King of Spain at the final day of Wimbledon. This looks great.
Very rare to see this level of tailoring nowadays, even on the wealthy. So let's talk about some of the reasons why it's great. 🧵
King Felipe consistently looks great, and it seems that all of his suits are cut by the same tailor.
Some basic points:
1. Collar always hugs the neck 2. No pulling anywhere. Things hang cleanly 3. Lapels end about halfway from collar to shoulder bone (nice proportion)
His coat here also ends about halfway from the collar to the floor, which is again a very classic and flattering proportion. His sleeves hang very cleanly. His trousers are well-proportioned for his coat.
This contrasts with many stars nowadays, who wear short, tight coats. The sleeves grip their arms, which means they never hang cleanly. When the sleeves grip your arms like this, they are prone to riding up on you.
Coats are often too short. On many men, this gives the the impression of wide hips
King Felipe's trousers are also well-proportioned for his coat. The coat's lines flow into the trousers, making the outfit a coherent whole.
A lot of guys nowadays insist on wearing very slim trousers. But when you don't have a very slim upper-body, you end up creating two separate awkward blocks for the top and bottom halves of your outfit. You look like a popsicle stick.
Slightly fuller trousers also means the fabric hangs cleanly. King Felipe seems to prefer a single break on his trousers (I think either a single break or "no break" is fine, so long as the material at least grazes your shoes). Look at how clean the trouser hangs in second pic
Compare that with the recent NATO summit. With the exception of Biden, all of these trousers are too long, and more than some are too slim to hang cleanly even when the wearers are standing still. The fabric clings to the back of their calves.
King Felipe's shoulder line is also just slightly extended, the chest area a little fuller. There's a bit of "roundness" in the upper half of his jacket, which gives the illusion of a more athletic figure underneath.
Many men nowadays wear very slim coats that do little more than reveal the actual shape of the body underneath. Or they wear a size too small.
A small detour: while no one in real life will likely recognize this, the curvature you see in this lapel roll is a sign of very fine tailoring. Typically requires hand pad stitching and hand ironing to create this "springy" roll where the lapel folds over.
A lot of tailoring you see nowadays is quite flat in comparison. Does not have the same three dimensional shaping.
There's also something called "quarters," which refers to coat's front edge below the buttoning point. Here we see the King of Spain with the Bulgarian President. The King's quarters sweep away, creating a more dynamic line. President's quarters fall almost straight down.
Bulgarian President's coat is also shorter and has narrower lapels. The trousers are a touch too slim for the coat. King's lapels are more classically proportioned, coat is longer, quarters open, and the trousers well cut for the coat. The effect is better.
The King's shirt collar is also long enough to reach underneath his lapels. This creates a smooth transition from his shirt to jacket, allowing the eye to move upwards and focus on the wearer. Many men nowadays wear small shirt collars that end up creating a mess under their chin
This is almost impossible to get nowadays unless you go bespoke. But the gorge—the technical tailoring term for the seam that connects a coat's collar to its lapel—is positioned in such a way that lapel's notch sits even with the shirt collar points. Very classic.
Finally, the King wears a four-in-hand. The four-in-hand (or the double four-in-hand) is the only knot you should wear. It is small, tasteful, and doesn't create a meatball sized knot underneath your chin. The asymmetry gives a sense of ease.
Very well done.
One more thing. These principles work for any body type: short, tall, large, slim. One of the great things about tailoring is what once you figure out some of these basic principles, you can apply them to your own dress: collar hugs neck, things hang cleanly, flowing lines, etc.
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I found this reply interesting ("Can those foreign companies open shop in the US?")
I don't think Japanese or South Korean menswear can be made in the US. At least, not without losing something. Let's explore why. 🧵
I should state at the outset that no thread will do Japanese or South Korean fashion justice because these countries are fashion powerhouses. Japan alone covers everything from Yohji Yamamoto to And Wander to WTAPS.
It's Impossible to generalize, but we can discuss aspects.
