The Dignity of Proper Dress

I’d like to join Bren Sullivan in his sincerity when mentioning the cozy Mt. Auburn Street, one time location of J. Press, close to Harvard Square. That was a favorite destination of mine in Cambridge, where my routine was to carefully study the contents of the intmate display windows before entering. Again, like Mr. Sullivan, I was greeted by Denis Black and immediately felt at home in the cozy store. Denis knew his customers and was appropriately welcoming and ready to offer what might please them from his inventory. One always left feeling well served in anticipation of wearing the items he bought. As the song goes: " the memory lingers on."

Discussion of proper coordinating footwear and varying opinions on the correct occasion for style and color takes me back to my pre Ivy days in small town Massachusesetts. Before I knew the difference between wing tip, captoe and loafer, cordovan and white buck, I discovered a busy small factory with the name Alden displayed on the exterior. In those days when small town New England was the thriving center of shoe manufacturing, Alden was the emerging source for expensive quality footwear. Many years later, when the shoe industry fled to St. Louis and the “new” South, the name Alden still displayed its original location in small town Middleboro, Massachusetts. To this day Alden is a prime source for the finest in mens’ footwear. Those who can pay the price would attest to that.

This topic deservedly generated an outburst of thoughtful opinion including some seldom mentioned appropriate footwear for time of day and wearer’s choice of garment color. Reassuring to read of what truly constitutes good taste in this time of excessive facial hair and tieless dress shirts inside sport coats or suit jackets. While not discarded, my own carefully stored collection of
silk and irish repps, foulards, horizontal striped knits, paiselys and ancient madders wait reassuringly to complete the oufit of the occasion. Can one ever be too correct – or too thin?

Apologies to M. T. Cole for ommision of my name in message approving of his always tasteful choices in menswear.
Stan Pilshaw
Aug. 16, 2022

I’d say to Milton Thomas Cole: Your choice of blue blazer (hooked rear center vent, please), cuffed charcoal wool trousers, white or blue OCBD shirt and striped repp four-in-hand would take the wearer to any respectable environs.

I’ve worn grey slacks, blue oxford and camel hair sport coat with light brown/tan shoes for years.

Acceptable?

Thank you Mr Press for the great story. Its nice to see more man are starting to dress up again. I personally never stop and always enjoy wearing a jacket or suit and a tie of course.
As far as shoes ,Alden are my all time favorite last forever.
I’m one of the guys who wears brown cap toes
( polish )with gray slacks with a blue blazer or suits.
Please don’t change anything your doing!

While I readily join the many ardent trumpeters for The Dignity of Proper Dress, as with all kudos there are caveats as well.
In that vein, it would be amiss not to lament the relentless elimination of many former details once considered de riguer in tailoring proper gentlemems’ wear. The passing of true narrow jacket lapels rolled gently ABOVE the top button, the disappearance of lap seams on jacket sleeves (and yes, on vertical trouser seams), the departure of full weight fabric from now meekly constructed cavalry twill trousers, the amputation of ticket pockets and necktie retainer loops and the generous use of hopsack fabrics when appropriate – all these once considered totally appropriate in constructing gentlemens’ attire, but now discarded. Add to these departures the reqirement of trouser cuffs appropriately dimensioned.
In a lighter context, the pairing of well worn white bucks, plain front khaki trousers and one’s deep charcoal suit jacket was once considered proper dress for informal wear.
The Good Old Days?
Stanley Pilshaw

I was at my local cobbler recently for a re-heeling and he showed me a pair of $800 sneakers that a customer brought in for repair.

In every room, someone will be the best dressed. There’s no reason it shouldn’t be you…

Really a nice piece, Mr. Press. . As my dad taught me, " Here come the boys from the midwest with their brown shoes and blue suits." I was astonished to watch an NBC reporter interview the President of Ukrane’s wife while wearing a blue suit and—wait for it—shabby, unpolished brown shoes. I guess NBC news doesn’t ask
about sartorial taste when they interview on air talent.

