Questions and Answers -- General Attire

[MikeBravo]

I am going to bump this up a bit.

Does anyone know where I can get a pattern for fishtail trousers? Or hollywood waist trousers. I would like to try and make a pair of heavy linen, high-waisted trousers, and, aside from the fabric, I need a pattern.

Also, any chance we can sticky this? I think it would save time and clutter in the General Attire forum.

A different option to a paper pattern is to find a pair of pants that fit in the style required and use this pair as a pattern by picking the stitching apart. Of course, you would want to use an old pair and this may be easier or harder to find than a paper pattern, depending on your luck.

Just a thought

 

[The Good]

Is it a bad idea to pair earth tones with a grey fedora? My grey hat is about the most elegant I own, and the one I find myself wanting to wear most often. Most of my wardrobe consists of varying shades of tan, khaki, brown, olive, ecru/yellow, cream, and some plaid shirts of any combination of those colors. Much of my question however, has to do with jackets. I own only three jackets, and they look like these:

http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/EXID26793/images/untitled(1).jpg

http://d1ykyt2zngb6w1.cloudfront.ne...ts/32517_STN.jpg-312x312?MjAxMDI5MjE1NjMwMDA3

http://sportys.com/source/images/products/large/9084.jpg

This is the hat.

http://i792.photobucket.com/albums/yy208/TheAntiquarian/Photoon2011-05-16at00263.jpg

One of these days, I've gotta get myself a suit... maybe grey or navy.

 

[Yeps]

I think that it should work. I think that gray looks great with browns, although it depends on the specific shade. Your St. Regis Special should look good with any of those type of jackets.

 

[Undertow]

I am unable to locate a pair of size 14D white bucks, under any maker. They all carry up to 13, but not 14. I've tried Allen Edmonds, Aldens, J&M, Clarks/Bostonians, Florsheim, etc., and there simply isn't anything in my size.

I have a July wedding to attend and I'd like to purchase a navy/white seersucker suit. Would it be passable, and not too tacky, to wear a pair of saddle shoes in white and brown? I realize no one there will give two darns if I was wearing tennis shoes or high heels, but I need to know from a traditional/Fedora Lounge perspective if it's at least acceptable. Your help is much appreciated, as I'm currently putting together the money now.

 

[Richard Warren]

Somehow the idea has seemed to gained currency that only certain kinds of shoes should be worn with seersucker.

I have personally observed habitual seersucker suit wearers (who were otherwise considered to be persons of good taste) wearing all sorts and all colors of dress shoes. To the extent anyone went out of their way to wear anything other than normal dress shoes, the choice would be blue and white saddle shoes.

Black closed laced shoes are best to wear to a wedding. A wedding is (still) a pretty formal event, and anyway a guest does not want to detract from the participants.

 

[Tomasso]

I am unable to locate a pair of size 14D white bucks, under any maker. They all carry up to 13, but not 14. I've tried Allen Edmonds.......

http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonlin...Colorval=White&Sizeval=140&Widthval=D+(Medium)

 

[Richard Warren]

Shazam!

 

[Undertow]

http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonlin...Colorval=White&Sizeval=140&Widthval=D+(Medium)

Haha, that is craziness. No kidding. I hadn't checked this post until just now, but last night I got home frustrated with my efforts and decided to find a different white shoe. I saw the AE, saw the price tag and had to decide if I wanted to take that leap (I've always wanted a pair of AE's, afterall).

I decided they were too rich for me for the time being, but by some stupid luck found these while I was getting ready to sign off for the night:

Florsheim Veblen in bone.

I bought this pair last night, and I'll report my findings in the shoe section after a good breaking-in and polishing. Although I'm aware of the drop in Florsheim quality in recent years, I've been pleased with the others I've owned, and the reviews of this shoe say the factory is finally coming back around. Let's hope so!

(btw, thanks for the recommendation! I really like those AE's)

 

[Richard Warren]

http://www.shoebuy.com/florsheim-kearny/360466/767157

 

[Undertow]

http://www.shoebuy.com/florsheim-kearny/360466/767157

I saw these after a few emails from Florsheim. They recommended these as an alternative to the bucks for style, but I was hesitant based on nubuck vs. suede. I realize they're pretty similar materials, but I was under the impression that suede was less durable. They look the spitting image, though!

