Ask a Trad Question & Get Answer: Quick Q&A

[Charles Dana]

Hi all, starting to look towards spring/summer and investing in a poplin suit. O'Connell's has three color options: British tan, Olive, and Oyster. All look attractive but I'm drawn most to British tan. Was hoping for some insight as to the classic choice for a first piece.

My gut feeling is that tan should be the color of your first poplin suit. Then olive.

Once tan and olive are in your rotation, go wild with oyster.

 

[Jack_Aubrey]

I received a Jos. A Banks Travelers shirt as a gift five years ago and it was and is very surprisingly high quality. My Q is are they still good shirts? I'm trying to find a replacement for Brooks Brothers since their sizing has gone haywire and quality may be changing with new ownership. Thanks in advance for an answer.

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

I received a Jos. A Banks Travelers shirt as a gift five years ago and it was and is very surprisingly high quality. My Q is are they still good shirts? I'm trying to find a replacement for Brooks Brothers since their sizing has gone haywire and quality may be changing with new ownership. Thanks in advance for an answer.

I have always found them to be well made and well proportioned. I often thought that if JAB had offered them in guaranteed to wrinkle oxford as opposed to treated pinpoint, they might have retained more of the Trad customer base. I have, however, no recent experience with them.

 

[mhj]

+1. I bought one about a year ago and am very happy with it. Good fit and not plastic-y at all.

 

[ldl]

Congrats - how do you like the Alden Tassels?
I went with the black Gucci silver horsebit and really enjoy them! I would imagine those are perfect for wall street!

Hi, sorry for the late reply. I love the Alden Tassels. It was my first pair of shoes that were bought for me actually that's currently in my collection. I think the cordovan is definitely the way to go and looks great. I just bought the black Gucci bits and love them.
Thanks

 

[L. B. Goold]

Is it counterproductive to wear a vest with a seersucker shirt? I have a pink candy stripe that looks positively fluorescent on the placket and yoke on account of the extra cloth and my complexion.

 

[ztrad5]

Hi, sorry for the late reply. I love the Alden Tassels. It was my first pair of shoes that were bought for me actually that's currently in my collection. I think the cordovan is definitely the way to go and looks great. I just bought the black Gucci bits and love them.
Thanks

Congrats! They're quite comfortable and make a nice jingle. I am likely going with the Alden Tassels next. The other shoe I've been eyeing is the Belgian Shoe company's Mr Casual model. Another hit on the Street.

 

[LukeRoz]

Just got this Royden shotgun shell belt for my birthday. I’m in between a 34 and 36. Would you keep this size or go up to 36? Thanks!

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

Just got this Royden shotgun shell belt for my birthday. I’m in between a 34 and 36. Would you keep this size or go up to 36? Thanks! View attachment 53803

How stable is your weight? If it is trending downward or stable, this is fine. If it wanders upward, the 36 might be the better choice. Happy birthday! Nice belt.

 

[LukeRoz]

How stable is your weight? If it is trending downward or stable, this is fine. If it wanders upward, the 36 might be the better choice. Happy birthday! Nice belt.

Thanks! I’ve been fairly stable for a few years so going to stick with this one. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Corcovado]

A few years back a catalog of men's hats arrived out of the blue at my parents' house. The catalog was smallish in size, and the depictions of the hats were all hand-drawn, i.e. no photography. I cannot remember the name of the catalog and I wonder if this sounds familiar to anyone here. Any thoughts?

 

[mhj]

My gut feeling is that tan should be the color of your first poplin suit. Then olive.

Once tan and olive are in your rotation, go wild with oyster.

Navy is also good to have as it's passable for business wear in the summer.

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

Over a long career and many suits I have had oyster, olive, tan, and navy. Olive and oyster got the most use, and IMO are also the most classic colors for a TNSIL type, but I agree with mhj that the navy can fill in quite nicely in a business setting. I love poplin suits.

 

[eagle2250]

Years back I built my collection of cotton poplin suits with a single order to O'Connell's....a Khaki, an olive and a navy hued suit(s). Those suits have helped me survive the heat and humidity here in central Florida.

 

[Fading Fast]

Like others above, over the past three-plus decades of suit wearing, I've owned poplin in, I believe, every color it came in: navy, tan, stone (oyster), olive and gray.

If I had a need for them, I'd gladly buy them all again as I loved those suits - very comfortable in the summer and opened up all sorts of fun shirt-tie-shoes combination options.

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

+1 on the way they open up shirt-tie-shoes combinations. Things I would find unthinkable elsewhere like Madras ties and yellow shirts work beautifully with poplin suits.

 

[ztrad5]

Like others above, over the past three-plus decades of suit wearing, I've owned poplin in, I believe, every color it came in: navy, tan, stone (oyster), olive and gray.

If I had a need for them, I'd gladly buy them all again as I loved those suits - very comfortable in the summer and opened up all sorts of fun shirt-tie-shoes combination options.

Did you also go with O'Connells house brand for your poplin suits?

 

[Fading Fast]

Did you also go with O'Connells house brand for your poplin suits?

When I bought most of my poplins, '80s- early '00s, I didn't even know about O'Connells. Mine were mainly Haspel brand bought at department stores or Brooks Brothers' house brand.

One year, in the early '90s, in late September, Lord & Taylor's department store all but gave their poplin suits away on a season-ending sale (something like "2 for $99") and I bought four of them in one shot and, then, had to wait until late next spring to break them out, but it was a lot of fun.

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

When I bought most of my poplins, '80s- early '00s, I didn't even know about O'Connells. Mine were mainly Haspel brand bought at department stores or Brooks Brothers' house brand.

One year, in the early '90s, in late September, Lord & Taylor's department store all but gave their poplin suits away on a season-ending sale (something like "2 for $99") and I bought four of them in one shot and, then, had to wait until late next spring to break them out, but it was a lot of fun.

Likewise. I miss L&T.

 

[IrvingS]

Hi everyone, long time reader, new member. I had a question concerning a vintage sport coat I am considering. The label “Juilliard: The Aristocrat of Sport Coats.” The tweed sport coat appears to be early or Mid 1960s. Does anyone know about this manufacture or label? Was the line of clothing decent or something else? I cannot find any references to it online but have seen other sport coats with the same or later style tag. Many thanks in advance!!