We do not have much need for true summer suits here in the Bay area. If we have two days a year of New York style heat, that is fortunately about all of it unless one leaves the City. And I could probably count the number of suit wearing men outside of the City on my fingers.
That aside, when I visit Mr. Thomas Mahon in Cumbria next week one of the topics will be another warmer weather suit, this one a double breasted in a light gray Finmeresco cloth from Smith's Woolens. Finmeresco is a high twist weave like the chalk stripe fresco from J&J Minnis in the photograph, where the visible weave means the cloth is more permeable to air and so wears cooler than any worsted no matter how lightweight. That weave, which gives the cloth a bit of a rustic air that some dislike, means it also resists wrinkling.
Now I have nothing against lightweight worsteds and I even own a couple, but the heart of a summer wardrobe should, in my opinion, be high twist cloth of this sort. The light gray commission will be my sixth, and on the seventh day I will wear worsted. Or linen, depending on the occasion.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
On the Seventh Day Wear Worsted
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
5 comments:
Will, your thoughts on high twist wool versus wool/mohair mixes? You have written about both, and I am interested in your comparison of the two.
I wear both, and find high twist wool understated and the sheen of wool/mohair dandified.
When you're there try this magic trick.
Say'Richard James and Ozwald Boateng'.
Eyes will instantly turn green.
Amazing stuff.
Will,
I reside just 30 minutes from the City in a small suburb known as Martinez, and you can count me as one of the few outside SF that wears suits on a regular basis.
Your blog has helped me refine my sense of style and I am a more confident dresser because of it. My sartorial sins are almost non-existent as of late.
For summer I tend to use light worsteds and linen, specially in the Brentwood/Antioch heat.
I am still trying to get my hands on proper spectators like the ones you recommended to me in the past, but I figure there's worse things I can do than wear light tan oxfords with summer suits.
Cheers.
Ugh fresco. I know you have written of it eloquently before this and I have refrained.
But seeing as you yourself mentioned that there are those who simply don't prefer high twist frescos- it's so, so, I don't know- dreary- a cloth that it used to make Dad sigh and shake his head, and so it does me.
But thanks for mentioning the wrinkle resistance of this cloth- it is superior to many other lighter weights by a considerable amount- it's just that I think I would prefer to stand!
where can you buy light grey chalk stripe?
Post a Comment