Men Suits Discount
By Robert E. Bryan
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One of the holdovers of black's
recent fashion reign is the tendency to equate all new movements to
that color (or lack thereof). Hence each time the palette changes
it's suddenly "pink is the new black" or "orange is new black."
Well, gray has arrived, but it isn't the new black.
The return of gray in
men's suits and jackets signals not just another fashion turn,
but a more pervasive change, a return to style and elegance. Don't
think of it as drab or somber, but as the shade of distinction and
subtle flair. Gray, in its many tones, from the elegance of pearl
gray to the formality of a charcoal topcoat, is more stylish than
ever.
Perhaps the No. 1 color choice of
businessmen for generations, gray nevertheless escaped attention
because of its understatement. But look back through the 1920s and
'30s and you see that all the best—dressed men employed gray. Then
it was pegged as the corporate world's chosen shade in the title of
the 1955 novel The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, and Gregory Peck
played the film role a year later. The
suit was meant to be slighted as the uniform of the day, but
watch the movie today and see how Peck comes off none the less
dapper.
While the film's point may have
been to portray a lack of individuality, the choices we feature here
make quite clear the enumerable ways for a man to express his
personality in gray. The muted palette emphasizes sublime patterns
and the qualities of fine fabrics.
Not only does this season have a
more refined palette, but autumn brings us a wide choice of other
stylish elements that have been in short supply for far too long.
Silhouettes are varied and such classic details as peak lapels and
vests are part of the mix. Furthermore, gentlemanly accessories are
essential to the look as providers of warming shades and spot
interest.
The Peak of Style
The surprise is not that peak lapels (the
upward slanting points at the chest fold) are to be found today, but
where they are found.
Double breasted suits and evening wear always provide a place
for peak lapels. Now single—breasted jackets and business suits
enjoy their rakish charms. While peak lapels appeared in that
context in the free—spirited late 1960s and early 1970s, it was in
the 1930s and earlier that they were most common on single—breasted
garments. Such men about town as Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Gary Cooper
and Clark Gable sported the look to great effect. The cut adds an
increased formality, which is why it's always been popular in
tuxedos and dinner wear. It also elongates the lines of a coat,
making the wearer seem taller and slimmer.
Doubling Up
The 1987 film Wall Street burned the
double—breasted suit into modern consciousness as the ultimate power
suit. But, truth be told, it has been the body armor for tycoons
dating to the earliest years of the twentieth century. Contrary to
some popular opinion, it can be worn by men with a wide variety of
shapes, its yards of fabric ample enough to hide an entire
corporation. The secret is to keep it buttoned and not flopping
open.
The d-b had its widest acceptance
in the 1930s, most commonly seen in a six—button model (on which two
were meant to be fastened and the rest left idle) worn by men
ranging from Noel Coward and Adolphe Menjou to Humphrey Bogart. Then
the double—breasted suit went to war. In 1942, War Production Board
General Regulation L—85 stipulated that wool be rationed to save
cloth for the boys fighting overseas, and the patriotic wore
single—breasted suits. Sadly, double—breasteds never really attained
the same prominence again, having been supplanted by the 1950s'
skinny—lapeled sack suits, a style that doesn't work at all for the
broad—chested. In recent years, the d—b cut was largely relegated to
blazers worn by yachtsmen or the likes of Prince Charles. Happily,
the style is assuming its rightful position, as a suit to be worn by
captains of industry, or just fashionable young men who want to look
that way.
Two Buttons Return
Since the 1990s, the
three button, single—breasted sports jacket and suit has been
the most common model. But, lest we forget, two—button jackets
enjoyed a long reign in the tailored clothing world. John F. Kennedy
is most often cited for making it a virtual fashion lock in the
1960s. It may have been cut to better conceal his back brace, but
the effect was a fresh silhouette to replace the three—button sacks
of the 1950s. Businessmen and celebrities like Johnny Carson
followed suit in the New Frontier. More recently, the two—button
suit has stolen favor with the best—dressed crowd, often shown with
a slightly higher button placement than styles last seen in the
1970s and 1980s.
