Some people have asked what's a collar gap and whether this issue can be fixed. So here's a thread on something basic you can check, whether you're buying tailored clothing or casualwear. 🧵
A collar gap is when the jacket's collar stands off your neck. See the gap on Jimmy Kimmell's white dinner jacket. A properly tailored jacket will have a neck that stays seated on the neck, especially when you're standing with your arms down (see the second man, Mark Cho)
A collar gap shouldn't show up when you're standing still (if it does, don't buy the coat). But it also shouldn't show up when you're doing normal, everyday motions. Compare the collars on Jordan Peterson and Bill Nighy here, both in similar poses.
The best tailoring will result in a seated collar even when you're doing extreme motions.
When ppl first learn of collar gaps, they often call out small infractions. This is not a useful understanding of the concept. Sometimes the coat needs adjusting, or your neck is tilted forward. Nighy's suit here is beautiful, but a small gap shows up elsewhere. Be reasonable.
The goal should be to avoid the most egregious of examples, like Ye's suit here.
Can you fix a collar gap? It depends on what's causing the issue. It could be that your jacket’s shoulders are more sloped than your own, or that the chest is too tight.
Or it could be that your posture is more stooped than the jacket allows. Whether these things can be fixed depends on the cause, the severity of the problem, and how the coat is constructed. No way to know without going to see a skilled tailor.
If your coat lifts off your neck when you move your arms, it may be that your armholes are too low. The distance between the lowest part of your armhole to the center of the back of your neck can control how much movement you get from a coat.
I know some people at this point are saying, "Ok well I don't wear suits or sport coats." Collar gaps can also show up in casualwear! See these two black leather motorcycle jackets. The Ramones are wearing a jacket that's seated on the neck; the other man has a collar lifting up.
Some casualwear styles, such as the mountain parka, are designed in such a way that the collar is never meant to be seated on the neck. Consider the style before judging whether the collar is intended to stay seated on the neck.
The idea that the collar should hug your neck is a pretty basic concept in a lot of patternmaking. It stretches from classic casualwear to dark avant-garde. Pay attention to it next time you're buying outerwear, so you don't get stuck with something you dislike later.
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Let's first establish good vs bad ways to think about style. The first pic is correct — style is a kind of social language and you have to figure out what type of person you are. The second pic is stupid bc it takes style as disconnected objects ("this is in" vs "this is out").
I should also note here that I'm only talking about style. I'm not here to argue with you about ergonomics, water bottle holders, or whether something accommodates your Dell laptop. I'm am talking about aesthetics.
Watch these two videos. Then answer these two questions:
— Which of the two men is better dressed?
— How does each come off?
I think Carney is better dressed, partly because his clothes fit better. Notice that his jacket collar always hugs his neck, while Pierre Poilievre's jacket collar never touches him.
The level of craftsmanship that goes into a lot of Japanese menswear simply doesn't exist in the United States. You can do this for many categories — suits, jeans, hats, etc.
In this thread, I will show you just one category: men's shoes 🧵
For this comparison, I will focus on Japanese bespoke shoemaking vs. US ready-to-wear. The level of bespoke craftsmanship shown here simply doesn't exist in the US, so a Japanese bespoke vs. US bespoke comparison would be unfair. US bespoke is mostly about orthopedic work.
So instead, I will focus on the best that the US has to offer: ready-to-wear Alden.
On a basic level, top-end Japanese shoes are better because they are handwelted, whereas Alden shoes are Goodyear welted. The first involves more handwork and can be resoled more often.
In 1999, a group of Haitians were tired of political disorder and dreamed of a better life in the United States. So they built a small, 23-foot boat by hand using pine trees, scrap wood, and used nails. They called the boat "Believe in God." 🧵
In a boat powered by nothing but a sail, they somehow made it from Tortuga Island to the Bahamas (about a 90 mile distance). Then from the Bahamas, they set sail again. But a few days and some hundred miles later, their makeshift boat began to sink.
The men on the boat were so dehydrated this point, one slipped in and out of consciousness, unable to stand. They were all resigned to their death.
Luckily, they were rescued at the last minute by the US Coast Guard.
After this post went viral, I called Caroline Groves, a world-class bespoke shoemaker, to discuss how women's shoes are made. I normally don't talk about womenswear, but I found the information interesting, so I thought I would share what I learned here. 🧵
Footwear is broadly broken into two categories: bespoke and ready-to-wear. In London, bespoke makers, including those for women, are largely focused on traditional styles, such as wingtip derbies and loafers. Emiko Matsuda is great for this.
In Paris, there's Massaro, a historic firm that has been operating since 1894, now owned by Chanel. Their designs are less about creating the women's equivalent of traditional men's footwear and more about things such as heels or creative styles. Aesthetic is still "traditional."
Earlier today, Roger Stone announced his partnership with a menswear company, where together they've released a collection of tailored clothing items.
Here is my review of those pieces. 🧵
The line is mostly comprised of suits and sport coats, supplemented with dress shirts and one pair of odd trousers (tailor-speak for a pair of pants made without a matching jacket). Suits start at $1,540; sport coats are $1,150. One suit is $5,400 bc it's made from Scabal fabric
Let's start with the good points. These are fully canvassed jackets, meaning a free floating canvas has been tacked onto the face fabric to give it some weight and structure. This is better than a half-canvas and fully fused construction, but requires more time and labor.