Put This On

Q and Answer: The Partially-Lined Blazer

Layton writes: I recently bought a Paul Stuart tweed blazer on eBay. I’m happy with the way it looks on me, but it seems to be missing the liner on the inside that all blazers and suit jackets I have ever worn or seen have. Did the seller remove the liner, or are some blazers sold without one?

A jacket’s lining has three purposes.

The primary functional purpose is to allow the coat to slide freely on and off, and to hang freely when worn. The lining also provides some measure of additional warmth, and it covers up the guts of the coat, meaning that seams can be left unfinished without looking sloppy.

Until the latter part of the 20th century, the norm was for coats to be made from heavier fabric (for drape), with lining only where necessary. That meant that the sleeves would be lined (so your shirt wouldn’t catch), the shoulders would be lined (so that the back would hang smoothly without bunching), and the chest would be lined (to cover the canvassing and provide for pockets). This meant that exposed seams - in the back of the coat and sometimes in the lower part of the front as well - had to be taped (wrapped with a sewn ribbon) so they’d be presentable and durable.

When the suit coat became a mass-produced product, manufacturers realized that it was cheaper just to leave the seams unfinished and cover them up with a lining. Things were a bit more clammy in a fully-lined coat, but this was less important as the jacket’s primary cloth became more and more lightweight.

When one finds a partially-lined coat these days, it’s generally either a high-end product or designed for summer wear. Since I prefer to wear a heavier cloth, given the opportunity, I like a less-lined coat when possible.

The lining, by the way, is almost always made of bemberg, an early semi-synthetic fabric (invented in the teens) made from plants. If your suit is lined with polyester, it’s probably crap. (If it’s lined with silk, you’re probably super sweaty.)

Q and Answer: Can I Repair Frayed Shirt Collars and Cuffs?

David asks: I do a lot of thrifting button-down shirts. Sometimes I’ll get attached to a shirt even if it’s slightly past its use-by date - when there’s fraying around the cuffs or collar. I’ve thought about fabric glue, but I’ve never tried it and I’m not sure if it’s really worth the effort. Should I just suck it up and get a new shirt or are there any decent options to repair mild fraying?

It’s absolutely normal for the collars and cuffs of a shirt to fray before the rest of the shirt is worn out. These parts of the shirt take the most abuse, after all. But can they be repaired?

The answer is yes, but whether it’s worth it to execute the repairs is another matter.

When a man’s clothes were made for him, it was normal practice to repair them before replacing them. The cost of making clothes one at a time is much higher than it is to make them on an assembly line, and tradespeople capable of making repairs were plentiful. It made economic sense to maintain the clothes you had. Today, that math is less clear - if you maintain your shirts this way, it’s more likely to be a personal choice than an economic one.

The fraying at the collars and cuff cannot be repaired, per se. The cost of reweaving it would be extraordinarily prohibitive. That leaves you with a few choices.

First, you can leave it frayed. Particularly heavier weight shirts like oxford button-downs almost seem more at home slightly frayed than brand new. The old-money aesthetic values that guide their wear suggest that you wear them into the ground rather than replace them. These values have been aped by manufacturers who often sandpaper the edges of oxford shirts to fray them intentionally. Your goal here is to achieve a Prince Charles’ shoes level of wabi-sabi.

Second, you can turn the collar and cuffs. This is just what it sounds like. The collar and cuffs are removed and reversed, so that the inside is out and the outside is in. This works best with double cuffs, and can be problematic with shirts that have pockets for collar stays. Even so, a tailor can generally replace one side of the collar with fabric from the shirt’s tail. This may cost twenty or thirty dollars.

The most drastic step is to replace the collar and cuffs. If you’ve seen dress shirts with white collar and cuffs, this practice was the origin. Since matching fabric won’t be readily available (and won’t match anyway, given the number of washes the shirt will have been through), a plain white collar and cuff can be used. Again, this option comes with a significant cost, but if you’re dealing with a very fine dress shirt, it may well be worth it.

If your shirtmaker or tailor doesn’t offer these services, there are mail-order options, like Maldonado’s, who charge $20 to replace a collar and $12-15 to replace cuffs..

