the tings i see.

The origins of the modern necktie seem to reach as far back as the 16th century.  At this point men of means wore a band of fabric which would wrap around the wearers neck, sometimes in a tight ruffle and sometimes simply drape down the front of their doublet.  These bands were more or less used as an attached bib or napkin.  Cheaper then a doublet and easier to change or clean these bands became a popular way of keeping ones ensemble immaculate.  But, these bands were simply the meager beginnings, the true origins of modern neckwear lay with the cravat.

(L) Duc d’Alençon, 1577, wearing a ‘ruff’ band

(R) Jacques-Louis Davis, 1794, self portrait from prison wearing his cravat

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The first Harrington-style jackets were made by brothers John and Isaac Miller, the founders of the Baracuta company, in 1937 in the town of Stockport, England outside Manchester.  The relatively simple jacket with its stand-up collar two pocket design made it endlessly adaptable to color and situation.  A year after the original jacket was made the Miller brothers sought and received permission from the Fraser Clan chief, Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, to use the now iconic Fraser Tartan in their growing company.  The Baracuta company has now been continually operating for over 70 years under the Fraser Tartan and continues to make the same jacket that started it all, the G9.

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It seems like the the general public or at least the fashion conscious section of it have recently educated themselves on the basic elements of design. Balance, proportion, color, value (hue or intensity), and texture are generally considered to be five of the basic principles of composition.  I mention this because these five elements are important in everything from architecture to painting.

These basic concepts also apply in a big way to our clothes and how we put ourselves together.  There are people who wear thousand dollar suits and look terrible and there are people who look amazing and wear nothing but thrift store t-shirts and no brand jeans.  We all know by now, its how you wear your clothes more then what you wear.  Now don’t get me wrong doing it right with nicer things is always better but, it can be done with very little as well.

Of all the elements to consider texture seems to be the hardest for people to grasp.  In winter we wear lots of things that give texture to our looks.  Materials like tweed and corduroy are obvious but, wool knits and leather can also give different shape and feel to a look.  The hard part is adding texture to our warm weather wear as well.

Silk can take many forms, the most common of which, is obviously very fine and smooth.  Most people don’t realize that silk can be had in a much rougher state.  This fabric is called pongee or “native color” in chinese which has come to mean silk woven in its raw form dyed with natural dyes.

Now one would necessarily want a pongee shirt but, raw silk ties are light enough to wear even in the hottest weather and add that dash of texture to a clean summer look.  The best I have seen are on the Drakes of London website but, there are plenty of companies out there making their own versions.  I picked just a few quick photos to post here.  Just remember you are looking for the texture so, find one that really shows it off.

So, this may be just a pet peeve of mine but, whether you wear a nice suit or you pull a Regis and wear an Express monotone outfit you will look like a slob if you don’t press your clothes.  You do not want to be that guy who is calling his mom/girlfriend/sister whenever he has too look respectable.  Now, any good dry cleaners worth their salt will do a dynamite press job on anything you give them, fold it and had it back clean and ready but, that can get expensive.  And, when it is time to take those shirts or suits to the cleaners by all means have them do the work but, there is still no excuse for not knowing how to properly iron your clothes.  It’s one of the easiest sartorial things one can do and it makes a HUGE difference.  Now, Im not advocating people ironing their t-shirts or their jeans, especially not your underwear or your socks, not even necessarily your oxfords but, there is a time and place for good pressed clothes and when that time comes a man should be ready.

This guy is obviously a professional but, it gives you a good idea of what it takes to do a good job.  The key is a big table and a heavy iron.

TIP: to avoid the sheen that clothes can get after ironing, turn it inside out and iron it from the back without to much pressure.

Although in most cases no one will ever see your iron except for maybe your girlfriend, I personally like my tools to feel like they are solid and made to do a job.  Most irons are marketed to women or college students these days with bright colors, dainty designs and fancy finishes but, there are a few brands that are making solid old fashion irons.  Just black and chrome with the buttons and dials you need not a lot more.  You can find a good one for under 50 bucks so, don’t spend your savings.