Letters to the Editor: Ripped Pants, Suits and Hats, The No Luck Canuck, & More

If you’ve got a style tip, question, or anything else you’d like to pass along, you can send those in to joe@dappered.com. If you’d rather your question not be featured in a future mailbag, just go ahead and say so in your email. Want more than one average Joe’s (HA!) opinion? Check out our forum, Threads.

 

Q: Crotch blow out on some suit pants?

I bought a Suitsupply suit 3 years ago and have only worn it a couple of times since. It’s a heavier, winter weight wool, so most of the year it goes unworn. I bent over last week to tie my shoes and heard a huge tear in the crotch area. As you can see from the attached picture, the end result was NOT good. Do you think this was due to natural wear and tear? And/Or is it true that more expensive suits/fabrics can be more fragile than cheaper options? 

– Brian

Oof. That’s a bummer. To answer the second question first, it does seem to be true that finer, higher end wools (say, super 150s and up) can be more fragile/delicate. There’s a drawback to that super softness. But that’s not universal, and I don’t think that crotch blow out shown above is due to a breakdown of the fibers (unless moths got at them). Suitsupply, as much as many of us love em’, don’t leave a lot of room in the seat and thighs of their trousers. So if you’ve got thicker legs/a larger rear-end, squeezing into a pair of Suitsupply pants… might be just that. A squeeze. And combine that fact with more guys hitting the gym, and you get the potential for a “hulk smash!” result when bending over. I can’t say if that’s for certain here, but… I’d give Spier & Mackay’s “contemporary fit” suits a shot. They’re much more generous in the seat and thighs. I prefer that fit myself.

 

Q: Versatile Outfit for City-to-Hike-to-back-to-City in one Day?

My wife and I are planning on going to Vancouver in June, where the high will hover around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Our trip will include exploring the downtown markets and shopping, while also hiking up the local mountains and nature trails. My question is, do you have a style scenario (or could you make one) for clothes that would not be out of place in a restaurant, while still being comfortable enough to wear on short exploration hikes?

– Adam B.

Shown Above:

• Levi’s 541 – $49.99
• Casio Diver – $40.99 + Heavy Duty Nato Strap – $17.49
• J. Crew Linen/Cotton Sportcoat – $168 (should go on sale at some point)
• UNIQLO Dry Button Down Polo – $19.90
• Smartwool Light Hikers – $17.95
• GAP Basic Belt – $39.95
• UNIQLO Foldable Sunglasses – $14.90
• ExOfficio Men’s Give-N-Go Brief – $13.99
• Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill Boot w/ Dainite Sole – $350 (less for factory 2nds)

Three things to prioritize here: Shoes, Socks, and Underwear. Comfortable boots with some low-profile tread are a must. Think the Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill. And make sure you break them in before the trip. For the socks and underwear? You want something that’ll breathe and wick. Not hold moisture (so, skip the cotton). Nothing, NOTHING can make you more uncomfortable, faster, than sweat soaked socks or underwear that ain’t gonna dry anytime soon. So splurge on something better than cotton for those days. Even the underwear. Ex-Officio makes a decent, relatively affordable, tech-fabric line of underwear. The rest of it? Up to you. I think comfortable, lighter weight jeans and even a chino or lightweight hopsack wool sportcoat will do fine on the trail and then back into town. Or, leave the jacket in the car. A breathable polo should help keep you cool too. Head here for some tips on how to wear a polo with a sportcoat. Sounds like a blast. I’ve done similar trips (city + hiking) and loved every second of it.

 

Q: Winter hats when dressed up?

I would love your advice on what type of hat to wear with a suit or nice jacket.  I keep my head shaved so it’s gets pretty cold up there in the winter.  Wool hats work fine but they seem more appropriate for skiing or robbing a bank.  Any other stylish, yet warm suggestions for hats?

Thanks,

– Paul

I actually think a wool watch-cap looks great with a suit/sportcoat and topcoat. But if you want something a little less utilitarian looking, there’s always a flat cap or lower profile pub style cap. Despite what many will say… they can look great. They really can. But on some guys (especially younger dudes) they can look a little forced/costumey. Not always. Sometimes. You’ll know it when you see it if it doesn’t look right on you. And if it does? No harm in going back to a watch cap. Hey, at least with a shaved head, you won’t have hat hair to deal with.

 

Q: Can we give it a rest with the Chelsea boots?

Is anyone else getting really tired of seeing endless reviews of Chelsea boots? Don’t get me wrong…I love to see reviews on new products. But I wish the majority of those reviews were focused on products other than one style of boot.

– Via Threads

Fine.

(Point is taken… been featuring Chelseas a ton, especially in recent style scenarios. Whoops. Got into a rut there. It happens.)

 

Q. What do you have against neckties?

The vast, vast majority of the photos on Dappered show a man not wearing a necktie. Even when you’re featuring suits. What do you have against a good necktie?

– Dan

Not a darn thing. And, as I’ve said before, this website is not, and should not, be about me. It’s about you guys. Now that said, I don’t work in an environment where neckties are required, and increasingly, neither are many of you. Plus, if I’m going to be taking off and putting on different shirts, or polos, or suit jackets, or whatever for reviews and what not, sometimes having one less thing dangling about (wait, what?) can be an advantage. Now when it comes to featuring neckties for product reviews? I mean… there’s only so much one can say. But you? You who loves ties? Tie on. May your tie dimples all be exquisite, and your knots perfectly proportioned to your collar style.

 

Q. Has anyone from Canada ever won a giveaway?

Has someone from Canada ever won any of the Dappered giveaways? Just curious.

– S.

WHAT ARE YOU SUGGESTING?! To answer your question, yes indeed. Plenty of times. And we have to ask the “skill” question every single time, in accordance with Canadian Sweepstakes laws. Have no fear. There is no simmering, anti-Canada bias on this site. In fact, one of the very few bits of “flare” I personally wear is the above lapel pin, given to me by a high ranking member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Got to interview this individual years back, prior to an event that was attended by a few dignitaries from our neighbors to the north. I was in a (very) different career at the time.

 

Q: Question about these Questions

Have you ever just made up a question for the mailbag, out of whole cloth, then posted an arbitrary picture above it, simply in an attempt to lengthen a mailbag/letters to the editor post during a particularly slow and therefor challenging time of year for all things menswear? 

– Joe

Just once.

 

Q: Ball Caps (or… something?)

First off I hate your site now. I am a 38 year old male and I can never figure why women like men in ball caps. It means 1 thing, that they are going bald.

– Brett W., sent to Beth’s old AskaWoman email inbox.

I’m guessing his email is in regards to this post. From seven years ago. God bless the internet.

Got a question, suggestion, or a style tip? Send them to joe@dappered.com.