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Edward Green for RLPL: The Carter

September 8, 2014, 8:10 pm
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Online clothing enthusiasts like to talk about "grail" items - although at some point the definition changed from a hard-to-find, obscure, or downright unobtainable item to merely some object that one simply hadn't gotten around to purchasing just yet. With a shelf full of shoes, I would be hard-pressed to say that there are any "grail" shoes remaining out there for me. After I found a few pairs of J&M Handmade 100s and Edward Green's Windsor, there really wasn't that much out there that I was pining after. However, if I was going to use the term "grail shoe" to describe any one pair of shoes, the Carter, an Edward Green shoe made for Ralph Lauren's Purple Label, would be the shoe.



Ralph Lauren's Purple Label offerings from Edward Green represent an interesting paradox. None of the models made by EG for RLPL are truly hard-to-find, because if it came down to it, you could probably have any of the models made up to RL's specifications via EG's MTO program. That being said, the RLPL models are somewhat hard to find because RL doesn't offer the same models season after season. So if you liked the a particular model and didn't purchase it when it was available, you might to wait a few seasons before its available again. This was an issue with my RLPL Barksdale loafer in Edwardian Antique, a pair of shoes that I have literally worn to death (and still do). I actually have never seen them offered again in Edwardian, and was surprised to see them this fall in dark oak after a hiatus of several years.



The Carter is another model that disappeared from the shelves after being stocked with some regularity over the course of several seasons. For many years, I assumed it was RL's version of the Dover. In reality, its probably more closely related to EG's Ecton, the Dover's three-eyelet cousin featuring EG's magnificent split-toe that is actually crafted together using pig bristles. In the Carter's case, RL added EG's HAF sole - basically a double sole that tapers elegantly to a single sole waist.

In any event, the Carter is a wonderful model, featuring the split-toe design that really exemplifies EG's expert craftsmanship and subtle elegance with regards to shoe design. Somewhat surprisingly, RL designed the Carter on the 808 last, rather than their old favorites the 89 or 888. I have read many complaints about the shape of the 808 last over the years. Tony Gaziano, the designer of that particular last during his EG days, has been quoted many times as stating that the 808 was ill-conceived and plagued with fit issues from its inception. Indeed, the popular 888 last was apparently a re-design of the 808, but I have to say that if I had to choose between the two, the 808 would probably get the nod. The toe box isn't quite as squared, which also results in more room for the toes along the sides and at the vamp - as I'm not the biggest fan of square toe boxes to begin with. I imagine they''ll feel great in the fall with a thick pair of socks on. Looking forward to it :-)



Of course, an added treat with older EG's for RLPL were the lasted shoe trees in burnished mahogany. At some point, the trees were discontinued and unlasted trees had to be purchased sepaartely. The fact that these Carters came with the 808-lasted mahogany trees was a special bonus!
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A Farewell to Summer

September 10, 2014, 7:08 pm
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With temperatures starting to drop here in the Northeast, its beginning to feel like fall is right around the corner. Of course, that brings a whole range of wardrobe options back into play, but it also means the linen and seersucker goes back into storage for the next few months. So its with a heavy heart that we bid a fond farewell to another wonderful summer. On the bright side, everyone in my household is already missing their respective summer straws :-)
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Brioni Sample Sale

October 22, 2014, 9:37 am
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I believe Soiffer Haskin has done one of these before, but I didn't attend so can't speak to whether this will actually be any good - but it certainly does have potential!

Wednesday through Friday
Men’s Tailored Clothing, Sportswear and Furnishings


MEN’S
Tailored Clothing, Sportswear and Furnishings
Up to 75% Off Retail Prices

Wednesday, October 29th through Friday, October 31st
Wednesday: 9:00am to 7:00pm
Thursday: 9:00am to 7:00pm
Friday: 9:00am to 5:30pm
Location:
Soiffer Haskin
317 West 33rd Street, NYC
(Just West of 8th Avenue)
Credit Cards Only
(American Express, Visa or MasterCard)
All Sales Final.
Strollers not allowed. No children under 12 will be admitted.
(917) 562-2140
www.soifferhaskin.com
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The Return of the Action Back Jacket

October 22, 2014, 7:09 pm
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There is an old story of a baseball fan that had a ball signed by Joltin' Joe DiMaggio and Paul Simon. On one half, Paul Simon wrote "Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?" To which the Yankee Clipper responded on the other side of the leather orb, "I haven't gone anywhere." If the same question was proposed to proponents of that staple of 1930s sportswear, the action back jacket, the answer might be similar to the great DiMaggio's.

