A well dressed gentlemans pocket guide

Cách ăn mặc cho quý ông

Oscar Lenius

A WELL-DRESSED GENTLEMAN’S POCKET GUIDE

IMG

Jubilee Edition

international Menswear Group

Established 1958

LIT

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to Timothy Cecil for his English trans-

lation of the original text and for his invaluable com-

ments His family company, Henry Buck’s, is Aus-

tralia’s finest menswear retailer and our jubilee edition

is greatly indebted to his contribution

born in Miinster in 1962 He is President of the IMG (nter-

national Menswear Group) In Germany he runs the leading

menswear outfitter SOR

Oscar Lenius designs luxurious menswear for the well-dressed

gentleman

His collections are everlasting, without any fashionable de-

cline

Contents Preface

Introduction Suits Trousers Coats Shirts Ties Knitwear Socks Shoes Umbrellas Hats

Underwear

Handkerchiefs Swimming trunks Bathrobes Leather clothing Men’s jewellery

Preface

As an exclusive alliance of the world’s very best menswear retailers, the International Menswear

Group (IMG) is dedicated to offering excellence

in every way to its international customers The IMG is proud to endorse and present this special and limited edition of “A well-dressed gentle- man’s pocket guide” on the occasion of its 40° jubilee year

People have always been interested in clothing From fig-leaves to bear-skins to full dress ceremo- nial, clothing has served to protect and project, to

withstand the elements and impress on others his

individuality and success

Nowadays we talk of clothing in terms of fashion rather than formality, trends rather than tradition This pocket guide follows a different path It

aims at providing comprehensive information on

the clothing style of the confidently well-dressed gentleman

The guide’s purpose is to illustrate how to dress

on the many occasions where a specific outfit is called for, sometimes perhaps more de rigeur than mandatory But the reader may better learn to

cope with any conceivable situation without fear

8 Preface

all occasions For the well-informed, this guide

will provide a fascinating insight into the history

of style, and for those who have found their own

style, stimulating ideas and refreshing points of

reference

Henry Buck’s SOR Rusche

Introduction

Fashion or style?

Fashion is subject to seasonal changes The wardrobe of the gentleman who dresses in classic style is marked by a distinctive continuity

A pleasing and charismatic picture of style results from the combination of quality and attributes Style is much more than pure appearance

In restless succession the tyrants of fashion de-

clare diverging extremes a “must” “In” and “out”

are favourite catchwords of these fashion dicta- tors However, drawing on Aristotle, cultivated dressing seeks the happy medium between the fashionable extremes of length and width

Clothes for the right occasion Cultivated dressing distinguishes itself in the act

of wearing clothes that are suitable to the occa- sion By wearing the appropriate clothes on every occasion, a person proves to have style

Cultivated dressing starts with the question: “How shall I dress on this particular occasion?” This demand on high standards in clothing is often

in opposition to the dictates of fashion Beyond changing extremes, therefore, it is the occasion and one’s personality that have an influence on style, which is not a question of age, but of per- sonal standards

Personal style in clothing

A person who has understood the quality of dress-

ing with style will keep up this standard and fol-

low this path throughout his life

There is a perfect clothing style for each individ-

ual’s personality When one has found one’s per-

sonal style, there is no reason to alter it Instead

one merely adapts one’s individual style to differ-

ent occasions, varying it and giving it one’s own

style But be aware that style should always have a

natural appeal All should be rounded off for aes-

thetic perfection It does not require the support

of seasonally changing fashion, in order to satisfy

In modern times, up to the end of the 18th cen- tury, men of the world followed the fashion of the French court As is the case in the animal king- dom, man surpassed his female counterpart in the splendour of richly ornamented, colourful robes and velvet gowns

As early as the decades preceding the French Rev-

olution, bourgeois liberation movements in Eng-

land began to democratize men’s clothing The English citizen then wore a self-coloured coat

in sombre blue, green or grey, contrasting with breeches in a different colour The upper coat was slim and cut like a tailcoat The amount of material used was reduced to facilitate freedom of move-

ment

As early as 1774 Goethe let his protagonist Werther wear a blue English tailcoat With the rise

of the third estate, this “Werther dress” was grad-

ually accepted in Germany, too, and acquired the status of a common European dress

The simple frock coat, which at first was only worn as a riding-suit, received a slim cut like

a tailcoat with knee-breeches and waistcoat to match, whose forms were simplified over the years

In the 19th century the tone for male elegance was set by the meetings of the high society It

was the famous London Macaroni Club that had

a decisive influence on the fashion of the period

George Bryan Brummel (1778-1840), the most fa-

mous dandy of the time, wrote authoritative works

on fashion, defining meticulously what was “in”

and what was “out” of fashion

The popular silhouette of the classic suit featur-

ing high-necked lapels and loose-fitting waistlines

became fashionable in 1867, when the Prince of

Wales and future King Edward VII (1841-1910)

appeared on the scene wearing a suit made entirely

of one material There was a steady evolution to-

wards wearing self-coloured suits, with charcoal

or black now dominating men’s clothes from head

to toe

Around 1900 men could choose between tailcoat,

frock coat and street dress The latter was im-

ported by the New Yorker men’s outfitter Brooks

Brothers from England into the USA at the turn of

the century, marking the beginning of what was to

become an international success

This classic apparel, which was only worn as a

daytime suit or street dress in the twenties and thir-

ties, became a socially acceptable evening dress

after World War II Held in black or dark blue,

it increasingly replaced the tailcoat and dinner

jacket on semiformal occasions With its one-

hundred-year-old tradition, the suit is one of the

indisputable classics of this century’s clothing cul-

or, more frequently, twill construction Flannel

is a fabric generally used for single-breasted or double-breasted daytime suits or business suits with back or side vents Flannel should not be worn continually over a longer period

Shetland

The Shetland Islands off the north-eastern coast

of Scotland are the home both of the Shetland pullovers and the genuine Shetland fabric Nowa- days the term is applied to medium-size or large, slightly napped carded yarns made of coarse wool Worsted Shetlands made out of semiworsted are less frequent The typical feature of the plain- woven or twill-woven Shetland is its mixture of colours and loose texture Shetlands are hard- wearing and crease-resistant and therefore used for sports clothes

