Hardwick Clothes to produce 3/2 sacks for Crittenden

Just read this bit of news over at the Seersucker & Tweeds blog. I'm excited. These look really nice. The lapel is not too wide and the shoulders look soft as can be. Apparently they aren't just using the "Max" pattern (a sort-of-secret 3/2 sack pattern Hardwick offers if you ask for it) to produce this, the shoulders being the main indicator.

One point of interest that struck me, besides the reasonable lapel width, was the button spacing. It rather reminds me of the suits worn by Daniel Craig in Skyfall. (Of course, the style details were the only thing I liked about that movie's suits -- the fit was bloody awful.)

Hopefully this won't turn out the way the Norman Hilton relaunch line did, which started off looking sensible but eventually went off the deep end with super-narrow lapels and low rise trousers, then finally died without enough sales to sustain itself.

Made in the USA: Oak Street Bootmakers

If you're not aware, there's been a recent surge in the appreciation and acquisition of made-in-USA goods. Though I cannot say everything I own is made in the USA, it certainly feels good to directly contribute to the slowly-recovering economy. It also feels good when the product is of great quality.

So without further ado, I will start my "Made in the USA" series off with Oak Street Bootmakers.

George Vlagos of Oak Street Bootmakers

Nouveau Vintage: How did you first get into the shoe business?

George Vlagos: From a young age my father, who is a cobbler, had me working at his shop.  In fact, some of my earliest memories are at the shop – I learned how to tie shoe laces by practicing on shoes that my father was working on.  However, when I was in middle school that’s when I first got my start – shining shoes.  On any given Saturday my dad would have a huge pile of shoes on the shining machine, and I would give myself the entire day to work at them.  Then, in high school I started to truly learn the craft – how to Goodyear welt, build stacked heels, etc.  After graduating college, I came back to my dad with a desire to continue my apprenticeship.  It was soon after that, that I started to lay down the roots that would become Oak Street Bootmakers.  Working with shoes has certainly been a dream of mine – and I couldn’t enjoy anything else more.

NV: There are only a few truly American moccasin makers left (that is, company located and product built here) and yet you manage to get a decent amount of press as opposed to, say, Russell Moccasin. Do you think the recent rediscovery of American "heritage" clothing has something to do with it?

GV: The press we receive is truly incredible - especially since we have no 'ad' agency, and actually do not advertise!  I think that the reason for all of the positive press is because we truly craft an exceptional product, and our customer service is second to none.  I think customers really love that when they call Oak Street, they get me on the other end of the line.  Or when they send an email, it's one of two of us who will respond.  It's funny, we've just taken a step back and made things simple - answering phone calls and emails with a smile on our fast, and delivering an honest product.  

NV: What are your plans for the future? Any collaborations with Brooks Brothers, J. Crew, or another clothing company like a lot of footwear makers are doing now?

GV: We've done some collaborations already - most notably, our women's penny loafer that is available in the Levi's neighborhood stores.  We also have some big name collaborations coming out in the next 12 months - but, i'm sworn to secrecy!  It's really an honor to work with so many of these brands that I not only have admired since I was a kid, but have also been a consumer of for countless years.  It's all humbling, and we can't thank our customers enough for embracing a brand manufacturing in the USA.

Thanks to Mr. Vlagos for answering my questions!

Happy Holidays

Hope everyone had a great holiday, whichever it was that you celebrate, and has a happy new year.

Admittedly I've been lax in updating this blog, but Christmas preparations and a new full time job has been occupying me as of late in my defence.

 I'm going to set out to do an "American-Made Month" starting with the new year. A feature each week on great American-made and bred companies. Stay tuned.

Rising above mediocrity in dress

Just read this quote and loved it:

 I do appreciate that it can be tough in a particular type of, shall we say, ultra masculine environment to be the one that rises above the 'couldn't care less' attitude and thus be subject to the occasional ridicule. I was once asked by a fellow possessed of *ahem* 'stunningly droll wit' if I was on my way to Henley Regatta, but as he was wearing trainers with his suit then I was not so deeply wounded. Communication is the goal, absolutely. I don't like to communicate that I will be intimidated by mediocrity.

My feelings exactly.

Trainers with a suit? Only if you're this guy.

Review: RibbedTee Cross Over and CoolWear

RibbedTee has done it again. Newest in their lineup is the "Cross Over" premium t-shirt that can be worn both untucked casually or tucked in as an undershirt -- akin to the Hanes of old. Additionally, they've added a Supima version of the original Classic Fit dubbed "CoolWear".