Descriptions differ, but generally the action back was worn as outdoor active wear for events such as shooting and hunting. In theory, the side gussets under the shoulder provided greater freedom for raising the arms. Other features usually include a half belt under the side gussets at the back of the jacket. Some versions include a pleat at the center back, or a series of pleats along the length of the back of the jacket. At the front, large patch pockets are usually the norm.

Christian Barker being fitted for his own suit featuring the action back, 
courtesy of Timothy Everest.


More recently, the action back has become almost entirely a stylish touch found on heavy tweed shooting jackets meant to be worn in the English countryside or the Scottish highlands. Interestingly, at some point it seems to have become the standard during the height of the British colonial empire and was almost out of place sans pith helmet.

Clark Gable in repose.


Clark Gable seems to have done much to associate the action back with the stylish cad or the pure-hearted gentleman rogue. He wore the action back to great effect in It Happened One Night, which in Gable's case may have simply been a safari of a different stripe. Several photographs of Gable form the 1930s suggest that the action back was a favorite in his personal wardrobe. Whatever the case may be, the action back seems to have been adopted during that period by the rakish gambling and horse racing set in America.



You can imagine my surprise, then, when I happened upon a vintage action back jacket in a lovely, thick patterned wool made by the venerable Palm Beach company. Unfortunately, the jacket seemed to be cut in something close to a 42 extra long, My misfortune, however, was my brother's good luck, as the jacket fit him very well. The sleeves probably needed to be taken up, but that's a minor alteration. Its also a bit tight around the waist, but my brother has been losing a good deal of weight recently, so it isn't hard to imagine that the waist issue will have resolved itself in a few weeks time.



For those that care about such things, the details on this jacket are quite nice. There leather buttons are worn but charming, and the quarter-lined interior allows you to see the inner workings of the action back's details. There is also a flap over the front chest pocket that adds a little flourish to the more sedate front of the jacket.



All in all, a great purchase that will allow my brother to unleash his inner Douglas Fairbanks while on his own urban safari. And following in the sartorial footsteps of such eminently well-attired individuals as Mr. Gable and Mr. Barker? Truer steps have never been taken.


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"Fall" In for Autumn!

October 28, 2014, 7:42 pm
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Unfortunately for fans of fall like myself, the weather here in  the tri-state area has been unseasonably warm lately, with temperatures hovering in the 70s and little opportunity for autumnal layering. Yesterday, however, dipped just low enough for me to try out a few items that have been burning a hole in my closet for some time now.

The first item is a cashmere Holland & Holland 3-button jacket that I picked up years ago from the H&H store on 57th street between Park and Madison (it disappeared years ago). The jacket is a rust-colored affair with little specks of various colors woven into the fabric, large bishop patch pockets, and a single vent. If you're into the little details, the jacket's lining has a wonderful pattern consisting of dual shotgun shells at rest, a nod to the company's illustrious history as royal gun-makers.

I've generally worn the jacket for outdoor fall events with jeans or khakis, but I thought I'd try to put together a decent business casual outfit, for one of those days where I don't need a suit but want to look a little better dressed than what everyone else considers business casual these days.



Unfortunately, my terrible picture taking skills have only deteriorated over the years, so I will try to take better pictures next time, But I paired the jacket with with a red and brown checked dress shirt from Domenico Vacca under a neutral shetland fair crew-neck sweater isle from Brooks Brothers in various shades of green/beige/tan/brown/etc. I thought that all of that worked well with the London House/Rubinacci flat-front corduroys in a light beige/olive color that I picked up recently, with the Edward Green Brooksville longwings in chestnut antique for RL's Purple Label. 

 I had the sleeves taken in a bit but left the jacket a bit roomier than normal to wear with bulkier sweaters. I've had the Brooks Brothers fair isle sweater for a while, and I like the fabric and the pattern very much. I forget how I came by it, but I feel like it was gift purchased in my usual medium size, which at some point became too big for me in Brooks sizing because everything seems to be cut quite generously (if anyone can offer some suggestions on how to shrink it down a size, I'd love to hear them).