Cheviot

Cheviot is a woollen fabric of a grainy, prac-

tical and durable quality and has a rough tex-

ture Cheviots are woven in self-coloured or mul-

ticoloured worsteds or carded yarns Twill-weave

fabrics are preferred in the manufacture of sports

clothes

Tweed

The typical tweed is multicoloured and woven in

a twill construction, featuring knobbles and stub-

bly hair, either with a plain or a slightly blurred

surface structure Irish tweed is even more colour-

ful, with large patterns, whereas genuine Scottish

tweed patterns are mostly very small Regional

names of the places of production are often pre-

fixed to the term tweed, such as Irish tweed or

Channel tweed Tweed fabrics are very suitable for

the colder seasons Typical tweed suits have back-

belts, golf creases and leather applications, which

give them a casual look

Gabardine

Gabardine is a very durable, soil-resistant and

smooth fabric with a clear diagonal rib made of

fine to medium worsted yarns and is usually made

in solid colours

Gabardine fabrics are typical wear for business oc-

casions and are suitable for formal dress when top

quality materials are used

Lambswool

Lambswool is wool taken from the first or second shearing of a young animal up to one year old The wool of a merino sheep is particularly fine, soft and sleek, and does not scratch Its quality is used for manufacturing sports jacket cloths, and

is also blended with many suiting cloths High- quality lambswool is not of a hard-wearing qual- ity Therefore it should not be worn too often

Tropical Tropical is a light plain-woven worsted fabric with a plain pattern, low sheen surface and crisp feel Other typical features include enormous ro- bustness and crease-resistance As a genuine cool wool fabric, the tropical is particularly suitable for summer wear Classic tropicals are used for day- time or semiformal suits

Mohair

Mohair wool comes from angora goats, which were originally bred in Turkey The fabric, whose plain pattern reveals its satin-weave, is known for its sheen, its elegant drape and crisp feel Mo- hair is recommended for both business and formal wear

16 Suits

Cashmere Cashmere is the epitomy of luxurious apparel

The cashmere goat, which lives in Asia at an alti-

tude of 3000 to 4000 m, protects itself against the

cold with a very fine undercoat After the coarser

grey hair has been sorted out, the annual quan-

tity of wool amounts to only 80-100g per ani-

mal Cashmere quality has a lustrous weave and

is blended with other materials for daytime and

business suits

Silk

Silk is obtained from the cocoons of caterpillars

of the silkmoth, a butterfly which lives in East-

ern Asia The caterpillars of the butterfly live of

the fresh leaves of the mulberry tree Silk worms

are bred for the purpose of producing silk The fe-

male lays approx 300 to 400 eggs, out of which

the caterpillars hatch After thirty days they begin

to pupate It takes them four to six days to spin

from a 3000 m yarn a cocoon shaped like a pigeon

egg In this cocoon the caterpillar transforms into

a pupa, which subsequently becomes a butterfly

5000 cocoons weigh between three to five kilo-

gramms, from which approx | kg of pure silk can

be obtained Pure silk is used in the manufacture

of festive evening dress and elegant dinner jackets

Cotton

Most cotton qualities are woven either in a canvas

or twill construction The most commonly used quality in suit manufacturing is American upland

in an elegant way and has a cooling effect in hot weather It is ideal for summer wear

Baby Alpaca The first shearing of alpaca llamas (under one year old) produces a very long filament, which is soft

as silk and of a unique quality Apart from the impressive richness of material and silky lustre, cloths made of baby alpaca are extremely supple, light as a feather and surprisingly robust The in- tensive quality of the natural colours make the fin- ished fabrics retain the original character of this high-quality material

18 Suits

Patterns The following are classic examples of standard

patterns in men’s clothing

Glen check

In order to differentiate between the various clans,

Scottish families wear different checks The com-

monly used name which evolved from this can be

applied to a variety of qualities Glen checks are

generally patterned black and white and suitable

for daytime and business suits

Glen check

Houndstooth

Like “Glen check’, the term “houndstooth” is

used to describe a great number of qualities Al-

ways woven in a twill construction, the “hound-

stooth” has generally been accepted as the term

denoting small, broken but regular checks, which

resemble the teeth of a dog As a rule, “hounds- tooth” is woven in black and white although other colours are also possible The “houndstooth” is typical of patterns worn for daytime or business suits

Houndstooth

20 Suits

Plaid

Plaid is a twill-weave or canvas-weave construc-

tion with bright and dark checks usually in black

and white (other colours are also possible) It is an

ideal pattern for daytime and business suits

a Se ae se ees

Suits 21 Fil-a-Fil (Sharkskin)

Originally derived from the contrast between the two spices salt and pepper, the term fil-a-fil de- notes the colour pattern bright/dark It is the twill- weave that brings about the typical pattern, which has the form of small steps There are no strict rules as to the mixture of colours Fil-a-fil suits are recommended for business occasions

ls

Fil-a-Fil

Barleycorn The name of this pattern can be taken literally It derives from the form of a barleycorn The weav- ing technique is similar to fil-a-fil, and its typical weave in black and white is somewhat blurred From a stylistical point of view this pattern is suit- able for daytime and business suits

22 Suits

Barleycorn

Herringbone The characteristic feature of this pattern is twill-

woven threads slanting left and right thus forming

a pattern which is similar to the bones of a fish

Herringbone-patterned cloths, which have black

and white or multicoloured yarns, are used for ca-

sual daytime wear

Herringbone

Suits 23 Pinstripe

Pinstripe is one of the classic patterns for men’s suits The basic material is very fine worsted with

a clear surface The effect of fine stripes that look

as if stitched with a pin is achieved by using a con- trasting fine white silk yarn or other contrasting colours Colour variation of light grey, anthracite, middle or dark blue are possible

Details of styles

The one-hundred-year-old evolution of the suit has brought forth a great number of classic styles, which have a lasting validity In principle, it is the position of the buttons, vents, lapels, and pock- ets that constitute the difference between various men’s suits