The fabric of the Cross Over is different from their other offerings in that it's a basic cotton jersey... that feels anything but basic, being a 40-singles combed ring spun. Although not Supima, it feels just like it to me. The fit is much like the Retro Fit in that it's meant to be a tad looser, but still slimmer fitting than most off the shelf undershirts. The length is just long enough to keep tucked but won't look like a dress when worn over your jeans. I think they could make a killing with these offered in other colours like black, grey, red, blue, etc. Much better than any of those crappy quality control, overpriced American Apparel t-shirts for casual wear and great as a basic undershirt. At $24 each it comes at a price, but considering what the competition charges for premium cotton jersey undershirts, it's actually a good buy.

The CoolWear undershirt is versatile in the same way that its predecessor was -- it adapts to both warm and cool weather fairly well. In hotter weather it is rather light and breathable. In colder weather, the ribs help keep in body heat. Quite nifty. The fit is quite body-hugging, but if you wear slim fit shirts this is advantageous in that it slides more easily under them. The Supima cotton is every bit as comfy as on the Cross Over though I find it glides a little more smoothly. The only point of contention is that for the price, I feel it should have shoulder and neckline taping as on the Cross Over and Retro Fit. However, if you're not willing to spend $18 for just one ribbed undershirt, the RibbedTee Classic Fit are still the best undershirt value there is for price versus quality, in my opinion.

RibbedTee continues making great products. The fit and quality for the price always blows me away, especially considering they're able to make these products in the USA. If you've never tried RibbedTee, now is the time. They've got something for everyone.

DISCLAIMER: Nouveau Vintage received material compensation for this review. However, every effort has been made to remain objective.

Sunglasses = extra cool?

Probably not.

Sweater: Old Navy (GASP! SHOCK!)
Shirt: Ratio Clothing
Trousers: Lands' End
Shoes: Sperry Top-Sider

 

Review: Ledbury Fine Shirtmaker (Now updated with fit pictures.)

Ledbury is one of the newer shirt companies borne of the recession that has nonetheless managed to capture an audience and do pretty well for themselves. CEO Paul Trible explains the genesis:

We started Ledbury really out of a love for clothes and our personal experience of great menswear being so difficult to find in the United States. Outside of New York City, it was hard to find clothes that focused on great fit and great quality at an accessible price point. Before the e-commerce boom, it was nearly impossible. I would come back from London to Virginia on holidays, and there was not one place within a three-hour drive where I could buy a shirt. It was either big box retailers that lacked fit and quality or a specialty retailer that sold Italian cloth at $250 a shirt. It seemed like there had to be others out there that were frustrated by the lack of options so we decided to try and address the problem. We started making shirts from Italian fabrics with mother of pearl buttons, that were stitched in Europe and pricing them at $125. Consequently, I think we are able to open up an entirely new market to luxury shirting.

Our time working in London certainly impacted the clothes that we make. In terms of fit, we offer a more tailored shirt that, until recently, would be equated to a more European cut. In terms of style, our most popular shirts are made with rich twills and poplins that are topped with spread collars. Three years ago, everyone in the United States was making workwear with washed oxfords and small button down collars; I think we were able to offer something different with an American take on a more polished English style shirt.

Regarding their  trademark "Short Run Shirting":

We love limited run options for a few different reasons. First, it allows us release a ton of styles. This year alone, we are going to release 150+ new fabrics. Our customers love the variety – we have one customer who has purchased more than 100 shirts in the last 14 months alone. Second, from a design standpoint, it’s more fun for us to continually play with new fabrics, collars and cuts. It’s a great opportunity for us to be a little more creative without taking on too much risk.

They also have some other items available, such as genuine sterling silver cufflinks, a leather belt with a rather unique looking buckle, and a good variety of patterned pocket squares. Trible also said that there were plans for ties, blazers, and scarves this winter which have been in the works for over a year. I can't wait to see what they have on offer. Sadly, for those wanting made-to-measure options, there are currently no plans for it.

I chose three Slim Fit shirts to try on, running the gamut from casual to semi-formal. All of them have the same quality features, some of which aren't listed on their website yet are a pleasant surprise.

• Premium fabrics. All are Italian made two-ply cotton, mostly 100s or 120s thread count.
• Collar stand is fused from the outside in and attached separately rather than fused together with the collar leaves. This prevents it from collapsing and makes it easier to clean the infamous "ring around the collar". Although I still generally prefer collars with sewn interlinings, these are quite comfortable for being fused.
• Mother-of-pearl buttons with thread wrapped shanks. The buttons aren't as thick as many internet shirt aficionados prefer, but they look and feel high quality. The thread wrapped shanks lend a bit of strength so buttons won't come off as easily.
• Slightly lowered second button and ample button spacing. This creates just the right amount of  "V" when wearing the collar open. Pardon me while I geek out... I absolutely love this feature. It's the answer to many situations where an undone collar button isn't enough, yet unfastening the second button starts going into disco territory. Another side effect of the carefully engineered button spacing is that the last button is tucked below the trouser waistband where it belongs, keeping everything straight. Far too many clothiers space their buttons too close and too high on the shirt.
• Pattern matching throughout. Maintains a consistent look and is a mark of high quality and attention to detail.

