Well, the winged collared shirt from Mel Gambert Custom Shirts arrived at Gene Hiller's Sausalito store last week and off we (myself and von Span) went to try it on. Store Manager Peter Domenici met us, and was kind enough to have my jacket pressed while I donned the shirt (these things take time, which is one of the reasons to-attach collars are not seen very often any longer).
The fit seemed spot on, or as close to it as one can tell before the shirt is washed a couple of times, and the construction is nicely done (the collar stud and the buttoned front will be considerably different when the shirt is actually worn with evening dress).
Since I am a novice to this type of shirt, I do have a couple of questions about the collar construction that will hopefully be answered in a day or two.
The combination of heavy pique and light weight voile is exactly what I had hoped for. The shirt wears much lighter than it would had it been made entirely of heavier cotton, but the light weight parts will be hidden under my jacket.
I think I will wear it to the Symphony's Opening Night Gala in September.
The fit seemed spot on, or as close to it as one can tell before the shirt is washed a couple of times, and the construction is nicely done (the collar stud and the buttoned front will be considerably different when the shirt is actually worn with evening dress).
Since I am a novice to this type of shirt, I do have a couple of questions about the collar construction that will hopefully be answered in a day or two.
The combination of heavy pique and light weight voile is exactly what I had hoped for. The shirt wears much lighter than it would had it been made entirely of heavier cotton, but the light weight parts will be hidden under my jacket.
I think I will wear it to the Symphony's Opening Night Gala in September.
Photos: von Span
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14 comments:
Looks like a beautiful quality pique Will. The front and cuff treatment really are ne plus ultra.
Just wondering why you decided on regular button front and not tape.
Or did I miss that in a previous post?
Though this kind of shirt is normally worn these days with a bow tie, I was struck by how lovely the long neckties looked with them in a few scenes in Mr. Branagh's Hamlet. The movie takes the liberty of setting the story in the Victorian era and I'm assuming (without further proof) that this was a common-enough mode of dress at that time.
As I look in the mirror to knot my own necktie (my regular collar turned up), I often wish for a return of that fashion so that my tie's colorful band would not be hidden for the rest of the day.
Stanley
Beautiful shirt. It looks very comfortable. One question, if I may: Why did you choose to get single instead of double (i.e., French) cuffs?
Is that a double cuff shirt or single with an open button?
Looks terrific
The cuffs are called link cuffs, and they are the traditional style for formal shirts: single thickness and intended for closure by cuff links.
Bob, the front will be closed with studs.
I worry that the collar, when worn with the tie, will buckle.
David, we'll see but buckle prevention is generally why the collars are starched so heavily.
Nice shirt.
There seems to be something a bit off in the way the collar stand criss crosses on itself at the front stud.
What kind of a collar stud do you use- I am more familiar with a different kind than the one you are using.
I would not have had the collar band done in the heavy pique material. It will create a very heavy glob at the joining point under the tie, which also creates a bulging knot. The bow knot needs to lie somewhat flat against the shirt, not be bulged farther out from the wings. It is still an interesting experiment. Thanks for showing us your contribution to shirt construction.
Love your blog Will. My father always wore detachable collars. I think that on this shirt the pique would normally have been reserved for the shirt front. These and a variety of collars seem to be still available on line from New & Lingwood
Excellent for Black Tie, Will, beautiful, and the lightweight voile is a great summer idea. When a shirt like that is worn with White Tie, some of the see-through voile might become visible; but clearly you designed it for Black Tie in summer and it is brilliant for that purpose. Yes, Nehushtan, it was appropriate for large parts of the 19th century, when wing collar was part of the usual day wear for gentlemen, and the turn-down collar was initially seen and an unfortunate slip in taste, initially preserved for country tweeds. I have seen bold personalities wearing wing collar with a very elegant black lounge suit and a neck tie and found it at second sight quite interesting and the necktie's visible band very attractive, although I was taken aback at first. The opposite, a turndown collar with Black Tie, is always wrong, unless one wants to make an unfortunate statement of some sort or cannot afford an extra shirt.
Thanks for the info, Richard. Perhaps I will be so bold one of these days!
Stanley
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