Placement of buttons Single-breasted suits (with one button) are worn

on formal occasions as dinner jackets, whereas those with two buttons are preferred on less formal and business occasions The three-button suit is another classic example of a single-breasted suit, and prescribed by fashion arbiters from time to time

The double-breasted suit is continually subject

to the dictates of fashion Therefore one is weil advised to choose a classic button arrangement where the top button is closed The dinner jacket

24 Suits

should be worn closed, at least when greeting

people The lowest button always remains open

The top button of three-buttoned suits can be

closed Of course, the passive button of a double-

breasted suit remains unfastened On a double-

breasted uniform jacket, however, the lowest but-

ton is closed

Suits with two rows of buttons should have two

side vents at the back As a rule, there is no vent

on double-breasted dinner jackets Suits without

any vents are generally the preserve of formal

suits Single-breasted business suits may have ei-

ther centre or side vents

Lapels While single-breasted suits always have a notched

lapel, double-breasted ones have a peaked lapel

Peaked lapels are also possible on single-breasted

suits for formal occasions The alternative for din-

ner jackets is the shawl collar

The width of the lapel is a favourite victim of

fashion arbiters Those suits which stay within the

range of six to twelve centimetres for lapel width

will always remain correct in the face of changing

concepts of fashion

Pockets

Patch pockets give a more sporty appearance than

flap pockets Patch pockets featuring box pleats

are regarded as the most casual variations Flap

Faux pas:

— double-breasted suits with centre vents

— informal suits without vents

— formal black suits with patch pockets informal suits with welted pockets

single- breasted three buttons, notched lapels, flap pockets

semiformal suit single-breasted peaked lapels, box pleats

double- breasted peaked lapels with or without ticket pocket

Suits 27

Manufacturing

International suit collections offer various high- quality standards of processing It is the share of work done by hand in particular that distinguishes the semi-tailored suits from ready-made suits The crown of the tailor’s art is the tailor-made suit Individually cut to size, it guarantees perfect fit and high measure of comfort and wearability The

outer fabric and interfacing are hand-sewn and are

given an inner lining

Not only the upper material, lining and interfac- ing must fulfil the highest standards, but also the manufacturing, which has to be excellent The fol- lowing points require special attention:

a) careful cutting b) first-class horsehair inter- facing c) narrow stitching sequence in all seams d) high-quality cotton or viscose lining e) genuine buffalo horn buttons f) expert pressing to shape g) final quality control _h) exact fit i) comfortable wearability

The super soft and light manufacturing technique

is gaining ground With padding only at the col- lar rather than at the shoulders, the back or front, this new sports jacket is remarkable for its ex- treme light weight and comfortable wear (like a pullover) In addition, one of the distinguishing features of this jacket is its eye appeal, achieved

by the use of slightly structured fabrics and an im- peccable tailoring process

28 Suits

Suit culture

In the 18th century the tailcoat, which first ap-

peared around 1740, was still a comfortable ev-

eryday coat that could be buttoned at the front

with diagonally slashed front tails In a large va-

riety of often sombre colours, the tailcoat contin-

ued to dominate men’s fashion in this style up to

the middle of the 19th century When the morn-

ing suit appeared around 1850, replacing the tail-

coat as the usual daytime apparel, the latter devel-

oped into the most festive suit for formal evening

events The tailcoat is double-breasted although it

is not meant to be buttoned The coat tails, which

are cut at the front, meet at the back to form a

swallow-tail One must not, by the way, sit on the

tail Instead, it is carefully placed over the side or

the back of the chair

Further accessories of the tailcoat are a low-

cut waistcoat made of stiff piqué, which is only

very slighty visible underneath the jacket, and a

starched shirt with a stiff front and studs

The white bow tie around the wing collar distin-

guishes the guest from the servants, e.g the wait-

ers, who wear a black bow tie instead

The tailcoat is the social equivalent of the festive

evening gown of the ladies, and is known inter-

nationally as “white tie” It should be worn after

three o’clock in the afternoon, preferably not be-

no turn-ups

Material Mohair or fine, light cloth Lapel: pure silk

Colours Black or midnight blue

Accessories Tailcoat shirt: starched dickey with waffle-piqué,

wing collar; simple, stiff cuffs with button- holes; the tailcoat shirt is fixed to the trousers

with a loop Material: pure cotton; white

30 Suits

Shirt studs: pearl, mother-of-pearl! or gold

Cuff-links: precious metal

Bow tie: white, piqué

Waistcoat: low-cut, always visible, white, piqué;

slim shawl collar; back: silk lining, cotton

Socks: black, knee-high socks made of silk or fine

wool

Shoes: plain patent leather

Hat: roll-up opera hat

Dinner jacket/Tuxedo

The dinner jacket evolved at the end of the 19th

century in the smoking rooms of English gentle-

men They wore this comfortable, warm, lined

house jacket while adjourning to smoke in the

saloons (This is why the dinner jacket is called

“smoking” in Germany and France) Originally,

the dinner jacket was never worn in the presence

of ladies; the smell of smoke could have offended

them!

In the USA the dinner jacket is called tuxedo,

from its first appearance in the exclusive country

club in Tuxedo Park, New York in 1889 There

the well-known dandy, Criswold Corillard, caused

a sensation by wearing it amid all the tailcoats

that obeyed the rules of propriety Not long after

that the tuxedo was accepted as festive dinner and

evening jacket

Edward VII (1841-1910) can claim a considerable

share in introducing the dinner jacket as accepted

formal attire to a wide audience He made the din- ner jacket shirt with concealed placket, doubled French cuffs and pleated shirt front sociably ac- ceptable Accessories to match the dinner jacket are a black bow tie and waistcoat Instead of a waistcoat, a fine silk sash in colour and material of the bow tie may be worn: the so-called cummer- bund The English name derives from the Hindi

“Kamarband”, a fashionable sash that was popu-

’ larized by English soldiers

The dinner jacket is the social equivalent of the

evening dress On invitations, it is referred to as

“black tie”

Occasion: Formal soirées, balls, theatre or small official social events

Style Sports jacket, single or double-breasted, no vents, with peaked lapels faced with silk, or shawl collar, welted pockets Trousers: with silk side braids without turn-ups