From left to right: The Blue Oxford, The Blue Gingham Worker, The Tuxedo Shirt

I was initially sceptical of the Slim Fit, reading the dimensions on the website and the fact that it had darts. To my surprise, it's actually one of the best fitting off the rack shirts I've worn. The darts, far from making it feel feminine, give a subtle yet graceful taper at the waist. (Then again, even James Bond has worn darted shirts and no one would question his masculinity.)

Regardless of the choice of fit or fabric, the shirts have no breast pockets or back pleats. The sleeves are attached at a slight downward angle, but not as bad as some retail fashion shirts I've seen. If they were attached straight from the shoulder, this would improve mobility a bit.

Good pattern matching. However, the sleeve attachment would be better if it were straight along the shoulder.

The only other nitpick is that they sell by neck size only, having a standard sleeve length for every size. I'm lucky that I happen to fit the size 16's sleeve length, but others may not be so fortunate. They offer sleeve shortening but cannot lengthen so if, for instance, you wear a 16-36 then sadly you're out of luck. (This is also something made-to-measure or some kind of special order programme would solve.) On the flip side of this, their casual shirts are also sold by neck size, which is a more precise fit than ordering "S-M-L-XL" sizes from other retailers and gives you the option of wearing a tie if you see fit.

But without further ado, let's move on to the shirts themselves.

The Blue Oxford

This is some of the nicest oxford cloth I've ever held in my hands. Made by Thomas Mason, it feels quite rich for a traditionally casual fabric. While I like that their button-down has a wider spread and higher collar stand, I feel it could benefit from non-fused (sewn) interlining in the collar, cuffs, and placket. Many clothing enthusiasts would say it's essential. The classic "OCBD" is a pretty relaxed shirt by its nature, after all. The collar points could also stand to be a bit longer, up to about 3 1/4", and more curved. Along with raising the collar buttons slightly, this would allow the points to roll nicely.

The collar shape is nice, but could use some more roll and a softer construction.

A good closeup of the fabric. All the shirts I received were marked as made in Poland.

The Blue Gingham Worker

Made from two-fold poplin, the small scale pattern is at home worn with chinos all the way up to a suit and tie. It is also light and breathable, which paired with the colour and pattern make it perfect for spring and summer. Features their "Anglo-American" collar, a 4.5" spread with 3" points. This is by far my favourite of the shirts I was sent.

Neatly boxed and shipped.

Horizontal buttonhole at the bottom. Many shirts feature this now, but it's still a nice touch.

The Tuxedo Shirt

The Thomas Mason royal twill used for this shirt is exquisite, sporting pronounced ribs with a tasteful amount of sheen. Made with the "Ledbury" collar, a 5" spread with 2 7/8" points. I mentioned before that the collar stands are fused from the outside in. It's a shame the same attention isn't paid to the double cuffs, which are fused. On a premium shirt they should be made with a non-fused interlining so they can roll back and curve nicely around the wrist. I hope they'll consider this, as I can attest that non-fused double cuffs are infinitely more comfortable as well.

A novel feature is that the next to last button is concealed, so those who forgo a waist covering with their black tie rig will not have any embarrassing buttons showing below the studs. There is an included button strip, but it seems more like a placeholder than an alternative to studs, being made with very small buttons on a thin piece of herringbone that tends to pull out of the stud holes easily. I think a better approach would be to attach normal sized buttons to a stiffened strip of fabric, using their normal method of thread wrapped shanks.

I think having the collar, cuffs, and a bib front made from the twill fabric with the rest of the shirt in a light broadcloth would have been the best approach. (While I understand the reason they give for not having a bib, I submit that a gentleman never removes his dinner jacket anyway.) Not only would the front of the shirt lay smoothly, it would wear lighter in summer months. A more minor nitpick is that there are four stud holes rather than three. This is a rather recent phenomenon of the last few decades. A theory is that retailers were unaware that the fourth stud in a set was meant as a spare. Besides that, I find black tie shirts with three studs somehow look better, less cluttered if you will.

In spite of all my nitpicks, this is still a very classy and nice shirt to wear for a black tie event.

The quintessential English shirt collar.

This is quite a beautiful fabric.

The hidden button.

Ledbury shirts are well made in exquisite fabrics and have features that will usually set you back more than twice their starting price of $125. While there are certain style details that could use refinement and I wish their sizing was a little more flexible, I am confident that they will continue to improve their product as they grow as a company.

Thanks to reading this review, your first shirt will only cost $100 (including free shipping and returns). Click this referral link and take $25 off your first order!

DISCLAIMER: The products were provided for a period of time and returned. No material compensation was given and every effort was made to maintain objectivity.