Gray Flannels and Green Socks

The skies were sunny but the temperatures reverted to wintry these past few days. And so I got another day's wear this season from the pictured pair of gray flannel trousers. The socks are to complement the ground cover. Well, perhaps not intentionally. I think they do a reasonable job of it nonetheless.

Reader Questions

From Jason

Most of the people in my office wear the typical worsted or gabardine trousers but I like the texture and look of flannels. Are they versatile enough to wear year round as a primary odd trouser (save for the warmest of days)?

Pretty much - I wear flannel in the fall almost exclusively. I find the mottled weave more interesting than most worsteds. Of course there are minor negatives. You may need a couple extra pair, as flannel should be rested two days after a wearing rather than just one, and they don't wear as well but in my opinion those defects are more than offset by the superior looks of a great flannel.

In spring, flannel trousers are progressively less desireable as the weather warms up. I have a pair in light (for flannel) ten ounce wool and they are not for temperatures much above 70 degrees (f) in my opinion.

From Ben
I am entering into the business world and inherited some of my father's beautiful Oxxford clothing that fits me perfectly. However, all of the pants are pleated and it seems like that style has been phased out. Can I still wear them?

If you hang around here long enough you'll get tired of hearing that there is a difference between fashion and style. Fashion is for the fair sex, and shouldn't affect you unless you're dressing to go clubbing.

Savile Row still overwhelmingly prefers the pleated trouser, and for good reason. Pleats are more attractive on more men than flat fronts. Wear yours in good health.

Chasing in the Shires

Readers may think I'm fairly random at times, and today is the epitome of randomness. I've had the above illustration since before I began writing ASW, and I've never found a reason to use it. But it's a great image with some great clothes, and it's one of the few remaining that I haven't posted. So today's the day.

The popularity of derby style hats on the men is of course because the original derby was a hard shell hat that would help break a fall from horseback. And, if they're not poseurs, the men wearing jodhpurs will be riding hard a bit later in the day.

The countryside is also the original domain of the glen check suit, and there's a particularly nice version on the fourth figure from the left edge. I prefer a large black on white check unadorned with colored overchecks, just like the one he's wearing. There's also a paddock style jacket on the man in the upper right, standing on the coach for a better view.

Exchange the riding breeches for trousers, replace the riding boots with brown suede chukkas and these clothes would look better than most of the odd jacket and trouser combinations we see on today's streets.

Quotation: Khaki

"In the trade from India to the West, textiles were essential. Madras, pajama, and the Kashmir shawl travelled the route that, for the British, came to define richness or, by acronym, posh: Port Outward, Starboard Home. Khaki was derived from the yellow-saffron dust that inflected the naively white uniforms of the colonials and shrewdly became their regulation color. Even today, "khaki" is strictly a color in the United Kingdom and "chinos" designate the pants. The color and the cotton trousers made their voyage to France, England, America, and around the world, even arriving in one country a shade darker than another (notably the preference for a darker, salade-Nicoise-tinged khaki in France.)"

-Richard Martin in Khaki: Cut From The Original Cloth

Photo courtesy of Gap, Inc.

Reader Questions

From Bill
What is your opinion on the most traditional type of vest to have made as part of a conservative 3 piece suit? Previously, I have only had the standard single breasted 6 button vest. However, I have seen recent pictures and commentary on double breasted and vests with lapels.

Every style is rooted in tradition and what's correct depends on the type of suit. For country inspired clothes, like the glen check in the photo, lapels are a traditional vest detail. In the city, the single breasted vest without lapels is the least likely to draw attention on a pinstripe. And the double breasted vest increases the formality of a suit compared to the usual single breasted style. Try one with a solid charcoal or navy blue suiting.

From TJ
As one of your readers who is in 'phase two' of his wardrobe I'd be interested in your opinions, the history of, and options for the following:

-Jacket Vents (one, two, none)
-Pant Cuffs (to cuff or not to cuff)

Briefly, single vented jackets came from riding coats. They don't look very good when a man puts his hands in his pockets, which is why I and most men that follow classic style prefer the double vent. Ventless jackets were the traditional option for formal wear but have the same unattractive-backside-bulge-when-hand-is-in-pocket problem as does a single vented coat. Go ventless only if you keep your hands in sight at all times.

