Happy Easter

There are still occasions for semi-formal day wear, and Easter Sunday in a large city can be one of them. The others are weddings, some diplomatic functions and the occasional funeral.

I think a black jacket and checked trousers are among the most attractive things a man can wear. Unfortunately, in an age when the American President-elect doesn't dress formally for his inauguration, formal and semi-formal day wear is usually seen only on hotel managers and the customer-facing staff of very old-fashioned English banks.

Oh well. Spring is in the air. Happy Easter!

Cloth for Formal Trousers

There has been a lot of interest in strollers on the clothing forums recently, and appropriate cloth for formal trousers is hard to find.

I have arranged to make available some lengths of 14/15 ounce (500 gram) Cheviot woven by one of Scotland's respected mills. Cheviot is the traditional cloth for formal trousers as it has a bit of lustre and takes dyes very well. It's an open weave that will wear cooler than its weight.

A two meter length of the cloth suitable for high waisted trousers is $150, plus shipping from San Francisco. I accept PayPal, Visa and Mastercard. If you'd like a length, send me an email with your card information and shipping address. You'll have the cloth in about two weeks, in plenty of time to have it tailored into trousers for the Fall.

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.