The blue pinstripe may be the quintessential sunny urban day suit. Becoming popular during the rise of the railroads, whose parallel rails they emulated, pinstripes have been inextricably connected to business dress ever since (blue of course is the city suit of warmer weather almost by default, since all but the palest of grays are better worn when the skies are overcast).
More difficult to wear than plain navy because they are more conspicuous, the best pinstripes in my opinion are white. White stripes meld quite nicely with any shirting that has a white ground and that reduces the impact of the suit pattern on the eye while permitting the widest variety of color combinations. Colored stripes are considerably more difficult, in the sense that they just about force a man to wear a shirt or necktie in those colors. Nothing wrong with that but limiting.
Connected as they are to business dress, pinstripes are probably not the best choice for evening despite the frequency with which they are seen on the backs of some of our better known dandies. Personally, I think them fine for early evening cocktails provided one does not mind looking as thought he came directly from the office. But the further away we are from toil, the better it is to look as though we have a life outside of work. There solid suitings do a better job - after all, there are to the best of my knowledge no striped evening clothes.
Of course, when one is at work, it is best to look the part. A blue pinstripe like the mid-weight version in the photo does exactly that.
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7 comments:
I agree with your opinions on pin stripes, I find them limiting and as a result, I don't own many. Must point out that the jacket in your photo is pretty wrinkled, and I like the jaunt of your handkerchief, exactly the way I like to wear white in the pocket. Did you arrange that on purpose??
Said jacket is hanging on a steamer for just that reason.
Yep, definitely a grand city suit. Fortunately, I never have to go into a city so I can avoid pinstripes. That could change but it isn't likely.
My favorite suit in single and double breasted. Nothing with the possible exception of the dark blue solid beats it. And as someone above observed exactly the way to wear the pocket hankerchief with a suit like this
Acccording to Captain Jesse, Brummell wore black and white striped hose with his evening pantaloons. But that is about the limit of it, as far as I know.
Nice coat. Is it by Davies & Son?
I really wish pinstriped suits weren't so closely associated with bankers and the city (and 1930s/1940s gangsters). It makes for another suiting option that now has limited use.
Previously (many decades past) bankers were associated with black, or black coats and grey striped trousers.
I have two pin-striped suits and I want to wear them more. I might just do so, and to hell with the psychological associations; let us break the spell.
Will, dawn is too early for pin stripes. That's dressing gown time. Pin stripes come after. I have quite a few stripes, pin, rope, chalk. Once upon a time I heard the "where's the rest of the Capone gang" type of comment. But with a steely gaze and time that has long past. No one bats an eye now, and if anything is said its a complement. Wear stripes.
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