Taken with instagram On Pattern Matching: There’s a lot of talk about pattern matching as a sign of quality and care in the making of a garment, and I agree completely. It can look sloppy if you have an elaborately patterned jacket and the pocket flaps don’t line up with the surrounding fabric, or if your jacket looks unmatched at the darts (if it’s not a sack).  But pattern matching isn’t something you need to feel you will only get if you go the bespoke, made to measure, or even the pricey off-the-rack route. I have seen, both in pictures and in real life, expensive jackets that could have had better pattern matching. And I’ve never owned an inexpensive Lands’ End shirt where the shirt pocket wasn’t immaculately lined up with the shirt front fabric. Most of the jackets I buy in thrift shops have nice pattern matching, as are the ones I see from ‘lower end’ lines—by which I mean department store house brands I can’t afford when new but have the audacity to shun when I’m thrifting ;-) I dare say many of those items were mass manufactured in a factory….gasp!!…overseas!…and I don’t mean Italy! The above picture is of my favorite jacket, and it’s a teaser for today’s WIWT posts. It was made by my tailor in Beijing, and it cost $60 exclusive of the fabric, which cost me an additional $15. It’s a nice soft wool tweed. The jacket is unconstructed, and has no padding or canvassing of any kind, but is fully lined. It has 3 patch pockets, a button back throat latch, double vents, and surgeon’s cuffs. As you can see, the pattern matching on the chest (as well as all other pockets and darts) pocket is impeccably done. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that my jacket can hold a candle to Liverano and Liverano, Rubinacci, P. Johnson, or Kiton and their ilk in terms of attention to detail, craftsmanship, etc…but serviceable clothing that looks great can be something you can actually own and wear, and not just reblog—which makes it way more fun. I guess the advice here—if I’m qualified to dispense such things—is not to get too bogged down in the little details that often get put out there to create the illusion of distinction between things that the masses can genuinely afford, and the things that we all wish we could afford, but likely never will. That is a specific marketing calculus designed to make us buy more and more in the never-ending pursuit of an aspirational ideal that we can never—by its very definition and capricious nature—reach. Sure, don’t buy  a jacket that has crappy pattern matching, but don’t think you’ve got to go bespoke to get it either… Pocket Square: Liberty of London, thrifted $1

Taken with instagram

On Pattern Matching:

There’s a lot of talk about pattern matching as a sign of quality and care in the making of a garment, and I agree completely. It can look sloppy if you have an elaborately patterned jacket and the pocket flaps don’t line up with the surrounding fabric, or if your jacket looks unmatched at the darts (if it’s not a sack). 

But pattern matching isn’t something you need to feel you will only get if you go the bespoke, made to measure, or even the pricey off-the-rack route. I have seen, both in pictures and in real life, expensive jackets that could have had better pattern matching. And I’ve never owned an inexpensive Lands’ End shirt where the shirt pocket wasn’t immaculately lined up with the shirt front fabric. Most of the jackets I buy in thrift shops have nice pattern matching, as are the ones I see from ‘lower end’ lines—by which I mean department store house brands I can’t afford when new but have the audacity to shun when I’m thrifting ;-) I dare say many of those items were mass manufactured in a factory….gasp!!…overseas!…and I don’t mean Italy!

The above picture is of my favorite jacket, and it’s a teaser for today’s WIWT posts. It was made by my tailor in Beijing, and it cost $60 exclusive of the fabric, which cost me an additional $15. It’s a nice soft wool tweed. The jacket is unconstructed, and has no padding or canvassing of any kind, but is fully lined. It has 3 patch pockets, a button back throat latch, double vents, and surgeon’s cuffs. As you can see, the pattern matching on the chest (as well as all other pockets and darts) pocket is impeccably done. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that my jacket can hold a candle to Liverano and Liverano, Rubinacci, P. Johnson, or Kiton and their ilk in terms of attention to detail, craftsmanship, etc…but serviceable clothing that looks great can be something you can actually own and wear, and not just reblog—which makes it way more fun.

I guess the advice here—if I’m qualified to dispense such things—is not to get too bogged down in the little details that often get put out there to create the illusion of distinction between things that the masses can genuinely afford, and the things that we all wish we could afford, but likely never will. That is a specific marketing calculus designed to make us buy more and more in the never-ending pursuit of an aspirational ideal that we can never—by its very definition and capricious nature—reach. Sure, don’t buy  a jacket that has crappy pattern matching, but don’t think you’ve got to go bespoke to get it either…

Pocket Square: Liberty of London, thrifted $1

Tags: menswear WIWT tweed patch pocket unconstructed sport coat pattern matching paisley pocket square liberty of london