Q and Answer: What Kind of Shoes are Best for Snowy Days?

David asks: Is it OK to wear leather soled shoes through the snow, or should I really get Dainite?

If you’re just concerned about your shoes, almost any kind of sole - leather or Dainite - will be fine in the snow. Just make sure you follow the sacred rule of putting in shoe trees after you take your shoes off, and giving them a day of rest in between each wearing. If you don’t let the leather naturally dry out, you’ll really shorten your shoes’ lifespan.

If you’re asking for your own safety, I would recommend Commando soles. There’s a lot of academic research on this that you can read through Google Scholar. Like in most research, however, there’s a lot of bickering about variables, measurements, and definitions. Still, researchers agree on a few things.

First, leather soles can be dangerous on wet, smooth surfaces. There is debate on whether Topy soles make a difference, but most scholars agree that rubber soles with treads or cleats will provide four to five times better traction. This means they’ll better in foul weather conditions. Second, it’s better to have more heel-to-surface contact, which means Commando soles will be better than Dainite. A Commando sole is what you see above in the left hand picture, and Dainite is what you see on the right. 

For what it’s worth, I’ve used Topy-ed leather, Dainite, and Commando soles on snowy days and haven’t killed myself, but I do find that Danite and Commando perform slightly better than simple rubber protectors. Lug soles can be a bit clunky, but as you can see in the left-hand picture above, Alden has a model with recessed treads at the forefront’s edge. This will give you a slightly cleaner look. If need to wear dressier shoes, I recommend a studded Dainite or maybe using galoshes. 

Q and Answer: What Size Overcoat Should I Wear?

William asks: If I wear a 38 regular blazer, what size overcoat should I be looking for?

You should look for your suit and blazer size when buying an overcoat. Manufacturers size with the expectation that you’ll be wearing an overcoat that you’ll be wearing an overcoat over a suit jacket or sport coat. If you wear a size 38 jacket, you’ll want a size 38 overcoat.

If you don’t expect to wear the overcoat on top of another jacket, you may want to consider sizing down one size. And of course you’ll always want to try on or check measurements, as they vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. While the vast majority of brands size overcoats by coat size, it’s not universal.

Generally speaking, you’ll want the chest of the overcoat to measure 2” larger than your actual chest size for a snug fit, and 4” or so larger than your actual chest to fit over a suit jacket.

Q and Answer: How Formal Are Bow Ties?

Ken asks: Is a bow tie more, less, or equally as formal as a long tie, or does formality depend on pattern/texture etc? What about a diamond tip bow tie v. a traditional bow tie?

Bow ties aren’t really more or less formal than long ties. They’re different.

The most formal occasions call for bow ties. For black tie or white tie events, the black or white tie in question should always be a bow. These ties, of course, are very specific - either satin or grosgrain, in solid black or white.

Because of this association with evening and dinner clothes, any color bow tie is particularly at home after dark. It’s a little more fun than the long tie, and so it travels well to parties, openings and the like.

During the day, though, I’d describe it as a more casual choice. It’s certainly more eccentric. You can wear a bow tie in a business context, but only in a business context where it’s appropriate to stand out. Because stand out you will, even at a meeting of Republican thinktank employees or popcorn magnates.

One aside: when wearing a bow tie, remember that it will leave much more shirt visible on your chest. For this reason, the bow looks best with a three-button coat, or a waistcoat. Without that higher V, the expanse of shirt will make the outfit look unbalanced.

Q and Answer: How Should You Store Your Shoe Care Supplies?

Matt writes to ask: Can you suggest a kit or supply chest for shoe care products?

Ethan Desu once wrote something that I liked very much. He said that you should enjoy the process of polishing shoes, not just the results. Ethan learnt to polish shoes with a friend who liked to sit around, drink tea, and talk all afternoon. Polishing shoes was just a good excuse to do those things. 

I find a lot of truth in that. I personally polish shoes alone, but I find the process very calming and meditative. Though you don’t need a supply chest to enjoy the process, having something nice can make it feel more special. Let’s review some options, going from the highest-end to the most affordable. 

