Dress Shirts

[Matt Deckard]

I mostly care about the collar since that's the primary part that is seen. I finally got around to having some shirts made this year and since i was having that done I decided why not get the collar I want. I was very specific on the tails as well so take a close look and tell me what you think.

When I go custom, I get what I want.

It's my first time delving into the realm of custom shirting. I know... who needs a custom shirt? Well used to be a time when clothes fit better. I might not like the time as much as the fit, but I really like the fit. So with less and less vintage on the racks I go custom to recapture the style and elegance and romance of the clothing made in the golden era.

I know jack had ordered a few shirts from Mytailor.com and I went the same route though made a few demands in order to get what I wanted.

Had them make a new collar pattern which was a bit longer with more of an undercurve. I was very specific about the sleeves and had them do the tails the way I like them -- long and very much like those you would find on early 1930's shirts -- longer than those you find on current Savile Row shirts. There are a few other details added as well and there are many I'll ad to future shirts. I'm going to compare it to Richard Torregrossa's new London made goods when I see him next Saturday.

I posted some of these before, though here is more info and pics.

The final product after a few changes... My www.mytailor.com custom shirts.

I love the fit... I can't stop wearing them I have three French cuff shirts and one barrel with two button closure and a sharp angle end to the barrel.
Sleaves are spot on with the second lot... I had one made then went ahead with three more after the some changes.

The collar is also unfused like many were in the 30's, so if you iron the shirt pull the ends or have it cleaned professionally a few times till the shrinking is finished. Unfused lets it roll outward like those collars did on the stars in the 30's or the soldiers uniform shirts of the 40's... to me it looks cooler. I wear collar stays in the close up and am opting to go with them in these shirts. In a future design I think i'll go with a longer collar and my decide to drop the stays... I just like the look better with them in the case of these shirts.





I used my old razor at a fast pace... was heading to a dance contest in which I was competing.

Anywho, see the open space between the collar? it actually has a drop rather than the continuous collar stand. That way you see tie hanging between the collar opening and not collar stand.



Here is a better look post contest after I needed to cool down.

If you look closely at the collar stand you will see that it has a tiny notch before actually going to the regular curve at the edge... if this isn't clear I'll try to get photoshop up and circle what I'm talking about.


And just a cleaned up look for good measure.


By the by here is a shirt company that Bensephens showed me...
They look like they have promise.
http://www.vintageshirt.co.uk/

[Marc Chevalier]

Dear Santa,

Please help me find a shirtmaker who is capable of making a shirt with these details:









Your pal,

Marc Chevalier

[Matt Deckard]

You need to show the pics of the actual shirt... I looks awsome.

In fact we need an Oviatt collectors thread.

I have a tailor... It may take his tailors a bit of time thought I have one... We have to take a trip.

That vintage shirt company link i showed you at the bottom of the thread makes an okay shirt though the collar is all over the place... It's a good cut just not clean.

The modern Hong Kong work I have seen from a few years back and now is pretty much on par with vintage except for the materials.

Problem with the shirt above is you need to find the person with the fit body to wear it... I can show you the right tailor and he's not on the Row.

[Marc Chevalier]

Originally Posted by Matt Deckard

Problem with the shirt above is you need to find the person with the fit body to wear it...

I've always felt that those 1930s hourglass-waisted suit jackets would be most comfortably worn with an equally fitted dress shirt. The patent design above is a nice solution.


The patent's text reads, "It is the purpose of my invention to provide a shirt which is characterized by its conformity to the small of the wearer's back, in order to eliminate the excess material found at that point in the convetional shirt, yet provide sufficient excess material uniformly distributed across the shoulder blade portion of the back to allow unrestricted movement of the shoulders and arms, and particularly forward movement as in the act of swinging a golf club.

Another purpose is the provision of a shirt shaped at its back to conform to the buttocks sufficiently to prevent the shirt from creeping up above the trousers."


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[Matt Deckard]

I do miss pullover shirts.

Where can I find a Shatner girdle?

[Travis]

I've been thinking about going the custom route, but since I've been losing weight, I don't feel like shoveling out the money on something that's only going to be temporary. I'd rather spend less on shirts now and save the difference, that way when I'm ready, I can use the savings to buy more shirts and have them last longer.

[Marc Chevalier]

Originally Posted by Matt Deckard

I do miss pullover shirts.

Where can I find a Shatner girdle?

Luckily, Oviatt saw the light and ended up using his patented tucks on full front placket shirts.

I showed you one of these shirts when we met in Melrose, Matt.

Here are some shockingly wrinkled ones: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showp...91&postcount=4


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[Matt Deckard]

I was a pretty damn cool shirt. and i agree with the small of the back comfort idea.

[Mr. Ray]

Very interesting...I suppose you could take the shirt to a tailor and ask for them to put in the darts so you don't have to go totally custom? I've yet to get a perfect collar out of my shirtmakers in Asia- they have the length and point down, but not enough undercurve. You can't really tell when you have a jacket on, but it makes a big difference if you want to use a collar bar. There's too much material at the collarbone area that makes it weird to cinch.

I've been watching Wong Kar Wai's 2046, and noticed that on a lot of Tony Leung's shirts, he has tab collars. I've gotten one tab collar shirt made but wore it infrequently because it required a tie. Maybe when I go back I'll get some white shirts made with tab collars. They are made to be cinched in already, so maybe the shape of the collar will have a more pronounced undercurve. More on this when I return to Asia in December.

Also, have you noticed that if a button-down collar didn't have the darn buttonholes cut out, they'd pretty much be perfect soft vintage collars? All of my non-button down collar custom shirts have fusing (something I'll experiment with when I go back, asking for non-fused/soft collars) and they make the collar look nicer throughout the day as it is a little stiffer...but you lose the 30s soft collar look. In fact, sometimes they look almost like this stiff banker's collars, especially when I wear the blue shirts with white collars and cuffs.

[Mr. Ray]

On another note, I noticed that on a Polo shirt that it has a split yoke. Unless it were custom from a brick&mortar tailor, would this really be a necessary detail? Online tailors wouldn't really be able to take into account the measurements needed for a true, purposeful split yoke would they?
And on that yoke, what the hell is the point of a yoke anyhow? On the diagrams above and you examples, Marc, yokes aren't even present.