Material

Light mohair, fine cloth

Colours Black, midnight blue

Accessories

Dinner jacket shirt: regular or wing collar, tuck; front with pleats or concealed placket, French cuffs - Material: cotton, batiste, or pure silk Colours: white, light blue, écru

Cuff-links: precious metal

32 Suits

Bow tie (hand-tied): pure silk, satin, black, mid-

night blue, burgundy, pearl grey, or in match-

ing tones

Waistcoat: low-cut Material and colours identical

with that of dinner jacket Alternative: cum-

merbund the same colour and material as bow

tie

Breast pocket handkerchief: matching the shirt;

cotton or silk, hand rolled

’ Socks: black or midnight blue, knee-high socks of

silk or fine wool

Shoes: plain black

Hat: Bowler, roll-up opera hat, Camber, Homburg

White dinner jacket The white dinner jacket is worn when the social

gathering takes place in the open air, e.g at garden

parties during the summer, or on sea voyages A

few alterations may then be made

no vents, welted pockets

Accessories Shirt: dinner-jacket shirt, white, light blue, ecru,

cotton or pure silk

Cuff-links: precious metal

Bow tie: dinner jacket bow tie

Waistcoat: low-cut Material and colour identical with that of the jacket

Breast pocket handkerchief: cotton or pure silk,

hand rolled

Socks: knee-high, light wool, cotton, pure silk; colour: like the trousers

Shoes: plain black

Hat: Homburg, Eden, Boater.

34 Suits

Morning suit

The morning suit is the “daytime tailcoat”, the

festive equivalent of the tailcoat for very formal

events in the afternoon (before 3 p.m until 6 p.m.)

In the mid-19th-century England, the front coat-

tails of the frock coat were cut away at the sides

in order to prevent them from becoming entangled

between the legs when on horseback — the morn-

ing suit was born

Unlike the tailcoat, the tails of the morning suit do

not begin at the hip, but curve backwards starting

from the button

The morning suit was generally black, with striped

trousers; nowadays grey is also acceptable, with

matching trousers, no turn-ups, a grey waistcoat,

a shirt that is unstarched with wing collar and a

grey plastron or pearl grey tie

Nowadays the morning suit is still worn at recep-

tions of diplomatie circles or on very formal oc-

casions like weddings (In Germany also at re-

ceptions of the Lower House, the Bundestag) For

state funerals a black morning suit is worn

Further accessories for the morning suit include a

top hat and gloves, often carried in the hand

Occasion: Very official formal dress for daytime

wear, official receptions, weddings, funerals,

official events in political and diplomatic cir- cles

Style Peaked lapels, button above waist seam From

below the centre seam, the fronts are cut away

from the waist downwards in a long curve to- wards the back The back has a waistseam with tails extending to the bend of the knees, and a middle vent ending at the waist Trousers

Striped morning suit trousers in black and grey without turn-ups Cutaways worn at the races (notably at Ascot) are generally made of grey fabrics

Shirt: white, cotton, French cuffs, with regular

collar or wing collar

Cuff-links: precious metal

Waistcoat: single-breasted or double-breasted,

pearl grey or beige, at funerals the colour of

the coat

Tie: pure silk, coordinating with the regular collar

(pearl grey or grey/black/white pattern)

Plastron: coordinating with the wing collar, a plas-

tron (pure silk) with a discreet grey pattern;

pin: pearl or precious stone

Socks: knee-high socks in black, made of thin

wool or silk

Shoes: plain black

Hat: black or grey top hat

Gloves: grey, black or beige to coordinate with the

colour of the waistcoat

Official suit Occasion: Smaller festive events and receptions

(daytime and evenings)

Stvle

Single-breasted sports jacket with peaked

lapels and waistcoat Double-breasted jacket,

always with peaked lapels, without vents, with flap pockets; trousers without turn-ups

Material Mohair, fine cloth, fresco

Cuff-links: precious metal

Tie: grey, pearl grey, self-coloured or finely pat- terned in black, grey and white Pure silk, crépe de Chine, fine rep

Waistcoat: black, the same material as the suit, or

fine cloth in pearl grey

Breast pocket handkerchief: pure cotton, white

Socks: black knee-high socks of pure silk or fine wool

Shoes: plain black

Semi-official suit Occasion: Receptions, opening of a shop, opening

days, conferences

Style Single-breasted suit with waistcoat or double- breasted suit with peaked lapels; trousers with-

out turn-ups

Material Mohair, flannel, fine woollen cloths

Shirt: batiste, cotton-poplin, white; with Kent col-

lar, French cuffs

Cuff-links: precious metal

Tie: black or blue, discreetly patterned, pure silk,

crépe de Chine, fine rep

Waistcoat: of the same material and colour as the

suit

Breast pocket handkerchief: pure cotton, linen or

pure silk, hand-rolled, white

Socks: black or blue to coordinate with the suit;

light wool or cotton

Shoes: plain black

City and business suit

Occasion: Daytime suit for work, for conferences,

at law courts, dining out

Strle

Single-breasted suit with or without waistcoat,

or double-breasted Trousers with or without

Accessories

Shirt: white, light blue or light beige; cotton- poplin, batiste, fil-a-fil, millrayé, fine shirt stripes, Kent collar or tab collar, French cuffs Cuff-links: precious metal

Tie: elegant pattern and stripes coordinating with the colour and design of the suit Material: crépe de Chine, gumtwill, fine silk rep, silk Jaquard

Waistcoat: the colour and material of the suit

Breast pocket handkerchief: pure cotton, linen, silk, coordinating with the shirt or tie

Socks: fine wool or cotton, self-coloured, coordi- nating with the suit

Shoes: Brogues, Oxford, moccasin

Sports suits Occasion: Originally designed for sporting activi- ties, leisure and travel Today an informal day- time suit

Style of sports jacket: Single-breasted with

notched lapels, with or without waistcoat, patch pockets or flap pockets; alternatively leather buttonholes or leather patches on the sleeves; back or side vents Trousers: turn-ups attached to suiting

