For reasons I don't fully understand, the tailoring scene—and really the fashion scene in general—is better in East Asia (and mostly South Korea and Japan) than in the US as a whole. There are more interesting shops, tailors, and shoemakers. Also, there are more hobbyists.
There's also better fashion media. There are tons and tons of really great Japanese fashion magazines that get super nerdy with details. There's literally a magazine purely dedicated to classic leather shoes (called Last). In the US, fashion media is more about celebs.
On tailoring, the suit is also still relevant in places like Tokyo. A guy might be wearing his salaryman suit for a while and then figure "hm, maybe I can get something better" and then visit any number of really great tailoring shops and clothiers who can help him.
For example, if you want a true classic American suit, you should not go to an American shop. You should go to Tokyo and visit Tailor CAID, who knows that style better than any American. Their customers also know how to put that look together better than most Americans.
Outside of NYC, there aren't that many good shops. I also think that dressing well is purely hobbyism, like being into penmanship and fountain pens. This is why I don't think ppl should attach morality to it. For whatever reason, there are a lot of hobbyists in East Asia.
me: i wonder why men in Asia dress better
Americans in my replies every day: clothes are GAY. you are a HOMO. fashion is for MORONS. I'm smarter and more masculine because i dress like CRAP. [a dog in the background slam dunks a basketball while USA fireworks go off]
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
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.