How young men are looking to the past for wardrobe ideas.
From The Wall Street Journal:
These men reflect what's been going on in American menswear for
several seasons: the revival of a traditionalist aesthetic, which
dovetails at times with the heritage movement. You can see it everywhere
from J. Crew to up-and-coming New York label Bespoken.
"They're not rediscovering old-timey men's shops or department stores
their grandfathers frequented," said Tyler Thoreson, vice president of
men's editorial and creative at Gilt Groupe. "They're going to the new
breed of store that references the past, but in a modern way."
The grandpa-admiration society has a growing number of excellent
outfitters for its pocket squares, patterned bow ties and custom
shirts—from Sid Mashburn in Atlanta and Haberdash in Chicago to Brooklyn
Tailors in New York and Aidan Gill for Men in New Orleans.
Some of the society's card-carrying members have been inspired enough
to start labels of their own. British-born Robert Godley founded
classic-with-a-twist neckwear company Psycho Bunny with his American
partner Robert Goldman in 2006. They use English silks made in a
270-year-old mill that are then sewn by hand in Mr. Goldman's
family-owned third-generation tie workshop in Belleville, N.J. The
collection has grown to include polo shirts, swim trunks and socks.
Mr. Godley, 41, who now lives in New
York, talked about his grandfather Antony Opie, who wore plus-fours when
golfing. "He was always well presented," said Mr. Godley. "He smoked a
pipe and if it was not in his hand you would often see smoke pouring out
of the pocket on his sport coat." Mr. Godley's uniform consists of
bench-made English shoes, a spread-collar shirt under a sport coat and,
of course, a tie. His modern twist: It's all worn with jeans.
Mark "Mac" McMillan, 38, owner of Pierrepont Hicks, the Minneapolis
specialty clothing shop, started his company in 2009 with a collection
of trim and classic ties, partly as a reaction to his own father's
"cheesy and '70s-style wide" neckwear, which was handed down to him. He
has since expanded to outerwear and shoes.
Mr. McMillan said that at least half of his customers are in their
20s, and reported that one of his best-selling items is a square-ended
bow tie inspired by those worn by designer Charles Eames in the '50s and
'60s. What Mr. McMillan thinks is partially propelling a new interest
in dressing well among the younger set is the removal of a men's style
taboo. "It's OK now for guys to discuss clothing the way they discuss
gadgets," he said.
That's one major difference between
these men and their granddads: the element of choice. For the earlier
generation, said Mr. McMillan, dressing well was "just what they did."
"What I love is that the current
generation is discovering the pleasures of putting some effort into how
they look," said Gilt's Mr. Thoreson. "But now it's out of choice, not
obligation."
Men of bygone eras, of course, dressed accordingly out of sheer
respect for themselves and others. In the hazy light of nostalgia, the
first half of the last century has a firefly-catching innocence. It was a
simpler time when men donned hats out of civility, not as affectation.
That feeling in itself can be very attractive in today's fully wired
world. (Read entire article.)
Via
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