40 Suits

Material of suit trousers: Cheviot, donegal, tweed,

sporty worsted or carded yarns

Colours

Brown, green, beige, also blue-grey Herring-

bone pattern, checks, sporty patterns

Accessories

Shirt: regular, button-down, collar bar, or tab col-

lar, barrel cuffs, cotton-poplin, Oxford, fil-a-

fil, millrayé, Tattersall; beige, sage, light blue,

white, burgundy

Tie: pure silk rep, Irish poplin, gumtwill, wool;

knitted tie; with stripes and patterns to match,

paisley, madder block printing

Pocket handkerchief: material and pattern to coor-

dinate with the tie or shirt

Slipover: V-neck, lambswool or cashmere

Socks: wool, self-coloured or geometric

Shoes: Brogues, Derby, moccasin or suede shoe

Sports jackets

Blazer

Occasion: Originally a jacket worn by members

of a certain club (with club emblem) One can

appear well-dressed in a blazer on various oc-

casions: in the city, on business occasions, in

the office, on small conferences, for travelling,

dining out, and, of course, at the club

Style Single-breasted or double-breasted, patch pockets with buttons of (precious) metal, enamel or mother-of-pearl The double- breasted blazer always has a side vent; with the single-breasted blazer side or centre vents are possible

Material Cloth, flannel, fine worsted or carded yarns Colours :

Navy, but also black, bordeaux, camel or dark green

Trousers The typical pair of trousers worn with a blazer are dark grey flannel trousers with turn-ups Accessories

Styles of shirt: regular, tab collar, button-down, pin collar; French cuffs or barrel cuffs;

cotton-poplin, batiste, millrayé, Oxford, fil-a-

fil, white, light blue, burgundy, striped in blue and white

Cuff-links: metal

Tie: silk rep, mogador, Irish poplin, classic club stripes, regimental, blazer-motif, heraldic Slipover: V-neck, lambswool or cashmere Socks: wool or cotton Self-coloured or geometric Shoes: black, Brogues or moccasin

Style Buttons Lapel Pockets Vents Colour Pattern Material Trousers

unbuttoned peaked lapels weit pocket middle vent | midnight blue wool double silk braids Dinner jacket | single-breasted | peaked or welted pockets none black self-coloured | mohair/wool/ | without turn-ups

shawl collar breast welt midnight blue silk single silk braids

White Dinner | single-breasted | peaked or welted pockets none white self-coloured | mohair/ without turn-ups Jacket shawl collar breast welt écru wool/ double silk braids

Cutaway single-breasted | peaked, | button | only breast knee-length | anthracite self-coloured | wool without turn-ups

: fastening welt pocket tails black marengo Semiformal single-breasted | notched flap pockets or centre vents | dark grey self-coloured | wool/ with or without

double-breasted | peaked breast welt side vents black fil-a-fil flannel/

pocket or beige plaid cotton/

welted pockets mousetooth | linen/

tweed/

lambswool

trousers without turn-ups

white, French cuffs, regular collar

dark ground, discreet

pattern, silk rep, crépe de Chine

waistcoat, flap pockets,

trousers without turn-ups

white, French cuffs, regular collar

pearl grey, self-coloured

morning suit, black or

marengo, single breasted with waistcoat, flap pockets, morning suit-trousers

Festive indoor occasions

in the evening

(ballet, theatre, dinner)

dinner jacket, black, midnight blue, single-breasted or double- breasted with shawl collar or

peaked lapels, trousers without turn-ups with silk braids

Festive occasions

in the open air in

the evening (summer

party, sea voyage)

dinner jacket, white or écru, single-breasted or double-breasted

peaked lapels or shawl collar, welted pockets, dinner jacket

trousers

white, light blue, écru, French cuffs, wing collar

or regular collar, front tuck

and concealed placket

hand-tied bow tie, black, blue, patterned, silk

dinner jacket shirt

in white, light blue

or écru

black dinner jacket bow tie, silk

Very formal occasions

during the day (weddings,

funerals, receptions)

morning suit, black or marengo, peaked lapels, one botton fastening, knee-length tails, trousers without turn-ups

state receptions) tailcoat, peaked lapels faced with

silk, tails with middle vents, trousers with double silk braids without turn-ups

white with regular-collar and French cuffs or barrel cuffs

pearl grey or grey, black and white,

plastron to coordinate with the wing collar

tailcoat shirt with pleated

shirt front or piqué front, wing collar, cuffs

Formal occasions

(small festivities,

receptions during the

day and in the evening)

white breast pocket

handkerchief, black

knee-high socks, plain black shoes

Festive indoor occasions

in the evening

(ballet, theatre, dinner)

breast pocket handkerchief

coordinating with the shirt, waistcoat or cummerbund,

biack or blue silk knee-high socks, plain black shoes

or patent leather shoes

Festive occasions

in the open air in the

evening (summer party,

sea voyage)

breast pocket handkerchief, cotton or silk, silk knee-high socks in the colour

of the trousers, plain black shoes or patent leather shoes

Very formal occasions

during the day

(weddings, funerals,

receptions)

thin, dark silk knee-high socks, plain black shoes, top hat and grey gloves

occasions in the

evening (gala dinner,

state receptions) white pique waistcoat,

black silk socks, plain black patent leather shoes

Sports jackets Occasion: Originally designed for leisure- activities in the country; today also worn on informal business occasions

Style Single-breasted jacket with notched lapels; side or middle vents Variations: patch pock- ets, ticket pocket, leather applications, Norfolk back

Material Sporty fabrics of all kinds of weight, cheviot, Shetland, donegal, tweed; light qualities such

as lambswool and cashmere are also possible Colours

Brown, green, beige; blue-grey or black-grey possible The pattern (self-coloured or mixed

colours; herringbone or check) results from

the material used, such as oxford or tartan Trousers

Self-coloured or slightly blended hues, with turn-ups Durable qualities such as cavalry- twill, gabardine and other worsteds match well A pair of grey flannel trousers always co- ordinates with a sports jacket

Accessories Shirt: qualities: oxford, twill, fil-a-fil, poplin Styles: Kent collar, button-down, tab collar with breast pocket and barrel cuffs The shirt has to coordinate with the fabric of the jacket Self-coloured, beige, sage, or patterned Fine shirt checks or Tattersall checks are possible

