The classic look.

[Mr. Rover]

 

[Marc Chevalier]

The propaganda from Sholte (or at least his admirers) was that the drape suit worked for all body types - "made a he-man out of everyone", to quote Chenoune.

No argument here; we're in agreement.

As I've said in the past, American suitmakers jumped heavily on the drape suit bandwagon because they saw it as an opportunity to render all previous suits obsolete. Sell, sell, sell!

.

 

[Wild Root]

I'd take Root's image, slim the shoulders and make the chest less roomy. Then that would be THE classic style. (Long running argument over the aesthetics of drape, here continued once more.)

bk

And as the horse lays in the dark shadows of the stable, smelling of rotten flesh and flies all around, having been dead for months... we find BK giving a long dead "Non-drape VS drape style" horse a swift kick in the ribs.lol

That would be the "Classic" British style. What I posted was an image from 1941 which most "Non vintage minded" folks would consider the classic American period of men's fashion... and I meant to include the 30's in that too. The fashion industry is constantly going back to these styles for ideas and they seem to be constantly missing the mark. They'll take a little 30's here, a little 40's there, and a pinch of 70's there... then, you have what we have today... I wont say, I don't approve of swearing on the lounge but, you get the general "Drift" as you might say!

BK, you're a good Joe, I'm happy you know what you like and you wear it well! Your the right kind of size to find what you want... LUCKY!

We all have different ideas of what we consider "Classic" but, I was just sharing my ideal of what comes to mind when that term is used in reference to men's fashion.

=WR=

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I don't see anyone arguing about this at all. None of us were, or are.

Drape suits were heavily marketed in America in the later '30s. As a result, American men bought and wore them. Drape suits were a brief but widespread phenomenon U.S. menswear, and therefore the topic deserved the Fedora Lounge's attention.

Very few, if any, of the vintage drape suits still around are of the extreme variety; the more sober ones that survive tend to look good on taller guys who have (or want to have) "v"-shaped physiques. Guys like Root and me.

Both Root and I agree that drape suits are not to everyone's taste, and that they don't look good on certain physiques. Both of us I have owned non-drape vintage suits. And both of us think that Baron Kurtz's and Herringbone Kid's non-drape suits are terrific.


"Any resemblance to an argument, both living and dead, is strictly coincidental."


.

 

[Wild Root]

I don't see anyone arguing about this at all. None of us were, or are.

Well, no one was arguing this, it's just been argued before in other threads... merely a joke on the topic that seems to go around and around, debated and debated.

=WR=

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Really? I thought the subject came up only recently. How many years has this been going around the Lounge?

.

 

[Wild Root]

For a wile... it started soon as BK became a member.lol (Kidding you BK, you're OK in my book)

=WR=

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Silly. Worth learning about, but not worth arguing about.

.

 

[Wild Root]

Well, I never said we argued, I'd say it was over debated. It always comes up when a drape style is posted.lol Then, here comes the "Non drape" party members to make their opinions known! (For those who are members of said party, know I'm only having some fun, I love you guys and your choice of style!)

Now, back to the original topic!

=WR=

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Enough about V shaped physiques, how 'bout those of us who are shaped more like an "O"?

 

[Marc Chevalier]

That's Charles Atlas's territory.

No, wait: he dealt with skinny little dudes.

.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

"What is THE classic look. Is it a wide brim, tall crown, vintage fedora hat with a double brested suit, a pinpoint shirt and cuff links? Or is it a small, stingy brim fedora with a 2 button suit and a skinny tie? Does the classic look always contain a pocket square or fedora? Do you always have to have a suit on to remain looking classic? Or can you wear a pair of jeans a casual polo with a fedora and still be classic? Do you have to be a certain age or have a certain personality or look on your face to be classic like every 1940's actor or dresser? Opinions? Comments?

J.J."


There. Happy now?

.

 

[Wild Root]

YES!

Thank you ever so much... now, what do you feel the "Classic look" is Marc?

=WR=

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Look in the mirror.

.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

When I think of Classic Style, I think of the basics: blue blazer, stripe ties, wing-tips, white shirt and tan pants, or pin-stripe suits, white dress shirts,and a bold tie. -But maybe that's just the Boston banker in me.

I think there are other classic looks: black polo with tan or gray pants; seen on everyone from George Clooney to Cary Grant to Gene Kelly.

Jeans with a T-shirt and a leather jacket is a classic look; not for me, but classic nonetheless. Some looks may be stylish, but not classic.

I believe a look becomes classic when it becomes iconic.

As an aside, I'm going to do a little pruning on this thread because I think it is a very good and important thread, and I do not want it to lose its way.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I think there are other classic looks: black polo with tan ... pants.

That's me at this very moment!
Whaddaya know? I'm classic!

.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

That's me at this very moment!
Whaddaya know? I'm classic!

.

I've always thought so. I've seen a few photos of you and you are. I especially liked your wedding photo, your last avatar, I believe.

So, will shorts, T-shirt, and baseball cap become classic?

See, I look at it this way: a gray suit with a pale blue shirt and a dark blue tie with conservative shoes, say wing-tips or cap-toes is classic.

The same suit with a modern trendy patterned dress shirt paired with a modern trendy tie can be very sharp and very well-dressed, but it is not classic.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I've always thought so.

So, will shorts, T-shirt, and baseball cap become classic?

First of all, my wife and I thank you.

Second, I think that shorts, a t-shirt, and a baseball cap can look just fine if they're clean, pressed, well-fitting, and used less than daily. (Unless the wearer is in a very hot and dry -- or humid -- place, in which case he/she will probably need to wear them all the time.)

Classic? I don't know. Acceptable? Under certain circumstances.

.

 

[Wild Root]

Look in the mirror.

.

Ah, thanks... flatterer!

=WR=

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Some people seem to embody classic style. Fred Astaire leaps to mind as is pictured above. Cary Grant is another. Was Cary ever seen out of classic attire, or did his attire become classic simply because he wore it?