THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPORTION

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPORTION

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The Importance of Proportion in Classic Men’s Clothing

The gentleman who gives attention to proportion in his apparel always looks good. Alas, this detail is sadly under valued nowadays; it is rare to discover an adult male whose manner is understated elegance, the sort of gentleman who folks feel is always well dressed without knowing why. Most apparel sold in shops is available in just a few standard sizes, and are built according to the fashion of their day. It is true that with suitable tailoring, many gentlemen can get a decent fit out of a retail suit or other garment, but with a suit particularly there are a lot opportunities for customization that one misses out on them when buying off the rack. In retail clothing, important particulars like gorge height, closure, button position, and lapel width are determined by the impulses of fashion instead of the needs of a wearer’s unique physical structure.

Nearly all clothes are cut for a theoretical fashion model, a one in a hundred human who does not exist. Knowing this, it is no surprise that most men wear suits that do not flatter them. Most of us would look better in clothing built to our bodies, as that the right cuts and proportions can enhance any appearance. The best dressers knew this. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. had his jacket shoulders built out to offset his rather large head; Gary Cooper had his lapels cut to end in a low gorge which breaking up his height. Just look at modern day examples such as George Clooney, Sean Combs, and Tom Brady; these men wear menswear that compliments their natural strengths. It is true that certain body shapes clash with certain articles of clothing, but by no means does one’s body type confine him to a particular style. An important step in dressing well is finding the clothing proportions that work for you and then ensuring those proportion standards are met in every article of clothing you purchase.

The proper proportions on a jacket are critical to yield a natural and attractive visage. If a man’s head is especially wide, wider shoulders will frame his noggin to great success. A narrow face does better with sloping shoulders, while a large round face should ensure it is surrounded by enough material in the shoulders to make it look normal in size. Short men look best with a high-gorge configuration, while a low gorge balances a tall man. Also the width of a man’s lapels should be in proportion to his torso; if not they will accentuate his girth or lankiness to ill effect. And whatever your size, your jacket’s length should be such that it ends at your thumb’s knuckle when you stand with arms relaxed at your sides, and the ends of your sleeves should line up with the ends of your arms where your hands begin.

The shirt has rules of its own. The shirt collar size and shape should be selected based off of the face of the man wearing it. Collars types such as straight points tend to elongate the face; a wise selection for the round faced man but not a good choice for the man who has a long face. Most men wear collars that are too small, which is a shame as that the whole purpose of a shirt collar is to frame the face by properly drawing the eyes to it. Cuffs should gently clasp around the wrist, with anywhere from three quarters to a full two inches of room permissible.

Many trends in clothing consist of breaking the rules of proportion. Every day designers blast the public with their images of attractive models striking enviable poses and clothed in their latest offerings. By objective standards, these may be too loose or too tight, excessively short or top-heavy, or otherwise unbalanced. Models have jobs because they look good in anything, but most of us are not so lucky. Trendy designer clothes only look good because they evoke the beautiful people on billboards and magazines. When tastes change, in a few years or a single season, those who paid full price for designer wares at the height of their fleeting glory are left with expensive clothes that look slightly ridiculous. How much wiser is the man who buys clothes that are right for him, and wears them confidently knowing his style transcends the pettiness of fleeting fashion.

INTRODUCTION TO THE SHIRT COLLAR

Men’s dress shirt collars come in all different colors, sizes, and styles. The right collar on the right type of face is a sight to behold, a union of shapes and curves that bring out the best in each other. A collar’s job is to properly frame the face, accentuating a man’s facial strengths while down playing any abnormalities. Our discussion here centers around turn-down collars; if you are interested in learning about wing collars, (aka black tie collars) visit my other articles.
To facilitate this discussion, let us define a few terms important to understanding a shirt collar.

1. Collar Points - The tips of the collar.
2. Collar Point Length - The distance from the Collar Points to where they meet the Collar Band.
3. Collar Band - the piece of fabric that wraps around the neck.
4. Collar Height - The height of a folded collar as it fits on the neck.
5. Tie Space - The distance between the top of the folded collar parts when the shirt is buttoned.
6. Spread - The distance between Collar Points.