48 Suits

Tie: pure silk rep, gumtwill, Irish poplin, mogador,

cashmere, wool, coordinating with the jacket

and shirt

Socks: wool or cotton; self-coloured or geometric

Shoes: Brogues, Oxford, Derby, moccasin, British

war

50 Trousers

Quite the contrary is the case with the Greeks in

antiquity, who considered wearing breeches an act

of barbarism

In 15 th century Europe the gentleman wore thigh-

length breeches and stockings, which were fas-

tened at the knee by a garter

In the 15th and 16th centuries the styles of

breeches were particularly fanciful At court the

voluminous “Spanish” baggy breeches were pop-

ular They reached down to the thigh, were made

of precious material and were heavily padded In

the 17 th century fashion again became less ornate

Later, revolutionaries could be recognized by their

“pantalons”, a “boorish”, ankle-length, straight-

cut pair of trousers Since that time, the freedom

fighters were called “sans-culottes” (which means

“without knee-breeches”)

About 1820 in Germany the pantaloon assumed

the form of a long pair of trousers for men, a style

with all the changes that fashion was able to de-

vise: now longer, now shorter, now tightly fitted,

now wide and flared

The creased trousers were a novelty around 1900

When the Prince of Wales appeared at the 1886

Derby, he created a small sensation: to coordinate

with his silk frock coat, he wore a grey pair of

trousers, which had an ironed crease all the way

down to the instep of his patent leather boots!

Styles

One can distinguish between two important styles

of trousers: those with and those without pleats

at the waist Today, owing to their comfortable, wide cut, the pleated pair of trousers is the stan- dard form in classic menswear

As far as the width of the legs is concerned, the recommendable size with timeless validity is three quarters the length of the shoes

Another detail are the pockets Ordinary trousers have one back pocket, whereas suit trousers tend

to have two An additional watch pocket is a must

with formal trousers, and is recommended for

business trousers

The future Edward VII is regarded as the inventor

of the turn-ups The Prince, while walking on a rain-soaked golf course, rolled up the legs of his

trousers Since that time, turn-ups have had an air

of sporty casualness about them

For this reason it is a true faux pas to wear formal trousers with turn-ups Such trousers are always the domain of combinations (pullovers, sports jackets and blazers), sports suits and double- breasted suits The turn-ups are approximately three to four centimetres wide Shorter gentlemen should choose a narrower variety or dispense with turn-ups altogether

The trouser leg has the correct length when

it breaks slightly over the instep of the shoe Trousers without turn-ups should be longer at the

52 Trousers

back than at the front, where the bottom slants

downwards towards the heel

Faux pas:

— Formal trousers with turn-ups

~ Trousers without turn-ups for double-

breasted suits or single-breasted combi-

Pure new wool is a natural and precious basic ma-

terial for extremely wearable trousers

— ‘Cool wool’ is the trademark for light fabrics

of pure new wool

“Super 100° is an extremely fine quality of wool for the summer Trousers made of ‘super 100’ have a pleasant, cooling effect Another remarkable feature of “Super 100” is its crease- resistance

‘Super 120’ denotes top-quality yarns The strength of the woollen fibre is measured in mi- cron The lower the micron figure, the finer the fibre ‘Super 120° has a wool fibre strength of 16.5 to 17 microns This is the quality used in making light summer clothes

‘High performance’ is the trade name for highly twisted, fine woollens ‘High perfor- mance’ is particularly durable, crease-resistant

suit

Tweed is a typically mixed-coloured material with heavy knobbles and stubbly hair Pure Harris tweed is named after the Scottish island

of the same name

Mohair is the long, fine and glossy high-quality hair of the angora goat, and is used for blend- ing materials The most important features of

54 Trousers

mohair wool are its lustre, elegant drape and

crisp feel

~ Flannel is a classic material used for men’s

trousers The soft, supple feel is achieved by

milling the fine merino wool

— Panama: by slightly modifying the plain

weave, fabrics acquire a very interesting sur-

face structure The weave in question is con-

structed by crossing two warps and two wefts

respectively Panama is the name given to the

dice-like structure thus achieved

— Summer fresco is pure new wool in a sum- :

mer quality It is a plain-weave fabric of pure

new wool for light summer trousers Owing to

the highly twisted yarns, summer fresco has a

porous and finely structured surface character-

ized by high durability, a cool feel as well as

pleasant wearability even in hot weather

Cotton Cotton is kind to the skin, fine, it breathes, and is

used for summer sports trousers

— Corduroy is a heavily ribbed cotton fabric

available in a variety of colours Corduroy

range from fine to coarse, depending on the

breadth of the ribbing, known as the wale

— Jeans fabric is also called denim This is a par-

ticularly durable twill-woven cotton, which the

Bavarian Levi Strauss used at the end of the

19 th century in the USA to manufacture work clothing with belt loops and double French seams on the outside A typical feature of this almost 120-year-old classic jeans dyed indigo blue is the fifth, little pocket in the front right pocket, a true sign that one has an original pair

of jeans in ones hands

56

braces

braids, casing

braces

belt or

Accessories

Belt

Belts whose only purpose it is to hold the trousers

are an invention of this century They are regarded

as being practical and sporty It is for this very rea-

son that they are unsuitable for formal wear

Belts for casual wear are often colourful; fitted

with striking buckles they are very popular For

business suits, however, a classic, plain belt is rec-

ommended It is always darker than the suit and

should not exceed 3 cm in width Those who pre-

fer a belt to a pair of braces for evening wear:

should always choose an elegant, black belt made

of pure leather with a silver buckle

As a rule, the following points are worth consid-

ering The belt and the shoes should be similar

in colour, but not identical (exception: black) A

suede belt always calls for a pair of suede shoes

The end of the belt should always stretch 5 cm be-

yond the buckle

Braces

While, in the past, braces were worn almost exclu-

sively on formal occasions, they are now recog-

nised as a comfortable and timely accessory

Those who always wear braces are advised to have special buttons attached to the inside of the waist- band Metal clips can also be used As far as pat- terns are concerned, one can choose between clas- sic stripes, floral and figural designs

