I think I've been writing mainly for menswear-obsessed guys for so long that it had not occurred to me that high-rise trousers could still be controversial in 2023. So let's run through some points. 🧵
First, if you're wearing a tailored jacket (e.g., suit jacket or sport coat), you should wear high-rise trousers. Low-rise trousers create this ugly shirt triangle below the buttoning point. High-rise trousers create a more coherent, streamlined look between jacket and pants
Some people think that high-rise trousers look old-fashioned and out of date. First, I think you should dress for your body type, not according to trends. Low-rise jeans and trousers are best on stick-thin models, who they were created for.
A lot of stick-thin guys though are not wearing them in that edgy, cool way. They are wearing them in this really bland way, and the effect ends up making your torso look weirdly long and your legs weirdly short.
High-rise trousers lengthen your leg line and bring the proportion between your torso and legs into better balance. It had not occurred to me that some people could still think they're categorically bad, so let's run through some stereotypes:
"High-rise trousers aren't cool."
"High-rise trousers are for older guys."
"High-rise trousers don't work for bigger guys."
In the summertime, when it's too hot to layer, it's even more important that your shirt and pants are on point. One way to create a more flattering, stylish silhouette is to wear higher-rise trousers. Pair with a tucked linen button-up shirt or a camp collar shirt. Super easy.
Of course, as ever, people can wear what they want. I am only presenting my views. But this summer outfit is cool as hell, and the trousers add a lot to the look. If you haven't yet considered higher-rise trousers, I think you should give them a chance.
Some people have asked for options. I'm tweeting this with great trepidation bc anytime I mention something over $50, ppl get mad. The following spans a large price range, so if you encounter something out of your budget, keep going down the list (they are, however, above $100)
For trousers (in no particular order):
Dapper Classics, O'Connell's, Rota selection at No Man Walks Alone, The Armoury, Spier & Mackay, Besnard, Scott Fraser Simpson, J. Press, The Andover Shop, Casatlantic, and Berg & Berg
When shopping, check measurements and return policy.
For jeans, you don't want an actual high rise. You want just something a little higher than the low-rise stuff. So check:
Levis Vintage Clothing 1947 501s, Drake's, The Armoury, 3sixteen CS cut, Orslow 105 and 107, and Blackhorse Lane N3. I would also contact @selfedge for recs
i didn't want to say it, but yes. I still don't think you should dress according to trends, but the reality is that young people are into wider fits and higher rises, while older people are the ones in the slim fit, low rise silhouette of the early 2000s
every counter argument in this thread uses photos that literally look nothing like the examples that i've posted (which, by the way, are of real people in normal settings, not professional photoshoots). whereas i use real examples of how actual ppl look in low rise pants
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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.
Here is a guide breaking down what goes into quality men's footwear. This is focused on men's shoes, as women's shoes, depending on the style, will have different construction techniques and thus standards. 🧵
First, let's set a standard. What does it mean for a pair of shoes to be "good quality?" In this thread, I define that standard to be two things:
— Do the shoes age well?
— Can they be easily repaired?
In short, you should want and be able to wear the shoes for a long time.
We'll start with the part most people see: the uppers.
Quality uppers are made from full grain leather, which shows the natural grain of the hide (pic 1). Low quality uppers will be made from corrected grain, where bad leather has been sanded and given a chemical coating (pic 2)
When I was on a menswear forum, one of my most controversial opinions was that certain coats look better when they're worn open, while others look better when they're closed.
For instance, which of these two outfits look better to you? 🧵
If you shop for an overcoat today, there's a good chance you'll land on a single breasted. As suits and sport coats have receded from daily life, the types of outerwear that men historically wore with them have also slowly disappeared.
If you look at the past, men had all sorts of designs to wear over their tailored clothing: polos, Ulsters, Balmacaans, Chesterfields, paletots, wrap coats, etc. They were offered in a wider range of materials: gabardine, camelhair, covert, heavy tweeds, etc.
The reason why this looks off is bc the coat is built from many layers of material — haircloth, canvas, and padding — which sits on top of another jacket with similar structure. This can make you look a bit like a linebacker. If you find this to be the case, switch to a raglan 🧵
A raglan is defined by its sleeve construction. Most coats have a set-in sleeve, which is to say the sleeve attached to a vertical armhole, much like a shirt. A raglan, by contrast, has a diagonal seam running from the neck to armpit. Historically, this was put on raincoats.
A raglan construction is a bit more waterproof that its set-in sleeve counterpart because there's not vertical seam in which water can sit and eventually penetrate. But most importantly, it's completely devoid of padding. This results in a softer, rounder shoulder line. Compare: