HTJ Archives: Oxford Cloth - A Cloth for Everyday

November 8, 2013, 2:51 am

≫ Next: HTJ Reports: Winter Flannels & Cavalry Twills

$

0

0

Of all of the fabrics that men's dress shirts are made from, oxford cloth perhaps attracts the strongest emotions of them all. I can think of no other shirt that moves so easily from suits and sport coats to sweaters and sweatshirts as the humble oxford cloth shirt. I've worn mine until they are frayed around the collar and only good for yard work, and I'm sure that I'm probably not alone. There are many other more refined and elegant fabrics for shirts, but oxford cloth seems to have the ability to foster something close to an emotional bond with its wearer over time. It becomes an "old friend." Many men perhaps began wearing oxford cloth shirts when they were boys, so it is probably only natural that the attachment formed to shirts made from this fabric becomes a special one. So much so that some people develop very clear views on which shirts and their makers are the best. When the manufacture of one's preferred oxford cloth shirt is altered or its manufacturer goes out of business, it can be a heart rending event. 

Much of what has been written about oxford cloth shirts generally has focused on the roll of the collar; collar size, length and fit; as well as even pockets (to pocket or not, and to flap or not to flap). However, little attention ever seems to be given to the fabric itself. The blue oxford cloth button-down (OCBD) is arguably the most well-loved oxford cloth shirt, yet in addition to blue what other oxford cloth patterns have been available as shirts? Further, how has oxford cloth developed over time from all-cotton cloth, to cotton & polyester blends, and finally to wrinkle free versions? This post will attempt to address some of this by taking a look back in time at several major clothiers and their use of oxford cloth in shirts. The time period to be looked at will be the postwar period of the late 1940s through the early 1990 - a roughly 50 year period. In addition to being the period when the OCBD really came into being as an everyday shirt for for all ages, this is also the period when the modern shirt with an attached collar was developed, as well as the period when the "coat style" shirt gained preference over the pullover style shirt. As the OCBD became more popular during the postwar period, clothiers began to offer it in a wide variety of colours and patterns. It is to the exploration of these colours and patterns that this post is devoted.

Definitions

Though I know oxford cloth when we see it, I would be hard pressed to define it. So in the search for a more accurate historical definition I turned to that definitive authority, Fairchild's Dictionary of Textiles (7th Edition (1996) 2005 printing). Fairchild's defines oxford as follows: 

A cotton or manufactured fiber fabric made with a modified plain or basket weave. In most oxfords, a coarse count, soft spun filling is used with twice as many warp ends to achieve a basket effect. Other variations are employed, e.g., weaving four ends and two picks, or two ends and two picks. Combed cotton yarns generally are used, and the fabric is soft and porous. Given a lustrous finish, it is sold most often in white, but is made also with a yarn dyed warp and white filling, and called oxford chambray. Also may be piece dyed or checked or striped by using occasional groups of colored yarns. Main uses: pajamas, shirting, sportswear, suiting. It is the one remaining important commercial shirting fabric of four originally made by a Scottish mill during the 19th century. The shirtings bore the names of four universities: Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Yale (Fairchild's, p. 400-401).

This definition helps understand the variation in shades of color for solid oxford cloth shirts. For example in blue OCBDs, the thickness of the course count white filling and the particular shade of blue warp yarn will determine the eventual shade of blue for the fabric. This balance of white and colored warp yarns is crucial for the eventual shade of color that is being sought by the manufacturer. There is a story about former Brooks Brothers president, John C. Wood, who, as Brooks Brothers resumed production of fabric after the Second World War, had the manufacturer of Brooks Brothers famous pink oxford cloth remake batches until it was the proper shade that it had been before the war. Perhaps it was this balance of the white filling yarns and the hue of the pink warp yarns that was at issue. The definition in Fairchild's also mentions striped and checked oxford cloth, and though striped versions of oxford cloth are well known, there have also been checked versions, as well. Tattersalls and mini-checks are perhaps the more well known examples. Significantly, the definition also states uses of the cloth have not changed very much over time. It is still used for sleepwear, casual trousers and shorts, as well as for sport coats.

Though we all recognize oxford cloth, I doubt that many would be able to identify the other three fabrics (Cambridge, Harvard and Yale) named in the definition. Perhaps one day the name of the Scottish mill and examples of these three fabrics will surface. Though Fairchild's doesn't mention it, older advertising also referred to oxford cloth as "cheviot oxford" suggesting a cotton basket or plain weave fabric much like a wool cheviot weave fabric. It would also appear that over time, the usage of the word "cheviot" disappeared for this type of cotton cloth leaving only the name "oxford cloth."

Shirts

Oxford Cloth in Solid Colors

This post is less concerned with the construction of shirts, than with the colors and patterns that oxford cloth has been offered in. Though the HTJ Archives are by no means anywhere near complete, I've included some photos of oxford cloth shirts grouped by color and pattern. From this we'll turn to advertising and various clothiers below.

This is a group of Brooks Brothers 'Makers' OCBD shirts in blue, white, pink, helio, yellow, peach, and stone. The only color that Brooks Brothers used to offer that is missing here is green. To be honest, I probably wouldn't wear solid green oxford very much, though I find that I often wear a green candy striped oxford with certain tweeds and sweaters.

Fairchild's definition draws attention to the close relationship of oxford cloth and chambray, so for the sake of interest I've included a blue oxford cloth shirt (above) and a blue chambray shirt (below).

Oxford Cloth Candy Stripes

After solids colours, perhaps the most commonly seen pattern for shirts made from oxford cloth is a striped pattern called "Candy Stripes" or "University Stripes" (for more on stripes go here).

Brooks Brothers consistently referred to its striped oxford cloth shirts (above) as "Candy Stripes," though in recent years the term "University Stripes" has also come into use (see the link above for more on stripes). This group of shirts contains candy stripes in red, blue, green (three shades), yellow and pink. Brooks brothers also offered brown, burgundy, and I believe, gold.

To illustrate the subtle difference in shades of color (like the green above), this group has three different shades of blue. From top to bottom: Brooks Brothers (NOS late-1980s), Brooks Brothers (contemporary), Mercer & Sons (contemporary).

Oxford Cloth Blazer Stripes

"Blazer Stripes" are another striped pattern of oxford cloth. The most common version in blue will always have a blue ground with white stripes.

A long-time favorite, "Blazer Stripes" are shown here in hello & white, pink & blue, and blue & white (2 shades). Brooks Brothers also offered this in yellow with blue stripes. They used this fabric for pajamas as well. I had a pair many years ago in blue.

Pinpoint Oxford Cloth 

Pinpoint oxford cloth is a smaller and more tightly woven plain or basket weave fabric. It has a lustrous finish and looks great with suits and jackets. Because of the tightness of the weave, it is not as cool as regular oxford cloth and can seem a bit stuffy in warm weather. Strangely, Brooks Brothers never marketed their pinpoints with a "Brooks" name like Brooksweave, Brookscloth, Brooksflannel, etc., though the pinpoint blends did carry the Brooksweave label.

The above image shows all cotton pinpoint oxfords in solids (blue, white, ecru, yellow, and pink), and various thin stripes (red and blues).

Brooksweave & Blends

In 1953, Brooks Brothers introduced a blended cloth containing the DuPont pioneered "Dacron" and cotton named, "Brooksweave." Initially, Brooksweave included both oxford cloth and broadcloth fabrics. However, within a year, a broadcloth blend named "Brookscloth" was introduced and from that time onward the two names Brooksweave and Brookscloth were sold along side one another.

The above image show a number of Brooksweave oxfords in various colours, patterns and blends. From top to bottom: Blue 65/35 Dacron & cotton blend; Blue 60/40 cotton & polyester blend; Pink 60/40 cotton & polyester blend; Yellow 65/35 Dacron & cotton blend; Yellow 60/40 cotton & polyester blend; 2 shades of Blue 60/40 cotton & polyester blend; and a Burgundy 60/40 cotton & polyester blend. These blends have some of the best and most idiosyncratic collar roll of any, including all cotton. Go figure.

Tattersalls & Checked Patterns

Brooks Brothers and many other clothiers have long offered oxford cloth shirts in both Tattersall and checked patterns. 

The above image is a group of 'Makers' oxford cloth shirts in three different Tattersalls and a rarely seen pattern, the mini-check in blue and green oxford cloth. Brooks Brothers also offered this in a red check, as well.

Advertisements & Catalogs

Brooks Brothers

Brooks Brothers Christmas 1947 Catalog. Collar-attached shirts in plain white or plain blue oxford cheviot were offered with either button-down or plain collars. This shirt became the template for "the most imitated shirt in the world" to which basically all other OCBD shirts owe their design.

Brooks Brothers Christmas 1947 Catalog. Schoolboy's Collar-Attached shirts also offered in both button-down and plain collars in blue or white oxford. 

The New Yorker (9/24/1949). In 1949 Brooks Brothers still offered this shirt in a pullover style as well as a newer coat style of shirt. The colors offered here were solids of white, blue, tan or grey, and stripes of blue, tan or grey.

The New Yorker (11/19/1949). During this period, oxford cloth shirts were also offered in three choices of button-down, club (rounded), or plain collars. The customer also had a choice of domestic cotton oxford or imported Egyptian cotton oxford in color choices of white, blue, grey, tan or pink. Interestingly, customers were still given a choice between coat style or the older pullover style shirts, and some colors were available only in one of the two styles.

The New Yorker (12/2/1950). A year later, the same three collar choices were offered, with notably more limited choices for plain collars.

The New Yorker (10/4/1952). However, two years later, in 1952, the choices for colors and styles of oxford cloth had been expanded. Also noteworthy is the expanded choice of fabrics to include Madras (end-on-end) for club collars and broadcloth for button-down and plain collars.

The New Yorker (10/31/1953). In 1953, Brooks Brothers introduced "Brooksweave," a Dacron and cotton blend, and it figures prominently in advertising from 1953 onward. Here, it was only offered in white coat style shirts and was substantially higher-priced than the all cotton shirts. It is also noteworthy that button-down collar shirts were also "now available in four attractive materials." There were three choices of cotton oxford, which included Brooksweave, as well as the choice of a "Brooksweave broadcloth."

The New Yorker (5/22/1954). After the introduction of Brooksweave as a fabric for shirts in 1953, Brooks Brothers followed in the spring of 1954 with a full page advertisement for Brooksweave what featured its use in not only shirts but also in Odd Trousers, Odd Jackets, Bermuda Shorts, and even golf caps and neckties. Though Brooks Brothers also introduced a broadcloth blend at the same time under the Brooksweave name, the name of these broadcloth blends would soon be changed to "Brookscloth."

The New Yorker (9/25/1954). Brooks Brothers announced "Brookscloth" in the fall of 1954. From this time onward until the 1990s, Brooks Brothers offered both "Brooksweave" oxfords and "Brookscloth" broadcloths, developing separate lineups of both fabrics.

The New Yorker (11/12/1955). The following year, advertisements such as this offered shirts in domestic and imported cotton, Brooksweave and Brookscloth blends. From here we won't follow the development of Brookscloth, though it certainly warrants fuller examination. For our purposes in following the development of the use of oxford cloth, it is also significant that the colors green and stone began to appear in advertising around this period. 

The New Yorker (5/14/1960). In 1960, air conditioning was still not common in most settings, so lighter and cooler fabrics played a more important role at a time when many men wore suits to work every day. Brooks Brothers take on these lightweight oxford fabrics was called "Zephyrweight Oxford Cloth." Other clothiers also marketed thinner more porous fabrics for warmer weather.

Spring & Summer 1962. In this catalog from 1962, oxford cloth was offered in solid colours of white, blue, pink, grey, yellow and stone, as well as stripes in blue, tan, grey on white. The catalog does not, unfortunately, specify the width and name of the stripes. Interestingly, this catalog also only seems to offer oxford cloth in button-down shirts, as opposed to the advertising above from 1952 and earlier that offered plain point collars and button-down collars both in oxford cloth.

Christmas 1971. This remarkable page from the Christmas 1971 catalog shows color swatches for both solids and "new Swiss cotton oxford stripes." Solids were offered in (from the top) green, white, pink maize, peach, blue, stone and ecru. In addition to the "new" stripes shown, bold striped cotton oxford shirts were also offered in blue, yellow or pink on white, along with classic candy stripes in blue or wine on white.

Fall & Winter 1979. In the late 1970s Brooks Brothers also offered oxford cloth in a mini-check pattern that was usually only seen in lighter weight gingham fabrics. These shirts were offered in blue, green and red checks.

Cotton oxford mini-check detail.