Investment Dressing
Throughout its history, the vest has added a
certain flair to men's attire (see dandies from the Compte d'Orsay
through Oscar Wilde to Cecil Beaton), whether worn casually and
unmatched with tweeds, or more formally, as part of a three—piece
suit. According to Samuel Pepys's diary, the vest, or, as it the
Brits more formally know it, the waistcoat, was first worn by King
Charles II of England in 1666 and came down to the thighs. However,
its current form—cropped at the waist—comes to us from a less regal
source: England's nineteenth—century postboys, who rode and guided
coach horses. The more utilitarian form matched well with the
business suit, to inspire confidence. And while it's part of the
perfect banker's or politician's suit (witness British prime
minister Anthony Eden), when worn unmatched,
vests serve as a way for a man to have a little fun and express
his individuality (see Fred Astaire in Top Hat). While they last
spread through the masses in the polyester double—knit world of the
1970s, today vests, as well as elegant sweaters worn under jackets,
are occupying a more tasteful environment.
Patterns of Excellence
It is precisely gray's understatement that
makes it so right for showcasing elegant patterns. Consider glen
plaid and stripes. Properly speaking, the Glen Urquhart plaid,
usually black, or gray and white, and consisting of a smaller and
larger plaid combined, originally emerged from the Glen Urquhart
Valley in Scotland. An excellent choice for a worsted—finish
business suit, it was well favored in the 1940s and 1950s. Movie
star Cary Grant was a particular fan, wearing glen plaid suits in
films from His Girl Friday in 1940 to North by Northwest in 1959.
You mightn't look like Grant, but it's possible once again to choose
his favored pattern.
Undoubtedly, the most popular of
men's suit patterns can be roughly divided into two categories,
pinstripes and chalk stripes. The terms cannot be used
interchangeably. Pinstripes are pencil—fine lines most commonly seen
on flatter finish fabrics, while chalk stripes, just like chalk
line, are broader and softer and are used in combination with
somewhat heavier fabrics, like flannel, with a fuzzier surface.
Favorites of both dandies and businessmen since the nineteenth
century, the two styles reached a peak in popularity during the
1930s. While most men are leery of a bolder stripe, mistakenly
identifying it with gangsters, stripes of any sort are always a
preferred choice for the well—dressed man.
Formal Matters
The season's new palette lends itself
especially well to clothing that has an air of formality. The
elegant Chesterfield coat, most commonly seen with a fly front and
velvet collar, may be the perfect choice. It was first popularized
by the sixth Earl of Chesterfield, a fashion leader in the 1830s and
1840s. It was last worn with frequency in the 1920s and 1930s, a
period generally recognized for its chic, characterized by men like
Menjou. While less common today, the Chesterfield remains a tasteful
choice for a man of style, particularly when worn with a dark and
dressy business suit or worn formally with an evening suit.
While
black suit will always be the new black, when it comes to
evening wear, today's stylish dresser may consider enlivening the
curiously egalitarian tuxedo form with a shawl collar. The look
comes to us from the 1920s and 1930s when—spurred by the
trendsetting Prince of Wales—a less formal approach to formal attire
came into vogue, and the shawl—collared lapel could be seen on both
dinner jackets and suits. Characterized by a rounded, unnotched
lapel, the shawl remained a favorite of younger men from its
inception. It's been particularly strong in periods—like the 1950s
and the present—that favor narrower lapels but seek ways to convey a
sense of insouciance.
Accessories to the Act
Part and parcel of an understated look is the
requirement that interesting accessories pop out from the gray
canvas. A tie, of course, is the first thought (we feel maroon is an
excellent choice), but consider other options, such as tie bars,
luxurious sweaters and handkerchiefs, as well.
The tie bar, considered an
absolute necessity as recently as the 1950s, was dealt a severe blow
by the youth quake of the 1960s. However, due to the return of a
certain sense of dandy chic, the tie bar is once again seen in
fashion magazines and on fashion runways. Not only does it add an
elegant finishing touch to a man's attire, but it serves a
functional purpose by keeping his very expensive necktie out of the
soup. If you doubt the viability of this stylish accessory, check
out any Fred Astaire movie of the 1930s (in which he wore it on the
diagonal) or the Grant films of the 1950s (in which he wore a modest
clip with his slimmer ties).
Finally, a well—dressed man always
wears a pocket handkerchief. While it is always safe to wear white
linen, the more adventurous can wear colors and patterns that relate
to—but never match—the tie. While a pointed fold is perhaps more
classic, the simple square fold in white is in vogue, complementing
the new, narrower lapel. Interestingly, now that many men are
forgoing the tie, the pocket handkerchief has acquired a new
importance as a focal point.
Robert E. Bryan is a fashion journalist who has
covered menswear for The New York Times magazine and W Men's
Portfolio.
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