I think Tony actually made uniforms for the higher ranks. The tailor I use, Steve, is a Greek guy, I'm going to see Steve in the next few days , I'll ask him If he knows Tony. I might go into Smith street and have a chat to Tony beforenhe closes.

These old Greek, and Italian, guys are all retiring or already retired. While they mightn't be up to the standards of the Napoli shopping iGentts, many of them were good tailors and craftsmen and, more than just alterationists.

A lot of these guys were the blokes who did all the bespoke stuff for the sharpies and mods etc in the 70s.

I've started to trackage few down and begin to make notes about the sharpies and their bespoke clothes, a unique Melbourne style when ordinary working class kids 16- 20 devised their own clothes and had them made to order by those blokes like Tony in Preston, Northcote, Brunswick, Thornbury.

Last edited by fxh (2011-08-23 04:52:27)

Adams , lots of the old guys still speak a kind of broken English, Steve the guy I use talks a bit like that.

I was talking to Steve today. He didn't know Tony mentioned above, strangely even in Melbourne all Greek Tailors don't know each other. However he was going to ring or call in on Tony as Steve said he wanted to see if Tony had any "trimmings" for collars as the place he uses, Daveys or something has stopped business.

Steve lamented that there are no young tailors coming on and discreetly pointed out that not all the old tailors his age are very good."some don't know, some dont care and a lot are both"

He talked about years ago when he did uniforms and how the Navy was the most work making collars stand up properly, fit snug around neck and so on. And how uniforms had to have narrow sleeves, armholes etc " to make men look very smart and manly soldiers"

He also said business is good, 9 orders for bespoke suits in last 3 weeks from 3 blokes. Then showed me a checked sport coat he was working on .

For some reason , maybe related to the bloke whose jacket it was, he launched into a small rant about how don't be fooled into thinking that more fittings makes a better tailor or suit, " two , sometimes three is enough if you are a good tailor"

He also added , apropos of nothing, " not every good tailor is the best for every person, it depends on what you want and what they can do"

Last edited by fxh (2011-08-24 05:58:53)