Spring & Summer 1980. Brooksweave in stripes (blue or brown) and solids (pink, blue, white or yellow).

Christmas 1980. All cotton solids in blue, stone, pink, white, yellow, peach and ecru.

Summer 1981. All cotton solids in blue, pink, ecru, peach, white stone or yellow. Candy stripes in yellow, wine, blue or brown.

Fall & Winter 1981. All cotton solids in blue, peach, ecru, stone, yellow, white, and pink. Candy stripes in red, blue, yellow and brown.

Fall & Winter 1981. Brooksweave Tattersall checks of blue-navy, red-navy, gold-navy. Solids were offered in blue, white, yellow or pink.

Brooksweave Tattersall in red-navy.

Christmas 1985. In the mid-80s the blend ratio of Brooksweave shirts was changed to increase cotton to 60% and decrease polyester to 40%. These shirts were offered in blue stripes, and solids of white, blue, pink or yellow.

Fall 1987. 60/40 "Cotton Rich" blend shirts were offered in the classic solids of yellow, pink, white and blue, along with an increasingly diverse selections of stripes and checks in both Brooksweave and Brookscloth fabrics.

Christmas 1987. All cotton oxfords in solids of blue, pink, white, yellow, helio, stone, ecru, peach or green. Candy Stripes of navy or red.

Fall 1988. Blazer Stripes in blue-white and yellow-blue.

Christmas 1988. Candy Stripes in blue, green and red.

1989. Blazer stripes with grounds of blue, white and pink.

J. Press

The New Yorker (5/29/1954). in 1954, J. Press offered oxford cloth shirts in both pullover and coat styles in solids of white, blue, pink and yellow.

J. Press Spring & Summer Brochure 1954. Oxford cloth shirts were offered in button-down and round pin-collar styles in the same colors as above. This page also shows the full lineup of all shirts offered.

The New Yorker (2/7/1959). By the late 1950s, J. Press was advertising oxford cloth shirts in solids (white, blue and lime) and stripes of blue or black on white.

The New Yorker (11/19/1960). In 1960, J. Press offered oxford cloth shirts in solids of white, blue and lime, as well as block stripes of blue, olive or old gold. Tattersalls were offered in navy & marine or black & red. 

The New Yorker (4/28/1962). Two years later, J. Press offered more choices with solids in white, blue, lime or maize. Block stripes were offered in blue or olive on white, and pencil striped oxfords in blue or "old gold" on white. Tattersalls were also offered in navy & marine blue or black & red on white.

J. Press Fall & Winter Brochure 1977. By the late 1970s, J. Press offered an extremely wide variety of oxford blend and all cotton shirts. Blended solids were offered in white, blue, maize or ecru, while all cotton solids were offered in white, blue, maize or pink. In addition to all cotton candy stripes in either blue or wine on white. J. Press also offered an incredible selection of colorful striped cotton/poly blends with random and twin striped, and the creatively named "pavilion" and "crayon" stripes. Tattersall oxford blends were also offered in navy & blue and black & red on white.

J. Press Fall & Winter Brochure 1978. J. Press continued to offer a wide range of solids and stripes in both all cotton and cotton/poly blends.

J. Press Fall & Winter Brochure 1981. Year in and year out, J. Press offered a consistent selection of classic solids and stripes.

J. Press Spring & Summer Brochure 1982. 

J. Press Spring & Summer Brochure 1982.

J. Press Fall & Winter 1996. By the mid-1990s, J. Press offered only all cotton shirts and this catalog shows oxfords and pinpoint oxford cloth shirts in solids of blue (with white collar), pink, white, yellow, blue and eggshell.

Chipp

The New Yorker (9/27/1952). In 1952, Chipp offered oxford cloth shirts in solids of white or blue, and candy striped oxford of blue, grey or wine on white. Tattersall checks in oxford cloth were also offered in reds and blues.

The New Yorker (4/24/1954). Chipp also offered a cooler warm weather oxford cloth shirt called the "Oxford Mesh Tropical Weave button-down" in white.

The New Yorker (10/16/1954). In the fall of 1954, Chipp offered a wide variety of oxford cloth shirts, some in either coat or pullover styles. Solid colors offered were white, blue, pink and yellow. Stripes were offered as well. Cable stripes (1/16" stripes on a white ground) in blue, wine or grey; and candy Striped oxfords also in blue, wine and grey. A higher priced Dacron-cotton blend shirt was also available in white. Tattersall checks in cotton oxford also continued to be offered in reds and blues on white.

Fall & Winter 1965. A decade later, in 1965, Chipp offered a wide variety of oxford cloth shirts in several collar models. As the catalog above attests, solids, stripes and Tattersalls were available in colors and styles for all tastes.

Cable Car Clothiers

Cable Car Clothiers Summer 1983. In addition to the other clothiers above, Cable Car Clothiers also offered solids, stripes and Tattersalls in a variety of classic colors. Though not pictured here, Cable Car Clothiers also continued to offer a long sleeved pullover oxford cloth shirt in solids and stripes as above.

L.L. Bean

Outdoors clothier and outfitter L.L. Bean has offered oxford cloth shirts for years. They have been offered in both all cotton and "easy care" blends. L.L. Bean's version of the OCBD also often came with a flap pocket.

L.L. Bean Spring 1982. The oxford cloth shirts shown here came in all cotton solids of blue, white, maize and ecru, and a striped "Business Man's" shirt in blue, red and brown stripes on white.

L.L. Bean Spring 1982. The same catalog offered an oxford cloth "Easy Care" model in solids of oxford blue, maize, white and ecru, and an easy care Business Man's shirt in stripes of blue, red and brown on white.

L.L. Bean Christmas 1985. This catalog also offered solid colors (with a flap pocket) in oxford blue, white, maize, ecru and pink, as well as a 60/40 blend easy care OCBD in the same colors.

L.L. Bean Christmas 1985. The Christmas 1985 catalog also offered solids and stripes for women. Easy care solids in blue, maize, pink, white and wintergreen. Easy care stripes were offered in yellow, red, kelly, and blue stripes on white.

L.L. Bean Fall 1990. Five years later, in 1990, L.L. Bean offered solid all cotton oxford cloth shirts in blue, pink, white and maize. Striped shirts were offered in a variety of stripes and grounds in various combinations of white,  blue, burgundy, pink, yellow.

L.L. Bean Fall 1990. The same catalog also offered easy care solids in a 60/40 blend in pink, white, maize and blue. University stripe easy care oxfords were offered in either blue or red on white.

Huntington Clothiers

Before it's demise in the late 1990s, Huntington Clothiers made an affordable oxford cloth shirt that was (in the author's humble opinion) also second only to Brooks Brothers 'Makers' OCBD. These shirts had unlined collars, cuffs and plackets that kept them natural looking and helped them become razor thin when professionally starched. I had many Huntington OCBDs over the years but only have a handful left. Huntington made shirts from both regular weave oxford and pinpoint oxford cloth. A classic example is below.

Huntington Clothiers Candy Stripe OCBD in Blue.

Hathaway

Hathaway made shirts both under its own name and for other clothiers and department stores. The embroidered red "H" at the bottom of the placket was always the sign that Hathaway had made the shirt.

A Hathaway stone OCBD in that 60/40 blend that was so popular some years ago. I probably wore this year ago with navy Levis 5 pocket cords and Wallabees.

Jos. A. Bank

Long before the Jos. A. Bank of today, there was the JAB of yesteryear. American-Made-JAB was a great source for xcellent suits, jackets and shirts. At one time, JAB made an oxford cloth shirt from fabric that was the spitting image of Brooks Brothers oxfords (below).

Jos. A. Bank OCBD in White.

Jos. A Bank OCBD in Ecru. The old style tag (above) was on their standard button-down oxfords.

Rogers Peet

Rogers Peet 60/40 blend oxford cloth button-down in blue.

Rogers Peet oxfords cloth shirts were available in Chicago at Whitehouse & Hardy, which was located on Michigan Avenue, if memory serves correctly, where Burberry is located today.

Gant/Yale Co-Op

No discussion of oxford cloth and shirts would be complete without at least a mention of the American shirtmaker, Gant. Like many college students, I remember having Gant OCBD shirts, and those that stand out in my memory in particular are two striped oxfords, one in green and one in gold. Gant, at one time made an affordable OCBD that was available at the Yale Co-Op. The image below shows such a shirt in blue.

Conclusions

Recent developments of "non-iron" or "wrinkle free" allow clothiers to offer shirts made of "all-cotton" fabrics while enjoying the benefits of easy care. It allows clothiers to offer an "all cotton" garment that will look pressed right out of the dryer at home. However, though these shirts launder remarkably easily, requiring little ironing, the way that they are finished in the factory renders them somewhat lifeless. They really don't act like true oxford cloth. For me, wrinkles are just part and parcel of the appeal of oxford cloth. Even the cotton/poly blends of the past still retained the feel and look of all cotton that has eluded these "newer" and "better" non-iron versions. Perhaps one day, someone will invent a truly better easy care OCBD, but until then, I will stay with all cotton and the occasional nostalgic blend. 

Gallery

One final section of images containing shirts in all cotton and blended oxford cloth.

Brooksweave oxford cloth in Blue.

Brooksweave oxford cloth Tattersall in Yellow-Navy.

Jos. A. Bank oxford cloth Tattersall in Burgundy, Green & Tan. 

Brooksweave oxford cloth Candy Stripe in Burgundy.

Brooksweave Pinpoint oxford cloth in Blue.

'Makers' oxford cloth shirt in Stone.

'Makers' oxford cloth Bold Stripe in Pink.

'Makers' oxford cloth Bold Stripe in Yellow.

'Makers' oxford cloth Candy Stripe in Blue.

New Old Stock (NOS) 'Makers' oxford cloth Candy Stripe in Lime Green.

'Makers' oxford cloth Candy Stripe in Red.

NOS 'Makers' Pinpoint oxford cloth in Blue.

Where can one go today for oxford cloth shirts? Though cotton rich blends seem to be a thing of the past, there are several places today where one can still find all cotton oxford cloth shirts. Mercer & Sons is probably the first choice for the purist, as they offer a wide selection of both solids and stripes. In addition to offering unlined collars that roll marvellously, they will also make oxford cloth shirts with plain point and spread collars, something that is extremely hard to find today. If one is looking for a shirt that is along the lines of Brooks Brothers older 'Makers' shirts, Mercer offers a version that is about as good as it gets. Brooks Brothers, of course, still offers oxford cloth shirts that are well constructed from great fabric, in addition to being made in the USA. However, the caveat is, and it is a big one, the collars and cuffs are heavily lined. Though the label is comfortingly familiar, the construction is not the same as it used to be. J. Press also offers a wide variety of excellent oxford cloth shirts, and still offers their famous flap-pocketed oxford cloth shirts, as well. O'Connell's also offered a very wide variety of oxford cloth shirts, that I keep telling myself that I should try some day. Perhaps for the Christmas "wish list" this year.

Though oxford cloth is a humble plain or basket weave, it has obviously been much loved since its legendary first manufacture in the 19th century by that unknown Scottish mill. The thought and imagination poured out over this simple fabric in the development of a wide variety of solids, stripes and checks is astonishing. Over a sustained period of the half century that we have briefly looked at, a variety of clothiers have brought copious amounts of ingenuity to this cloth in both its all cotton and cotton blend styles. If nothing else, the above history suggests that there is probably no better cloth to wear everyday, day in and day out over the years, than oxford cloth.

---

HTJ Reports: Winter Flannels & Cavalry Twills

December 9, 2013, 4:00 am

≫ Next: HTJ Reports: A J. Press-O'Connell's Tweed

≪ Previous: HTJ Archives: Oxford Cloth - A Cloth for Everyday

$

0

0

Though not as colorful and playful as tartan flannel, medium-grey flannel and cavalry twill trousers are workhorses that go quietly about their daily business during these winter months. They pair well with tweed jackets, flannel blazers and a variety of sweaters, making them eminently useful. Along with corduroy, moleskin, and flannel lined khakis, these trousers have a special place in the wardrobe and are indispensable during the colder months ahead. While I don't remember my first pair of flannel trousers, I do remember going to a local men's shop with my father when I was in junior high to get fitted for a pair of medium-grey flannels. The gentleman who took my measurements seemed pleased when I told him that I indeed wanted cuffs and that I planned to use the penny loafers I was wearing with the flannels. Many years later, I also remember a pair of cavalry twills from Huntington Clothiers that I wore until they simply wore out. My wardrobe habits haven't changed much in the intervening years. Medium-grey flannels and cavalry twills are simple and useful daily wardrobe staples for colder weather.