Trousers at the turn of the 20th century were flat fronted and cuffless. Pleats were introduced during the twenties and continue to be the sign of good tailoring IMO. Pleats should be accompanied by cuffs except on formal trousers, which are always uncuffed.

The flat front came back after WWII for uniform trousers and working clothes, and the Italians brought it to dress trousers. Flat fronts are OK for younger men with washboard stomachs but should never be accompanied by cuffs unless the wearer doesn't care about history.

Reader Questions

From Ed

"Which color do you consider more appropriate for a pair of dressy Edward Green slip-ons: Burgundy Antique or Dark Oak? I’m specifically speaking about the Kibworth model, which I will wear with a blue blazer & dark grey trousers."

You wouldn't be making a mistake with either color. Dark oak can be worn in more situations in my opinion, but burgundy, like the pictured shoes by Hawaii's Leather Soul, is very nice as well.

From Peter

"I have been habitually using double pleats, with cuffs, for my suit trousers (high-waisted, of course, with braces), and getting my odd trousers cuffless with flat fronts (and a Daks waist, as I can't stand belts). Although I am slight of build and have no trouble wearing flat-front trousers, I'm beginning to think that I might prefer pleated and cuffed trousers for wear with odd jackets as well.

Do you pleat your trousers in casual fabrics, such as moleskin, corduroy or linen?"

Jeans and other work clothes have typically had flat fronts, so moleskins and cords can go either way (linen is a dress trouser cloth). Forward pleats and cuffs are dress trouser enhancements that appeared early this century and have been with us ever since, though flat fronts returned in military uniforms during the Second world War because they required less cloth.

Flat fronts look fine on men with washboard stomachs but pleats are the product of more sophisticated tailoring. They are more comfortable and look better as the discipline necessary to maintain that washboard disappears later in life. Pleats do not need to be accompanied by cuffs, though cuffs are customary for double breasted lounge suits.

Like the pictured twill trousers from J. L. Powell, all of my trousers have had cuffs and two forward pleats since I was a teen, irrespective of the state of my waistline. But then, I don't own any jeans.

Reader Questions

From Richard
"I have been invited to a wedding which states "black tie." I don't have a dinner jacket but I have two options:

1. A vintage Kilgour burgundy smoking jacket which I would wear as a substitute for a dinner jacket

2. A single breasted peak lapel lounge suit (also Kilgour) which I would wear with a white shirt and houndstooth black and white tie (typically de rigueur at English weddings)

Any thoughts on preferred options? I am tending towards option 2 only because I think a smoking jacket might be too much."

If the wedding is in the evening, as it should be with the stated dress, I think your instincts are correct. A smoking jacket is to be worn at home, at your club, and, if you're young enough, maybe at a dance club with a pair of jeans. I'd call and get the host's opinion about how firmly they would like to hold you to black tie (your third option is to rent some) and if they are OK with it, wear the suit.

From Jim

"I live in Louisville Ky. And while our winters are mild, there are a few cold days. I need to replace some of my trousers. My question is can I wear a tropical wool weight trousers or should I purchase them in gabardine? I work in your typical business casual environment so my daily wear is a pair of trousers and a dress shirt. I believe the material is the same weight just different finish."

You don't have to choose. Gabardine is woven in weights as heavy as twelve ounces and as light as eight, which is the same as other tropical wools. I recommend you look for something in the middle. Ten ounce cloth, which is mid-weight, will be wearable in Louisville on all but the warmest days, and will serve you better when it's cool. It will feel heavier to your hand than tropical but not as heavy as a winter weight suit.

