The Jumpsuit

My female readers will have no doubt had their share of jumpsuit experiences, either personal or secondary, what with the resurgence a few seasons past. Indeed most stores, from the high street to trendy vintage boutiques, seem to stock a number of all-in-one options and incarnations, from the patterned playsuit to the satin jumpsuit. Of course, as is the way with such things, the offerings for men have been few and far between - if even there at all.

My personal fascination began with the numerous runway shots from the womenswear collections. I wondered whether the trend could possibly be translated across the gender gap, and how one could create a masculine version of those floaty pieces which draped so effortlessly across the wafer thin models. My thoughts followed two distinct paths, that of dungarees and that of the flight suit. Whilst I suppose the most obvious translation of the jumpsuit would be workers' coveralls, that was far too boiler room chic for my liking.


The first encounter I had with the men's jumpsuit in any fashion based sense was with the Spring 2009 offerings from APC, where the navy blue flight suit above was featured. There was something so effortlessly cool about it that it was the single piece in the collection that I can still vividly picture in my mind today as if it were a mere arm's reach from me. The slim cut and simple styling seemed perfect for Spring, and although it was undeniably a jumpsuit, it was not visually overpowering in the way that coveralls so often can be.

The unfortunate side of the APC flight suit was the price. At roughly £200, it was far more than I could possibly afford. However it served as inspiration for me to hunt down a more affordable alternative. Instead of a flight suit designed by a fashion label, I thought I would go straight to the source. The modern flight suit tends to be all zips, elasticated ruching and nomex, which whilst looking particularly interesting, is not really my everyday style.

As such I decided to find an older and decidedly more plain version from an army surplus store. I quite liked the challenge of taking something uniform based and creating an everyday look from it. Uniform is inherently designed to devoid the wearer of individuality, and yet that is something that can never truly be achieved. One need only look at a playground of children in school uniform to see the small changes and personal styles with which they are worn.


Currently playing: Ottoman - Vampire Weekend

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310110

Elegance.

Currently playing: Vordhosbn - Aphex Twin

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A Perfect Sunday

Private Affair
Harper's Bazaar
June 2006
Photography by Carter Smith

Let's go walk on the beach, just me and you.

Currently playing: Milord - Edith Piaf

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240110

I caved.

The mohair wool suit was too nice.

Thank you Jil Sander.

Currently playing: I Made It ft. Birdman, Jay Sean & Lil Wayne - Kevin Rudolf

(as much as I love my bow ties and pocket squares, this song makes me want to pull on a red Damir Doma t-shirt, a Rick Owens leather jacket, Dior Homme 19cm raw denim jeans, these Margiela sneakers, a white Casio watch and rock it out)

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Future Past

A decade later and these designs have yet to crop up. I feel a little cheated. Although, as odd as they sound, the predictions for menswear are oddly astute. Instead of an actual telephone, we carry mobile telephones and instead of a radio, we carry iPods and other portable personal music devices. Now all I need is a container to carry candy for cuties...

Currently playing: Mad - Ne-Yo

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220110

"Think of it this way, at least you'll save money on x-rays"

Currently playing: Boston - Augustana

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A Mohair Adventure

Pink, dark and light blue wool mohair sweater
Handknitted in loose stitches
1979-80
Museum of London

(This is actually a pre-scheduled post as I am currently spending the day in hospital).

My journey started rather innocently, as all good stories tend to, in the Museum of London, where I happened to be looking over their dress collection. A passing reference, barely a whisper, to 'punk' caught my attention - not a style I had thought myself to relate to in any particular way, although I had always had an outsider's interest.

I turned swiftly around to whence the rustle had come, upon which my eyes fell upon a mannequin wearing what I could only describe at the time as a 'dream'. Thinking back to it now and my mind convinces me that the everything surrounding that image went hazy. A black wisp of mohair smoke obscured a red long sleeve top underneath. The wonderful softness of it all was juxtaposed violently with an array of shiny metal zips and heavy buckles that adorned the trousers paired with it below. A look of both incredible fragility and strength, it was made all the more striking when I discovered that the outfit had been worn by a young girl.

The image above is of a mohair sweater also to be found in the Museum of London's collection. Although the dreamy wisps of black seemed to have drifted their way quite welcome into my mind, it also made me think of the potential of such a garment. To be precise, I wondered how I would personally take such a garment and make it my own. I admired the softness of the mohair, and with my own penchant for colour, began to imagine an array of colourful sweets and sherbets. My mind always seems to work in curious ways, and for some reason I could not quite shake the idea of pastel sherbets and how those colours would work in mohair.

These mohair sweaters from the late 1970s were bought and worn by young girls. They were, in their own way, following punk fashion. They took their inspiration from the mohair sweaters, as worn by members of the Sex Pistols, available at Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McClaren's boutique on the King's Road, the infamous Seditionaries. One could easily be swept away in the drift that is the mythologisation of Seditionaries/SEX, however its impact cannot be overstated. I had never previously paid images of the clothing produced their too much attention, for ironically I found myself hesitant to approach the images and slogans that were so intentionally shocking.