The two pairs of trousers pictured above come from J. Press (flannels on the left) and O'Connell's (cavalry twills on the right). They are obviously made by the same maker, though I really don't know who that maker is. The construction on both pairs of trousers is identical, except that the J. Press trousers have slanted front pockets and the O'Connell's have on-seam front pockets. Both are flat front and run very true to size - not slim fit, but certainly not relaxed either.

The label placement and inner construction on both trousers is the same. These are both a standard  or regular rise trouser that are extremely comfortable all day.

While J. Press calls their flannels "medium-grey" and O'Connell's calls the cavalry twills "charcoal," they are both a very similar shade of deep medium-grey, in contrast to a charcoal grey that is nearly black. Both trousers also have a traditional watch pocket located just above the right front pocket.

Finished identically on the inside, both are made in the USA, which I am finding to be somewhat of a rarity today. The cavalry twills on the top came with brace buttons, which I removed, revealing red marker dots which must have guided their original placement.

Cavalry twills have a steeply woven twill surface that is shown here with a pair of wide wale grey corduroy trousers for comparison. While the J. Press flannels are heavyweight, the cavalry twills are extremely heavyweight.

It is very hard to capture color accurately. For example, of the three pairs of trousers shown above, the pair on the left are charcoal grey (almost black), while the center (J. Press) and right (O'Connell's) are medium-grey. While I do wear very dark charcoal grey flannels with navy flannel blazers and lighter grey tweed jackets, I find that winter weight trousers in medium-grey are the ones that I reach for most often.

I also have another pair of medium-grey J. Press flannels (on the right, above) that are a bit lighter in color and weight. The construction of these is also a bit different than the two already shown above. Which is to say that both J. Press and O'Connell's offer a variety of winter weight trousers in medium-grey. In addition to flannel and cavalry twill, one can also find, whipcord, covert, and a variety of tweeds from these clothiers. The weather will only get colder, and fortunately, J. Press and O'Connell's regularly stock winter weight trousers for men.

In a world where many nations' goods are increasingly manufactured beyond their borders, it is often a pleasant surprise to find quality goods that reflect various national traditions. This can probably be said for many nations where traditions of craftsmanship and manufacture have increasingly been turned over to factories in different parts of the world. This is the world in which we live, and it's probably not going to change. However, it is also important to recognize that traditions and what nations produce (or do not produce) have an influence upon the rise and the decline of national character and culture. In other words, what a nation produces has an impact upon a nation's history and upon its values. When I see trousers like these; Shetland wool sweaters and tweeds from Scotland; shoes from Northampton, England; printed silk and woven woollen fabrics from Italy, I know that I am looking at something that is, at the same time, beginning to vanish from the face of the earth: Articles, often handmade, that reflect the industry and pride of national histories. These kinds of articles are often a bit more expensive than other similar looking articles, but being well-made will last for years. Moreover, like owning small pieces of increasingly rare national treasure, these kinds of articles also represent good value. The weather is only going to get colder. Next to utilitarian tan cords so beloved by many, medium-grey flannels and cavalry twills are solid choices to face the cold, rain and snow in the months ahead.

HTJ Reports: A J. Press-O'Connell's Tweed

December 11, 2013, 1:42 pm

≫ Next: The Genuine Article: Lambswool Sweaters

≪ Previous: HTJ Reports: Winter Flannels & Cavalry Twills

$

0

0

Several years ago, I got the above Shetland tweed jacket in an end of the year sale at J. Press. It was probably about 75% off, maybe more. It didn't cost a great deal, and I kind of wondered if I was buying a pig in a poke, but I've come to like it a great deal. It not only has that warm horse blanket feel about it, but it also has very natural shoulders and soft construction. It's also most like wearing a cardigan with lapels. Most of all, however, without being loud, it is simply one of the most colorfully complex tweeds I have ever seen. So I was recently very surprised to see a jacket made from the same soft Shetland tweed cloth being offered by O'Connell's (below) on their website.

It's obviously cut from the same cloth as my J. Press Shetland tweed jacket, and is no doubt a well-made jacket. It looks to have very natural shoulders, perfect lapels and a nice 3/2 button roll. They've also picked up the rust windowpane in the jacket by pairing it with a rust foulard tie.

One of the things that I find fascinating about tweed is the sheer amount of color that some tweeds contain. I have an old brown Harris Tweed herringbone that appears to be solid brown, but also has flecks or kneps of red, blue and green in it. It is very subtle, but the colors are there when examined closely. The tweed jacket above is much more complex than the above images (mine and O'Connell's) suggest. O'Connell's likens it to the "Argyle & Sutherland" coloration, and it is indeed suggestive of that. Just don't wear that regimental tie with this tweed. In addition to the grey and brown tones evident above, this tweed sort of shimmers in the light with yellows, blues, greens and even a bit of purple. In spite of the name of this blog, I know very little about the actual manufacture of tweed. Sure, I've watched with great interest and fascination videos showing tweed manufacture on the internet, and increased my knowledge a bit, but I still have no hands on experience making it, which is probably what it takes to move beyond the rote memorization of tweed names to a level of genuine understanding. If I was able to make the yarns, set up the warp and the weft of the loom, and even have a hand at weaving, then I might understand a bit more about why this jacket behaves like it does in the light. Though I think that such understanding probably takes years of diligent labor, not merely a single hands on sort of experience. Such tacit knowledge comes solely from an experience of active participation that leads to, not only mastery of a task, but also to a level of circumspection that allows one to understand the process of a given task and its outcome. The persons that are involved in making the yarns and weaving them have both a knowledge and an understanding of tweed that I will never have, and I simply can't learn that sort of thing from a book.

However, like many things, the more time I spend with doing something or observing something, the more I find I come to know and understand. I think tweed is a bit like this. The more of it that I have the opportunity to see, handle, or even wear, leads to a deepened appreciation of it. The photo above was an attempt to capture some of the Argyle & Sutherland blues, greens and yellows in this jacket, and though it's a bit washed out, it's a different looking tweed than the dark grey looking images above. Tweed is more than simply color and patterns, it is a fabric that can subtly change shades of color as the light around it changes. For example, I have another brown Harris Tweed jacket that at times looks dark brown and at other times looks like a combination of what I have come to call 'granite seaweed'. I suppose that's the way it should be, as the colors of tweed often mirror the land and the sea nearby the areas where it is made. Like many people, however, I can't just pack up and move to the Outer Hebrides to learn about tweed. I can, however, continue to wear tweed and learn as much as I can about it. A tweed jacket is a potentially long-term relationship, and after years of wear, I might just come to know a little more that I did about the land and the sea that inspired it. Not exactly the same as "Be the ball, Billy," but through wearing tweed one does perhaps, in the very smallest of ways at least, participate in the land and the sea that inspired its creation. So with these random thoughts on my mind, I remind myself that there is no better time of the year to increase my understanding of tweed - and I think I have just the madder tie to go with that granite seaweed Harris Tweed jacket.

The Genuine Article: Lambswool Sweaters

December 20, 2013, 4:59 pm

≫ Next: HTJ Archives: L.L. Bean Christmas 1983

≪ Previous: HTJ Reports: A J. Press-O'Connell's Tweed

$

0

0

Though not as glamorous as cashmere, the humble and hardwearing lambswool sweater is a cold weather wardrobe staple. And it seems to me that it is often overlooked as an excellent lightweight choice for staying warm. Lambswool sweaters traditionally come in three shapes: cardigan, crew neck and v-neck. Lambswool vests usually come in button-front and v-neck designs, and also work well under jackets and cardigans. The above image shows the three basic shapes from a variety of clothiers. When traveling in cold weather, I often either wear or bring a v-neck pullover with me, as it helps me reach into shirt pockets to get at tickets, throat lozenges, lists - whatever. When winter really sets in there is no better combination than a lambswool sweater and a tweed jacket. I've been wearing more sweaters and jackets lately, so lambswool sweaters have been on my mind. I have a number of older sweaters from years ago that I still wear regularly, and that's the thing about a good lambswool sweater - they can last for a long time.

This Lands' End v-neck is one great sweater. It is old. It is fraying and patched. I wouldn't part with it. It has been everywhere and is still trucking' along.

This sweater comes from a time when Lands' End imported goods made for them from England and Scotland. The quality of the sweater is evident given the number of years (read decades) I have had it, and that it still looks presentable.

It is frayed along the hem.

It is patched at the elbows, but fortunately the cuffs haven't begun to fray…yet.

I have another identical Lands' End lambswool v-neck in burgundy from England. Both of these sweaters have saddle shoulders, and are very comfortable.

L.L. Bean, at one time, also offered lambswool sweaters made in England and Scotland. The above sweater is a cardigan that also has been very hardwearing and serviceable. The idea of sweaters as serviceable garments that can be worn for daily tasks, as opposed to luxury garments, is one that has always appealed to me. Clothes for getting things done.

Of course, a navy lambswool cardigan goes well with a pair of Tan Cords, but then, what doesn't?

Now this is probably where my orthodoxy will come into question, but as long as we are talking about lambswool, I have a Benetton sweater in olive green that is simply one of the best shades of olive I've ever seen. It was one of those post-holiday purchases found on a sale table so many years ago. It has subtle shades of navy and purple mixed into the olive drab making a great shade of green. It is a testament to the quality of the garment that I have had it for years (again read decades) and it is still going strong. Speaking of Benetton, I remember being in New York City for a job interview after college around the holidays, and picking up a Fair Isle sweater for my sister that looked absolutely lovely on her. I also have an L.L. Bean Norwegian sweater that was received in a family gift exchange from my father that always reminds me of him when I wear it. Sweaters are often given and received as gifts at this time of the year, and that's the thing about sweaters - they can accumulate and carry memories.

Regarding the Benetton sweater in question, it is a very practical sweater as seen here with a blue Brooks Brothers candy stripe OCBD. Surprises often abound on sale tables.

Finally, since I'm taking a walk down 'Winter's Memory Lane', there is the camel v-neck from Huntington Clothiers that I've also had for years. It is a very heavy lambswool sweater, and wearing it with a tweed jacket needs to be approached with caution. But then, that's the great thing about a sweater, one can always take the jacket off if one gets a bit too warm doing whatever is making one too warm in the first place. And this is what makes a lambswool sweater the Genuine Article - they are hardwearing, long-lasting, warm, saddle shouldered sweaters that help one in one's daily tasks. They are functional.

All of this talk about old sweaters is great, but where can one go today to find the Genuine Article? Where can one find a lambswool sweater with saddle shoulders that carries that imprimatur of "Made in Scotland" or some such place that raises sheep that thrive in inclement weather? There are a few places that one can go.

L.L. Bean still offers a lambswool v-neck, but though the yarns are spun in England, the sweater is made in China. Definitely not like the old days. But the price is affordable.

O'Connell's carries a wide range of lambswool sweaters in v-neck, crew neck, cardigan and vest designs. They are made in Scotland and come in a wide variety of colors.

Bahle's of Suttons Bay offers sweaters by Scott & Charters, all of which are made in Scotland, and also come in a variety of colors.

Finally, J. Press also offers lambswool v-neck sweaters that are made in Scotland, though the color choices are not as wide as both O'Connell's and Bahle's. On sale, these appear to be an excellent choice.

In this season of cold weather and good cheer, I can think of no more quiet and stalwart a sweater for work, home, travel and generally dashing out and about town. There's always a lot to do these days, and a v-neck lambswool sweater will help keep one warm while surging about, allowing one to get at that "To Do List" that often occupies so many shirt pockets these days so that we can all get things done.

HTJ Archives: L.L. Bean Christmas 1983

December 29, 2013, 5:54 pm

≫ Next: HTJ Archives: Flannel Shirts, Pt. I - Brooksflannel

≪ Previous: The Genuine Article: Lambswool Sweaters

$

0

0

Those who liked the New England general store realism of L.L. Bean's pre-1990s catalogs might like what they had to offer in 1983. As we are four days into the brief twelve day season of Christmas, I thought it might be worthwhile looking back at L.L. Bean's Christmas catalog from 1983. It provides a window into a different world that has in some ways sadly disappeared. There weren't many companies that were able to elevate a kind of outdoors New England regionalism to the plane of international universal appeal, but L.L. Bean pulled it off.  This catalog shows L.L. Bean for the unique outdoors outfitter that it was. There is something for everyone here, and every page has some gem worth ordering even today. For the sake of time, I didn't include the tents and some of the outdoors equipment, but otherwise it's pretty much all here. I also included all of the women's sections as well, as this blog has had its share of women readers. There's no Bean's Gunsling Belt as there was in the 1982 catalog ($12.75, women; and $13.75, men), but I'm sure if it was 1983, L.L. Bean would have probably found you one.

