I retain a fondness for this. A woman I used to work with wore a nice suit and I fancied a male version. I bought Saks. Not too good. You sometimes, when I was about twelve or thirteen, see POW check Harrington jackets. I've no idea whether or not they were made by Baracuta. This has set me thinking about trying to acquire a jacket - although I'm not absolutely sure what I'd wear it with.
got a nice sport coat (Huntington) from Mr Hardy! Wouldn't mind a suit, either!
Wearing my two grey POW jackets quite a lot, both have a blue overcheck. A lighter grey Chipp sack and a darker brownish grey Brooks W&W that came with the pants. I need to start wearing that as a suit. I just keep coming back to the blue shirt, blue jeans, brown shoes, brownish Brooks jacket with some blue. Khakis work as well though. Stone chinos with the Chipp. Love my POW. I feel the pattern works well with coarser textures like denim, grain and suede which are staples over here.
Last edited by 1966 (2010-10-09 14:14:50)
I don't see prince of wales check in suits much these days, which I think is a shame. Most men seem to have given up on patterned suits, other than pinstripes (which almost any fool can match with a shirt and tie) or some sort of large windowpane copied right from a magazine.
Last edited by Cardinals5 (2010-10-09 19:23:56)
The Saks lacked something. The cut... mmm... lapel width... just... mmm... I agree with Big Tony, though. A nicely cut POW would ring the changes over here, too.
Love PoW, and I like it even more in flannel.
I think B&W plaid with blue overcheck is hard to beat. I'm less enamored with the brownish shades.
The suits mentioned in Gorman's book sound rather good.
I love POW too. Have never had one as, being relatively short they don't really look too good on me.
Tony's point about patterns having gone out of fashion is one that I see mentioned from time to time. Is it because the cloth is relatively more expensive and has been eradicated from the RTW market? Is it also to do with the relentless move towards a sharper plainer look which has no place for many of the traditional fabrics?
Most men in the street are dressed in dull black/grey monotones. That applies across all clothing including suits and jackets.
So I doubt PoW is significantly more expensive to produce. Ede and Ravenscroft and Cordings both have examples in their RTW ranges.
Oh, sorry, from memory, Hank, it was about POW suits in a strictly collegiate cut. This was at a time when things were changing. Brideshead could probably illustrate certain points better than I. Ditto for Chris and 'The French Look'. I think it was all going on around that time and there was a certain amount of resistance to said changes.
Had a great POW suit years ago that ah bought in a charity shop.
Made by Aquascutum. Three button jaiket n' the breeks had a cavalry slant oan the bottoms.
Sadly it fell apart.
Prince of Wales checked suits are popular in London this year. There are several RTW options, including Kilgour at a whopping £2.5k.
Charles Tyrwhitt is offering a 3 piece - http://www.ctshirts.co.uk/ym-gbpdefault/yr-yd-Men's-Suits-_and-Separates/yg-Black-Label-Suits/yp-BS024BLW/Prince-of-Wales-Check-Black-Label-Suit-Jacket/productdetail.aspx?ppp=12&sortBy=Relevance&page=1&back=False&canned=&browse=Y.
Personally, I am planning to buy one from Cordings in the sales - http://www.cordings.co.uk/menswear/city-suits/prince-of-wales-13oz-city-suit-1.html. Alternatively, I may be tempted by a similar suit from Ede & Ravenscroft.
Last edited by Bishop of Briggs (2010-10-12 16:50:02)
Versatility: Plain suitings are on the whole more versatile than patterned ones.
Fear: Most men are frightened of patterned suitings, and only wear them if some 'fashion' designer has deemed them a la mode for the season.
Architects, in my experience and I interact with them quite often are usually not shy of a bit of colour and pattern. Bonkers Tweeds being a favourite for the more successful ones.
I'm not sure that I've actually answered the question, but I'm semi-pissed and just wanted to type something. That's my excuse anyway.
dont seem to see it atall despite tis neo-ivy/hipstertrad deal going on right now. had some j crew POW pants i got for 10 bucks, wore em on election days as they were a little loud otherwise. moths got em.