Fall/Winter Season
The Luxury
of Cashmere |
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Cashmere ...
Luxury
Defined
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Greetings!
Thank you to all who wrote in to me about last
issue's Part
I of A Treatise on
Custom-Made Clothing. Frankly, I didn't
realize there was so much interest!
A number of you asked if the quality
principles and styling information was solely
for custom shirts. The answer is no. You
should be seeking the same attributes,
insofar as they are available, in ready-made
and made-to-measure clothing.
Because of the high degree of interest, I am
expanding this series. This issue contains Part
II. More will come in the next issue;
perhaps more thereafter. If you missed Part
I, you'd be wise to read it before trying to
digest Part II.
Again, take me to task: Write back to me with
your
thoughts, positive or not. I'll answer them
(anonymously, of course)
in our upcoming issues.
Finally, for those who have asked about the
basis of my expertise in this field, I have
written a short history of Kabbaz-Kelly &
Sons Fine Custom Clothiers. It will appear in
the next issue.
By the way, our new 2008/2009
Fall/Winter and Holiday items are coming in
daily. A bit more of a
look-see is over there on the left.
Best regards,
Alex Kabbaz
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Caveat Emptor
A Treatise on Custom-Made ClothingPart II |
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by
Alexander S.
Kabbaz, Master Shirtmaker
Copyright � 2003-2008 Alexander S. Kabbaz, All
Rights
Reserved
Last issue I offered an in-depth discussion
of the preferred philosophy of a
true bespoke or custom artisan. It is
time to get down to some of the specifics in
the arena of shirts.
The Shirt
Collar
The "Correct Collar" Rules:
Here I diverge greatly from the vast majority
of common myths. The only hard and fast rule
to which I adhere is as follows, and it is
more the theory of simple optical illusion
than any other. I call it the "Egg on A
Pedestal" Rule:
-
If the client in question is corpulent
(that's P.C. for overly abundant), a
very wide spread collar is unwise. Why?
Picture an
egg sitting atop a shallow mountain peak. The
egg will tend to look rounder and more squat
than if you had balanced that egg atop the
point of an inverted ice cream cone. The
length of the ice cream cone will increase
the perceived height and elongate the
appearance of the egg.
Translate egg into a roundish countenance,
shallow peak into shoulders, and ice cream
cone into close-point collar and you'll
understand. The optical perception of
elongation provided by a closer-point collar
tends to make the rounded face appear
thinner. A good guideline to follow. Aside
from that there are no strict rules except
the obvious opposite circumstance. A
close-point collar coupled with an extremely
narrow face will accentuate the narrowness.
Preference - and work environment -
are the
key considerations in the arena of collar
style.
Collar Style
The diagram to the right shows the various
ranges of collar spreads. The most
appropriate for conservative environments are
2, 3, & 4. Number 1 is the Close Point
referred to above. Number 5 begins the Wide
Spread category. In the majority of work
environments 2, 3, and 4 would be the
logical, safe choice.
Collar Details
A Kabbaz-Kelly edge-stitched moderately
spread collar of Italian Sea Island 2x2 140's
Height
Collar front height needs be in proportion to
neck length. Very long necks can be shortened
in appearance by wearing a collar which is
higher in the front.
Conversely, shorter
necks are lengthened by wearing a collar
which is cut low in the front. Height in the
rear of the collar must relate to the height
of your suit collar. A simple rule-of-thumb
is that one-half inch of shirt collar should
protrude above the rear suit collar. As an
aside, the back of the hair should be trimmed
sufficiently in order that it does not cover
the back of your shirt collar.
Collar Stitching
Edge-stitched topstitching versus
quarter-inch topstitching. Although the
quarter-inch is the more traditional,
edge-stitching blends into rather than
breaking up the flat surface of the collar
and cuffs. Therefore, this look tends to be
"cleaner" in appearance. Personally, I prefer
this clean look.
There are also physical ramifications. The
collar stays in a quarter topstitched collar
cannot be inserted all the way to the collar
point as they can with edge-stitching. Hence,
if the collar point presses against your
collarbone, it may tend to bend up at the
end. Ugh! On the contrary side, there is 1/2"
more loose cloth with the edge-stitched
style. When ironing this style the tendency
for the fabric to bunch up and cause a
wrinkle at the edge of collar, cuffs, or
center placket is greater. Finally,
edge-stitching is harder to sew and therefore
generally avoided - or poorly executed - by
most makers.
A Collar's Tie-Space
"Tie-Space" is the space made when the collar
leaves do not meet at the center front. Quite
simply, this is space left by the shirtmaker
to make room for the tie knot. Obviously,
because the spread of points in a spread
collar already leave adequate space for most
tie knots, this is not an issue with spreads.