If I was ordering from this catalog, I would be after the Insulated Lounger Boots, Baxter State Parka (Navy), Scotch Plaid Shirts, Corduroy Chinos, Norwegian Sweater (Burgundy/White), Herringbone Twill Pants, Insulated Overpants, Wilderness Jacket (red, green plaid), Shetland sweaters (regular and cabled), that Country shawl collared cardigan, Tattersall button-downs, Blucher mocs, Sport Chukkas, Insulated Maine Hunting Shoes, Glacier Glasses, Zipper Duffel Bags, Tartan trousers, a Hand Knit Icelandic cardigan, Rangeley Tartan Flannel shirts, & that 1982 catalog Gunsling Belt. And that's just for starters, I suppose.

The interesting thing is that as I've gotten older I have found myself looking at items that weren't as appealing to me years ago. Funny that. It would be nice if the L.L Bean of old were still around to cater to those of us who, as we get older, still find this style appealing. There was a genuineness about this style of clothing, much of which was available only at L.L. Bean. In today's marketplace, so much looks the same from one retailer to another, and the truly unique has become harder and harder to find. Of course, we had a number of L.L. Bean items arrive in the mail this year, and we also visited several retail locations during the past year. However, it's just not the same as a generation ago. I know that it just isn't all L.L. Bean's fault. I have certainly grown and changed in many ways due to many experiences and challenges that life has afforded me in the intervening years. We can't help but change and grow. It is a fascinating aspect of human life. Part of what makes returning to these older catalogs interesting is remembering life - oneself and others years ago - and thereby gaining a glimpse at how much oneself and the world have changed. Anyway, enough rambling.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas - L.L. Bean Christmas 1983.

One more thing as long as I'm at it. I would order an Irish Tweed Hat (p. 115). I'm certainly old enough for this and am finding that I need something up top to keep the cold and the damp at bay. Thinning hair is something I never thought about years ago, but it does open a whole world of possibility in tweed and tartan caps and hats. For that, I am grateful and a bit warmer.

HTJ Archives: Flannel Shirts, Pt. I - Brooksflannel

January 4, 2014, 3:01 am

≫ Next: HTJ Reports: L.L. Bean Rubber Moccasins

≪ Previous: HTJ Archives: L.L. Bean Christmas 1983

$

0

0

This is the first part in a two-part series on the flannel shirt, that comfortable garment that is so highly valued for its utility and warmth. Flannel wears well alone, with sweaters, tweed jackets, hunting coats, and with down or fleece vests. In part one, we will look at the background and development of the Brooksflannel wool and cotton blend shirt, and in part two we will take a look back at L.L. Bean flannel and chamois.

If one takes the time to look through The New Yorker during the early 1950s, it quickly becomes apparent that wool and cotton blend shirts were perhaps the most popular form of flannel at the time. Brooks Brothers, J. Press, Langrock, Abercrombie & Fitch, L.L. Bean, Hathaway, Dunham's of Maine, Arrow, and others all offered versions of this type of blended flannel shirt. There were two competing fabric mills that appear in most of the advertising from this period - Viyella and Lanella. Viyella was a trademarked fabric produced in England by Hollins & Company until the early 1960s when the company name was changed to Viyella International. Though the name Viyella (for Via Gellia, a valley and road in Derbyshire) is still in use today, the name of the other competitor, Lanella, has all but disappeared. However, though Brooks Brothers also offered shirts and robes made of Viyella, it was the Swiss competitor, Lanella, that made the fabric for the earliest Brooks Brothers wool & cotton blend Brooksflannel shirts. In the early 1950s, nearly all men's clothiers offered wool and cotton blend flannel shirts made with flannel from one of these two companies.

A closer look at advertising during this period will allow us to see the emergence of the Brooksflannel shirt as a distinct and uniquely Brooks Brothers garment.

The New Yorker 11/15/1952. Brooks Brothers offered their "own make" shirts of flannel woven by Lanella in a 50/50 wool and cotton blend. They were offered in a wide variety of solids, tattersalls, tartans and Glen checks.

The New Yorker 11/15/1958. Viyella also figured prominently into the advertising of the period. A Viyella man was always portrayed as a sportsman. Brooks Brothers' advertising from the 1940s and early 1950s also featured Viyella flannel shirts and robes in a 55/45 wool and cotton blend, making Brooks Brothers one of the fews companies that offered garments made from fabric by both Viyella and Lanella.

This advertisement from a 1950s The New Yorker shows the Viyella sportsman in, of course, Tan Cords with a faithful dog nearby. The advertisement also serves to highlight the Hathaway shirt company of Waterville, Maine, and thereby grounding British fabrics in a New England culture of outdoors pursuits.

The New Yorker 11/17/1956. Dunham's of Maine also featured Viyella shirts made by the New England manufacturer Hathaway. A Viyella man also knew how to cook over a campfire.

The New Yorker 11/30/1957. J. Press offered Viyella blazers. I have never seen these anywhere else, and think that they would have been a thing to behold. I can imagine a quiet blue tartan jacket with a bit of red and green.

The New Yorker 11/28/1959. J. Press also offered wool and cotton blend shirts made with Swiss fabric. These shirts may have been made with Lanella flannel.

Abercrombie & Fitch also offered Viyella in the 1950s in historically correct tartans.

As did Arrow,

As did Hathaway.

L.L Bean, too, offered a Swiss made 50/50 wool and cotton blend shirt. This looks to have been from the 1970s perhaps.

L.L. Bean continued to offer a blended shirt in the 1980s with their Rangeley Flannel Shirts made from an 80/20 blend of cotton and wool.

The clothier that was Langrock also offered Viyella tartan shirts, featuring the Royal Warrant of Her Majesty the Queen.

Langrock also offered flannel shirts made with Lanella fabric, but without the cachet of a Royal Warrant. And therein perhaps lies part of the reason for the demise of Lanella. It was probably hard to compete with the British Royal Warrant, country life, and tartan history that stood behind Viyella. What is remarkable is that Brooks Brothers began with Swiss-made Lanella and created their own unique and Brooksy "Brooksflannel," to which we now turn.

So when did Brooksflannel first appear? The only flannel shirts featured in the 1947 Brooks Brothers Christmas catalog (above) were all wool shirts. This is not to say that Brooks Brothers didn't offer a wool and cotton blend in the immediate postwar period, because they did. However, Brooks Brothers traditionally relied heavily upon imports from Great Britain, and the Second World War disrupted the importation of such goods. So perhaps for this reason, Brooks Brothers sought alternative sources of textiles.

By the late 1940s Brooks Began to again offer such goods again from Great Britain. However, five years later in 1952, Brooks Brothers featured Swiss-made Lanella flannel shirts. The advertisement above from 1953 shows such shirts made with Lanella flannel (The New Yorker 11/21/1953).

The New Yorker 11/14/1953. As information about Lanella is scarce today, this full-page advertisement introducing Lanella to the American public offers a bit of insight into this manufacturer. First of all, Lanella had Midtown Manhattan corporate offices at 185 Madison Avenue in New York City, not terribly far from traditional clothiers such as Brooks Brothers and J. Press and Chipp. Lanella flannel was a 50% wool and 50% cotton blend, made from Australian wool and long staple Egyptian cotton. It was Sanforized and mothproofed, as well.

The New Yorker 10/30/1954. Brooks Brothers offered Lanella flannel shirts made by their own shirtmakers for men, women and boys during this period. Brooks Brothers tradition of making many of their own garments is perhaps what led to their eventual branding of the Brooksflannel line.

The New Yorker 10/13/1956. This is the first advertisement introducing "Brooks Flannel" (written as two words) that I have been able to find. Two years earlier in 1954, Brooks Brothers had introduced the Dacron/cotton Brooksweave and Brookscloth blends, and it is significant that Brooks Brothers again chose to name a new wool and cotton blend in a similar way. Interestingly, this early advertisement rendered the name of the new shirts as "Brooks Flannel." Though I combed through The New Yorker for the two years prior to this (1954-1955, and I may have missed something), there is a conspicuous absence of any advertising for Lanella flannel Brooks Brothers shirts across this two year period. Perhaps Brooks Brothers was busy with the new Brooksweave and Brookscloth advertising campaign and with product development for Brooksflannel.

The New Yorker 10/18/1958. By 1958, however, it was "Brooksflannel" written as one word, with the cloth advertised as manufactured by Lanella Mills of Switzerland. The pattern choices were houndstooth, solid and tattersall designs.

The New Yorker 11/22/1958. Curiously, a month later, the name "Brooksflannel" is absent from an advertisement that continued to feature the Lanella name. There is no reason why the two names could not exist in the same advertising copy, as Brooks Brothers did this with DuPont Dacron and their Brooksweave and Brookscloth shirts.

The New Yorker 11/7/1959. Whatever the reason, by 1959 the name Lanella had been dropped from Brooksflannel advertising, and from this time onward Brooksflannel was marketed as a distinctively Brooks Brothers fabric used for both shirts and robes.

The New Yorker 11/9/1963. Several years later in 1963, Brooksflannel was offered alongside other shirts as a part of Brooks Brothers wider shirting offerings.

Brooks Brothers catalog, Christmas 1971. This catalog featured Brooksflannel in a paisley design of 80% cotton and 20% wool. I imagine that this was a printed design rather than a woven one.

The same Christmas catalog from 1971 also featured Tattersall shirts in the 80/20 weave in red-black, blue-black and gold-black color choices.

Christmas 1971. This page contains some useful information on item 153, "Our new English cotton and wool blend robe is lightweight and washable." From this information, we can surmise that Brooks Brothers shifted from Swiss-made flannel to English-made flannel in the intervening decade of the late 1950s and early 1960s. I am, of course, not sure when that change took place, but this change is significant nevertheless. The other robes offered on this page were challis (152), wool (154, 155) and silk foulard (156).

Fall & Winter 1979. This catalog read Brooksflannel is a lightweight, washable blend of wool and cotton woven in Scotland. We offer it here in button-down collar sport shirts with long sleeves. Red, navy, maize, light blue, natural or cream. Sizes 14 1/2 to 16 1/2. The manufacture of Brooksflannel remained firmly in the United Kingdom and thus probably provided excellent competition to British Viyella, while retaining that distinctively American "Brooksy" style.

Christmas 1979. This catalog featured a breathtaking array of flannel shirts woven in Scotland in a heavier 55% wool and 45% cotton that was the same ratio in which Viyella fabric from the same period was woven.

Christmas 1979. This catalog also offered a selection of robes for men that it would be hard to find in one place, if at all, today. The description of item "A" read, Brooksflannel - a lightweight washable blend of wool and cotton woven in Scotland - is shown here in our Tartan plaid robes. Royal Stewart (shown). Campbell Dress (navy-green-white). Lindsay (maroon-navy-green). Anderson (red-grey yellow) or Douglas Dress (maroon-green-white). Small, medium, large or extra large. 
The other robes offered were medium-weight wool (B), Italian silk foulard (C), and a notch collared medium-weight wool robe (D).

Christmas 1981. This catalog offered both solid and tartan flannel shirts. The catalog read, Exclusive long sleeve sport shirts of Brooksflannel, a warm, machine washable blend of wool and cotton woven in Scotland. Sizes 14 1/2 to 16 1/2
H. Solid color Brooksflannel sport shirt without button-down collar. In red, cream, navy, light blue, maize or natural.
J. Brooksflannel Tartan sport shirt with out plain point collar. In Royal Stewart (mainly red), Campbell Dress (navy-white), MacDuff (blue-black-red on white), or Weathered Brodie (red-yellow on brown).

Christmas 1982. This Christmas catalog also offered an impressive selection of robes. The description of the Brooksflannel robe (C) read, For warmth and softness, we offer our exclusive Brooksflannel robe, made of Scotch-woven, machine-washable wool and cotton blend. A most handsome and lasting gift, in Royal Stewart tartan (mainly red) or Campbell Dress (navy-green-yellow-white). Small, medium, large or extra large. 
These would have been the heavier 55/45 wool and cotton blend flannel. A Campbell Dress tartan robe in a 55/45 blend sounds about right in these colder months.

Christmas 1985. This catalog read, Sport shirts of our new Brooksflannel, a blend of 80% cotton and 20% wool that is lightweight yet warm, soft and washable. With long sleeves and button-down collar. Sizes 14 1/2 to 16 1/2 
A. Tartan plaids in Royal Stewart (mainly red), Campbell Dress (navy-green-white), Ancient MacClean (wine-green-white), MacCluer (navy-green-yellow) or brown tone Weathered MacPherson.
B. Solid colors in red, navy, green or yellow. 
Brooksflannel was offered here in a lighter weight 80/20 cotton and wool blend that perhaps was a reflection of warmer indoors climates and lighter weight Viyella flannel, as well.