THE POPULAR POINT COLLAR -

The point collar is the most common turn-down collar style, found on approximately 90% of men’s dress shirts. Having it’s origins in the military uniforms from the turn of the 20th century, the variations of the point collar have established themselves as the de facto collars of the world due to their ability to remain neutral (an important characteristic for manufacturers looking for a collar type that will appease the majority of wearers). Key characteristics are that the collar is cut so that the “points” are reasonably close together, sometimes to the extent that they almost hide the top portion of a tie. In more extreme versions of the collar, longer more closely set points tend to draw the eye down towards the tie and away from the face, while a more moderate cut frames the tie and completes the arrow effect pointing at the face. The point collar is most at home on a man with round facial features; the collar’s elongating effect help to even out the look of his face. Men with thin faces should avoid these collars, as that they will only accentuate this feature.

Here is a Classic Straight Point Collar, clearly distinguishable by the small spread between the collar points. On this particular example, we see a 3/4 inch tie space and a collar point length of about 2 3/4 inches. All of a collar’s parts can be adjusted to ensure proportion for the individual; however, you need to ensure when accommodating your wishes the collar maker does not compromise the integrity of the collar type you wish to see framing your face.

Narrow Straight Point Collar - Here we see another version of the straight point, however in this version notice the even smaller spread between the collar points accentuated by the lack of a tie space altogether. The collar point length here is closer to 3 1/2 inches, a clear indicator that this collar is meant to help a round faced man look less plump. 

Button Down Point Collars - The button-down point collar style is most often seen on more casual shirts. These collars have small buttonholes at the very tip of each point, corresponding to a small button on each side of the shirtfront. While this collar can be worn successfully with a tie, it is the least formal of all the collar choices and is an excellent choice for the man looking to leave the tie behind. The buttons on the collar, however, are always fastened; to appear with undone collar buttons would be a faux pas.

SPREAD OR CUTAWAY COLLARS - THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

The second popular style is the cutaway, or spread collar. These collars have the points “cut away” or spread – thus the name – revealing more of the upper shirt area and leaving additional room for larger knots such as the Windsor. Like the point, spread collars come in a variety of widths, with more moderate ones resembling slightly flared point collars, while more extreme versions can be nearly horizontal. The particular dimensions are best left to the wearer’s preference and body type, with very wide spreads tending to accentuate wider figures while creating a more fully proportioned look on thin gentlemen. With that being said the spread collar is most at home on a man with thin or long facial features; the collar’s widening effect help to even out the look of the face. Men with round faces should avoid these collars, unless they plan on wearing them without a tie.

The Medium Spread Collar is a close cousin to the point collar, separated only by the interpretation of the size of its spread. Although this collar point length may be a bit shorter as well, it’s primarily designed for the man whose face falls between the extremes. A safe choice, it is a great introductory collar for those looking to slowly explore the benefits of this collar family.

The Classic Spread Collar - The spread of this collar leaves no doubt as to its heritage. A classic in bespoke circles for almost 100 years, this collar was made famous by the likes English royalty and Hollywood’s A-list Actors. The Duke of Windsor, Prince Charles, and Douglas Fairbanks are just a few of its advocates. Pair this collar with a thin face or small boned man, and you have a match made in heaven.

The Wide Spread and Curved Spread Collars - two variations of the classic spread; the spread has been increased by the collar point’s length (in this case to 3 1/2 inches). Found only in bespoke circles, the wearer must not only have a firm grasp of the collar style that looks good on him but must be willing to display this grasp of sartorial excellence for all to see.

OTHER COLLARS THAT BREAK THE MOLD

Tab Collars - The Tab collar employs a small tab extending from the middle of each point, which is fixed together – usually with a hook-and-loop closure – behind the tie. This forces the tie forward and up, creating the “standing” look of more elaborate knots. This collar should never be worn without a tie, and can be used to hide a abnormally long neck (Google image search Tom Wolfe).

