Sometimes we learn from unexpected places. In the photo of the late Duke of Windsor's shirt storage (from the Sotheby's catalog for the auction of some of his personal posessions), five of the shirts in the left hand drawers appear to be nailheads or puppytooth patterns of one color or another. That is a subtle shirting that left to my own devices I might never have considered, and quite an oversight it would have been for the white in these patterns helps them blend nicely with jackets that also have some white in the weave. Since that is a significant fraction of all the coats in my wardrobe, nailheads are a most useful shirting.
Regular readers will remember that a bit of white in each fabric in jacket, shirt and necktie helps the three elements blend together and that is most useful for putting large patterns into context. Unblended, a big check stands out. But when everything works together, the eye keeps moving and the pattern is tamed.
Fortunately, I learned about nailhead shirtings from the Duke of Windsor.
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Equally instructive is that Sothebys does not retain the services of a competent laundress. Or in my ignorance, would that be like refinishing Chippendale? And what is that device prominently displayed on the left chest of many shirts?
Tim, a man with a gentleman's gentleman has his shirt ironed immediately before donning it.
The device is his crest.
Mein Gott! I didn't think of nailhead shirtings till this post, Will.
Do you know who makes nailhead shirting? How would you wear these compared to end-on-end?
I have 4 nailhead shirts - 2 from Joe and 2 from P.Stuart and love them. The texture gives the shirts a thickness that keeps the collar and cuffs "crisp" after pressing.
DRS
He was a fine dresser was the Duke. Really left his mark on history...in several ways.
I do hope though that the proceeds from the sales of his wardrobe go back to the public purse; since it was taxpayer money that paid for it all originally.
On a side note, what type of shirt placket is that? I've never seen one before.
What sources carry nailhead shirtings?
Roger, that's not quite correct. As I understand it, the royal family is independently wealthy, but also receives public funds, as the Queen is the head of state.
The Duke of Windsor became quite wealthy when he sold both Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle to his younger brother, George VI. Those properties went to Edward (later the DoW) upon the death of his father, and did not pass to George VI by the fact of his ascension to the throne.
He received, and may have retained, public funds as King and beforehand; he may also have received public funds as Governor of the Bahamas. Whatever he got from that was nothing compared to his personal wealth, though, which he continued to expand after the war.
So I'm pretty sure that the British taxpayer did not contribute in any significant way to Edward's wardrobe, which was extensive and beautiful. He was a clothes horse, and seemed to have had the perfect aptitude for that--but not much more.
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