Excellent guidance. Where in the proper attire queue would you place the navy blazer worn with cuffed charcoal gray worsted wool slacks with a white button-down and a regimental striped tie?

I’ve worn burgundy cordovan shoes with a navy suit for years and always thought it worked and looked great. If anything I’d think that black would be better with dark gray.

Is cordovan a color or a kind of leather in this context? There seems to be a lot of differing opinions even among conservative dressers about what color and style of shoe goes with what suit and for what occasion. For many years I was led to believe that I should not pair blue and black. Instead I understood that color in the brown/red range, that kind of burgundy color #8 or whatever you want to call it, paired best with a blue suit. Then very light brown shoes became very fashionable with blue suits, not necessarily the darkest navy though. I had never until now been told that black shoes were outré for daywear. It seems that a dark navy suit and black cap toe oxfords are the most conservative of business formal combinations. A brown shoe with a gray suit seems wrong to me, but many men wear it well I admit. I have a very dark brown pair of wing tips I wear with charcoal trousers and a blazer now that I’m middle aged and I am kind digging it. But so many opinions on shoes. Never wear loafers with a tie. Can’t wear gunboats with a suit, except in Chicago.

My father—God rest his soul—had his suits tailor made at Harry Oliver in Indianapolis. I still remember the shop with bolts of cloth in the window. J. Press continues that sartorial elegance of yesteryear, and I am proud to be a customer.

Excellent article, as always! Reference was made to current Lt. Governor and U.S. Senate wannabe, John Fetterman. As a resident of Pennsylvania, I can state that his attire is scandalous to the residents of our state and casts serious doubt on his governing abilities. If you dress too casually for your position, your work will most likely be sloppy. Not everyone should be wearing a suit to work - in many jobs it would be entirely inappropriate - but when one wants to conduct business, attend church, or attend a wedding or funeral, a suit conveys a sense of decorum and dignity. And the right tie paired with that suit makes the outfit.

So pleased to see there are still some civilized gentlemen around. It’s becoming increasingly rare.

When I finished graduate school at Penn in 1965 my parents bought me for a graduation job-hunting gift 3 suits from BB. Here’s the fun part—-they all had, as standard issue, vests!!! Yipes. At least there have been some changes for the good.

JP – hold the fort.

Excellent article, as always Mr. Press.
I don’t think students appreciate what a privilege it is to attend a university and get a good education nowadays. I was a working man, driving a forklift and unloading trucks before I was fortunate to go back to school and eventually earn my BA and MA. But even when I was a warehouse worker, I read classic novels, and I invested in my first 3 button sack suit from Brooks. I was so proud of that suit!
Good clothes are important in life. A suit or blazer, properly taken care of, will give many wonderful years of service. If you have the good fortune to attain an education, have the dignity to dress well, not flashy, but tasteful. Perhaps, the reason classic American style has endured is not just because it always looks good, but because there is a lovely erudite humility about it. As such, clothiers like JPress will continue to live on.

Excellent article, Mr. Press !!!

I’ve worn J Press suits for 40 years, always pairing cordovan shoes with blue suits and black shoes with my gray suits, alternating cap toes with wing tips. (see Malloy, “Dress for Success.”)
I miss the Harvard Square store helmed by the incomparable Dennis Black.
Keep up the classic correspondence, Richard

Please, no brown shoes with a navy or charcoal gray suit. Brown shoes pair better with tan or forest green trousers. Also, why are so many men not shaving? They all look like bums that spent the night under a bridge. A nice close cropped beard is presentable, but stubble?? I would add to the above, for a new grad to buy a pin striped, or plain, navy suit.

I grew up in the 60’s when Ivy League was the style in high school. We all shopped at an outlet named Eljo’s.
It became the look at the Universit of Richmond and the University of Virginia. I was so glad to discover JPress in order to still find traditional clothing. Even Brooks Brothers has lost a step.
William at 75yrs.

Two comments:

Amen.

Yascher koach which means “well done, Sir!”

Thank you, as usual, for providing some much needed direction for those “up and comers”. I have recently wondered if a certain age group is “bereft of mirrors”?