Of course, the next day temperatures were back in the low 70s, but I was pleased with the jacket even if I was only able to put it on for one day! I'm looking forward to wearing to cooler temperatures cool in the weeks ahead :-)




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Back In Plaid: The Return of the Colorful Brioni

November 2, 2014, 7:09 pm
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I posted around this time last year about the colorful brown Brioni jacket that I had picked up that spring and which I had hoped to wear last fall (you can view the original post here). Unfortunately, it always takes me a while to get around to these things, and it actually took me about a year to get this to a tailor. I took the jacket to Wilfred's in Manhattan, who I've been using for some time now for tailoring work that goes beyond a basic hem or sleeve alteration. If I recall correctly, the jacket was a bit tight around my stomach, and the sleeves needed to be shortened. I would need to check the invoice because I may be confusing this jacket with another article of clothing, but it may have also been shortened by about 3/4 of an inch.

[As an aside, I'm happy to say that I've generally been pleased with Wilfred's work. I'm usually comfortable waiting a week or two for the finished product, which may be an issue for others. On average, I'd say most work takes about a week. If there's any additional tweaking, that should probably take another 2-3 days. On average, I usually am able to get the piece back in about a week. I have found that, while Wilfred et al have their own preferences regarding trouser break, sleeve length, etc., they are happy to do whatever you like.]



There was an interesting discussion about the jacket at Ask Andy (you can find the original thread here), and I found most of the comments interesting and helpful when thinking about what I was hoping to alter and how it would look when I got it back. I'm a notoriously poor photographer, so I'm never quite sure how much of the commentary is due to the terrible images that I usually post (the images included here are not much better). Certainly, the jacket is quite colorful, but I was looking for a multi-hued brown tweed or check for some time, and the Brioni jacket fit the bill perfectly. While comments regarding the low button stance were probably on point  as well, I did not find it sinfully so and I was willing to live with that because I thought the fabric was unique. I still also find the darting at the front of the jacket to be less of a distraction than others.

In any event, I thought it was only fair to post new images for those who took the time to discuss the appearance of the jacket last year. As always, I apologize in advance for the poor quality of the images (as well as my rumpled business casual appearance, the direct result of a long afternoon spent with 5 toddlers), as well as my poor posture (as it seems that my "relaxed" position includes a slightly stooped right shoulder), but I hope they succeed in giving some idea as to how the jacket looks on me now (one year and about 20 pounds later).
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John Lobb Spruces Up Its Classic Footwear (NYTimes)

November 20, 2014, 2:29 pm
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An interesting article in The New York Times regarding the recent appointment of Paula Gerbase, a London-based fashion designer, as the first artistic director for John Lobb. This would be the RTW branch of the venerable shoemaker, currently owned by Herrmes, not the bespoke family-owned operation. One generally approaches these "evolutionary" appointments with some trepidation why exactly do the models needs sprucing up), although based on some of the images of the models shown, as well as the comments made  in the article, it sounds like Ms. Gerbase is drawing inspiration from the archives and perhaps simply revitalizing the color palette. In any event, I'm looking forward to seeing some of her creations :-)

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/14/business/international/john-lobbs-shoes-paula-gerbase.html?smid=nytcore-iphone-share&smprod=nytcore-iphone
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Carmina Shell Cordovan - The Cognac Wingtip Shoe

November 24, 2014, 6:40 pm
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I have expressed my admiration of Carmina and the excellent work the company does with shell cordovan. As far as I know, Carmina uses shell cordovan leather from the Horween company, which is the same leather that you'll find on any of Alden's shell cordovan offerings, as well as C&J's shell cordovan offerings available under the Ralph Lauren Polo brand. However, Carmina has created an impressive niche for itself in the shell cordovan market due to the quality and craftsmanship of the shoes.



With all of that mind, I was surprised to come across a pair of Carmina's wingtips in their beautiful "cognac" shell cordovan leather as I was thrifting on the upper east side of Manhattan (I found these in a high-end consignment shop that shall remain nameless). The shoes are an EU 11E, which I believe would correspond to a US 12. I've put the shoes up for sale on eBay, so any of our big-footed brethren can find the auction here.