Let's set the stage: Trump announced that he wants to tax Japanese and South Korean goods 25% starting August 1st. That means if you're a menswear shop in the US importing $1,000 worth of clothes made in Japan or South Korea, you owe the US government $250.
Ahead of the NATO summit last month, President Zelenskyy arrived at the Paleis Huis ten Bosch wearing this outfit: a black jacket with matching black pants and a black shirt. Many debated whether this qualifies as a suit, as there's a $50M bet on it at Polymarket.
To understand the suit, we must place it in history.
During the Regency period (early 1800s), British men in high positions wore a long fitted garment known as the frock coat, which had a waist seam and full skirt. These garments were often quite colorful and expressive!
Any time I talk about a wealthy person's outfit, someone in the comments is quick to reply: "They're rich, you think they care?" No one has to care about my opinions or clothes, regardless of net worth.
But let's talk about the connection between wealth and aesthetics 🧵
About a year ago, Tucker Carlson told Chris Cuomo that "postmodern architecture" is intentionally designed to deaden the spirit. The clip was widely circulated online by people such as Benny Johnson, who seemingly agreed.
Postmodern architecture was actually a very brief movement that emerged in the 1960s as a counter-reaction to modernism's austerity and uniformity. Examples of postmodernism include Michael Graves's Portland Building and Guild House. Also Phillip Johnson's PPG Place.
Trump released a $250 fragrance (one for women, one for men).
Sometimes a fragrance can be expensive because it contains certain ingredients or involve artisanal, small-batch production. But with no note breakdown or even a description of the scent, what justifies this price?
I'm reminded of this 2016 blog post by Luca Turin, one of the best writers on fragrances. Even for niche perfumery he warns: "Niche perfumery stands a good chance of disappearing up its own rear end if it merely becomes yet another golden opportunity to rip off the customer."
If you're into fragrances, as I am, I encourage you to not support celebrity bullshit like this. Go to real perfumers. Some of my favorites include:
— AbdesSalaam Attar: He's a self-taught Sicilian Sufi perfumer who only uses natural ingredients. Many of his perfumes feel like you're walking through a Middle Eastern bazaar or spice market. Milano Caffe, Cuoio dei Dolci, and Tabac are worth a sniff. He can also do bespoke perfumes using your favorite notes.
— DS & Durga: David Moltz describes himself as doing "scent travel." He has an uncanny ability to transport you to far off places. I like Cowboy Grass, Debaser, Amber Kiso, and Burning Barbershop. If you can get a sample of his Pale Grey Mountain, Small Black Lake Sample (made part of his Hylands collection), it's really good with tailored tweeds.
— Anything by Jean Claude Ellena: One of the most famous perfumers in the world. His scents have been likened to watercolor paintings and chamber music because they're light, airy, and have a transparent quality. This makes them particularly good for spring/ summer. Check his scents from Hermes, such as Terre d'Hermes and Un Jardin sur le Nil, which are easy to find on discount. L'Eau d'Hiver for Frederic Malle is also great, but a bit more expensive.
— Tauer Perfumes: Andy Tauer is a chemist and self-taught perfumer who specializes in dry, spicy, woody scents. L'Air du Desert Marocain makes you feel like you're in the middle of the desert at night. Lonestar Memories is like being next to a crackling campfire while picking up on the scent of tobacco and leather. IMO, a must try if you're exploring niche perfumery.
Always try to get samples before buying a bottle. Check shops such as Luckyscent, Surrender to Chance, and The Perfumed Court. Also pick up a copy of Perfumes by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez.
People think I'm biased against Jeff Bezos, but here's F. Caraceni Sartoria, widely considered one of the best bespoke tailoring houses in the world, commenting on Bezos's wedding suit.
"The most terrible, frightening, horrible tuxedo ever seen in my life. I'm really suffering"
Nothing to do with politics, only quality tailoring. F. Caraceni made suits for Silvio Berlusconi, who was hardly beloved by progressives. Many people don't know much about tailoring, which is fine, but this doesn't mean that rich or expensive = good.
Caraceni's work:
Here is a dinner suit F. Caraceni made for Yves Saint Laurent.