The greatest faux pas one can commit is to wear braces and a belt at the same time Those who constantly wear braces should therefore choose trousers with an adjustable waistband with tabs

History The coat is an upper garment that keeps a person

warm, protecting him and his other clothes against

rough weather It is a garment that has been popu-

lar throughout history, be it a toga in Roman times

or the mediaeval bell-shaped cape

In antiquity and the Middle Ages coats were

square-tailed or round-shaped sleeveless capes

with front fastenings Later, the coat became a gar-

ment with sleeves and buttons The Roman toga is

one of the first overcoats that we know something

about The toga was worn as a sign of the free cit- izen The material used was a large piece of cloth, 3.5m wide and 5m long, which was artistically folded around the body and tightened with clasps and small weights

The simplest style of a man’s coat in the Middle Ages was the bell coat (a cape with a hole for the head), a style that has survived to this day Trends in fashion have begun to influence the style

of the coat in the last few centuries The “Bieder- meier period” sported.a coat resembling the char- acteristic wear of the Bedouins, the so-called bur-

nus

The Carrick (named after the Irish town) is a coat reaching down to the ground with a big, often double or triple decorative collar In 1800 it was widespread in Europe and remained the typical wear of the coachman for a long time until it dis- appeared before the First World War

Among the high-quality coats of the 19 th century those that still influence our clothing culture are

the Havelock, the Chesterfield and Raglan

Material ~

The choice of material depends both on the style

of the coat and the occasion on which it is to be worn Although coats made of cashmere or vi- cuna, i.e very precious materials, are pleasant and comfortable to wear, they are not nearly as durable

62 Coats

as pure new wool or tweed For this reason, fabric

mixtures are often preferred

Wool

Wool is a precious natural fibre with pleasant

wearing characteristics It warms the body even in

damp conditions Owing to its natural fat content,

it is also water repellent

Cashmere

Cashmere comes from the cashmere goat, which

lives in China and Mongolia Instead of shearing

the wool, the farmers carefully comb it out Cash-

mere is particularly soft and warm

Vicuna

As this type of wool is extremely rare and valu-

able, it is also called the wool of kings The wool

is obtained from vicuna llamas, whose hairs often

get caught in the thorny bushes of their pasture

Camel hair Camel hair, whose soft downs are up to 13cm

long, is obtained from a special camel breed, the

Shetland

Shetland is a mixed-coloured, thoroughly milled carded yarn with a heavy nap The original wool comes from the Shetland islands off the Scottish

coast

Loden

Loden is a milled and brushed-up woollen cloth Because of its water-repellent and insulating char- acteristics, it was originally worn by hunters and people living in the alpine regions Nowadays the loden coat is a traditional and durable men’s gar-

64 Coats

Herringbone The name aptly illustrates the fine, zigzag pattern

of this rustic material, which strongly resembles

the bones of a fish Herringbone is slightly milled

and clearly brushed up

Cotton

Cotton is a pure natural fibre with pleasant wear-

ing characteristics Various processing techniques

are employed: while mercerizing makes for a last-

ing sheen and bright colours, special impregnation

makes the material waterproof

Poplin The name refers to the place of its origin, Avi-

gnon, a former papal residence, where poplin is

traditionally made Poplin is a fine fabric made of

cotton or silk with a distinctly ribbed structure

Cotton-poplin, mercerized and waterproof, is an

easy-care material used for weather coats

Doubleface Doubleface is a voluminous, double-layered fab-

ric of high-quality carded yarns Owing to a dou-

ble upper and lower layer, this fabric is extremely

warm and suitable for high-quality winter coats

It has a comfortable style and recommended for

sports coats and for travelling

Coats 65 Microfibre

Microfibre consists of chemically made, ex- tremely fine yarns, and is finer than all natural or textile raw materials Microfibres are twice as fine

as silk; they are air-permeable, i.e they are water and wind repellent, but allow perspiration through

to the outside Microfibres are as soft as silk and particularly supple

Belseta

Belseta is an ultra-fine microfibre — four times as fine as a cobweb Belseta is also extremely water- tight: impregnable to rain and snow At the same

time, however, it lets through the air and allows

perspiration to evaporate

Colours

The rule also applies to coats: the more formal

the occasion, the darker the colour The preferred

colours are: grey, green, navy, beige and brown, or black The formal men’s coat is self-coloured Sports coats are often made of tweed, whose typi- cal grainy pattern emphasizes their informal char- acter Other very popular patterns are the herring-

bone with its sharp contrasts of black and white,

and the donegal with knobbles and mixed earthy colours

Weather coats, such as the trenchcoat or slipon

are traditionally designed with beige, green and

66 Coats

brown hues Reversible coats often have a classic

checked side

The typical colour of a duffle coat is navy though

beige or brown are also possible

Details of styles

Whether combined with a sports jacket, business

suit or pullover — whichever coat one chooses,

its prime purpose is to protect the wearer against

cold and wet weather Whether one dons a casual

weather coat or dresses in an elegant Chesterfield,

cultivated clothing has a great number of timeless

examples in stock for different occasions

It is true, one need not possess all the different

types of coats that are available The “all purpose”

coat, however, clearly belongs to the realm of ill-

clad men The sophisticated gentleman should at

least be able to choose between two types of coat

There are a few rules to observe concerning the

right fit of a coat: one should always wear a jacket

or pullover in the changing room If the coat fits

perfectly, then it guarantees comfortable wear

Nota Bene: The coat should always (with the ex-

ception of the short coat) cover the knees because

shorter coats give the body a stocky appearance

Beyond this accepted standard, the length of a coat

is a matter of current trends The sleeves of the

coat should cover the jacket as well as the shirt

sleeves

Havelock

The Havelock, which is named after the British

general Sir Henry Havelock (1795-1857), is a sleeveless, hip-length cape coat of black woollen fabric, and still worn as a formal coat over the tail-

coat Apart from this classic use, the Havelock is

also suitable as a casual loden coat

_ Chesterfield This classic coat, which takes its name from the

Earl of Chesterfield, who lived in the 19 th century,

is worn as a single-breasted or double-breasted coat with or without a velvet collar The single- breasted Chesterfield can have open or concealed placket (the latter version is more formal) Like the suit, double-breasted coats are charac- terized by peaked lapels whereas single-breasted ones have notched lapels The Chesterfield, which

is particularly impressive because of its simple el- egance, is a semiformal coat with flap pockets and breast welt pocket, and always has a centre vent