Some Trouser Details

In 1923, according to a survey of 300 men in Palm Beach, Florida by the now-defunct Men's Wear, 76% wore white odd trousers or plus fours in flannel or linen, 21% wore suits, 1% wore gray flannels and 2% wore knickers in other fabrics. Trousers, particularly the gray flannel variety, have covered a lot of ground in the intervening 85 years, and we've substituted shorts for plus fours and knickers along the way.

But this essay is on trousers and there are two basic types with countless variations. For my taste, the dressier of the two are high waisted English style trousers cut to be worn beltless, with side tabs or braces (the straps that Americans call suspenders), and pleats in the front and cuffs on the bottoms. Braces let trousers hang straighter and don't require adjustment during the day. They are dressier because the high waist sits above a mature man's paunch and lets the trousers hang in a straight line to the shoe. Needless to say, this allows for a sleeker appearance than does a suggestion of stomach protruding over a belted waistline. The negative is that they should be covered by a vest or jacket at all times even if your name is Larry King.

The back in the photograph so eloquently illustrating trousers with a English, or fishtail, back, is provided by critic Francis Bown, whose website Bown's Bespoke periodically covers aspects of the bespoke tailoring arts. The fishtail originated with Scottish trews (trousers that may be worn with a short jacket) and keep a man's shirt covered below his waistcoat when he leans forward (shirts are underwear, after all).

The other principal type of trouser is flat fronted, cut to be worn belted on the hips, and usually without cuffs. This style was originally laborer's garb but it's been elevated to the status of art by continental tailors who prefer it for suits cut for men with trim figures. It's a fine look as long as the wearer is careful that the open quarters of his jacket don't expose his belt buckle and blind pedestrians with the flash.

I prefer high waisted trousers with suits but either belted or beltless trousers are reasonable choices with odd jackets and for more casual wear. There are several options for keeping up beltless trousers, including side straps instead of tabs, and the DAK waistband, however these are usually difficult to find ready to wear.

Button cuffs may be the most obscure trouser detail. Instead of stitching the turned-up cuff to the trouser leg, the tailor sews a button to the inside of the cuff and a buttonhole on the seam of the pant leg. Each cuff has two buttons, one on each side. This feature can safely be left to men who commonly need to brush debris out of their trouser bottoms.

Finally, we should consider the fly, and that's usually closed by a zipper, a relatively modern invention that no longer jams like it used to. The older alternative is the button fly, normally eight buttons that pretty well guarantee that a man will be fumbling with himself at a urinal long enough to draw nervous glances from those around him. The Duke of Windsor preferred the zipper and that's good enough for me.

Trouser fabrics are widely available in much more variety than was seen in Palm Beach those many years ago. Flannel, linen, corduroy, cotton drill, and fresco are some of the common odd trouser types. For some thoughts on an odd trouser wardrobe, see my January essay here.

Reader Questions

From Peter

"I'm wondering how you store your trousers. I've tried a lot of hanger options, but the creases always bother me, especially with rough cloth like woolen flannels. Would you advise folding them instead and storing them on a shelf, or is that not advisable either?"

The best way to store trousers is to hang them by their heels, but I don't believe anyone with a wardrobe actually has enough room for that. The trousers in the photo to the left belonged to the late Duke of Windsor, and I store mine the same way. Solve the creasing problem with a trouser press, which will remove hangar bar rumples as well as any wrinkling behind the knees before wearing.

From Ryan

"I have been reading up on your comments on getting slightly heavier linen pants and having some trouble, despite living in New York City. I am not aware of any tailors in the city that has these trouser fabrics. I am wondering if you have any recommendations for me for tailors, retailers, or mail order companies that'd have some good cotton and linen pants for summer that don't wrinkle too badly. "

I can't speak to the New York retail scene but Irish linen cloth should be widely available. Any New York trousermaker should have access to Holland & Sherry's Emerald Isle 14 ounce linen (the book is HS289). If they don't, Hemrajani (mytailor.com) does and they are visiting New York in June.

