Planning for Easter

The man in the illustration to the left is wearing a version of the stroller, a form of semi-formal day wear that's rarely seen today. Formal day wear is worn at weddings, funerals, and diplomatic receptions in addition to important Sunday afternoons, such as Easter Sunday.

But for the trousers, it's all fairly standard stuff. Black double breasted jacket with jetted side pockets, Macclesfield necktie, striped shirt with white collar and cuffs and black oxfords. But the trousers! Black and white checked Cheviot, probably of 14-15 ounce cloth. Cheviot is a breed of sheep whose lustrous wool is woven into crisp cloth with an open structure that holds and reflects dye colourings well and wears cooler than its weight.

I have always considered the stroller to be one of the less appreciated parts of men's dress. It doesn't turn heads like the more formal morning coat. Worn in the double breasted version, a stroller doesn't require a light gray vest either, which I believe dates the look considerably. To the man on the street it's just a black jacket with loud trousers. To those in the know it's another way to honor the past in a reasonably up to date way.

I've worn a stroller for about fifteen years but have been frustrated by the trouser choices available. It's not hard to find what are called cashmere stripes, but I'd never seen a proper check. Until last week, when I found a source for black and white shepherd's check like the cloth in the drawing. I have a sample of it in hand - if you'd like a couple of meters, let me know.