When I was on a menswear forum, navy trousers were of great controversy. Discussions about them lasted many years, resulting in long-lasting rivalries. Sometimes people refrained from speaking about them out of fear of dredging up old debates.

Here's a thread on navy pants 🧵

https://twitter.com/VolbeckWasRight/status/1926328988521091247

First, I should state at the outset that there's no way to have this conversation without, in some way, speaking crudely about certain classes of people. I make no judgements about their worth or dignity. I am only describing the semiotics of men's dress.

I get this question a lot. I don't have strong views on how transmasc people should dress, but since I often get the question, I've thought about it a bit. Will share some thoughts in this thread. 🧵

https://twitter.com/SellYourVoodoo/status/1924909428366774482

My general feeling is that this question often approaches the idea of style from a perspective I don't share. I don't believe in approaching dress first from the perspective of body type. For instance, there are a lot of guides online that break down body types like this.

I don't think people such as Hegesth are intentionally choosing to dress like this to signal they're "not like the swamp." I think we're simply in a generational change in terms of taste. Will show some examples. 🧵

https://twitter.com/RealTmDaddy/status/1924648377897168984

A hundred years ago, men's dress was governed by time, place, and occasion (TPO). If you were of a certain social position and had to do a certain thing, you were expected to wear certain outfits. If you didn't know these rules, a tailor would tell you.

Anthony Constantino, CEO of Sticker Mule, says that he would use a US manufacturer for his company's t-shirts. However, he feels the US company doesn't meet his quality standards and they "must maintain quality."

So what constitutes a quality t-shirt? Let's find out. 🧵

https://twitter.com/ac132/status/1923043984412209419

For reference, I'm comparing Sticker Mule's t-shirts (made in Nicaragua) to Bayside Apparel (fully made in the US from fiber to finish). Sticker Mule charges $19 for their t-shirts. Organizations that print on Bayside blanks sell their merch for $27.

It's very hard to find a suit jacket that can be worn with jeans, assuming you mean the kind of suits that would be worn for business. Let me show you. 🧵

https://twitter.com/GaucherAndrew/status/1921038800152609004

What do we mean by "suit?" The term suit simply means that the jacket and pants were cut from the same cloth. You can have corduroy suits or linen suits. But when most people say suit, they mean the kind of outfits that would be worn for business, funerals, and court.

I disagree. In this thread, I will tell you what's wrong with Stephen Miller's outfits. Hopefully, this will help you judge whether a suit fits when you're shopping for one. 🧵 For context, here is the video that @FischerKing64 is responding to. Can you spot the issue with this suit?

Sure. I'll give a breakdown of why most people think the right pant is better. 🧵

https://twitter.com/grandpairoh/status/1920170255797924118

For reference, the reply is in response to this video, where it appears the majority of people like the right pant better on this person. Why is this?

IG justin__kwan

pretty great

There are lots of misconceptions in the replies to @mattyglesias's post below. Will address some of them in this thread. 🧵

https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/status/1918673847152263309

"We no longer make clothes in the US."

Not true! US-made clothing has always existed. However, the quality stuff struggles because people are often not willing to pay what it costs to produce these items. These items will only get more expensive with tariffs, not less.

I can answer this question.

Here's how these tariffs can affect the average American. 🧵 Although tailoring has mostly receded from daily life, it continues to be the expected uniform for some of life's most important moments, such as weddings and funerals.

This is true. Here are some things you can wear to a funeral. 🧵

https://twitter.com/Old_School_3D/status/1916182373475004829

If someone has died, consider attending the funeral in black tie (also known as a tuxedo in American vernacular). Black, as we know, is the color of mourning, so black tie shows respect for the deceased and their family.

Here's some basic info that you may not have considered if you're just starting to buy tailored clothing, such as suits, sport coats, and overcoats. 🧵

https://twitter.com/DCBrooks/status/1915598834438463784

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.

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.

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.

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. 🧵

https://twitter.com/mikerafilawyer/status/1913778084244766983

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)

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.

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.

https://x.com/dieworkwear/status/1911866349447684466

This video has made the rounds on nearly every social media platform—and like others in its genre, it's led people to reduce fashion production to overly simplistic narratives.

So let’s take a look at why this bag might not be quite the same as the one you’d find at Hermès. 🧵 Most people have a very functional relationship with their wardrobe. They choose garments for their utility—warmth, comfort, protection from the elements. In this context, quality is measured by durability and function: how long a piece lasts and how well it does its job.

How much do you think it costs to make a pair of Nike shoes in Asia?

I'll show you. 🧵 In 2014, Steve Bence served as Nike's Program Director in Footwear Sourcing and Manufacturing. He pulled back the curtain on manufacturing in an interview with Portland Business Journal. He said that, if a sneaker retails for $100, it generally costs them about $25 to manufacture

"China makes crappy clothes anyway, so who cares?"

This is a very outdated view. Let me show you just one shop in Beijing, which I think makes clothes that surpasses Loro Piana, The Row, or whatever luxury ready-to-wear brand you can name. 🧵 Atelier BRIO Pechino started as a multi-brand store that held trunk shows with bespoke tailors and shoemakers from around the world. Over time, they've developed as their own tailoring house, which I think excels bc of the proprietor's high taste and their craftspeople's skills.

I support the US garment industry. I don't believe in making life harder for immigrants or erecting crazy high tariffs. So how can we reshore some of our US garment manufacturing without xenophobia or protectionism? Here's my view. 🧵 This thread starts with three ideas:

First, garment manufacturing has always been done by immigrants—first Germans in the late 19th century, then Jewish immigrants from East Europe, then Italian and Polish, and now East Asian, Latin, and Caribbean.