Original sweater
Seditionaries
1975-79

I decided to search for references to the garments that had inspired these young girls some 30 years ago, and whose celebratory imitations had so enlivened my imagination. The image above is an original loose knit sweater sold at Seditionaries. I was fascinated with the stark contrast of the colours and asymmetrical nature of sweater. Indeed the initial thoughts I had had of brightly coloured or pastel-mix sweaters were temporarily put aside. I found the inherent strength of the black, white and red against the loose knit and soft yarn embodying the entirity of the original outfit which had so greatly inspired me.

A single spark can ignite an entire fleet and send you on a journey you never thought you would take...

(My apologies for the low quality images)

I had this sweater handmade for me, and the knowledge of that individuality is of beauty itself. I am now considering the potential for colour play (similar to my imaginings of Rick Owens washed leather jackets in pastel colours, or Yohji Yamamoto suits in bright block colours).

Of course many of my readers will no doubt see certain parallels between this journey through historical dress and certain contemporary fashion. And this would be an incomplete post not to give that area mention. I speak of course, of Rodarte.

Rodarte
Fall 2008

Rodarte
Spring 2009

Mohair crewneck
Rodarte
$2,760
via Opening Ceremony

Rodarte have given ladies ample opportunity to invest in their technically brilliant mohair constructions, however they also recently released options for men. Opening Ceremony currently stock a number of mohair offerings by Rodarte, although given the price tag I may just stick to my own mohair sweater instead.

Currently playing: Up, Up And Away - Kid Cudi

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200110

"Ay, there's the rub"

P.S. Happy Birthday to a certain somebody.

Currently playing: Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23 - Chopin

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"What in the Dickens?" *

Although the next few days and weeks shall no doubt see a profusion of reviews and coverage, in varying degrees of quality, of the Fall/Winter 2010 collections (Salvatore Ferragamo looks gorgeous), I hope my readers will indulge me the opportunity to peruse back over the Spring 2010 collections.

A quick step into the outside world and one can easily attest to the overwhelming desire that occurs to wrap up warm. Whilst the Fall collections currently showing shall no doubt seem perfect for the current weather, it gets rather odd when one considers that they are intended for the end of a year barely started. Spring may seem forever away, however if one were to make the climb up upon a snowy peak, there is a glimmer upon the horizon which promises something wonderful. Warmer weather, blossoming flowers and birdsongs are not quite around the corner, but they are slowly but surely coming into sight.

Z Zegna
Spring 2010

The fashion calendar often seems focused merely on the newest must-have purchase, and with such an attitude there are those collections and creations which can fall unnoticed into the wayside. Showcased what seems like a lifetime ago in Milan was the Z Zegna Spring 2010 collection. The collection did not really stir up much comment or attention at the time, however it has been one that has seemed to have grown all-reaching tendrils across the landscape of my mind since the seed planted upon its display.

My love affair with historical referencing is no secret, and I would gladly wear a frock coat and high collar given the opportunity. Unfortunately such a literal application of past dress verges into the realm of costume rather than everyday dress. Referencing is therefore the important word, and it is one that I admire in this collection. Removing accessories such as the footwear and hats, and the look as a whole loses the more obvious references, and becomes a suitable modern and sharp look. Indeed the looks shown without the hats have a comfortable and casual elegance to them, which is also lent by the lighter colour palette.

I enjoyed the look of the jackets, with their strong shoulders and nipped in waists, although I do wish that the arm holes had been cut higher than they seem to have been. The shape of the jackets were not far from the very broad shoulders and tightly cinched waists of the early Victorian menswear that may have served as inspiration. Indeed this was a parallel highlighted particularly with the use of the top hats, although admittedly far more casual and slightly slouched.

The cut of the trousers was also quite interesting. The high rise was paired with a very closely cut line, which far from providing a continuous line as would be seen in the Victorian example, followed the contours of the leg rather intimately (most noticeable just below the knees). However perhaps parallels can be drawn to riding breeches, which were often worn on formal occasions during the period. It was this fusion of inspirations and historical references, along with the inherent skill required to make them contemporary and relevant, which I so greatly enjoyed. I suddenly have an overwhelming urge to get my Mad Hatter on...

* I realise that 'dickens' is not a reference to the author in the original phrase, hence the capital 'D'.

My apologies for the recent absence, I have been going through rather a rough period and did not feel comfortable in posting for the sake of posting. Please do bear with me as I catch up with correspondences and blog reading.

Currently playing: Heart Of A Lion - Kid Cudi

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180110

"Just keep going"

Currently playing: Be - Common

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Brace Yourself

I have been on a bit of a quest these past few months where my clothing is concerned, and it has to do with trousers. Well, to be honest, it has to do with braces, however rethinking braces requires one to rethink trousers.

