I right? The workplace should be held with a little more respect even if they call it 'casual'. I don't even have jeans with holes in them when working out in my yard! I think it's awesome you're keeping up the standard :eusa_clap
Marc, that suit is sweet!

 

[jp*81]

Oh Yeah...

And women's vintage casual clothes look nice and classy, unlike some of the women's clothing we see today.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Spot on, Mysterygal

That's what they said all right, with the de rigeur sarcastic inflection I'm sure you can imagine.

I don't think such comments would annoy me as much these days; now I know that there people like me all over the world who appreciate the finer points of dressing, be that vintage, vintage-inspired or modern. They're collectively known as the Fedora Lounge!

 

[Wild Root]

oh, they probably looked at you and thought, "and this guy thinks that is casual?"....am I right?

Yeah, when I wear my 40's-50's casual stuff and get a reply like that I say:

You call those clothes? lol And no, I don't have a dollar! lol lol lol

=WR=

 

[mysterygal]

Yeah, when I wear my 40's-50's casual stuff and get a reply like that I say:

You call those clothes? lol And no, I don't have a dollar! lol lol lol

=WR=

good reply! :eusa_clap

 

[Wild Root]

good reply! :eusa_clap

Well, I try

Thanks,
=WR=

 

[LizzieMaine]

Gee, why don't any of you sharp-dressed guys live around here? All I ever get to see downtown are slobs in greasy BEER PATROL t-shirts, filthy sweatpants, ripped jeans, and the kind of footwear I'd make 'em leave on the porch.

And the saddest thing of all is that the few guys who *do* try to dress up, for business or whatever, have no idea how to do it. Short-sleeve dress shirts with ties that are way too long or too short, those puffy-looking "comfort shoes" and worst of all, pants that *never* fit correctly -- they almost always hang too low, making the guy look topheavy, and they always bunch up around the ankles, like they're four or five inches too long.

Ick.

I think a guy in a well-tailored, well-fitting suit is extremely pleasant to look at, if I may engage in shameless objectification for a bit. But rarely do I ever get a chance to indulge, and that just ain't fair.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

They don't live out here, either!

We hired a new editor in our department; he actually dresses very well. Apparently though, while he was still a temp, he was told that he needed to stop wearing ties, because he "was making the other guys look bad." I told him that once he was officially hired, he’d better start wearing those ties again!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

"Pardon me, porter -- is this the train to coastal Maine ... and sunny Arizona?"

 

[LizzieMaine]

"Right this way sir -- watch your step please..."

 

[Marc Chevalier]

"... girl you can give me a shine."

Sorry, I just couldn't resist referring to the Chattanooga choo-choo.

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