Some style lessons from Gerard Basquiat, a Haitian immigrant whose son helped define the New York art scene and neo-expressionism. 🧵
In tailoring, the term "gorge" refers to the seam that connects a jacket's collar to its lapels. This determines the shape and placement of the lapel's notch. The most classic placement creates a horizontal line running from the notch to the collar points.
As a counter reaction to 1990s Armani, which had excessively low gorges, men's tailoring has seen gorges creep up over the last 20 years. It's not uncommon to see a notch lapel almost sitting on top of the shoulder. Or peak lapels flying off the shoulder.
Something interesting about Gerard Basquiat's tailoring is that he always wore a notch that was basically level with his collar points. In this way, the notch is never too high or low; it's just classic. Compare to Ted Cruz's overly high gorge.
Interestingly, Gerard carried this proportion into the later part of his life, bucking ready-to-wear trends. This again looks very tasteful (compare to the peak lapel a bit up-thread, which was flying off someone's shoulder).
People often think about clothes just in terms of sizes (small, medium, large). But a more defining aspect is their shape. Gerard's tailoring had tremendous shape, as evidence in the lapel's roll at the buttoning point. Compare to Cruz's lapel, which is pressed flat like panini
Men are often reluctant to wear a higher-rise trouser because they don't want to look like an old man. But in a tailored outfit, the trouser rise serves a function: it covers up the bit of shirt fabric that would otherwise peek out from beneath the coat's buttoning point.
A suit is simply a garment where the jacket and pants have been made from the same cloth. This should create a coherent whole. When shirt fabric flashes beneath the jacket's buttoning point, it disrupts the line and spoils the sense of elegance.
Gerard's sense of elegance is carried into his accessories. When wearing dark worsted suits, Gerard wore small dress watches on a leather strap. This looks much better than chunky sport watches, such as Cruz's Tag Heuer chronograph, which are better for casualwear.
I suspect Gerard wore a Cartier Tank. His son's friend, Andy Warhol, also famously wore a Tank, once quoted as saying: “I don't wear a Tank to tell the time. In fact, I never wind it. I wear a Tank because it's the watch to wear.” Maybe Gerard suggested the style to him.
Gerard's sense of quiet sophistication is also reflected in his ties. This spotted one reminds me of something Gore Vidal once wore while hanging out with JFK. Very demure, very tasteful.
It's hard to talk about how to choose tasteful ties without spinning out an entire thread. But it's a generally good idea to stay away from overly shiny materials or busy designs. Jacquards, where a pattern has been woven into the silk, can also be dangerous. These are ugly:
Most men today don't wear ties; they often look for ways to dress down tailoring. When doing so, I encourage you to never wear dress shirts with black buttons or contrast linings, as these look cheap and tacky. Go for something more classic, like Gerard's skipper collar polo.
Additionally, when wearing knitwear, consider getting something that's a bit more textured. Texture is an easy way to add visual interest to an outfit, which is helpful when you can't layer with a coat or jacket.
They can also be warmer and more rugged. Here's Gerard wearing a heavy woolen Shaker knit with a collared shirt and cotton pants while feeding his son at a park. A good dad outfit.
Ultimately, you will look great if you choose clothes that fit and flatter, develop an eye for details, and add dimensions such as tasteful textures and patterns when possible.
It also helps to keep clothes clean.
To end, here are some of my favorite photos of Jean-Michel Basquiat. These were taken by Yutaka Sakano in 1983 when the artist was visiting Tokyo. As such, he's also wearing vintage items from Japanese designer Issey Miyake. Note the concept of "shape and drape" here.
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When you buy ready-made tailoring, the pockets and vents are often tacked down with stitching—usually white, but not always. This stitching, known as basting, is done so that the garment moves from the factory to your closet while holding its shape.
Before wearing the garment, you'll want to remove this stitching. Especially if there's a label on the sleeve. This label is only there so that people working in the distribution and sales process can easily identify the garment. It's not meant to be worn.
Rumors are going around that Pete Hegseth might be on his way out. I don’t know if that’s true, but just in case, I want to do a thread on his style. To me, Hegseth’s wardrobe reflects a common pitfall guys fall into when they first start caring about clothes. 🧵
When men start dressing with more intention, they often fall into the trap of cranking every knob to 11—volume, gain, treble, bass. The thinking is: more = better. But like in music, maxing out every setting doesn’t lead to clarity—it leads to noise.
We see this in how Hegseth dresses. His belt buckle is USA. Pocket square is USA. Socks are USA. Open up his jacket and what do you see? USA.
Someone asked me why there aren't any high-end Chinese clothing brands. They are many! In this thread, I'll name a few, as well as answer the question why you may not have heard of them. 🧵
This thread will cover a wide range of aesthetics and business sizes, so that there's something for everyone. The first is Zhu Chongyun, a chic womenswear label that combines traditional Chinese aesthetics with contemporary design.
Their ad campaigns are highly stylized for marketing purposes, but when you look at their runway presentations, you can see how their clothes are very wearable. A bit minimalist in tone and sculptural in terms of silhouette. Very refined and chic.
I try to live by the rule that what may be obvious to one person may not be obvious to another, as people are getting into hobbies at different points. So for those who are just starting to build a better wardrobe, here's how to shop for clothes online. 🧵
Go to your closet and pull out your best fitting clothes—best button-up shirt, best sweater, best pair of tailored trousers, and best pair of jeans. Lay these flat on a hard surface and measure them with a flexible measuring tape (available online or local craft stores)
For button-up shirts and sweaters, you'll want to take four basic measurements:
— Chest: measure across the front from armpit to armpit. Make sure shirt is buttoned
— Shoulder: measure across the back from shoulder joint to shoulder joint. Use the shoulder seam to guide you.
Not true. There are skilled craftspeople of every ethnic background (also hucksters who pose as real craftsman, but are not). Here are some artisans of Vietnamese and Filipino heritage. 🧵
I'll start with one I named in an earlier thread. Bellanie Salcedo is a Vietnamese-American and one-half of Chester Mox, based in the US. She trained for years under a former Hermès artisan, learning the skill of saddle stitching. Everything she makes is completely handmade.
Over the last 15 years, I've gotten all sorts of things from her: folios, belts, coat wallets, and card cases. The stitching is fine and precise; the edge finishing is immaculate. She sources leather from Hermès-owned tanneries. I think her work is world-class.
The thing about the Chinese fashion manufacturing TikTok discourse is that people haven't seen what it takes to build a reputable business. Look at what independent craftspeople go through: years of training, selling to discerning buyers, building a reputation, and expansion. 🧵
This has nothing to do with French vs Asian hands. In my thread, I highlighted many Asian makers. But I've also seen fraudsters (of every ethnic background). People who start up companies, sell shoddy products to uneducated buyers, and then disappear.
What does it take to get someone to fork $1k over the internet for a bag? Hopefully more than a punchy TikTok video! Ideally you read about the craftsmanship from informed buyers, see close up images of the workmanship, and understand how something was made.