If money were no object, you can get a shoeshine kit from Ephtée (pictured above). Ephtée is a French company that specializes in handmade, customized shoe trunks and storage sets. Their supply chests cost anywhere from $600 to $1,500, depending on the box and what you get in it. A Suitable Wardrobe also has three incredibly handsome options that cost between $285 and $800. These are all very expensive, to be sure, but they’re the nicest I’ve seen anywhere and they come as complete kits. 

A bit more affordable, though still expensive, is Orvis’ Gentleman’s shoeshine kit. It’s made by Col. Littleton, a Tennessee manufacturer of upscale leather goods. I find the finishing details on the box to be very nice. Saphir also makes a great kit. Both of these cost about $200 and I think they would make for fine gifts this Christmas.  

There are many options below $200 as well. Famaco has some leather carriers in large and small sizes. The smaller one may be especially good if you travel often. There are also a number of traditional wooden boxes that can be had for under $50. Bexley has one in a natural color, and Shoe Shine Kit, Shoe Care Supplies, and Shoe Tree Marketplace have some with various finishes and engraving options. For even more affordable buys, do a search on eBay for shoe shine box, shoe shine kit, and shoe shine stand. You can also browse Etsy for the same terms. There are literally hundreds of options on those sites, many of which cost about $25 or so. 

Finally, though it’s nice to have a fancy box specially designed for shoe supplies, don’t forget you can use almost any container. Jesse recently won this auction for a vintage sport-and-field shell carrier. It was made by Abercrombie and Fitch back when they were a fantastic, upscale sporting goods store and not disturbingly bad, teen apparel merchandiser. The carrier was originally meant to hold shotgun shells, but I think it would be perfect for shoe care supplies. If you live near good flea markets, you can probably find something just as great for not too painful of a price. 

Q and Answer: Can I Wear a Tie and a Button-Down Collar?

Matthew asks: I’ll often wear a knit tie with a button-down collar.  I figure, a casual tie for a casual shirt.  But I can’t find much of a consensus on wearing other ties with one.  What are your thoughts on the particulars of ties with button-down shirts?

Here’s the short answer: yes, you can wear a tie with a button-down collar.

The longer answer, as it always does, has a bit more complication.

The button-down collar is a particularly American style. The oxford-cloth button-down is so beloved that in menswear circles it’s become known simply as the OCBD. The collar, originally invented for sport, has become the definitive shirt style for both casual and more formal dress in the United States. Just because it’s a genuine icon, though, doesn’t make it appropriate for every situation.

There is, of course, a heirarchy of formality in shirts. Speaking generally, double cuffs are more formal than single cuffs. Collars grow more formal as their spread widens. Fabrics with harder finishes are more formal than those with softer finishes. Button-down oxfords are the most informal of all. Still, we live in an era where half of the covers of GQ magazine feature men wearing skinny ties with plaid sport shirts, so there’s still plenty of room for the tie-and-button-down combination.

If you live outside the United States, wearing a tie with a button-down collar may be affectedly American, or even inappropriate. I certainly wouldn’t do it if I worked at a London financial services company, for example. Of course, I wouldn’t likely wear a button-down collar much if I lived outside the United States, so it simply wouldn’t come up.

Inside the United States, I think your instincts are absolutely correct. I tend to wear a button-down casually. They pair well with sportcoats, especially casual, texture-y ones, and they look great with knit ties and bows. In fact, I generally prefer button-down collars with both of those tie styles.

The more American your aesthetic, the further you can push this - if you buy all your clothes at J. Press and wear nothing but sack suits, like George H.W. Bush, you can wear a button-down in almost any situation. If you’re of the Anglophilic persuasion, or tend to wear Italian styles, they’re not particularly suitable, even with a blazer or loud checked coat.

If you want to wear a button-down collar with a suit, you’re entering dangerous territory. Above is a famous photograph of Cary Grant in a button-down and suit. It’s a picture that often comes up when people argue about the subject of whether the two are an acceptable pairing. Cary Grant looks great, so as a general rule, I’d say that if you’re Cary Grant, you can wear a button-down with a suit. I’ll also make an exception for the kind of dyed-in-the-wool trads who have sworn a blood oath against suit darts and dress every day like they were going to a meeting at the Dean’s Office at Harvard in 1964. And heck, while I’m at it, I’ll make an exception for the most casual of suits - corduroy.

