While at the mall

This weekend while you stop at Sears to pick up the tune up kit for your lawnmower, take a peek into the Lands End shop and look up these shirts.

The shirt above is traditional cut ,standard short or long sleeve, seersucker sold in real sizes (not s-m-l). $40.00


The second, much sharper looking, again sold in real sizes but is a tailored cut, so it ain't happening here. Forty five bucks.

Your mission, should you chose to accept this assignment, is to report back. The on-line reviews are mixed.

Toad

Semi custom part 2

While I have the deepest respect for reality, we shouldn't let it interfere with our lives. Sometimes it does stick its nose into the tent. Please excuse my absence the past two days.

I can be a jerk about shirts. I like them just so, but not so much enough to go the full custom route. In my experience sleeves or necks shrink, I don't. When I finally find a shirt I like I'll wear it until it falls off.

Shirts are tricky for fat men. Skipping right over and never, ever mentioning S_M_L abominations, its fairly easy to find a good fitting neck or sleeve, since off the rack shirts are sized by neck and sleeve. It's the chest that hard to fit. The only shirt maker who gives a consistent heads up on how the body is expected to fit is Ralph, and for the life of me, I've never deciphered the code. That's what drove me to the netherworld of on-line semi custom shirt makers.

If you have shopped this neighborhood at all you've seen there are lots of players, mostly in places you have never heard of. There are enough in the US to do a man justice, most I have never tried.

Today we will focus on two, Brooks Brothers and Lands End, book ends if you will.

LANDS END
I will say unequivocally, until someone proves otherwise, that Land End offers the best custom shirt available. I base this on 3 factors.

1. They offer the highest level of personalization of any shirt I have encountered. Once you select a fabric the question set of how you want your shirt to fit is extensive. It compares favorably to what your tailor would compute.

2. The shirts are reasonable priced and delivered soon enough. Your requirements are retained, to eliminate hassles when ordering your next and subsequent shirts. Excellent value for money.

3. You get the full, LE no hassle guarantee. If you no like, return it. No prob.

On the down side, and I expect that this is in response to the current economic conditions, the fabric selection is a lot smaller than it used to be. The basics are there, but not much fluff. It is still a great place to dip your toe, if you're wary about trying an on-line shirt.

choice of collar and color

No pocket

shoulder pleats

French cuff with gauntlet button

Brooks Brothers

Most of my shirts are BB's ocbd's. It has been that way since 1977. I like them and make no excuses. It wasn't until the mid 00s that I explored other shirt options. Not until I saw a BB custom ad for the shirt below did I gave their custom shop a try.

I like it, but. Much beyond sleeve and neck there are no size alternatives. Choice of collar, pocket and pleat is about it. If you know how their shirts fit you won't be disappointed. If you feel you swim in their shirts, you will in the custom shop as well.

Button down with contrasting collar

no pocket

double rear pleats

French cuffs in body color

gauntlet button

I'm open to other shirt makers offers, but I'm checking LE first.

Toad

Lands End

The man in the brown truck arrived Friday delivering my order from Lands End. Oh happy days. Friday being date night I couldn't wait to tuck into my new duds and see how I did. I hate the anxiety which comes when ordering on line, but not as much as I hate doing the real shopping experience.

That said, here is a quick review.

In the olden days I always kept a sweater in the car during the summer. That way I could be gallant if when on a date the restaurant was cold, I could offer a wrap. Now, Mrs. T doesn't get cold, I do. The car found a new sweater.

From the first photo, you can tell I actually ordered the navy, not gray, although I will kick myself if I allow the gray to get away. I love this sweater. It is somewhat heavier than I hoped, which is great for early S/S, bad for middle. It was 60F Friday night and the weight was perfect.
I am a jerk about shirts. They have to be just so, although for an inexpensive play shirt like this I will forgive a lot. I have little to forgive here. I wish it didn't have the breast pocket, but so what. It is sized, like a real shirt, no SML. The tails are long, buttons quality, and includes placket buttons, which is a plus for me.

My sole caution is beware if you have a middle. If you do try the LE custom, or the big. The same shirt is available there and will be made to fit, for not a lot more.



It's a bit much I know, but I like the scarf.

So for date night we went into the big city. The Italian neighborhood has fabulous restaurants on every street corner, except the one with the church. A blind man could sniff and pick a wonderful place. Our date night partners got to chose, and picked the only lemon in the zip code. We enjoyed their company anyway.

Toad

PS: I have since ordered the gray sweater, and the shirt in navy gingham. Happy Fathers day to me.

More Window Shopping

First and foremost Happy Mother's Day. I salute you, and thank you for your sacrifice. Mother's make the world a better place, and I'm grateful for you.

My bride generously gave me a handful of Sears gift cards last week. Neither of us could recall where they came from, and since we rarely shop at Sears, I went shopping at Lands End.

So what if Lands End isn't the retailer at the top of the clothing chain? I have always found their goods well made and a good value, and most importantly for an on-line retailer, their stuff can be returned to Sears, no questions asked.

First I hit the sales racks.

It was 85F in Mayberry on Easter, and has barely hit 75 since. It's still sweater weather here. Summer sweaters are an oxymoron in Mayberry. Rarely, is a summer evening cool enough to consider donning a sweater, but I can hope, or perhaps dream can't I? Maybe someone will offer a trip to New England this July.

I have a linen and shawl collar fetish. I have proven my bonafides several times in this regard.




So when I found a linen shawl collar sweater here I pounced. $35, choice of colors, I couldn't go wrong. I just hope I get to wear it.


Next came the latest edition of my Johnny Apple blue gingham shirt collection.

Mr. Apple was famous for his Harvie and Hudson gingham shirts. H&H's off the peg don't work for me, and I do not get to London as often as I'd wish for custom. This is my summer 2010 alternative. Offered sized, none of that S-M-L nonsense. Under $40. I purchased a LE Canvas scarf in this material last month, and am awed by the softness of the cloth.

Last, in the hope this fabric is just as soft I picked up this scarf.

Until last summer I never wore scarves, but a combination of The Sartorialist's inspirational photos, and to wick away summer humidity I have come to like them. The added color is nice as well.

Happy shopping.

Toad

J L Powell

I am still saddened when I think of those heartless so and so's of Lands End who in 1999 pulled the plug on Willis and Geiger. For those youngsters out there W&G was one of the worlds premier expedition outfitter. In the 20th century, if you were going on safari, exploring, or just into rugged gear, one of your first stops was W&G.

In 1980 Willis and Geiger sold their business to Lands End. (For those who don't recall, LE was originally a supplier to the sailing trade) LE, propably bought the company for their cache, made a go of it for a while and what few of their catalogs I still have were feasts for the imagination.

A year or so ago I came across a company that is attempting to pick up where W&G left off. It is J L Powell. J L Powell are purveyors of what they refer to as "the sporting life".

They have picked up a little from J Peterman's catalog and Ralph in that most of their goods come with a story of some kind or another. Some border on a stretch of the truth, some are meerly fanciful. Not for the faint of wallet, their stuff looks pretty good. It's a way off for me though. http://jlpowellusa.com/

Toad