Sources: J & J Minnis - John G. Hardy

If you want one of the world's best trouser makers, such as Naples' Salvatore Ambrosi, to make for you, you have to provide the cloth. Unlike most of the suppliers to bespoke tailors and high end ready to wear clothing manufacturers, royal warrant holders J & J Minnis - John G. Hardy sell some of the best cloth of their types directly to retail customers.

Minnis and Hardy are the two trading names for English cloth merchants Hunt & Winterbotham of Huddersfield, England. Though they have many other offerings, Minnis is particularly known for its flannels and frescos (the term fresco was patented and trademarked by the company in 1907), and Hardy holds up its end with a range of 12 ounce Venetian, Gaberdine, Whipcord, Bedford Cord and Cavalry Twill fabrics. The two also offer good quality tweeds and worsteds.

Retail pricing for this stuff is steep. A pair of my high waisted trousers requires two meters of cloth starting at £30.00 per meter for cottons and £60.00 per meter for gabardine and fresco (including VAT that is deducted from the price paid by buyers from outside the UK). Customers can order directly off the web site, which has photos of all the cloth.

On the negative side, the photos are dark and don't show detail. A 3% surcharge is added for credit cards, which I believe violates the Visa and Mastercard merchant agreements. The company doesn't respond to emails (I had an answer to one inquiry out of four). And what I dislike most is the company's insistance on sending parcels to the States by UPS. Unlike the Postal Service, UPS adds to the shipping charge an exorbitant fee for clearing the parcel through customs. But the flannel, in particular, is probably worth dealing with those irritations.

Wardrobe Basics

What does a man need when his wardrobe lacks everything? Not much, but it should all work together to form a foundation for anything life may bring you in the future. And the same basics are useful at any age.

Start with basic gear in ordinary colors that can be worn often without it being too obvious that the same clothes get a lot of use. Splurge on a few accent pieces that will add personality. Make them tasteful but infrequently seen accents, like a paisley pocket square, and eschew loud neckties.

For outerwear, the basics include a single breasted raincoat in tan with a zip-in lining and, if the climate calls for one, a three quarter length winter coat like the pictured navy duffel coat from Gloverall.

They may not be worn every day but don't ignore odd jackets as they are the intermediate step between casual and dressy during the day. Summer is served with a linen odd jacket and for cool weather think in terms of a single-breasted navy blazer. If another is required, the next should be a tweed. Any of these may be paired with chinos and cords and dress trousers acquired later but a pair of tropical weight and a pair of gray flannels make a good beginning. The jackets should be hanging next to a dark gray and a navy suit in mid-weight cloth for year-round wear because a man has to begin building his professional wardrobe before he needs it every day.

Button down Oxford cloth shirts can serve for both dress and casual occasions (preps may layer them with colored polos). Two white, three blue and a pastel like yellow or pink make a reasonable starting set. Add a straight collar version or two in broadcloth and consider investing in a gold collar pin to wear to your friends' weddings.

Other basics include a fistfull of neckties, several khaki and corduroy trousers, and navy and white polos. Basic shoes might include a pair of black oxfords, suede ankle boots with crepe soles, brown penny loafers, and a pair of boat shoes or sneakers (remember, shoes shouldn't be worn two days in a row so invest in more than one pair as well as shoe trees). For cooler weather, add a crewneck sweater.

Each man should tweak these suggestions to suit how he expects to live his life. The objective of any wardrobe is to provide what's needed for appropriate dress on any reasonably forseeable occasion, and a few wardrobe basics will accomplish just that.

Essential Odd Trousers

An odd trouser wardrobe should be a mixed lot of fabrics and weights that suits every season. Depending on how often you wear them, you'll need at least five, and more likely ten, pair for warm days and the same for cooler weather.

I've divided the essentials into casual and dress trousers with the idea being that casuals can take a little dirt. You might wear them with a jacket but they'll be paired with a sweater or a polo more often than not.

Casual Trousers
-Khaki cotton drill. Gentleman's jeans for weekend wear. Olive is another classic color.
-Cotton moleskin. Soft and warm trousers for the cold.
-Cords. In moss and mouse, for cool weather from Fall to Spring, with sweaters or odd jackets.
-Poplin. Spring casuals for golf and similar pursuits. Try a soft pink.