Pin Collars - This collar has small holes in each point, allowing the insertion of a decorative pin or bar behind the tie knot which thrusts the tie knot forward and up while adding extra decoration to the collar itself. Like in the tab collar, this forces the tie forward and up, creating the “standing” look of more elaborate knots. This collar should always be worn with a tie; the empty holes and flapping tabs present an untidy appearance. Only wear this collar if you have the confidence to wield the attention it will draw.

WHERE TO FIND THESE COLLARS?

To find these collars a man should explore the world of custom clothing. It is here that a man can not only specify the type of collar he wants, but he has control over every aspect of a shirt’s design and dimensions.

How to choose a Tailor

How to choose a Tailor

Posted on October 20, 2008, 10:41 pm, by admin, under Writing on Men's Fashion.

How to choose a Tailor
Picking out a tailor used to be simple; you either went with the tailor who had been servicing your father or you headed to the experienced suit salesman who would get the right introduction.  Nowadays regrettably, the job is more arduous - expert tailors are tough to come by, and the ordinary menswear salesman does not hold the knowledge to guide you in the proper direction.  In this article, I outfit you with the tools to determine a good men’s tailor whose services can transform you and your clothing.
The below steps are in order of action to be taken when searching for a tailor, and they are intended to be applied in concurrence with each other.  The 1st point is the most crucial, and shouldn’t be passed over.
1.    Educate Yourself
Prior to you talking with a tailor or seamstress, you want to possess a grounding in the fundamentals of men’s style.  The most arduous thing for most men to do is to find a couple of hrs to sit and learn about suits, shirts, and other menswear; yet most gentlemen find once they begin studying the material they become captivated.  Learning about the intricacies of quality menswear you begin noting men’s clothing particulars you never considered before; you pay attention to the fit of suit jackets, working sleeve buttonholes, and the break along a pair of pants.
Stepping into the universe of tailoring, you will realise just how crucial your clothing is in broadcasting messages about who you are.  Most folks you go past daily know you solely by the clothing you have on; your appearance is the only way they can make any sense of who you are and what you do in this world.  The suit, shirt, and tie combination you put on in the morning covers up ninety percent of your body, and before you speak this garment combination declares who you are and indicates to other people whether or not you merit attention.
To build a firm base in the fundamentals of men’s style, I recommend reading any book by Alan Flusser, Nicholas Antongiavanni’s “The Suit”, or Bernhard Roetzel’s “Gentleman”.  An extraordinary internet resource is A Tailored Suit’s Style Guide, a trove of men’s style articles. Once you have a foundation, you ought then to then interact with experienced people at places like Style Forum, an internet community of men’s clothing partisans.  When you find you can talk the tongue of bespoke menswear, you’re ready to begin questioning tailors.
2.    Tailor Recommendations
Be heedful here - most gentlemen are not discriminating in picking out their tailor, and remain with their current tailor just because they are oblivious of a better alternative.  Aggregated with the reality most men do not understand what proper fit is, it’s very possible that a tailor who gets high praise only does so because of the cluelessness of his patrons.  Don’t presume since somebody addresses themselves as a tailor or seamstress that they know anything about men’s style or can evaluate proper fit.
Conduct a critical look at your acquaintances - who amongst them is a natty dresser?  These are the folks you would like to ask for tailor recommendations.  You’ll be able to widen your search by asking women also, only be careful.  The manner garments fit on an adult male vs. the way they should fit on a woman are very different.  A skilled woman’s tailor doesn’t necessarily possess the correct skills to tailor men’s clothing.
3.    A Tailor’s Communication Skills - does this tailor listen and understand you?
You now have a list of tailors - now you should start speaking with them.  You will be able to do this over the telephone or e-mail; your goal is to determine if this is a individual you are able to work with.  Do they have superior communication skills?  Do they really listen to you, or are they attempting to drive in a direction you know you do not need to go down?  Do they have time to speak, or are they in a hurry?  To be fair, you should not hold the last one against a tailor if you call up their workplace out of the blue - however any master tailor ought to be willing to put aside twenty minutes to talk with a prospective customer at a determined time within a few days of phoning.
You would like to work with a tailor whom you feel confident in - this decision is very personal and ought to be based off the tailor’s knowledge and communication skills - ideally you encounter a tailor with solid skills in both arenas.  Regrettably, a combination of the 2 in a tailor is uncommon except in bigger urban centers.  You could find a very skilled tailor, but if he doesn’t understand you or the tailor decides he should ignore your wants and execute what he believes is correct, both you and the tailor are going to be frustrated.  Communicating is critical, and ensuring that both sides clearly understand and respect one another is important to a long term partnership.
4.    When is the Tailor satisfied?
There’s one answer here; the tailor shouldn’t be content until you’re satisfied.  This does not imply that a accomplished tailor or seamstress always gives you what you wish or doesn’t make errors - nay, a tailor really worth retaining is one who learns what your idea of the ideal fit is and perpetually works to accomplish this.