City coat The city coat is similar in style to the evening coat: an unpretentious single-breasted or double-

breasted coat with open or concealed placket, with

or without a belt There are city coats with shawl

or lapel collars, set-in or Raglan sleeves

68 Coats

We owe the comfortable Raglan-cut to a mishap of

Lord Fitzroy James Henry Somerset Baron Raglan

(1788-1855) He was badly wounded at the battle

of Waterloo in 1815, so that one of his arms had to

be amputated In order to disguise his mutilation,

he had the coat sleeve extended diagonally up to

the collar Today the Raglan is popular as a trav-

elling coat It is generally buttoned through with

notched lapels and cuff straps

Travelling coat (sports coat}

Travelling or sports coats are ideal for infor-

mal occasions These multifunctional coats have a

comfortable cut with Raglan or set-in sleeves and

regular placket

British Warmer

The background of this coat as a military garment

is clearly visible Two rows of buttons, a slightly fitted waist, slanting flap pockets and epaulettes remind us of the British military coat worn in the first decades of this century

Weather coat

Trenchcoat and slipon are ideal all-weather coats for our climate Both water repellent and warm- ing, they are suitable wear for the gentleman for informal occasions, on travels or at sport

Weather coats can be equipped with detachable woollen plaids or fur lining The trenchcoat has been a true classic not just since Humphrey Bogart wore one in “Casablanca” This practical and durable double-breasted all-weather coat has

70 Coats

gained international fame, not least because it is

the typical wear of the secret agent in the movies

In the First World War, the trenchcoat was de-

signed as a waterproof coat for British soldiers

The metal d-rings on the belt for attaching in

the water bottle, and other military accoutrements

such as cuff straps, yoke, storm flaps, buttoned

walking pleats, and epaulettes still recall its origi-

Duffle coats

A duffle coat is a square-tailed three-quarter- length coat with a hood, made of heavy woollen cloth A yoke, patch pockets and the original tog- gle fastening are its main features The name duf- fle coat derives from a particularly hard-wearing woollen fabric named after the Belgian town Diif- fel

In the Middle Ages the caban was a knee-length

to hip-length cape with half-open sleeves It was

worn by all classes of society as a raincoat, with

added fur lining or trimming for the nobility To-

day the caban is a casual short coat with two rows

of buttons and wide lapels, accentuated pockets in

dark blue colours, which give it a Navy touch

Wearing coats with sophistication

Havelock

Occasion: very formal events in the evening

which require a tailcoat

Colour

Black

Accessories

Scarf: white silk or cashmere scarf

Gloves: smooth black leather gloves

Hat: top hat

Chesterfield

Occasion: formal events, semiformal business oc-

casions

Style Single-breasted or double-breasted coat, set-in

sleeves, square flap pockets, centre vent, with

a slightly waisted or easy-fitting cut

Material Preferred materials are pure cashmere, cash-

mere/wool, cloth, alpaca, camel hair

Colours Grey, anthracite, navy, black, self-coloured or

in matching tones

Accessories

Scarf: combined with evening coat: cashmere or

pure silk, white, self-coloured With a city coat: pure silk or cashmere, self-coloured or

discreety patterned

74 Coats

Gloves: smooth, black leather gloves

Hat: Eden, Homburg, Camber

City coat Occasion: semiformal business events

Style

Similar to the evening coat, slipon or lapel

collar with Raglan or set-in sleeves Trunk

straight-cut or wide The city coat, with or

without belt, needs no stylistic embellish-

ments

Material

Preferred materials are pure cashmere, cash-

mere/wool, camel hair, alpaca or discreetly

patterned self-coloured woollen fabrics

Gloves: smooth leather, black or brown

Hat: Camber, Eden

Travelling coat (Sports coat)

Occasion: informal] occasion, travel

Style

Comfortable cut, Raglan or set-in sleeves,

British Warmer, Hubertus style coat (Aus-

Coats 75 trian), reversible coat, trenchcoat, slipon, with

or without belt Above all, these coats can be

worn on many occasions and are designed to

be practical

Material Durable fabrics: Tweed, donegal, cheviot, lo-

den, Shetland, wool-gabardine, cevercoat fab-

ric Soft and fleecy fabrics such as alpaca or other cloth are also used

Colours Beige, brown, green, grey, navy, or patterned

Accessories

Scarf: cashmere in classic tartan patterns or knit- ted woollen scarfs with regimental stripes Pure silk, self-coloured or patterned and sporty gumtwill

Slipon with Raglan or set-in sleeves, con-

cealed placket, or buttoned through; comfort-

able, wide trunk, slit pockets, two large in-

side pockets, adjustable cuff straps trenchcoat double-breasted coat with belt, long back or fan vent, perhaps epaulettes, adjustable cuff straps

Weather coats should cover the knees

100% cashmere, cashmere/wool, camel hair

durable fabrics:

tweed, donegal, cheviot, loden, shetland

76 Coats

the evening

blue

patterned

events

events

fur or woollen lining

Scarf: cashmere in classic tartan patterns or

knitted woolen scarf with regimental stripes

Pure silk, self-coloured or patterned, sporty

Straight-cut, short coat with hood, yoke, patch

pockets, toggle fastenings

Scarf: cashmere, pure new wool, self-coloured or

with original Scottish tartan patterns, knitted

scarfs

Gloves: peccary

A direct covering for the body, the shirt consti-

tuted a second skin, whose prime function it was

to protect the precious upper garments against per-

spiration and body odours, and soft skin against coarse textiles, rather than protecting the body against the cold This latter function has been ful- filled by the undershirt from the 19 th century on- wards

The shirt has always been a status symbol at the same time, not least because of the precious fab- rics and lace used in its manufacture Only the poorer classes of society that were obliged to work hard to earn their living showed themselves in their shirt sleeves Even as late as the fifties of this century it was a breach of propriety to appear in front of a lady wearing nothing but ones shirt as

upper garment