Dress Trousers
-Gray flannels. Every wardrobe needs at least two pair, in mid-gray and charcoal. Aficionados also like them in light gray for Spring (like the hatted fellow in the illustration) , and in weights from medium to heavy. As Alan Flusser wrote, "If you are considering a new sport jacket and are having difficulty visualizing it with a medium gray trouser, move on."
-Fawn and cream flannels. A change of pace from gray.
-Gabardines. Silky smooth trousers are ideal for much of the year in California and similar climates. Wear them in cream, brown and olive.
-Tan cavalry twill. With a navy odd jacket it's the English uniform.
-Linen. Linen breathes, so it's a good choice for hot weather. Get the heaviest linen you can find, because heavier fabric will drape better and rumple rather than wrinkle. Think in terms of half a dozen pair in cream, tan, brown and mustard.
-Light gray and tan fresco trousers. More summer wear. Fresco doesn't wrinkle like linen and it holds a crease. Wear them on unrumpled occasions with a tan or navy odd jacket.

Reader Questions

From Harry

"I am rather intrigued by the idea of a wearing a matching jacket and vest with non-matching trousers. I've seen this done in pictures and movies of the Thirties and there was a 'tiny vogue' for this when I came of sartorial age in the 1970s. You mentioned this combo once in your postings.

My idea is to get two three piece suits that can be switched around (I don't like the idea of a contrasting jacket with matching vest and trousers). Could this be done in tweed only or in lighter weight fabrics? Similar weight fabrics would be necessary but what color and texture? Can this be done with a double breasted vest or best left to single?"

I've read speculation that this style is the result of men wearing suit jackets after the trousers wore out. That might have sometimes been the case, but Alan Flussers' Dressing the Man has a photo (page 4) of society architect T. Markoe Robertson wearing a tweed jacket with matching double breasted waistcoat and flannel trousers. I think it likely that Robertson, a resident of Tuxedo Park and married to a high profile Biddle, simply liked the look.

To me, the interest of the combination lies in the contrast of both pattern and texture between trousers and a jacket with either style of matching vest. Without a distinct contrast there'd be a risk that people might think you'd dressed in the dark and inadvertantly donned the wrong trousers.

Pants Across the Sea

We know that HRH Edward, the Duke of Windsor, had his trousers made in New York while his jackets were cut in London. He called it pants across the sea. I don't have a figure as trim as the Duke's but my solution also crosses the Atlantic.

Trousers cut to ride on the hips, the intended location of American ready to wear models, have a disturbing tendency to accentuate a pear shaped form. Fortunately, there are other styles of trousers. Note the long fall on the high waisted trousers of the man in the illustration, or look at photos of Fred Astaire wearing trousers with high waistbands in the book Fred Astaire Style by G. Bruce Boyer.

For me, those high waistbands are just the ticket. High waisted trousers fall straight down my front, creating an illusion of slimness that I hope is successful. Their height is also a better match for waistcoats and sweaters as there is no danger of a distracting glimpse of shirt above the trousers.

It's difficult if not impossible to find high waisted trousers ready to wear any longer, and this is where the across the sea part comes in. First, I order corduroy, moleskin, linen and other odd trouser fabric from a London merchant such as Beazley's Fine Cloth or John G. Hardy/J & J Minnis.
http://www.hollandandsherry.com/beazleys/
http://www.hfw-huddersfield.co.uk/hardyminnis/index.asp

About a week after ordering, the cloth arrives in San Francisco. Four times a year I pack it up and send it to Michelle at Martin Greenfield Clothers of Brooklyn, New York, asking for so many of this and so many of that. And then three months later I get a box of unfinished made to measure trousers that go in turn to a San Francisco alterations tailor for final adjustments and cuffs.

I'm looking forward to my next pair of high waisted trousers in 12 oz. charcoal whipcord. Only four months and ten thousand miles to go.