vandafineclothing:

thesilentist shares his thoughts on another untipped, unlined six-fold shantung tie of ours!

Our Navy-White Double Bar Shantung tie that he ordered will be released with our next collection on Monday, 23 Jul @ 2000hrs EST (0800hrs HKG/SIN/KUL).

Stay tuned!

thesilentist:

Raw silk necktie from Vanda Fine Clothing — Another beautiful piece of neckwear handmade by the team at Vanda, which is becoming dangerously addicting for me. (You can read my prior review of Vanda’s 6-fold grenadine necktie here.)

If you’ve been following their Tumblr, you’ll have noticed they’re doing quite a few slubby raw silk ties. So, I asked Gerald if they had any navy pieces of neckwear coming in the future and he was kind enough to give me a peek at what fabrics were forthcoming. And I’ll just add that they have a lot of gorgeous fabrics in the pipeline.

I settled on this navy with a double-bar white stripe silk shantung from Italy and placed an order. Gerald was also kind enough to offer to monogram my tie as a preview of their new monograming service they offer. 

As you can see from the detail photos, the handwork is phenomenal and the pictures don’t do the fabric justice. The shantung is amazingly soft despite it’s rough appearance and yet has some toughness and weight to it. 

Like all of Vanda’s ties, it’s 6-fold, untipped with hand-rolled edges, no keeper and this one happens to be unlined, too. The monogram is discretely placed inside one of the folds. I think the monogram is a great touch, especially if you were to give one of these ties as a gift (and Vanda ships each tie in a great giftbox, too). 

As for how it knots, I was a bit worried about the thickness of the raw silk combined with the 6-fold construction would make for a bulky knot, but as you can see it works just fine and leaves a good dimple rather easily. 

Overall (and unsurprisingly), I’m more than satisfied with the purchase. The ties from Vanda are something really great.

Source: thesilentist

vandafineclothing:

Presenting the first of many bespoke-prototype shirts for our friends (now guinea pigs)! Fit needs tweaking, and the work could stand to be finer, but we’ll get there..

Handwork everywhere because we enjoy doing it - collar, yoke, sleeves hand finished, buttonholes hand sewn, hem hand rolled, monogram hand embroidered.

Must always reblog…

mostexerent:

*From last year (when I was a suit wearing frustrated executive for a IT Research & Consulting firm, as opposed to now a free wearing executive for the Orchard) - but will answer the recent slew of emails/messages. 

COVER YOUR ASS

There is a common misconception that one should have the length of their jackets as short as possible to give the perception of hight via longer leg balance to shorter body. Unless you are a ‘hipster’ & going for that certain look that will make you cringe next season, don’t read on.

The same goes for the misconception of shorter men must avoid cuffs with pants.

BAR-HUMBUG!

There is no actual quantum science or emperical measure as we are all blessed with different body proportions as shapes.

But in my opinion it is best to understand your body proportions & shape then adhere to some certain guidelines not rules to make you look your best:

  1. Jacket MUST cover your ASS
  2. Sleeves of jacket should be no shorter than the natural flex point - where your hand meets your wrist (I will elaborate on my technique later) & not past where your thumb meets your hand
  3. Jacket MUST cover your ASS
  4. Shoulder of jacket not sit before or no more than 2cm from the end of your natural shoulder
  5. Jacket MUST cover your ASS
  6. Body of jacket not be so tight that you look like an extra from some bad commercial shoot of certain ‘FASHUN’ brands or Men’s “STYLE” magazines
  7. Jacket MUST cover your ASS
  8. The actual buttoning point at your natural waist (give or take a cm, lower is better) & you natural waist is roughly where your belly button is. DO NOT GET CONFUSED with wearing jeans as they tend to sit on YOUR HIPS, unless you have progressed to Grown Man Style dungarees ;)
  9. Jacket MUST cover your ASS
  10. Pants should sit as close as possible to your natural waist (see above) - pants are not jeans
  11. Jacket MUST cover your ASS
  12. Good tailoring is not tight fitting, good tailoring provides movement
  13. Jacket MUST cover your ASS

As mentioned in an earlier post, Patrick Johnson (tailor) & I changed a few minor measurements with this suit to keep it as ‘classic’ as possible compared to my other suits.

  1. Jacket is nearly 2cm longer (see comparison to yesterdays flannel chalk stripe) to add an unbroken line
  2. ‘Roped’ versus ‘soft’ shoulder or ‘con rollino’ v ‘spalla camicia’
  3. Waist points or buttoning dropped by 1cm & retained circumference measurements
  4. Higher sleeve hole to add elegance & to lengthen the torso
  5. Sleeve shape & length the same
  6. Different pocket treatment (actually tucked in the flaps)
  7. Pants are same

What do we see?

Other than the grey suit looking more English & the navy chalk looking more Italian - see the difference.

Where the (sleeve) ends

“My method” as no tailor I know uses this but agree it works for me

  1. Stand “naturally” & let arms hang “naturally”
  2. Raise hands so that they are parallel to the floor - yoga helps
  3. Jacket sleeve kisses back of hand with no break, this is ‘my’ natural flex point & where I try & make sure all my sleeves finish
  4. Ask tailor to pin or take measurement
  5. Walk around & start again to make sure it is the same

Now have a look at the full body shots & see the consistency & the effects this gives me.

Is there a natural flow from shoulder to arm to wrist point & where the jacket finishes.

Finally - if your jacket body is too short (as in not covering your ass), your sleeves will look too long & hence throw the whole visual proportions out & the above will make no impact.

FWIW I am:

  • 5’7” or 175 170cm. Not of model height
  • 160 lb or 73 kg. Too many burgers & dumplings
  • 18.5” or 47cm across the shoulder. So wider than what my height dictates if I was ‘average’
  • Rather not disclose my waist. Too many burgers & dumplings

The most important message - find a GOOD tailor that you connect with & TRUST him or her.

Details | Suit - P Johnson for GW | Shirt - Ascot Chang for GW | PS - Facconable | Tie - 15 YEAR OLD Channel (sheesh I have an old passport picture of me wearing this same tie) | Hoofs - John Lobb “Phillip II” on 7000 last for Leather Soul

mostexerent:

Day trip to Mexico (Melbourne, Australia) for some coffee & Bombolone!

*IMO the M65 jacket in navy, khaki or what ever military inspired colour is an essential garment for life’s journey. I have a few in different weights now & will continue buying them.

Wear them over a shirt, t-shirt or even a sports coat as a protective layer.

The pockets are ideal for travel or a night on the tiles!

Don’t look back wondering - just get one..

Details | Jacket #1 - MUJI M65 | Jacket #2 (part of suit) - Patrick Johnson Loro Piana wool/cashmere for GW | Scarf - Yohji Yamamoto | Shirt - Ascot Chang for GW | Jeans - Rapha | HoofBoots - Edward Green Top Drawer “Shannon” for Leather Soul for GW | Bag - Ettinger for The Armoury