Fall & Winter 1986. This catalog read, Brooksflannel makes possibly the softest, most comfortable sport shirt you can find. This imported blend of 80% cotton and 20% wool, is warm and washable...and its light weight is ideal for wear indoors. 
B. Rich solids in green, yellow, red or navy.
C. Authentic tartans in Lochcarron (brown-tan-blue), Ancient MacClean (wine-green-white), Dress Campbell (navy-green-white), Royal Stewart (mainly red) or MacCluer (navy-green-yellow). Sizes 14 1/2 to 16 1/2. 
Brooks Brothers did a great job of continuing to offer both solid and tartan flannel shirts in standard color choices along with new color choices for tartan every year.

Fall & Winter 1987. This 1987 catalog read, Our Brooksflannel makes, we feel, the softest shirts you will own. This imported blend of 80% cotton, 20% wool is warm...yet it is a perfect weight for comfortable wear indoors. Made in USA on our exclusive long sleeve button-down collar model. Sizes 14 1/2 to 16 1/2
H. Rich solids in red, navy, maize or our new teal.
J. Authentic tartans in MacCluer (navy-green-yellow), Royal Stewart (mainly red), new MacLeod (black-yellow) or Buchanan (blue-yellow-red). 
Buchanan is a great tartan that wears well across the decades.

Fall & Winter 1988. This catalog read, Our long sleeve button-down collar shirt is made in the USA for us in collar sizes 14 1/2 to 16 1/2
A. Distinctive plaids in mainly red (on figure), navy-green, grey-red-yellow or white-green-red.
B. Sold shades of green, Winter white, red or navy. 
This is the first fall & winter catalog after the purchase of Brooks Brothers by Marks & Spencer. One would think that the tartan shirts would have continued to be offered by clan name as the owner was now an British company. Go figure.

Christmas 1988. The text of this catalog read, These exclusive Brooksflannel sport shirts are as colorful as they are soft and comfortable. Made in the USA for us exclusively using lightweight imported cotton and wool. Plaids in mainly green, red, yellow or white. Collar sizes 14 1/2 to 16 1/2. 
The blend was still a cotton rich 80/20 blend.

Autumn 1989. Clan names for tartans were back the following Fall in the Autumn catalog in the 80/20 cotton and wool blend. From left to right, MacCluer, Lord of Isles, MacFarland and Weathered Campbell (on the model).

Holiday 1991. The "Holiday" catalog read, Brookflannel Tartans. We developed the Brooksflannel blend (80% cotton and 20% wool) for lightweight warmth. The Scots created these colorful plaids. MacCluer (blue-Green), Lindsay (burgundy-green), Dress Campbell (green-navy-white), or Black Stewart (black-green-yellow-white). All with button-down collar, horn buttons, chest pocket, long sleeves. USA made for us alone. 14 1/2 to 17 1/2. 
Made "for us" rather than "by us" or "own make" is perhaps a significant change pointing to the beginning of outsourcing of manufacturing for some garments. To be honest, I never really liked the horn buttons. One thing that I always found unique about Brooks Brothers "sport shirts" was that they often shared the same construction as dress shirts, even down to the clear dress shirt buttons. 

Holiday 1993. Twenty years ago seems like yesterday in some ways, and this catalog still featured Brooksflannel in an 80/20 blend. However, sizing had changed from measured neck sizes and R and XL sleeve lengths to the more commonly accepted S-M-L-XL sizing format. Another strike against the "dress shirt as sport shirt" concept.

After this retrospective look at the development of Brooksflannel in advertising and catalogs through the early 1990s, let's take a look at examples of these shirts in the different blends in which they were offered.

Early-mid 1950s. This is a Lanella 50/50 Wool & Cotton blend flannel shirt. I have never seen a button down shirt from this period in advertising. This had removable collar stay slots on the reverse side of the collar and a breast pocket of the left side.

The 'Makers' tag predates tags bearing the "Brooksflannel" name. For those keeping track of size labels from this period, this label dates from before the 1958 "Textile Fiber Products Identification Act," which mandated fiber content on all garment labels. The shirt bears no indication of the fiber content, care instruction or country of manufacture, which were all mandated by various laws beginning after 1958. The name "New York" on size tags was changed to "Makers" somewhere around 1955 (going by advertising), so this shirt likely dates from somewhere in the early-mid 1950s. This is a very soft shirt.

Deep 1950s tails.

Shirring on the cuffs. Basically a flannel dress shirt.

1970s Brooksflannel woven in Scotland in that hearty 55/45 wool and cotton blend in a yellow & black Tattersall.

55/45 Wool & Cotton blend. Wear it with a shawl collar cardigan or a Harris Tweed jacket and potter about in town with the "To Do List" on a Saturday morning.

1970s Brooksflannel woven in Scotland. Dress Campbell tartan. Straight collar with removable collar stay slots on the reverse side of the collar and a breast pocket of the left side.

55/45 Wool & Cotton blend. Warm and comfortable. Pairs well with Tan Cords.

1970s Brooksflannel woven in Scotland.  Solid hunter green with a flap pocket.

55/45 Wool & Cotton blend. Another wonderful shirt to wear with sweaters when walking the dog in the morning.

1970s Brooksflannel woven in perhaps either England or Scotland (based on catalogs). In December 1971 the Federal Trade Commission adopted the "Care Labeling Rule" (part of the earlier Textile Fiber Products Identification Act) regarding labels stating the care of garments. The rule basically states that one accurate, reliable care method must be provided on a permanent, legible care label that is attached to the garment. This shirt above contains an early such printed label visible in the upper right portion of the collar. Later Brooksflannel care labels were woven rather than printed labels that were located either in this collar position or on the bottom of the front of the shirt behind the bottom buttons.

An 80/20 cotton & wool blend likely from the early 1970s. Deep tails and no flap pocket. Dress shirt construction.

A mid-1980s Brooksflannel shirt in Royal Stewart tartan.

In 1983 the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act was again revised and required that "Each wool product with a neck must have a label disclosing the country of origin affixed to the inside center of the neck midway between the shoulder seams or in close proximity to another label affixed to the inside center of the neck. The fiber content and RN or name of the company may be disclosed on the same label as the country of origin…" Hence the appearance of the "Made in U.S.A." on the label of Brooks Brothers shirts after 1983.

A mid-1980s Brooksflannel Ancient MacClean tartan shirt.

This shirt appeared in the Fall & Winter 1986 catalog. This is a very nice tartan.

A mid-1980s Brooksflannel Lochcarron tartan shirt. 

This tartan also appeared in the 1986 Fall & Winter catalog.

A late 1980s Brooksflannel Weathered Campbell tartan shirt.

This shirt appeared in the 1989 Autumn catalog. Weathered Campbell is another classic tartan that was also offered by L.L. Bean in all cotton flannel in the early 1980s.

A mid-late 1990s flannel shirt in an 80/20 cotton and wool blend. By this point Brooks Brothers' New Jersey shirt factory had been closed and manufacturing moved offshore, as seen in the Hong Kong country of origin, noted on the label.

This is still a very high quality shirt. I found it on a sale table at Brooks Brothers years ago, and have worn it until the collar needed turning and continue to wear it.

It's a great shirt for a day outside, or yet another walk with the dog.

A NOS mid-1980s solid navy Brooksflannel shirt with a flap pocket.

Though these shirts aren't supposed to shrink much, I would advise hang drying these rather than using a dryer if you want to keep the sleeve length comfortable.

A NOS mid-1980s MacClure (MacCluer in catalogs) tartan Brooksflannel shirt.

This is another beautiful tartan that is very representative of these original Brooksflannel shirts.

The development of Brooksflannel shirts began in the heady days of the early postwar era as Great Britain, Europe and the United States were rebuilding their economies and marketplaces. Brooks Brothers' early wool and cotton blend shirts were made with flannel from the Lanella mills of Switzerland. However, similar to Brooks Brothers' development of new and distinctive easy-care blend fabrics such as Brooksweave and Brookscoth in the 1950s, Brooksflannel was also developed to give Brooks Brothers a product that it could also market competitively with the other well-known brand, Viyella. Though Brooks Brothers' understated manner of advertising never openly compared Brooksflannel with Viyella, the move from a Swiss mill to English and Scottish mills continued to make the comparison an easy one. Further, Brooks Brothers' tradition of offering garments imported from Great Britain or made from British textiles also continued their tradition of representing a blended integration of Anglo-American traditions. The Brooksflannel shirt was a supremely Brooks Brothers creation that wed their superior dress shirt construction to a shirt meant for outdoors and leisure pursuits. By doing so, Brooks Brothers created a shirt that was comfortable and appropriate for wear in both town and country settings. Brooksflannel shirts are still available today from Brooks Brothers, but are not really the same as the original Brooksflannel shirts made into the early 1990s. It is ironic that the closest one can come today to a US made shirt like Brooksflannel is the Viyella shirt - as offered at O'Connell's, made in either the USA or Canada. The original Brooksflannel shirts offered the very best of American dress shirt construction and a tradition of blended British wool and cotton textiles created for outdoors pursuits. More than Viyella, Brooksflannel shirts represented that "Brooksy" Anglo-American sensibility that was an easy blend of tradition and utility. It was a blending of fabric, history and culture that only Brooks Brothers could best articulate.

HTJ Reports: L.L. Bean Rubber Moccasins

January 5, 2014, 5:59 am

≫ Next: HTJ Archives: L.L. Bean Chamois & Scotch Plaid

≪ Previous: HTJ Archives: Flannel Shirts, Pt. I - Brooksflannel

$

0

0

One of the most beloved L.L. Bean products has long been their Rubber Moccasins. They have been around since the 1930s, and have undergone several changes. The current pair that I have in the front hall closet (above image) are great for rainy days and quick dashes around the block with the dog in the rain. I got them about four years ago after my old pair of almost 20 years developed a serious hole in the bottom after years of use. That I put duct tape around the hole for probably over a year and soldiered on speaks of my attachment to those moccasins. I have had Maine Hunting Shoes resoled, but really didn't see the point for those moccasins, so I binned them. Then I ordered a new pair. When the new pair arrived they were so large that I sent them back. In the intervening years since I had last purchased a pair, L.L. Bean had redesigned these moccasins, and the sizing was now wonky. Instead of the old fitting method of ordering a half size down, I now had to order a size and a half down. Still they are decent enough, but they are also not the same as the old pair. The old pair really fit more like a pair of moccasins, the heel did not slip much, and the rubber was more supple.

Recently, Sartre asked if I had any pictures of the old ones, and while I do, I'm not sure that the pair that he had are in here. I don't have very many L.L. Bean catalogs, but enough to give my impressions. These catalogs make for interesting comparison to today's contemporary moccasins.

 Spring 1964. The image above states that the Rubber Moccasins had already been made for 30 years, which places their development in the 1930s. The first thing that is noticeable is that the rubber front of the mocs are smooth, and lack the rubber reinforcement lines. If one reads the description, one learns an important bit of information, namely, that the moccasin bottoms were lighter than the hunting shoe bottoms. My old moccasins also had a lighter feel to them. This is quite different than the current L.L. Bean moccasins, which feel as if they just have a rather inflexible Bean Boot bottom on them. In other words, the old moccasins had a completely different rubber bottom than the hunting shoe bottom. To me, this represents the effort that L.L. Bean put into making a pair of moccasins made out of rubber fit more like moccasins made out of leather.

 L.L. Bean Archives. This photo above came from a tour that two bloggers, A Restless Transplant and All Plaidout, made to the L.L. Bean Archive a few years ago. The photos are still available here. Though I don't know the age of the moccasins above, they are likely very much the same as the ones in the Spring 1964 catalog above. I would order these in a heartbeat, if they were still available. They are obviously lighter and more of a moccasin than the current L.L. Bean mocs in the hall closet.

Spring 1982. Fast forward to the early 1980s, nearly two decades later. The moccasins that I had, wore out, duct taped and kept wearing, were of this era. While they had the reinforcing lines, they were still a softer and more supple rubber moccasin than the pair that I currently have. The color was also a bit different than the contemporary moccasins in the first photo of this post.

 Christmas 1982. Same year, but I included this as it is a bit of a clearer photograph than the one from the spring catalog. This is a overly detailed observation, but the stitching around the front of the 1964 mocs, the Archive mocs and the 1980s mocs is the same, and it is different than the contemporary pair that I have in the first photo above. Not sure what that means other than the 1980s moccasins shared a design and construction with the older ones from the 1960s and earlier.

