Maybe it was catching part of “61*” on HBO last night or “Stealing Home” in late spring or leaving for the beach, but somehow we’ve got summer shirts on our minds here at Leviner Wood. And why are we thinking of summer shirts? Because all we see at the pool or on the sidewalk are t-shirts and polo shirts.

Nothing against the polo shirt…

U.S. National Archives, image 04-0125a

… but we’d like to see a return of the short sleeved sport shirt. Something you could toss on over a pair of weathered Nantucket Reds, beat up khaki shorts, your swim suit, or under a blazer and still look decently dressed.

Ideally, we’d create a shirt with a button down collar that also has the button through the back of the collar, a locker loop, one patch pocket, and tails long enough to tuck in if you had to. Madras would play a big part of the ideal summer shirt. The coolest wearing cotton, madras used to bleed when washed creating all sorts of interesting and unique patterns and colors. the new stuff is color fast, but still appropriate and still cool to wear.

Just ask these college students, ca. 1965

Need a couple of the ultimate summer shirts? Give us a call and we’ll pick out some madras. You’ll wear them for years to come.

They’re all the rage these days, slim suits. In reality, the cut is similar to the early 60′s silhouette that reigned supreme in Richmond at least through the early 1980′s. It is a classic look that will never really go out of style because it has very little to do with style and everything to do with making you look good.

What’s so different about the two button, slim suits of today?

Well, take a look at the photo above. That’s the new model on the right — the gray one. If you click on the photo you can get much closer.

Notice a few things: the gorge (the notch where the collar meets the lapel is higher); the lapel itself is narrower; the middle button stance is higher; and, if you look very closely, you’ll notice that the arm hole is cut higher — which is essential to having the jacket fit you better — meaning the jacket will stay with you when you move your arms instead of floating away from your core.

So can you get away with a trimmer model, two button suit? Sure! JFK did, why can’t you?

Because we create custom garments cut to your measurements, we can fit your unique shape in a “modern” cut. The trouser may not be Sammy Davis, Jr.’s “stovepipes” but it won’t be the double pleated number that is based on the classic cut of the 1930′s. Then again, if you’re as thin as Sammy, go for it. The trouser is generally flat front and may taper down to an 18″ bottom. But we also make a number of single pleated trousers for those of you who do a lot of sitting at a computer or behind the wheel. Same look, different cut, same level of comfort. That’s the benefit of good tailoring. In fact, the whole suit will feel like it’s been made just for you. Which it has.

And that’s the benefit of custom clothing by Leviner Wood.

Like most men, you probably don’t want to think too much about your clothes. And we couldn’t agree more. That’s why we feel it is important to load your closet with nothing but perfectly fitting, very well-made and foolproof clothing.

“Sure,” you say. “I get the ‘perfectly fitting and well-made’ part, but ‘foolproof’ ?”

Foolproof. Clothing that is appropriate to your situation and makes you look great no matter what you put on that day.

Which brings us to style. As custom clothiers and shirtmakers, we at Leviner Wood can make you just about anything that you have in mind.

That sounds like a daunting prospect, but really it’s not. Remember that word “appropriate.”

Shifts in menswear occur at a glacial pace.

The Sack suit or Lounge Suit, circa 1900. With minor alterations and very few stylistic changes, these gentlemen are ready for a day at the office or a night on the town. (Illustration from “The Blue Book of Men’s Tailoring” by Croonborg, 1907)

There are three silhouettes of suit coat or sports jacket that are prevalent and appropriate for every day wear. They are: the two button, the three button and the double breasted coat.

First the two button. During the past two decades we’ve drifted away from the two button coat. But it is coming back into popularity. There’s a reason, it is slimming. Is it conservative?

The two button suit is slimming as it de-emphasizes the waist by showing a lot of shirt front, drawing the eye upward. It can broaden your chest, too, if combined with the right lapel (more on lapels in a future post. And we don’t, for the record, advocate buttoning both buttons.) The two button looks good on just about everybody and especially as a slim cut suit with a flat front or single pleat trouser.

On to : the three button, which may be the best of all possible worlds. It can be cut with a high third button or rolled to the second button giving you two options depending on your build. The high third button is a very youthful look. It works best on taller, thinner men. It is a look once favored almost exclusively by our current President and a certain young gentleman with a high handicap.

Rolling the lapel to the second button is a very traditional look. The longer line created gives a slimming effect as does the expanse of shirt that is exposed when this cut mimics the two-button silhouette. It goes best with a natural (little to no padding) shoulder as Gianni Agnelli, the former head of Fiat and one of the world’s best dressed men of all time, demonstrates.

(Image: Life)

Finally, the double-breasted suit coat or blazer. Where to begin? It is military and equestrian in origin. It is undoubtably stylish and may be cut to show six buttons, buttoning one or two, or four buttons buttoning one or two. The British Navy version will show eight buttons and button all of them. But that may be a bit much for we American civilians.

(Image: The Daily Mail)

One of the greatest exponents of the double-breasted suit, Prince Charles, shows that a good fit can be very comfortable to wear regardless of your activity. Here he wears a six, buttons two model. All DB’s should have peak lapels. At least in our opinion.

That should give you a pretty good primer on the basic suit silhouettes. There are variations on each and lapels, shoulders, pockets and vents to discuss. But not at the moment.