For now, enjoy some pictures of Carmina's wonderful cognac shell cordovan leather.
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Brunello Cucinelli Sample Sale: 12/8 - 12/12

December 6, 2014, 12:27 pm
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Sample sale season seems to be kicking into high gear for luxury men's lines. Fresh on the heels of the Kiton sale (more on that later) at Soiffer Haskin, Brunello Cucinelli is having their bi-annual sale at their showrooms in Manhattan. I've been to this sale before - discounts usually start at 60 to 65% off during the beginning of the week before bumping up to 75-80% off during the final two days. I've written about the sale before, and have come away with a few choice items in the past, ranging from a canvas/leather overnight bag (you can see images here) to cashmere mock zip-ups, polo shirts, and button-down shirts. Even with the discount, the prices are still a bit steep but in some cases, definitely worth the investment.


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The Thomas Brogue from Foster & Son

December 7, 2014, 11:39 am
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Every now and then, a fine pair of shoes will practically fall into your lap and and you can think is, "Somebody up there likes me." In this case, the shoes in question are a pair of Thomas brogues made in 1996 in the rare "classic polo tan" calfskin leather (you can see the Thomas brogue at the Foster & Son site here).



The seller identified these shoes as having a wide width, which is inaccurate. In hindsight, the sole edge is a bit pronounced - so when you measure the sole, you get a wider than normal measurement. But I don't believe the actual inner width of the shoe is that wide - it's seems fairly standard. Unfortunately, this seller had two additional pairs for sale that were identified as narrow widths - which, in hindsight, were probably just shoes with normal or standard sole edges, and which probably appeared to be narrower compared to the Thomas brogues. I didn't take a chance on those other pairs because of that width description, but more than likely those shoes were ordered by the same customer, and probably fit the same. In any event, I'll just have to be happy with the pair that I did snap up.







Surprisingly, the shoes were never worn by the gentleman who placed the original order. Even more shockingly, these shoes fit my feet very well :-)



I'm looking forward to wearing these shoes in the spring and summer. I've been applying a healthy dose of Saphyr's Renovateur - the leather doesn't look dry, but it is almost twenty years old, so it certainly can't hurt. In the meantime, I've just been enjoying some of the details - the bevelled waist and suppression create an elegant silhouette that I've tried to capture in the images. The heel has angle to it that is reminiscent of a cuban heel, and creates an interesting angle effect where the heel meets the sole. Finally, I've never seen a shoe with such a striking brogue pattern - there is something elegantly whimsical about the design.



All in all, an exquisite example of English bespoke shoe-making at its finest.


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Rollin' with the Long-Hair Felt: The Vintage Borsalino Fedora

December 11, 2014, 7:09 am
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I've put together a decent collection of panama hats, straw boaters, and linen caps over time. Surprisingly, though, I hadn't picked up any felt or fur fedoras for the cooler weather. Perhaps because my father always had on a newsboy or eight-piece pie cap, I tend to wear a variety of cashmere and woolen caps to work and on the weekends. And while I generally enjoy perusing the variety of offerings on display at a place like J&J Hatters in New York City, more recently I've found myself looking into vintage fedoras.



Headwear seems to be one of the few categories of menswear where most people seem to acknowledge the superior quality of vintage items. Also, when looking at modern stock, I tended to find the crowns were less pronounced than I think I would prefer (I'm sure this is something that wouldn't be a problem if I went with a custom order). At the same time, the felt on "ready-to-wear"fedoras does not seem to be very substantive (again, this is probably something that could be addressed with a custom order).



So, when I came across what appeared to be deadstock vintage Borsalino fedoras in what appeared to be a lusciously thick, long-hair felt in a beautiful whiskey or camel color, I took the plunge. I'm by no means a fedora expert by any stretch of the imagination. but I was pleased with my acquisition. The felt is really exquisite, and the crown is quite high (about 4.5 inches) and pinched in a way that reminds me of something George Raft would have worn in The Glass Key.





I'm not sure that I'll ever use the wind trolley, but its a wonderful little detail which I believe Borsalino included with models intended for the US market, This particular model was made by Borsalino for a Chicago haberdasher named Thomas & Moore which I believe is no longer in existence. Someone with more expertise than I could probably date the fedora based on the model information inside the sweatband (it appears to be a late '60s/early '70s model), but I would love to hear from anyone who knows more about the store.