Fall 1990. These are still the same moccasins as the early 80s, as can be seen by the shape and color of the rubber front. The sizing instructions are also representative of that era, and different from those of today.

I suppose that it is hard to keep products the same over the years for any company. However, L.L. Bean could improve the current moccasins by revisiting the past and building a lighter rubber bottom that fit truer to size. Moccasins should fit well with both bare feet and thinner socks, more like leather moccasins fit. The current moccasins fit more like Bean Boots that have had the tops shortened. If I wear heavy wool socks they fit better, but that hardly does me any good in the summer or warm weather rain. Still I am putting up with it, as I am a loyal L.L. Bean customer. I just think that the moccasins could be improved. They are a unique shoe that L.L. Bean developed and deserve to have the best contemporary design possible. Many thanks to Sartre, for asking about these moccasins and providing the reason to gather the images and my thoughts. Cold rain, and possibly, snow is in the forecast, and I'll no doubt have the mocs out again soon.

HTJ Archives: L.L. Bean Chamois & Scotch Plaid

January 12, 2014, 3:41 am

≫ Next: HTJ Archives: 1949 and The Pink Oxford Shirt

≪ Previous: HTJ Reports: L.L. Bean Rubber Moccasins

$

0

0

This is the second part in a two-part series on classic flannel shirts. Part one was on Brooks Brothers' Brooksflannel shirts (linked here). In this post, we will look at the classic cotton flannel shirts that L.L. Bean pioneered and made famous, chamois and Scotch Plaid flannel shirts. One of the things that I associate with L.L. Bean are heavy cotton shirts made from heavyweight "Chamois" and the lighter weight "Scotch Plaid" flannel. Like many of their products, L.L. Bean pioneered flannel shirts as utilitarian outdoors garments which were so well-made that their reputation spread far beyond campsites to cities and college campuses across the globe. Over the years, I have had a number of both of these types of shirts and can attest to their well-earned reputation.

The predecessor to the chamois shirt was called the "Leatherette" shirt and was, as far as I have been able to ascertain, introduced in 1927. The image above of such a shirt is from the L.L. Bean Archive and is featured on the blog BackwoodsPlaid here in a great post about the L.L. Bean Archive. That fine blog, The Daily Prep, also did an excellent feature last fall comparing classic and contemporary chamois and Scotch Plaid flannel shirts, here. Originally, the Leatherette shirt was made in only one color (tan), and was, from its introduction, a hard-wearing outdoors garment reminiscent of chamois leather.

According to L.L. Bean, the first shirt with the "chamois" name was introduced in 1933, and the above image shows the chamois shirt in the Spring 1939 catalog in the original color, tan.

The New Yorker 5/7/1960. Two decades later by the early 1960s, a second color, red, had been introduced.

The L.L. Bean Spring 1964 catalog has a color photo of the chamois shirt in both colors along with other staples such as the Lounger Boot and Hudson's Bay Point Blankets.

A closer look.

The same catalog also offered the chamois shirt for women in the same colors as for men.

The Spring 1964 catalog also contained other flannel shirts such as that other legendary item, the Maine Guide Shirt in 100% wool.

In the early 1960s amidst a very competitive market for cotton & wool blend shirts such as Viyella, Lanella and Brooksflannel, L.L. Bean offered their version of a cotton/wool blend shirt, called the "Wooltohna" shirt. These shirts were offered in the tartans of Ancient Campbell and Ancient Royal Stewart, and shows L.L. Bean putting historical tartans to good use. This was something they would do well in the Scotch Plaid flannel shirt.

However, as long as we are on the topic of tartans, the Spring 1964 catalog also offered "Imported Tartan Shirts" in a dress shirt style made from long staple pima cotton woven in Switzerland. This was another staple item that L.L. Bean continued offering into 1980s warm weather catalogs as "Bean's Pima Cotton Shirt." These were offered in a wider variety of tartans such as Royal Stewart, Dress Campbell, Dress Stewart and Black Watch, all of which were eventually also offered as "Scotch Plaid" flannel shirts. This way one would wear tartan year round.

The Spring 1964 catalog also offered more wool shirts in small checks,

as well as in solid colors. Those "8-Inch Overlap Seam Moccasins" look pretty nice, too.

Finally, the Spring 1964 catalog also offered all cotton flannel shirts, a type of shirt that they would develop in many ways in the coming decades.

In the early 1970s, "forest green" was added to the earlier colors of tan and red. Fast forward another decade to the Christmas 1982 catalog. L.L. Bean now offered the chamois shirt in six colors, and sizing was still by half-inch neck sizes.

In addition to chamois shirts, the Christmas 1982 catalog also offered that other standard item, "Scotch Plaid Shirts." These were originally offered with straight point collars, with button-down collars being added later. For a number of years the tartan choices were changeless, as seen above. That Weathered Campbell is a fine shirt.

This is what a well-worn example of the Weathered Campbell looks like. Old-school L.L. Bean. 

The Christmas 1982 catalog still also offered the Maine Guide Shirt,

Trail Model Vests, "Timberline Flannel Shirts,"

and "Doeskin" Shirts. There was also a Gunsling Belt in that amazing catalog.

Finally, the Christmas 1982 catalog also offered sleepwear, such as these nightshirts, made from the same flannel as their regular Scotch Plaid shirts.

Early Autumn 1983. More Scotch Plaid. Same tartans. Why change the feed on a winning racehorse?

Early Autumn 1983. Cotton/wool Rangeley Flannel shirts were also offered in historical tartans.

Christmas 1984. A year later the color choices had expanded to nine colors for the chamois shirt.

The Christmas 1984 catalog continued the tradition of offering heavy-duty outdoors items such as the Maine Guide shirt, Woodman's Pants,

Heavyweight Jac-Shirts, Field Coats, Buckskin gloves,

the Northwoods Jac-Shirt, Cold-Proof Hats, Insulated Overpants,

Pendleton Shirts and Ragg Knit caps. Page after page of heavy-duty items sort of makes me a bit dizzy.

Christmas 1985. The chamois shirt was now offered in eleven colors (it is offered in even more color choices today).

Christmas 1985. The Rangeley Flannel was offered in Tartan, Guncheck and Solid versions. Those gun club check versions are very nice, indeed. This was an extremely impressive lineup of cotton/wool blend shirts.

Christmas 1985. As long as we're on the topic of L.L. Bean flannel, another perennial favorite of the winter months has long been L.L. Bean flannel sheets. We've had a number of sets over the years.

Christmas 1989. Chamois was still offered in eleven color choices,

and Scotch Plaid shirts were offered in still more choices of tartan, as well. There was the addition of a Thinsulate Lined Scotch Plaid shirt, as well. I say the more choices of authentic Scotch Plaid the better.

The Christmas 1989 catalog also contained chamois robes,

along with Scotch Plaid robes and pyjamas. A word about pyjamas - I wish that L.L. Bean would bring back the traditional drawstring waist on the bottoms of men's pyjamas. It is just more comfortable. I'm putting up with elastic waist pjs from L.L. Bean, so I've earned the right to complain.

Fall 1990. Shepherd's Check Flannel Shirts were a new addition in this catalog. Ragg sweaters also had a lot of color choices. I always thought that light grey was about the only real ragg sweater color choice.

When I think of classic-era L.L. Bean I think, almost elementally, in terms of "wool,""cotton,""leather," and "rubber." So many of L.L. Bean's best products were made out of these, or combinations of these. The products were not spruced up with fancy advertising that touted "heritage" or some such guff, but carried the L.L. Bean "Freeport, Maine" label, and that was enough. As we have seen, into the early 1990s, L.L. Bean carried reliable garments and equipment that was made in the USA (or often in the UK, in the case of sweaters, or with fabrics woven elsewhere such as Switzerland, Portugal or the UK) that reflected a history of product development that was the fruit of years of outdoors testing. Cotton chamois and flannel shirts were two such types of garments that customers no doubt returned to again and again. I miss the vibrant colors of Scotch Plaid shirts in historical tartans. They had clear buttons, fairly long tails, longer collar points and an ample fit. Out of all of L.L. Bean's cotton flannel shirts, the classic-era chamois and Scotch Plaid flannel shirts remain my favorites and the bar by which I measure L.L. Bean's contemporary shirts.

Sadly, several years ago I discarded a number of classic-era shirts and a threadbare field coat that had worn out. I regret this, because as I now know, they were irreplaceable. This is the dilemma of seeing classic-era shirts and other things expire only to have no comparable replacement waiting in the wings. However, we still have a number of contemporary and classic-era L.L. Bean things chamois and Scotch Plaid in the house.

We have some Scotch Plaid flannel and chamois robes (flannel sheets in the background).

Nothing says "hot cocoa and cookies" more than a pair of Scotch Plaid pyjamas in Royal Stewart. 

A chamois shirt in a check pattern, which was a gift from mother, many years ago.

A NOS Scotch Plaid flannel shirt in the Lindsay tartan. One needs to stockpile these things, as they aren't being made like this anymore.

A women's Scotch Plaid flannel shirt in a tartan that I can no longer remember the name of.

Another women's Scotch Plaid flannel shirt in the Stewart Black tartan.

And yet another women's Scotch Plaid flannel shirt in the Buchanan tartan.

A men's Scotch Plaid flannel shirt in the Malcolm tartan,

and another men's Scotch Plaid flannel shirt in the Royal Stewart Dress tartan.

An old tag on a Royal Stewart flannel shirt.

Another old tag. A "Freeport, Maine" tag stood for made in the USA quality.

A NOS tag on a red chamois shirt. The real deal chamois shirt that came in neck sizes rather than Small-Large sizes. Another stockpiled shirt.

Which leads me to the topic of contemporary chamois and flannel. Several years ago, I needed a couple of new flannel shirts, so I immediately located the L.L. Bean catalog and placed an order. The shirts that arrived were disappointing. Not like the old school Scotch Plaid shirts that I had so recklessly discarded. However, as a loyal customer, I decided to try them anyway. To make a long story short, I got rid of them because they shrank unevenly, the construction was very clumsily done and I wearied of comparing them to the classic-era shirts. I recently saw the "1933 Chamois Cloth Shirt" on the L.L. Bean website and had to chuckle. The shirt is described as having a "broken-in vintage feel," a "rich heritage" and "a tailored fit for camp-to-city versatility." It's hard to imagine the grand old man, Mr. L.L. Bean himself, in one of these. When I was in high school, college and as a young adult, shirts like this were broken in through use and abuse. They were worn in the city like trophies because they were real deal field gear. In other words, L.L. Bean chamois and flannel shirts themselves were the heritage. It was a living heritage. Such products didn't need any other advertisement than simply the name "L.L. Bean" with a tag that read "Freeport, Maine."

My wife and I were recently in an L.L. Bean store and my wife walked over to the current Scotch Plaid shirt display and commented that she thought that the plaids weren't as nice as they used to be. I had to agree. Nothing beats the clear and vibrant colors of classic-era Scotch plaids in those familiar historical tartans that faded and got softer over time. That's what made the old chamois and Scotch Plaid shirts so great. Sure, they eventually wore out, and with frayed collars and blown out elbows, were regretfully discarded. That's the L.L. Bean I miss: Genuine field gear that made the transition to campus and town easy and fun. Clothing that, when it did wear out, could be replaced with the same thing again, and yet, again. There is still one Scotch Plaid flannel shirt in the house that I cannot locate. I know it is around somewhere, because I no longer discard classic-era L.L. Bean shirts that have worn out. Experience has taught me to keep everything.

---

HTJ Archives: 1949 and The Pink Oxford Shirt

January 26, 2014, 3:52 am

≫ Next: Brookscloth & Easy-Care's Unfinished Business

≪ Previous: HTJ Archives: L.L. Bean Chamois & Scotch Plaid

$

0

0

One of the notable features of the classic American look, often called "preppy," is that women have often had the habit of appropriating men's clothing to wear as their own. One of the best examples of this tendency are Brooks Brothers oxford cloth shirts, especially in the color pink. In August 1949, Brooks Brothers introduced their pink oxford cloth button-down collar shirt for women. The reason was, as legend has it, that women had been visiting the Madison Avenue Brooks Brothers store for years to buy men's and boys' shirts in the pink color. This was not the first time that women had come to Brooks Brothers in search of clothing. They had been buying Polo Coats since the 1920s and Shetland wool sweaters for years, especially after 1938 and the introduction of a wider range of colors. The introduction of an oxford cloth shirt designed for women was probably also a shrewd business move to bring more customers, male and female into the Brooks Brothers fold.

