Returning to suits. Is this Dior "glenn plaid"?

[adamgottschalk]

Recently, I discovered and all-out love for fine fur-felt fedoras. That discovery has led me to others, and to realizing that I just love dressing well in general. For years now I have been telling myself and people around me that I don't like ties, don't like to tuck my shirts in, etc. It's not true. I've always had a penchant for "the old world" in more ways than one; my longing for the days when men wore hats more commonly than not is a manifestation of that old-world orientation.

I also realized that I love suits. I haven't worn a suit in at least 15 years. I found a mint 15-year-old Christian Dior on eBay in _exactly_ my size, jacket and pants, no alterations necessary (well, we'll see when it gets here). Obviously this is a suit that wants plain/solid colored shirts and ties.

Is this pattern known as "glenn plaid"? From a distance it looks like a plain gray plaid:

Up close you can see there are colors woven in:

I talked the seller down from what he was asking, but I have to admit, I paid too much for it. But the seller will let me return it if I'm not happy, and I got free shipping. What do you think?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Can't really tell. Does it look like this? (obviously yours has a coloured overcheck, but the Glen Urquhart plaid should have this as the base).

bk

 

[adamgottschalk]

Not sure yet

Can't really tell. Does it look like this? (obviously yours has a coloured overcheck, but the Glen Urquhart plaid should have this as the base).

(picture)

bk

Haven't got the suit yet. So _that's_ glen plaid. Glen Urquhart, huh? Is he the one who created that pattern? Is the pattern in your picture all across the fabric in separate "swatches", each of a different pattern, like that? Does it sometimes come with colors woven in? I guess I've seen the name tied to jackets and suits but had a feeling in some cases the term was being used overly "liberally". The seller of this suit did not use the term Glen plaid. I just thought maybe that it is. I'll know more once I have it in my hands. Thanks for that pic.

 

[BellyTank]

Proper Glen has some houndstooth in it, like BK's example-

But your suit doesn't look like it has...

B
T

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Whoops, see below ...

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Sorry that was a bit too close up. Here's a better one ...

There is often a windowpane overcheck in various colours.

y from ask andy:

"Glen Plaid (actually Glenurquhart Plaid) -- Named after Glen Urquhard, a valley in Inverness Shire, Scotland is a boxlike design from horizontal and vertical stripes intersecting to form houndstooth sections crossing at right angles. Originally a fabric for country wear it’s now considered a sophisticated pattern acceptable for most business situations."

One of my favourite patterns.

bk

 

[geo]

This pattern is also called Prince of Wales check, because it was popularized by Edward VII (grandfather of Edward VIII, later Duke of Windsor) when he was the PoW.

 

[Matt Deckard]

. It's not true. I've always had a penchant for "the old world" in more ways than one; my longing for the days when men wore hats more commonly than not is a manifestation of that old-world orientation.

Glad to see we have another one in the ranks of the well dressed. Too often I am called a conformist when wearing a tie and jacket... I'm usually told this by a man or woman dressed in a logo t-shirt and a pair of jeans and sneakers, same outfitas all his or her surrounding friends.

Time to make uniformity uniform again.

You look good in a hat.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Too often I am called a conformist when wearing a tie and jacket.

Like you, I refuse to conform to "nonconformity."

To paraphrase my friend Nathan Marsak, "The irony of all those 'Question Authority' bumperstickers is that they tell you do so so authoritatively."