With temperatures pushing into the 30s and 40s (degrees fahrenheit) here on the East Coast, I'm looking forward to putting this long-haired felt fedora to good use in the weeks ahead!


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The Kiton Sample Sale @ Soiffer Haskin

December 15, 2014, 5:54 pm
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In recent years, Soiffer Haskin has added a veritable cornucopia of high-end luxury purveyors of men's clothing to their sale line-up. Where once you could expect an annual bonanza of deals from companies like Paul Stuart and Asprey, recent seasons have included such iconic brands as Ralph Lauren and Brioni. This past week, Kiton took the stage with items discounted as high as 90% off the (admittedly high) retail prices.

I wasn't looking for anything in particular, but I happened to be near the Soiffer Haskin site - well, technically I'm in the area every day as the location is right across the street from Penn Station - so I dropped in. I've been looking to add a pocket square in brown and a few casual button-down collar shirts, and I was in luck. The selection was thoroughly picked over by the last day, but prices had also been reduced to 80% off men's accessories and men's dress shirts (I also picked up a pair of blue suede casual loafers that I'll have more on in a subsequent post). So there were some deals to be had if you could find something to your liking.



The shirt is a nice navy and red checked pattern that caught my eye as I sifted through the shirt rack. The quality is what you'd expect from Kiton - MOP buttons with a teak hue, and lots of handwork. I could be mistaken, but the edges of the shirt appear to be hand-sewn and hand-rolled like the edges of a pocket-square,



The pocket-square that I found is also quite nice. As I mentioned, I was looking for something in a brown-based pattern, and this fit the bill perfectly. The blue paisley and center pattern reminded me of something that Drake's might produce. Interestingly, the Kiton square was actually made in England - printed in Macclesfield, to be precise - and there is something distinctly British about the design, to my eye.

All in all, I'm glad that I stopped in and I'm very pleased with these additions!
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An Italian Take On An American Classic - The Blue Suede Shoe from Kiton

December 21, 2014, 6:43 pm
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As the story goes, Carl Perkins was on stage one night when a scuffle broke out near the stage. In the middle of the ruckus, Perkins heard someone yell out, "Uh-uh, don't you step on my suedes!" When he looked down at the fellow, Perkins saw that the guy had on a pair of blue suede shoes. The line stuck with him, and in 1955 he wrote the song "Blue Suede Shoes." A rock and roll standard, it was eventually recorded by everyone from Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly to Bill Haley and Jerry Lee Lewis.



Menswear isn't terribly different than the rest of the world, which is to say that the more things change, the more things stay the same. If blue suede shoes were all the rage in 1955, it looks like they're still going strong. Of course, the pair on display at Graceland are captoe brogues, but when I happened to come across a pair of tasseled loafers at the Kiton sale, I was intrigued. I've been looking for a new pair of casual loafers for a while now, but nothing had really jumped out at me. In this case, I thought the blue suede would be a nice change of pace and could work well with khakis or denim.





The shoes have some nice details - the leather uppers are unlined, and I really like the contrast between the navy suede and the natural sole edge. Kiton shoes are well made, but probably a bit beyond my comfort level at the suggested retail price. This unlined blue suede loafer would normally fall into that category for me, but at 85% off the retail price, I thought it was worth a shot. Upon initial wearings (in the house), I've found the shoes to be incredibly comfortable, and the EU 9 fits like a glove.






The photos taken without a flash are probably a better representation of the actual navy color. It is much darker than the photos with flash would indicate. I used the flash to provide more detail as to the workmanship, but I've included the images without the flash for what I believe is a more accurate representation of the suede color.







I'm looking forward to joining the legions of Americans, both past and present, who have boldly pronounced at one time or another, "Don't scuff the suedes."



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beShoes - A Shoe Symposium at Pitti Uomo

December 30, 2014, 6:13 pm
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Invito_beShoes_fronte

Aside from the interesting street-style images that come out of the annual Pitti Uomo trade show, the event doesn't seem that different from the shows that I've visited here in NYC hosted by MRket at the Javits Center. Both events feature row upon row of booths featuring some wonderful men's clothing but at the end of the day, these are essentially events for buyers and sellers to connect. So I was intrigued by Simon Crompton's recent post at Permanent Style regarding beShoes, a symposium and cocktail evening celebrating the best of the world's shoemakers.