The news of this new shirt seems to have made quite a stir in the public press at the time, as the announcement of the shirt was taken up several times in well-known publications. The initial announcement in the public press (the earliest I have seen) was made in The New York Times on 10 August 1949 in an article titled, "Tale of the Shirt That Turned Feminine; Girls Force Brooks Brothers Into New Line." John C. Wood, Brooks Brothers' president at the time, made the initial confirmation about the new shirt line, and while enthusiastic, "made it clear that there had been no revolution at Madison and Forty-fourth Street and that it was really still a man's world."The New York Times article stated that the pink shirt for women would go on sale at Brooks Brothers from 12 August 1949 (Friday).

After the initial announcement in The New York Times, the new shirt for women was introduced in the 15 August 1949 American 'College Issue' of Vogue (above), with a cover subtitle of "For the Smart Girl in and out of College." Vogue carried an image of the shirt in color (below), which was appropriate as Vogue had designed the new shirt. A framed copy apparently decorated the women's corner of the Madison Avenue store during the 1950s (The New York Times 8/5/1959).

Brooks Brothers' pink oxford cloth was a very particular shade of pink, not too bright, and not exactly a dusty rose sort of color either. John C. Wood addressed the issue of this very particular shade of pink in a piece that appeared in The New Yorker ("For Women Only" 9/17/1949), stating, "The cloth is of Egyptian cotton, woven for us at a mill in Wauregan, Connecticut. It's yarn-dyed, not cloth dyed. In the beginning, it took our mill two or three years to develop the exact shade of pink we wanted. When the war came, we had to discontinue the shirt, and afterward it took a long time to work our way back to the proper shade. For a year or so after the war our pink shirt was just a trifle too pink. We were very much concerned." The war had brought a halt to much civilian production, and also disrupted Brooks Brothers' importation of goods from Great Britain. The redevelopment of the color pink after the war can be understood as a part of postwar economic recovery, and it is within that early postwar period that the pink oxford cloth shirt for women was developed.

After the reintroduction of the men's pink shirt after the war, Brooks Brothers took notice of the fact that many of their shirts were being purchased and worn by women. Brooks Brothers' men's shirts had been designed to be worn with a coat and tie, tucked into trousers that sat at the natural waistline, and had not been designed for women. Woods again stated, "I asked the people at Vogue if they would be interested in designing a pink shirt especially for women, and they were crazy about the idea. Vogue is entitled to all the credit for the design." The New Yorker article (9/17/1949) went on to state that "the collar on the shirt for women was unchanged, the body of the shirt is - ah - fuller , and the tail is shorter. The shirt is intended to be worn with the collar open, and the button on the points of the collar, having to tie to hold in place, must be regarded as decorative. The tail is to be kept tucked in."

In addition to the above press, there was also another 1949 article titled "Girl in the Brooks Bros. Shirt," with a photograph of a sleeping woman using a pink Brooks Brothers as a nightshirt (below). However, I'm not sure of the source of that article (whether it is from a newspaper or a magazine). The excellent blog Die Workwear has written about it here, mentioning that a framed copy of the article hangs in the London Brooks Brothers store.

Though Woods stated that the design of the shirt had been made for women by Vogue, the shirttails still contained the same gussets as the men's version at the time, as can be seen on the model in the image above.

(The New York Times 8/22/1949). In addition to articles introducing the new shirt, the first advertisement of the new shirt seems to have been in The New York Times, which plays up the design by Vogue and advertises the Vogue "College Issue." What is significant is that, though designed by Vogue, the shirt remained a firmly Brooks Brothers product, made in the same factory that produced their men's shirts. Though pink garnered all of the press, the advertisement also offers the shirt for women in other solid colors and stripes, a not insignificant thing suggesting that Brooks Brothers was further positioning itself in the women's clothing market.

The shirt also appeared on the cover of the 29 August 1949 edition of LIFE magazine, which also ran a feature on college fashions.

The shirt appeared only on the cover of the magazine, and showed the collar design at the time, which was reportedly the same as the collar on the men's shirt.

This shirt had longer and better collar points than many later women's shirts, which tended to shorten the collar points as they had no real function of holding ties in place.

(The New Yorker 10/15/1949). Two months after its initial introduction, Brooks Brothers returned to their advertising of the pink shirt for women in an advertisement in The New Yorker. According to the advertisement, the introduction of a pink oxford cloth shirt for women had spawned imitations. Brooks Brothers' assertion of the superiority of their shirt was based upon its history as a shirtmaker. Brooks Brothers knew how to make a men's dress shirt and that same craftsmanship was extended to women's shirts.

(The New Yorker 11/28/1953). In 1953, Brooks Brothers introduced their easy-care Dacron and cotton oxford cloth blend called "Brooksweave," a forward looking step into a new market for easy-care clothing. Easy-care women's oxford cloth shirts were also offered in the Brooksweave blend in white, pink, yellow and blue.

(The New Yorker 11/30/1957). Brooks Brothers continued to offer their 'own make' button-down collar shirts for women in both oxford and broadcloth in a variety of all-cotton colors and stripes. 

When Brooks Brothers introduced the shirt for women in 1949 there was some question about whether this might not have been a move to begin offering more garments for women. The New Yorker reported that Brooks Brothers, "finally bowing to force majeure, consented to turn out a line for women only." However, John C. Wood was emphatic that Brooks Brothers was not changing, stating, "To be perfectly frank, whenever we contemplate changing anything around here, a perceptible shudder goes through the store. In the end, after months of soul-searching, we resolved to risk a restyled pink shirt for women but never to restyle anything else for women. We are definitely not in the women's-clothing business. Thus far shall we go, and no farther" (TNY 9/17/1949). 

Of course, Brooks Brothers continued to go further by restyling and offering clothing for women, so much so that it became a significant aspect of the clothier's offerings. In the fall of 1951, the company restyled their men's raglan-sleeved poplin raincoat to fit women, and in the spring of 1952 introduced a line of Bermuda shorts for women. About this trend, The New York Times reported, "Even when clothes are not scaled for them, the women are undeterred. Men's shirts of beach toweling and of Indian madras don't seem to stay in stock in small sizes. Neither do flannel robes or knee socks. The scarf buyer has brought in Liberty silk squares as a special concession. Even the windbreakers are not safe. As usual, the ladies are having the last words" (The New York Times 8/30/1956). Of course, all of this culminated in the creation of a women's department in 1976.

The 17 September 1949 New Yorker article ended with the following paragraph, "Quitting Mr. Wood, we paid a call on the women's-pink-shirt counter, which is on the ground floor, right along side women's sweaters. One of the salesmen on duty, a kind faced patriarch, assured us that the pink shirt for women is the biggest thing that has hit Brooks in the present century. There have been no complaints from male customers to date, he told us, and no apparent increase in the number of women in the store. 'The men have been doing the buying for the ladies', he said. 'Some men come in and buy male and female shirts. That way, everybody's kept happy'." This, of course, also suggested that the introduction of the pink oxford cloth shirt for women was helping increase the sale of shirts for men. It also suggests that the pink shirt for women may have had a lot to do with the craze for pink that swept menswear in the following decade.

Of course, over the years Brooks Brothers continued to offer solid pink oxford cloth shirts for men, as well as in a variety of stripes.

An old 'Makers' pink bold stripe oxford cloth button-down with a medium grey Shetland wool sweater. Some color combinations just hit it off. 

As the decades moved on, Brooks Brothers continued to offer shirts for men and women in pink and a variety of pink stripes (shown here in all-cotton with a Brooksweave blend on the very bottom). If the 17 September 1949 New Yorker article is to be believed, in addition to women arriving at Brooks Brothers, more men also seemed to have arrived at Brooks Brothers to buy shirts for both themselves, as well as for women. What started as a trend by women to purchase men's shirts at Brooks Brothers perhaps led to more men than ever purchasing the coveted pink shirt. Though women were having the last word by continuing to appropriate men's clothing, perhaps men owe women a word of thanks for making Brooks Brothers oxford cloth shirts more popular than ever. To borrow the words of that kind faced patrician Brooks Brothers' salesman, "That way, everybody's kept happy."

In 1949 Brooks Brothers introduced the pink oxford cloth button down shirt for women. Legend has it that women had been invading the Madison Avenue Brooks Brothers store for years to buy men's and boys' shirts in the pink color. The introduction of the shirt seems to have made quite a stir in the public press as the introduction of the shirt was taken up in several well-known publications. 

Brookscloth & Easy-Care's Unfinished Business

February 5, 2014, 4:03 am

≫ Next: The HTJ Archive is Closed

≪ Previous: HTJ Archives: 1949 and The Pink Oxford Shirt

$

0

0

The saga of Brooks Brothers's easy-care fabrics began in 1941 when British chemists, John Rex Whinfield and James Tennant Dickson, invented and patented the first polyester fiber, which was eventually registered and produced in Britain by Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) under the name Terylene. However, though America's DuPont and Britain's ICI had an agreement to share information, the Official Secrecy Act prohibited such cooperation during the war. In 1945, Dupont bought the rights to Terylene, eventually registering and producing it in the United States as Dacron. In 1953, Brooks Brothers worked with DuPont to introduce "Brooksweave," an oxford cloth blend of Dacron polyester and long staple cotton, as its first line of easy-care dress shirts. The following year, in September 1954, a broadcloth blend named "Brookscloth" was also introduced using the same blend of Dacron and cotton. Remarkably, these shirts proved so successful that Brooks Brothers offered them, with minor changes, for four decades. During that time the main changes were made to the blend ratio of polyester and cotton. Until the mid-1980s, the blend ratio was 65% Dacron polyester and 35% cotton. After about 1985, the blend ratio was changed to 60% cotton and 40% polyester. There was also a brief period of 50/50 Terylene polyester and cotton, which suggests that Terylene fabric was produced in Britain, imported to the US and then made into Brookscloth shirts. In any event, if it is true that these shirts were the first poly/cotton blend dress shirts, then both Brooksweave and Brookscloth represent groundbreaking innovation by Brooks Brothers that affected easy-care garments across the clothing industry. 

Today, these fabrics have largely gone by the wayside, as new technologies giving all cotton shirts a non-iron finish have come to the fore. These new non-iron shirts are extremely good at what they are supposed to do: Which is to come out of the dryer looking as if they have just been ironed. It really is a bit of a miracle. There is just one catch, however; non-iron shirts, though all cotton, no longer look nor act like all cotton fabric. They have, however, become ubiquitous in today's clothing market. Though they neither rumple nor wrinkle, they are, in fact, heirs to a technology of easy-care that Brooks Brothers pioneered. In this post we will look back at this legacy, and perhaps, notice a few things in the process.

Brooksweave, 1953. The development of easy-care clothing seems to have mirrored advancements in home laundering. One of the initial selling points of Brooksweave was its relatively quick drying time. This was an era when home laundering still meant hanging clothing and sheets out to dry before they were ironed. Clothing that promised not only a short drying time, but the miracle of little or no need for ironing was guaranteed to be a success.

The New Yorker 9/25/1954. Based on the initial success of Brooksweave, a broadcloth version named "Brookscloth" was introduced the following year in 1954. Broadcloth, being lighter in weight than oxford cloth, was sure to dry even more quickly.

The New Yorker 11/12/1955. A year later in 1955, both Brooksweave and Brookcloth were featured alongside Brooks Brothers all cotton shirts. They were advertised as having the same construction, design and collar "roll" as Brooks Brothers's regular shirts. This was actually true.

The New Yorker 5/6/1961. In 1961, Brookscloth shirts in stripes were introduced. Ever the innovator, Brooks Brothers introduced the use of Dacron thread to try to eliminate puckering on shirt seams.

The New Yorker 6/3/1961. Brooks Brothers continued to refine Brookscloth by introducing lighter weight shirts for warmer weather.

Brooks Brothers Spring & Summer 1962. This remarkable page from the 1962 Spring & Summer catalog displays the full lineup of Brooks Brothers's shirts, collar styles, as well as Brookscloth.

Brooks Brothers Spring & Summer 1962. There was also a Brookscloth Evening Shirt as well.

Brooks Brothers Spring & Summer 1962. Just as in the development of The Pink Shirt for Women, women's clothing at Brooks Brothers followed the development of men's clothing by offering Brookscloth and Brooksweave shirts, Bermuda shorts and raincoats tailored for the female figure.

Brooks Brothers Spring & Summer 1962. There are probably still a few women today who would like to see some of these traditional items offered again.

Brooks Brothers Spring & Summer 1962. The 1962 Spring & Summer catalog also contained a flyer advertising special offerings for April - shirts and robes in a wonderful tattersall blend fabric.

This blue-red tattersall would still be a perfect shirt today, especially with Brooks Brothers's old school construction.