Traditional braces via Albert Thurston

I happen to wear braces, of the clip-on variety, from time to time with my trousers, far preferring them to the rather haphazard accessory that is the belt. Traditionally speaking, a man's clothing ought hang from the shoulders, forming a line downwards, albeit with the preferred nipping in of the jacket around the waist. The trousers ought sit comfortably at the natural waist line (that being the slenderest part of the torso), and be held up, if required by braces. The benefit of the braces are that the trouser hangs in the most preferable way, especially when worn with a suit.

The advent of the belt was such that it changed the way in which men wore their trousers. The trouser moved down from the waist to just above, or indeed riding, the hips. This was the far more comfortable position when wearing a belt as the belt avoided digging uncomfortably into the gut, rather being tightened below. However the belt has a tendency to interrupt the fall of the trousers, often requiring a re-hitching of the trousers, or else creating an odd bagging unless the rise of the trouser is perfectly cut to the individual. Of course this primarily applies to suit trousers, for denim jeans and casual trousers have perhaps evolved into a world of their own.

Braces allow one to wear trousers at their natural position, whilst also being far more comfortable in movement and usage than the restrictive belt. However as trousers have progressed further down the human body, and the popularity of the belt risen, braces have been adapted and changed for those still yearning for the traditional. I speak of course of the clip-on braces, which are but a mere imitation of their proper father, buttoned braces. Unfortunately buttoned braces are somewhat more than marginalised in their usage given that trousers rarely, if ever, are sold today with the required buttons sewn into their waistband.


In order to wear braces, one requires buttons sewn into the waistband of one's trousers. Depending on the type of trousers, they can be both sewn outside or inside of the waistband. The fishtail back is perhaps the most recognisable style in the usage of braces, where, essentially, an additional waistband was added to the main in order to accommodate two higher buttons at the back.

Nowadays trousers in this style seem to exist only in vintage reproductions or confined to those customers still asking for them in Savile Row. As such, the clip on brace is far more abundant, and indeed has seen a minor revival these past few years with a more casual and youthful twist. The problem with this type of braces lie in their method of wearing, in that they pinch the fabric of one's trousers and can actually damage it over time.

Personally speaking, I am not quite in the position to be able to walk into a Savile Row establishment and ask for a formal suit with fishtail back trousers for wearing with braces. Yet, buttoned braces also happen to appeal to me from their more casual application with sportswear (or casual/country wear I suppose it would be called now).

Image above via The Fedora Lounge

High Rise trousers
(£94-125)
via Old Town Clothing

I am rather attracted to the idea of wearing trousers of tweeds, flannels, corduroys and wools with traditional buttoned braces. Although they may not be all that fashionable, I think they are a part of masculine dress history that is far too special to be forgotten any time soon. It may be difficult for me to procure a pair now, but one day...

Currently playing: Skydiver - Cassie

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040110

Daylight
(shot with Nokia 5800)

Currently playing: No Use - Jazzanova

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Fighting History

Whilst it is perhaps hard to find much academic discourse on the development of everyday historical dress, there is much documentation and analysis of battle uniforms and body armour. What this says about human society is perhaps interesting, but lest we are doomed to simply finding bigger and better ways to kill each off, I would like to explore the fashion inspiration that body armour can provide.

The need for armour and protection, along with its morbid implications, is actually quite the intrinsic human trait. Clothing is in its own way a form of protection, where the sword is replaced by the ostensibly less threatening but even more potent power of Nature. Many may see body armour as solely constrained to the realm of the history of warfare, however there is in armour a rich and intriguing development of aesthetics and functions to be found. Indeed fashion designers have often be drawn to the inspiration of body armour, taking the idea metaphorically or, in some cases, rather literally, and playing this against the element of protection already inherent to clothing itself.


I was absolutely fascinated with this historical photographic survey of body armour and war clothing in Japan. Removed from the context of the battlefield there is an elegance and beauty to their crafting and wear. Indeed my personal favourite is the last photograph of the Fighting Monk, with the patterned headdress, complex pleating, layering and shiny metal armguard. I suppose an element of morbid interest is perhaps never far off when viewing such images, for what they represent. However from a purely visual aspect, I find it quite beautiful.

In fact the photographs actually reminded me of the Fall 2007 collection by that master of theatrics, John Galliano. The relationship speaks for itself...


Of course with a more direct adoption of such an inspiration there is always the question of practicality and everyday dress. As such, along with the more costume-oriented looks, there were more diluted and accessible looks. I would personally mix and match pieces from both the more costume and the everyday looks.


But it was Galliano after all, so a little drama towards the end was called for...

(I have to admit that I would happily wear those gloves)

In a total aside...

(John Galliano - Captain Hook)

Currently playing: Always Love - Nada Surf

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