Unfortunately, I won't be anywhere near Florence in early to mid January so I'll miss the symposium. But it does sound like something that I would like to attend. Kudos to Mr. Crompton and the folks at Stefano Bemer and Bespoke Magazine for putting together what sounds like an enjoyable evening.






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New Year's Closet Cleaning - Ties for Sale!

January 1, 2015, 9:13 pm
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I was trying to do a little closet cleaning today and as a result I put together a small pile of ties (Hermes, Drake's, Kiton, Brioni, and Polo Ralph Lauren) that have been around for a few years now but have simply failed to get into the rotation. Some are unworn, others are were worn once, all are in very good condition and available to bid on at eBay. You can find a link to the various ties up for auction here. I'm also happy to end an auction early for any interested readers.



Thanks and best wishes to all for a wonderful 2015 :-)
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The Sensuous & The Sublime: 3-fold ties from E.G. Cappelli

January 6, 2015, 8:20 pm
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I've been hearing quite a bit about EG Cappelli ties for some time now. The fabrics and patterns all look exquisite over the internet, and satisfied customers rave about the craftsmanship and the quality. So I thought I'd take the plunge and try out a few of the 3-fold ties offered for sale via Cappelli's online outlet. My understanding is that the ties aren't second or defective, but are simply ready-to-wear models which differ primarily from the main store's offerings which are all made to order.

I've read a few reviews which commented on the thickness of Cappelli's 3-folds and, since I'm not a huge fan of overly-substantive ties, that seemed like another reason to start with the 3-folds. Ties cut to "standard" measurements usually work for me, so I wasn't crying out for a bespoke offering.

There were over 35 pages of fabric offerings for the 3-fold outlet ties, but I was finally able to whittle the choices down to the offerings in the image above. The images on the site aren't the greatest, but they're relatively accurate. Of course, in person the fabrics are much more vibrant.

All-in-all, the entire ordering process was painless and actually enjoyable. I sat down and perused the site on Friday night, Signor Cappelli processed the order on Monday morning, and the shoes arrived on my desk this afternoon. From Naples to new York City in under 36 hours! Ah, the joys of global e-commerce. Of course, with the dollar doing quite well versus the Euro, it's a great time to explore some of the works of art being created by some truly amazing Italian artisans. And, at roughly USD $65.00 per tie, the 3-folds really represent great value, in my opinion, compared to what you'll pay here in New York City for comparable standard 3-fold ties from the more renowned tie-makers.

For what its worth, I would agree that the fabric on these 3-folds is definitely thicker or more substantial than what you'd find on ties of comparable construction from Charvet, Drake's or E. Marinella (at least, the 3-folds that I own), and feel about the same as my Kiton 4-folds. Whether that means a better knot remains to be seen, but I'm looking forward to finding out. I hope to sample Signor Cappelli's 5 and 7 folds in the near future, and hopefully I'll be able to report back on those soon as well.
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The 3-roll-2 Jacket in Reindeer Suede for Ralph Lauren's Purple Label

January 22, 2015, 6:34 pm
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After much trial and error, I've got a pretty healthy map of thrift and consignment shops in New Jersey now that I try to pass through regularly, as most have proven to yield some pretty interesting finds. The other day, I came across this tan jacket made for Ralph Lauren's Purple Label. It has all the bells and whistles that you would expect to find on a Purple Label item: ticket pocket, pick stitching, dual vents, and a nice 3-roll-2 lapel. What sets the jacket apart is the supple reindeer suede that its made from. I've never seen anything quite like it.





Unfortunately, the jacket is a bit too big for me, but hopefully it will work for someone that wears a 44L.

You can find the eBay auction here.






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Silk & Silver Links by EG Cappelli for Zampa di Gallina

January 24, 2015, 1:54 pm
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I wear silk knots fairly frequently, and I've been looking for another silk cufflink alternative for awhile now. In my mind, the knots are on the casual end of the casual-formal spectrum so I was hoping to come across a link that still included some kind of silk in the design with some kind of sterling silver base (to go with my platinum wedding ring and stainless steel Longines watch).

I happened to come across a thread on Style Forum that provided a link to a French site for well-crafted men's clothing and accessories, Zampa di Gallina, which included these wonderful sterling silver cufflinks made by EG Cappelli that featured little swatches of silk in a variety of colors and patterns (you can see the cufflinks here).