Close point collars, however, either need to
be worn with a very narrow tie knot - note
the photo of Tom Wolfe - or need to have
space where they meet in front. As you can
see, the moderately spread Dan Rather collar fits
the tie knot adequately.
Special Dress Shirt Collars
Note the tie-space in the Brooks type
button down, the tab, and the eyelet collars.
In the diagrams, the 'spread diagram' collars
1 through 6 are all made without tie space.
In the Special Collars diagram, the
Brooks-type button down, the eyelet, and the
tab collars all have about one-half inch of
tie-space.
Beyond the
Collar
Sleeve Placket Buttons
Sleeve Placket Buttons and Sleeve Placket
Buttonhole Direction. It is considered
improper to show the skin of one's arms when
having an audience with British Royalty. It
is for this reason that the Sleeve Placket
Button - more properly known as the
Gauntlet Button - came into being. Only
you can
determine how many meetings you plan to have
with the Queen and thereby determine the
necessity of this feature.
On the other hand,
there is a practical application. If you are
in the habit of rolling back your cuffs,
either for working more comfortably, for
washing your hands, or just as a styling
option, the placket button provides the
tension necessary to keep the cuff flipped
up. Conversely, there is no question but that
a properly placed sleeve placket will be
directly below your arm when you are writing
and that therefore that damn button is going
to dig into your arm. Which brings me to
buttonhole direction. A vertically placed
buttonhole will keep the buttonhole centered
upon the button. This will doubly insure that
the damn button digs into your arm. A
horizontally made buttonhole will allow a
half inch or so of movement from side to side
thereby offering you that much freedom to
move the button away from the 'dig point'
without actually twisting the sleeve.
Additionally, when bending your elbow, the
horizontal hole will allow an extra half inch
of expansion for freedom of movement.
However, the shirtmaker will have 1/2" less
leeway to incorrectly mark the vertical
placement of the sleeve placket button with
the horizontal buttonhole.
Draw your own
conclusion.
Hem Gussets
This cute little "styling attribute" is used,
literally, to cover up a lack of sewing
skill.
CustomShirt Pattern
Notice in the rendering of the Individual
Pattern how sharp the three curves are which
comprise the transition from the bottom of
the front hem to the bottom of the rear hem
on each side of the shirt. The sewing 'foot'
used to make the hem is called a "scroll
foot". Its action is to roll under a small
portion of fabric into a finished edge while
placing a stitch designed to hold the rolled
fabric in place. It is a very difficult foot
to use and requires years of practice to
master. Because the hem is hidden in the
trousers, it is usually not considered one of
the more important seams in the shirt.
Therefore, in the mass-production prevalent
in the majority of shirtmaking operations
these days, this step is usually assigned to
the lowest person on the totem pole.
To
eliminate this difficult curve, a different
method of manufacture was designed. In the
traditional method, the side seams of the
shirt are sewn (closed) and then the hem is
sewn. Thus there is a single, continuous,
strong hem stitch all the way around the
entire shirt hem. In the easier method, the
hem is made on each piece
and then the side seams are closed. Where
they join together (side seam, front hem, and
rear hem) there is something I can describe
only as in incompatible, weak ... mess.
Hence, the cute little "Gusset" which, when
wrapped around this mess and stitched, not
only does hide the mess, but also does really
add strength. It is a strength which would
not have been needed as it is inherent in the
properly made (continuous hem thread)
closure. It is a 'mess' which wouldn't need
covering if it didn't exist. But, as the PR
truthfully says, the Gusset really adds
strength.
Draw your own conclusion.
Regretfully, (thankfully?) space in this
issue has run out and I still have a number
of important areas to cover. I suppose this
Two-Part Series has just become a
Three-or-more Part
Series.
Thank you for reading. See you next time ...
and please ... keep those letters and
questions coming!
Next Issue: Coming in Part III
Oft-Asked Shirtmaking Questions and
(Opinionated)
Answers including:
- Cuffs: Styling and Appropriateness
- Split-Yoke vs. One-Piece Yoke
- Hand Sewing vs. Machine Sewing
- Darts: Bespoke Hallmark or Shortcut?
- Fused vs. Traditional Collar
Construction
- The Ethical Considerations of Pricing
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A Quick Look:
The New Cashmere & Cotton Dots! |
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Marcoliani's Incomparable Cashmere &
Silk
socks are equalled only by their Cashmere &
Cotton! This season's style is a stunning,
sophisticated
dress dot. If you've never tried these,
you've really missed out on a special, rare
treat. This is the last year these will be
made until 2010.
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FYI: Forward
Sartorial
Excellence News to
a friend. Email
us their
name. When
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