Brooks Brothers Christmas 1979. Moving forward, Brooks Brothers continued to offer Brookscloth throughout the 1970s, as seen in the Polo collar shirt above.

Brooks Brothers Christmas 1979. Brooksweave and Brookscloth shirts (almost) always bore a green tag, that until the early 1990s read "Brooksweave" or "Brookscloth."

Brooks Brothers Fall & Winter 1980. One reason that many purists disliked blend fabrics was their tendency to pill, especially around the collar. The early 65/35 Dacron and cotton Brooksweave oxford cloth blend shirts did not escape this problem, which may be why Brooks Brothers went to a 60/40 cotton rich blend in the mid-1980s. Brookscloth, was more successful at escaping this issue than Brooksweave. Brookscloth shirts were hard wearing, lightweight and cool.

Brooks Brothers Christmas 1980. In addition to traditional broadcloth, Brookcloth shirts were also offered in End-on-End fabrics, such as the striped shirts above.

Brooks Brothers Summer 1981. Brooks Brothers continued to offer Brookscloth shirts in a variety of stripes.

Brooks Brothers Spring 1982. 'Own Make' and Easy Care about sums it up. What makes these shirts worthy of reconsideration is that they were, of course, constructed exactly like their all cotton counterparts. In this, they vastly exceeded Brooks Brothers current non-iron shirts.

Brooks Brothers Fall & Winter 1983. Bengal stripes made their appearance in 1983.

Brooks Brothers Fall & Winter 1983. Brookscloth was, of course, offered in Candy Stripes. But then, why wouldn't it have been?

Christmas 1985. In 1985, Brooks Brothers introduced their new 60/40 cotton and polyester Brooksweave and Brookscloth blends. This was a great improvement, especially for the Brooksweave oxford cloth blends.

Brooks Brothers Fall 1987. "Our Cotton-Rich Shirts." Brooks Brothers offered blended shirts in solids, stripes and tattersalls.

Spring 1991. In 1988, Brooks brothers was purchased by the British department store chain, Marks & Spencer. It was a period in which Brooks Brothers's shirts underwent gradual change and decline. What is noticeable here is the change in names. "Brooksweave broadcloth" signals that the name "Brookscloth" seems to have been dropped, and "Brooksweave" seems to have become the name for all their cotton/poly blends.

Holiday 1991. Again, the Brookscloth name seems to have been discontinued. "Brooksweave" was used for all blended fabrics such as broadcloths, oxfords and pinpoints.

Fall 1993. "Blended Dress Shirts." Though the blend is still a 60/40 blend, by 1993 the "Brooksweave" name had also disappeared from advertising.

Holiday 1993. Again, "Blended Dress Shirts" in a 60/40 blend. These shirts in the 1993 Holiday catalog still bear the familiar green sizing tags but without the "Brooksweave" and "Brooksloth" names. These names were replaced by the phrase "Est. 1818," which has continued to this day. However, the construction of the shirts above appears to still be the same as Brooks Brothers early 1990s all cotton dress shirts. 

Contemporary Non-Iron shirts. Though I do not know when the current technology for non-iron shirts was first introduced, by 2005-2006 or so they were on the market. I probably first tried them around 2006-2007. I was, at first, pleasantly surprised by their ease of care. However, the more I wore them the less satisfied I was. They simply had no life. An all cotton shirt should look fresh in the morning and rumpled in the evening. It is part of its charm. Not so with non-iron shirts. They are so other worldly that they look as if they could be worn on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. They are positively space age.

I eventually wearied of the joys of progress and passed most of them along to others. These are the only two (above and below) that I still have, and they spend most of their time in a box in the attic. Why, you might ask? The answer is quite simply that they are really no longer Brooks Brothers shirts - at least not the living, wrinkling and rumpling shirts with character that I have been used to wearing for years.

In spite of being all cotton, these shirts aren't really very breathable. In fact, I'm convinced that because of whatever has been done to them, they have surrendered their claim to being all cotton shirts. There has to be something coating them that is non-organic for them to behave in this way. However, the irony is that this finishing allows shirt makers to advertise them as all cotton shirts. This is progress, and yet it also makes me think that easy-care shirts have not yet been perfected.


Though cotton/polyester blends are decidedly unhip these days, I still think that Brooks Brothers original Brooksweave and Brookscloth shirts were better than the current non-iron shirts. The main reason being that they were constructed exactly the same way as Brooks Brothers's golden era all-cotton shirts were constructed. They had the same relaxed collar roll, cuffs, silhouette, everything. For nostalgia's sake, it is worthwhile to glance backwards at what are still, in my opinion, the best easy-care shirts ever made - Brookscloth shirts.

1954 era Brookscloth. NOS. This shirt has never been worn and still has the pinholes and bits of thread all over it that one would find on a new shirt. This is very likely a first generation Brookscloth shirt, and therefore worthy of being in a textile museum. It has gussets on the shirttails and no breast pocket, and shatters the idea that blends are not as soft as all cotton. This is a very soft shirt.

The original Brookscloth green tag and Dacron to cotton ratio of 65/35. The original fabric for these shirts was made by Burlington Mills.

Never worn. Still has the holes from the pins that kept it folded for sixty years.

Classic narrow Brooks Brothers cuffs, and single needle construction.

Probably hand-stamped.

Extra long tails with gussets. Gussetts disappeared by the mid to late 1950s.

The classic Brooks Brothers Polo Collar. I have a friend who is a bespoke tailor who nearly wept when he took this shirt into his hands. His first remark was, "This is how Brooks Brothers collars used to look and feel." After commenting on the softness of the fabric, he said "This collar is lined, but it is so thin that it is unnoticable." He then asked me, "You are going to wear this, aren't you?" I replied that I was still thinking about that one, and mumbled something about the shirt making it for sixty years without being worn. To which he said, "Think about how the shirt feels. It was made to be worn. It has been waiting."

A selection of Brookscloth shirts.

1970s Brookscloth shirt, with a separate early care tag.

Solids in blue and white (top to bottom): 1954 era shirt, 1970s, 1980s, 1980s End-on-End, 1970s white.

End-on-End Brookscloth in candy stripes.

Brookscloth in checks and tattersalls.

As opposed to the Brooksweave oxford cloth blend, Brookscloth wears like iron. A warm weather favorite.

Superior construction. 65/35 blend. Amazing collar. Oddly, no Brookscloth tag. This is a shirt for khakis and a blue blazer under a May sky.

A variety of sizing tags over the years.

1950s first generation tag. The green was darker than the later tags.

1960s-70s. Garment care instructions are on a separate tag, which probably places this in the early 1970s.

1960s-1970s. I have wondered why Brooks Brothers offered blended fabric shirts without the Brookscloth tag.

1960s-1970s. There was also a 50/50 Terylene polyester and cotton blend. I haven't seen a lot of these.

1970s-1980s. A blue-red tattersall, with the fabric content and care instructions on the tag.

1970s-1980s. A navy-brown tattersall.

1970s-1980s. An End-on-End candy stripe shirt in a color called "Spice" (1979).

1970s-1980s. A blue candy stripe End-on-End shirt.

Mid-1980s. A 60/40 first generation solid light blue shirt, with a separate fabric content and care tag.

1980s. A navy-red tattersall shirt with the fabric content and care together on the size tag.

1980s. A solid blue End-on-End shirt with a somewhat rare 'Makers' Brookscloth tag.

1970s-1980s. Another NOS shirt in an End-on-End brown candy stripe. I don't think that shirts in the style of these old blend fabric shirts will ever really return. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. That chapter of the easy-care saga is closed. However, I do think that what can be learned from the past is that Brookscloth shirts were the sum total of the best of blend-fabrics of that era, as well as a superior shirt construction that mirrored Brooks Brothers regular all cotton dress shirts. If I had to give weight to one or the other, it would be to shirt construction. It is here, in shirt construction, that I believe current non-iron shirts could benefit from the past. Softer more natural looking collars, breathability, and shirts that look and behave more like all cotton would be a great improvement. Until then, these old Brookscloth shirts remain the standard against which to measure all other easy-care shirts. Easy-care remains an incomplete and unfinished business. Which reminds me, I also still haven't worn that new old stock 1950s Brookscloth shirt, but I'm thinking about it. I don't want to keep the shirt waiting too much longer. After all, sixty years is a long time.

The HTJ Archive is Closed

February 7, 2014, 5:45 am

≪ Previous: Brookscloth & Easy-Care's Unfinished Business

$

0

0

It will be six years this spring since this blog first appeared. It has been up, down and at times, on vacation several times during this period. Due to mainly to the issue of time, as well as a growing weariness of blogging in general, this is the final post on Heavy Tweed Jacket.

When HTJ began, there was a small group of bloggers with similar interests. Some of them are still blogging and some seem to have retired from the pursuit. We all have our favorites, and among mine (in no particular order) are: Longwing, Maxminimus, Tucker, The Trad, Ethandesu, The Glengarry Sporting Club, To the Manor Born, The Epic, Laguna Beach Fogey (Admiral Cod), Sartre, Coiled Pleasures, An Affordable Wardrobe, A Suitable Wardrobe, The Daily Prep, Luciano Barbera, Mon Avis Mes Amis, Bulldog, Grosgain Garage, A Continuous Lean, nadsat, and A Trip Down South. Some of these blogs began earlier than others. Some are highly personal, some have an inherent commercial interest. Some are very regional. Some have carried on longer than others. Some are defunct. However, each has helped the conversation along with voices that are unique, and at times, urgent and challenging.

There have also been a number of loyal readers who have also contributed to this endeavor, and their comments and criticism have helped this blog immeasurably. I cannot name them all here, but please know that I have appreciated all those who have taken time out to compose and make comments on this blog. The platform that Blogger provides is one that encourages conversation and I think that the quality of blogging is better for it. Thank you.

Which brings me to the topic of Tumblr and the issue of social media. When I began blogging, though Tumblr existed, it had not really not caught on yet. Tumblr is a fine medium for the sharing of images and video. It is not, however, a medium that encourages overt conversation. The images (words, photos & video) become the conversation. In this aspect, Blogger far exceeds Tumblr in the creation of conversation and dialog.

It has been said that life is local and home is where you live. This is very apparent as bloggers often celebrate the regions and areas where they live. However, what I have found fascinating is the international aspect of blogging that brings people and ideas together from around the globe. Over the years, it has been humbling to look at the statistical information about this blog and see that people from all over the world have been kind enough to visit and share their experiences and ideas. I have always written in English and assumed an English readership, but there are other bloggers who have provided translation options for their blogs. If my not having done that has been inconvenient, I sincerely apologize. A global conversation is one of the wonderful benefits of this form of media.

Finally, this blog has always also had a Grateful Dead connection. I was tempted to suggest listening to the song 'He's Gone', but that seemed a bit melodramatic. Given the global reality of blogging and the interest that people have been kind enough to show towards this blog, perhaps the song 'Eyes of the World' is more fitting. Now, there are plenty of opinions about best versions, but I'll give links to some of my favorite shows that can be listened to on The Internet Archive.

2.19.73 International Amphitheatre, Chicago, IL. Phil Lesh's opening comments are classic. Heavy chill happening' on He's Gone, and excellent versions of Truckin'>The Other One>(a very nice) Eyes of the World>China Doll.

6.10.73 RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. The show begins with Morning Dew so you know it's going to be good. This is a long show. Eyes of the World begins the second set from a cold start, and it's a corker. I just listened to this in the car again today and reconfirmed that is a stone cold classic. If you have the stamina, the long sequence of Dark Star>He's Gone>Wharf Rat>Truckin'>Sugar Magnolia is commendable.

6.9.76 Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA An a-mazing show that starts with a nice Cold, Rain and Snow, always a portent of good things to come. From Saint Stephen onward it is simply tremendous. Eyes!

5.15.77 St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, MO The whole darned show, but just give Estimated>Eyes a listen.  From 5:45 onward Estimated is pure Jerry. This was the first time that Estimated was jammed into Eyes. They nailed it.

1.17.79 Veteran's Memorial Coliseum, New Haven, CT This show was a reschedule of the cancelled 11.25.78 show. The cancellation announcement is classic. Steve Rolfe's audience recording is Magisterial - no exaggeration. Very few audience recordings reach this quality. HTJ's picks are Shakedown Street, Stagger Lee, Scarlet Begonias>Fire on the Mountain, Estimated Prophet>Eyes of the World.

I have learned a great deal from researching, writing and posting on this blog. It might have ended sooner were it not for wanting to do the last two posts on The Pink Shirt for Women and Brookscloth. Ironically, HTJ will stay up over on Tumblr for the time being. Thank you for six years of Heavy Tweed Jacket.