As it turned out, Zampa di Gallina is run by Style Forum member Amar Ezzahi (and his associate Sadri who was also extremely helpful) and I'm pleased to report that the transaction went well and the links arrived within 7 days of my online purchase. There was an initial technical glitch that prevented me from paying via my paypal account (the site has only been up and running for a short time so they're still in the early stages), but Amar/Sadri allowed me to pay directly via Paypal. After that, it was just a matter of waiting for the links to show up.



Once they arrived, I was quite pleased with them. I went with a brown silk to go with the various shades of brown and grays that I wear throughout the week. I was tempted to also pick up the EG Cappelli 7-fold featuring the same fabric/pattern for sale on the Zampa di Gallina. I'm still debating whether to do it since I have a Drake's tie in a very similar color/pattern. It's not an exact match, which I think may ultimately be a better option than wearing matching tie and links.



So far, I've tried the links with a few shirts and it looks great. The colors really jump out and offers a nice contrast against white or light blue shirts. Generally, I like heavier cuffinks and these are fairly light, so my personal preference would have been for something with little more heft, but I'm quibbling here. That being said, the cufflinks look great and I would highly recommend picking up a pair via Zampa di Gallina.


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Swing Time: Apparel Arts & The Golden Age of Film

January 31, 2015, 7:11 pm
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Fred Astaire, in an early scene from Swing Time, perhaps wearing formal 
attire made for his own personal wardrobe commissioned from Anderson & Sheppard.

There is a great scene early in the Fred Astaire - Ginger Rogers classic Swing Time that caught my eye the other night. In the sequence, Astaire, in his wedding attire, informs the members of his dance troupe that he's giving up the stage (or the dance troupe, anyway) to get married. In order to stall for time and keep Astaire from attending his own wedding, one of the troupe shows him a Lawrence Fellows-like drawing in the pages of Squire magazine (whose title and cover look suspiciously like an Esquire magazine).


The cover of the fictitious Squire magazine, which looks very 
much like the Esquire magazines of the day.

The artwork depicts a stylish fellow in attire that is strikingly similar to what Astaire has on, with the only difference being the cuffs (which the troupe-member has added with a pencil to the drawing). Convinced that his trousers will look terribly dated without this year's look - namely, cuffs - Astaire sends someone down to the tailor with his trousers in order to have the cuffs added.


The Lawrence Fellows-like rendering from Squire 
magazine with the cuffs being added by pencil.

The scene, in and of itself, would have been amusing had it ended right there. But in the subsequent scenes, the tailor is shown steadfastly refusing to ruin his reputation by adding cuffs to the trousers. He pulls out various reference materials to make his point - and this is what caught my eye, as it appears that he has a small stack of Apparel Arts magazines on display which he uses to try to make his point about the cuffs! The magazines appear to be the soft-cover, over-sized versions of the classic mid-1930s issues which feature the title in bold lettering, with some type of painted image at the center of the cover. I tried to capture a few screen-shots, but because of the movement in the scene, they're all a bit blurry. I think the Apparel Arts issues are more obvious if you just watch the scene.


An authentic issue of Apparel Arts, captured on screen 
and in the wild back in 1936? You decide.

One of the questions that often come up in the context of Apparel Arts is just how much of an effect the trade publication actually had on everyday menswear, or how widely circulated the magazine was beyond the stockrooms and corporate offices of the leading men's retailers of the day. Hollywood films of the era certainly offered a highly-stylized version of the "realities" of the 1930s, but if the films of the golden age of cinema did in fact influence the fashions and styles of the day, then it says something if Apparel Arts magazines were being used as props to convey a certain knowledge or understanding of the rules governing men's dress at that time.


The pile of magazines on top of the shelf to the right - more Apparel Arts?

Whether its simply a coincidence that a trade publication such as Apparel Arts, with its distinct fondness for all those things English, just happened to make an appearance in a film headlined by a noted Anderson & Sheppard acolyte such as Fred Astaire is a question for another day :-)
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Drake's Sample Sale - Feb. 5-8, 2015

February 2, 2015, 3:11 pm
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For what I understand, this sale will be very similar to the pop-up sales that have taken place at CHCM over the last few years. It certainly sounds promising!

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