5.    Does the Tailor understand style?  Does the tailor understand timeless fashion?
I brought this up earlier, but don’t presume a tailor or seamstress understands classic men’s style.  While a lot of accomplished tailors are experts at constructing anything you are able to conceive of, their eye for what colour material or style of jacket suits a man is oftentimes inconsistent with reality.  Culture differences could also play a factor here, because a lot of the best tailors nowadays are native Chinese, Thai, or Indian - what worked for tailors in Mumbai in 1970 might not be practical nowadays.  With your base in classic men’s style (see point 1), you ought to be able to figure out quickly if the tailor possess an eye for timeless fashion.

6.    Samples of the Tailor’s work - Can the tailor present you his custom suits and tailored shirts?
Pictures, example pieces, alteration miracles - you’re seeking samplings of their work that validates the tailor’s claims of greatness.  If the overall garment appears fine, spend a couple of minutes analyzing the details - does the stitching look firm and neat, is the build and silhouette something you want in your clothing.  Be weary of a tailor who does not have anything to display or pleased clients to refer you to.

7.    Tailoring turnaround times?  Is the tailor accessible?
A lot of the better tailors out there are really active folks.  They accept more work than they can handle, and alas wait times of more than a month  for a expert tailor’s time are not unheard of.  Ideally you want a tailor who can attend to your wants quickly, particularly when you call for a quick fix before an crucial appointment.  Be direct about your needs here, as that most tailors will accommodate emergencies aware it creates loyalty and good will.

Notice I did not bring up cost when picking out a tailor - this is the least significant factor and should be a small consideration even for those tight on money.  You need to find a good tailor who can assist you to realize your vision of the perfect tailored fit.  Saving 20 bucks on a cheaper tailor and not getting what you desire is a waste of money - spend a bit more and getting precisely what you envisioned by employing the skills of a master tailor - it’s always worth it

When looking to buy clothing, remember to look for these three things -

When looking to buy clothing, remember to look for these three things -

1. The Proper Fit – I don’t care if the suit has a 90% discount; if it does not  fit you it will not look good. And when you find a suit that fits you well, take it to get tailored so that it fits you perfectly. Nothing is as important as fit.

2.Timeless Style – Ensure the clothing is classic in style. You want a suit you can wear not only this season, but 5 years from now. Avoid fads like the current thin lapels, and instead opt for styles that compliment your individual body style. Spread shirt collars on the narrow faced man and point collars for the round faced fellow. Go with conservative colors such as navy blue or my favorite charcoal grey (which does not accentuate youth, thus helping you avoid looking like your 17).

3. Quality – Go with Wool if you can afford it, a blend with up to 40% man made fibers is OK if you are cash strapped. Wool is sought after because it maintains its shape, retains heat, absorbs moisture without showing, and it has the look other fabrics are judged by.