 

[Yeps]

Alright, so I am thinking of making a pair of linen trousers.

Has anyone ever gotten stuff from these guys?

Also, which do you think would work best for summer trousers in linen.
1934

40s

1950 French

 

[The Good]

Not too vintage looking, but I would like to consider these classically styled:

http://www.cabelas.com/mens-safari-...lyester-cotton-safari-shirt-150-regular.shtml

(I'm ordering grasslands. I already own one in stone too, I like the safari shirt style. The epaulets lend it a casual, but distinguished, and adventurous air. This, like my other shirt, will be also worn with a hat sometimes.)

http://www.landsend.com/pp/PlainFro...Men-_-Pants-_-Regular-_-Tailored&origin=index

(Most of my pants are these exact style, but I'm actually moving away from pleats, as I think that's something I'll save for an actual suit if anything. I'm considering the color navy blue so that it will be my dressiest pair for when my other chinos don't quite cut it. I regularly wear a khaki and olive green model)

http://www.amazon.com/Dockers-Mens-Shelter-Plain-Oxford/dp/B002OHE4JK/ref=pd_sbs_shoe_5

(I'm buying this to replace my two-year old pair of Clarks leather shoes that have split on the bottom. They were not really oxford shoes either, but I think the ones in the link actually look better. Not quite the dressiest choice of shoes I could be wearing, but these would look good in the outdoors too. I would actually wear this hiking, just as I wore my last pair that way.)


Any constructive criticism on these orders I'm contemplating? Should I add on to my orders, and think of something else to get? I will be heading off to university (looks like UCLA at this point, maybe USC if they've accepted me), but I'm not going to be getting myself suited just yet. Maybe I'll try to get myself one with birthday or Christmas money the next chance I get. For now, I'm still structuring my casual wardrobe, not much of a difference from what I've worn for the last two or three years in community college either.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I will be heading off to university (looks like UCLA at this point, maybe USC if they've accepted me

USC is a good school but the area is a bit dodgy.

 

[Yeps]

Well, if the safari shirt is a slim fit, then you will be in style. Or at least you would be last time I was around stylish people. It looks like you will have the makings of a good, versatile sharp casual wardrobe.

 

[The Good]

I'm actually buying it size small so that it is like a slim fit, but I'm pretty sure it won't be too slim if you know what I mean. I have heard that they're in fashion currently too, but my liking of them is more of an independent development. I don't really follow modern fashion, but it's nice to know that some things I like are making a "comeback."

 

[Yeps]

That coincidental fashionable thing happens to me all the time. I might be a trend setter.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Alright, so I am thinking of making a pair of linen trousers.

Has anyone ever gotten stuff from these guys?

Also, which do you think would work best for summer trousers in linen.

Hey yeps,

I think you should ask Nick D. who made both the 1934 and the 40s pants.You can find them somewhere here:
Gentlemen show us what you made
Judging from teh pictures I think the 40s may be the best. But you better ask someone who actually made them.

Not too vintage looking, but I would like to consider these classically styled:

http://www.cabelas.com/mens-safari-...lyester-cotton-safari-shirt-150-regular.shtml

Nice. Maybe you could find a similar shirt without the polyester elsewhere? 65% is far too much plastic for my taste. I just searched on ebay for this kind of shirts and even here in germany (not really a safari country)I could find several.

 

[Yeps]

Well, I bought the patterns for the 1934 pants and the 1930s sport coat, and I am thinking of making an unstructured cream linen suit. Good idea?

Does a belt-back linen suit seem alright?

 

[Qirrel]

I suggest you make a few trousers first. Then you can try tackling the jacket.

 

[Yeps]

Luckily, as I am home for the summer, I will be doing this as a learning experience under the guidance of my mother, who is a rather accomplished seamstress, although out of practice in recent years. She will be teaching me in this, and I have done sewing before, just primarily costume pieces not real clothing.