While taking the weekend off, I haven't been lounging in the pool, I've been busy. I've acquired, another clothing pet peeve, droopy ankles.
This is another example where women are smarter than men. Allow me to explain.
By definition, clothing off the rack fits no one. Its not supposed to, it only gotta be close. A competent tailor can make it fit you later. As systems go, its mostly OK, but falls apart in the details. It implies an informed consumer and a competent tailor. Both are in short supply.
While having suit pants measured or pants altered, the tailor will begin at the waist. Do the pants fit comfortably there? If so, he works his way down. Does the seat fit. Do you want cuffs? Do you want a slight "break" at the bottom.
The photo above is from Alan Flusser's "Dressing the Man". Notice the left illustration. " Cuffed bottoms should rest with a slight break on top of the shoe". "Break" is defined as the amount of folding or creasing of a trouser bottom when it meets and sits on top of the shoe.
So how is this interpreted? Look at the ankles. Looks like hell don't they?
Several things cause this. Gravity is the main culprit. Clothing SHOULD hang from the shoulders. Suits especially. That is why for generations stylish men have worn braces. They hold pants up, far better than a belt will. Over the course of a day belted pants begin to sag, at the waist and down below. The other offender is an overly generous tailor.
Now look at these photos.
This is another example where women are smarter than men. Allow me to explain.
By definition, clothing off the rack fits no one. Its not supposed to, it only gotta be close. A competent tailor can make it fit you later. As systems go, its mostly OK, but falls apart in the details. It implies an informed consumer and a competent tailor. Both are in short supply.
While having suit pants measured or pants altered, the tailor will begin at the waist. Do the pants fit comfortably there? If so, he works his way down. Does the seat fit. Do you want cuffs? Do you want a slight "break" at the bottom.
The photo above is from Alan Flusser's "Dressing the Man". Notice the left illustration. " Cuffed bottoms should rest with a slight break on top of the shoe". "Break" is defined as the amount of folding or creasing of a trouser bottom when it meets and sits on top of the shoe.So how is this interpreted? Look at the ankles. Looks like hell don't they?
Several things cause this. Gravity is the main culprit. Clothing SHOULD hang from the shoulders. Suits especially. That is why for generations stylish men have worn braces. They hold pants up, far better than a belt will. Over the course of a day belted pants begin to sag, at the waist and down below. The other offender is an overly generous tailor.
Now look at these photos.
Which looks better? The straight elegant line, or the droopy puddle?
I prefer Mr Flusser's mid Atlantic solution. Once I noticed it, I couldn't get how badly the break looks out of my head. Women know the importance of the shoe, and would never intentionally draw attention away from it.
Toad
photos from The Sartorialist, and Well Dressed. Thank you.
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17 comments:
Toad, you are so right -- and now every man will wonder why I'm looking at his ankles.
But a far worse sin IMO is the pants that are a bit too short -- where (egad) the socks show!
Toad - I'm also a fan of that Mid-Atlantic Solution, but it does drive my wife nuts. She would prefer to see pools of fabric around my ankle for some reason.
Could not agree more. Also, flat front, skinnier legged casual pants demand to be hemmed a bit shorter. Too lengthy just ruins the look.
I wouldn't know from the flat front,skinnier leg,solution
Love the latest...hmmmm.. what's it called? Top of the page? Gallivanting through the English countryside with a lovely dog beside you.
I always figured it was laziness regarding getting pants hemmed... at least in my house.
And yes, your header is lovely :)
My husband hates too much sock to show. I do what my mother told me, that all proper pants should have the slight break.
I agree with you on this. I just saw a pic of myself from Easter weekend in what I thought were an irreproachably hemmed pair of pants that turned out to be...too long. As they were of a fairly heavy khaki (Ben Silver English Drills) they looked especially bad.
Thank yoiu for the comments on the "new" header. Inga Moore is the artist.
Like Sartre I came to this realization after discovering that I may, in fact, be the world's worst offender. Once you notice, you see it everywhere. It's an eyesore.
Clearly the latter. It makes me crazy when pants are too long. I like a nice straight line of the crease to the top of my shoe. AND short enough to show a bit of Go To Hell socks when I sit.
ugh, that droopy ankle business is awful. i too agree with the mid-atlantic solution. also, i need some help with groomsmen shoes and want your advice.
I'd never given this much thought, but after looking through those photos, I am converted. The droopy ankles are awful, and I may never see the world the same way again.
Love that Tom Wolfe photo, by the way, as well as your spiffy new header.
This is one area where it is not wise to "break" from tradition!
I'm the wrong bettor here, I err on the side of too long.
Hmmm. I'm going to have my husband read this. I think he's doing well with the length of his pants, but might like the Mid-Atlantic solution.
Toad, can't believe you wrote about this as we just spent a hellish 2 weeks getting husband's new pants just right at 2 tailors. Finally took digital pictures to get things just right for dear daughter's graduation. Remind people to look at the back view also as we discovered pants falling into backs of shoes. Also consider on most men, one leg can be slightly longer or shorter and tailor must pin both legs!.
Couldn't agree more with hating excessive break, but too short is almost as bad. As for having the tailor pin both cuffs, it's not usually a good idea since it's almost impossible to get them both identical length, especially to the naked eye looking down. A better solution, employed by most tailors, is to set the length of one cuff exactly, pin it, put a chalk mark at a fixed high from floor with a ruler, then do the same on the other leg at exactly the same measured height. Then both cuffs will be finished identically.
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