For all us normals, though, it’s almost never a good move. The best case scenario is that you’ll make it to the level of the inoffensive dress of an insurance conference attendee from Dubuque. The worst case scenario is that you’ll fall short, and end up at the offensive dress of an insurance conference attendee from Dubuque. It’s really not worth the risk.

Q and Answer: How Should You Protect Your Suede Shoes?

Brett writes to ask: I have a pair of suede plain-toe bluchers coming from Alden.  What do you do, if anything, for protection or treatment?

Some people think suede shoes are too delicate and need babying, but in actuality, if you know how to take care of them, they’re easier to maintain than regular calf. You don’t have to condition, polish, or wax them every couple of weeks, after all. Here are some basic maintenance tips:

• Apply a waterproofing spray to protect them from stains and water. Brush with a suede brush before and after the spray. I use Allen Edmonds’ spray protectors and brushes.
• If you get a stain, use a suede eraser. Again, I use Allen Edmonds’.
• If you get mud on them, let the mud dry overnight and brush it off with a stiff brush (eg a nail brush). If there is some remainder dirt left, wipe it off with a clean, damp cloth or use the suede eraser.
• In most cases, if your shoes get wet, they should be fine. In some cases, however, they can be left with water stains. It may sound counter-intuitive, but in those situations, I recommend you wash your shoes, like this.
• If your stains are more serious, such as those from oil or grease, you may be in trouble. Try brushing it off with a stiff brush and applying the suede eraser. If those don’t work, hand wash them. A last ditch attempt could be to just take them to a cobbler for a professional cleaning. If all those fail, you’ll have to either tell yourself the stain is a “patina” or resign your shoes. 
• If your suede shoes are old, hold them over a pot of boiling water and let the steam hit it. After that, brush them with a suede brush. This should restore the material’s nap and luminescence.
• The above should be done in addition to all the other things you should be doing for your shoes: Insert unvarnished, cedar shoe trees whenever you’re not wearing your shoes; let them have at least a day of rest in between each wearing; and use shoe horns when you can.
• Don’t be afraid to wear them in more inclement weather, either. I personally wouldn’t recommend wearing them at the end of winter, when there is a bunch of half-melted, dirty, slushy snow outside, but almost any other time is fine. I wear mine more or less year round.

In the end, remember: shoes are meant to be worn. There’s a difference between aging well and aging poorly, but your shoes are always going to age. If you invest in quality shoes and do the above, they’ll age well and actually look better than they did when they were brand new.

Q and Answer: What’s the Difference Between Chukka Boots and Desert Boots?

Derek writes to ask: What’s the difference between Chukkas and Desert Boots?  They seem to be all the rage right now.

This is a sort of square/rectangle situation. All desert boots are chukkas, not all chukkas are desert boots.

Chukka boots get their name from polo - a chukka is a period in that sport. They’re a two- or three-eyehole ankle-high boot like the dark brown ones pictured above. They can be made in anything from canvas to shell cordovan, it’s their form that makes them chukkas.

Desert boots are a specific subset of chukka boots. Like chinos, their popularity stems from WWII soldiers (and surplus-sellers) bringing them home from the war, and the emergence of casual style in the 1950s. They’re based on the boots worn in desert campaigns by British soldiers. They always have crepe rubber soles. The classic style is the light suede seen above, though crepe-soled chukkas come in all kinds of leathers.

Q and Answer: Which Shirt Cuff Button Do I Use?

Brandon asks: I was wondering which button to use on a barrel cuff shirt.  There are two buttons to fasten my sleeves, those that would make the cuff tighter and those that would allow them to be looser.

This is an easy one!

As Carl Goldberg demonstrated in our “Body” episode, commercial cuffs are almost always too big, not too small. They should never be able to slide further than the midway point between your wrist and thumb.

That means you should always use the button that makes the cuff smaller, unless you’re wearing a very large watch or have exceptionally big wrists.