MEN PLAY FOR THE TEAM WHETHER AT WAR OR AT WORK OR ON THE PLAYING FIELD. THEIR UNIFORM SHOULD ALWAYS BE THE SAME OR VERY SIMILAR. IT IS AN EASILY IDENTIFIABLE MARKER OF WHO THE MAN IS AND WHAT HE DOES AND HIS POSITION IN LIFE.

RENEW OR REPLENISH.

A GENTLEMENS “CLOTHING” WAS ACQUIRED BY THE GENT HIMSELF, WITH A VISIT TO HIS TAILOR. THE TAILOR WOULD HAVE A RECORD OF THE GENTLEMENS SIZE AND ANY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS, AS WELL AS THE DATES OF PURCHASE AND SWATCHES OF THE PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED CLOTHING. IF SOMETHING WAS DAMAGED, IT COULD EASILY BE REPLACED (THE TAILOR ALWAYS MAINTAINED A LENGTH OR MORE OF EACH OF THE CLOTHS USED). THE TAILOR MIGHT ALSO SUGGEST NEW FABRICS OR POSSIBLY A NEW STYLE OF GARMENT TO REFRESH THE GENTLEMENS EXISTING WADROBE. THE TAILOR WAS A HIGHLY TRUSTED SUPPORT MEMBER TO ANY GENTLEMAN.

THE MAJORITY OF THIS SAME MANS “FURNISHINGS” WERE PURCHASED BY WOMEN, FOR THEIR HUSBANDS AND SONS. THEY KNEW NOT TO PROFER CHANGE BUT TO SIMPLY REPLENISH THE REQUIRED ITEMS AS NECESSARY.

SOME TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

THE TERM “GENTLEMAN” GENERALLY IDENTIFIES A MAN REGARDED AS HAVING CERTAIN QUALITIES OF REFINEMENT, INCLUDING BEING CULTURED, COURTEOUS AND WELL EDUCATED.

“HABERDASHERY” IS THE TERM WHICH HISTORICALLY REFERS TO A SHOP SELLING MENS CLOTHING AND FURNISHINGS

THE TERM “CLOTHING” TRADITIONALLY MEANS A MANS SUIT.

THE TERM “SUIT” DESCRIBES AN ENSEMBLE OF TWO OR MORE MATCHING GARMENTS

MEN’S “FURNISHINGS” ENCOMPASS THE ESSENTIAL AND ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT COMPLETE A MANS OUTFIT OR ENSEMBLE OR WARDROBE.THESE MAY INCLUDE THE DRESS SHIRT, NECKTIE, POCKET SQUARE, BELT, SUSPENDERS, SOCKS, UNDERWEAR, AND SLEEPWEAR

A LESSON IN DESIGNING MENSWEAR

N THE LATE 1980’S I WORKED FOR RIVIERA SLACKS, A VERY LARGE CANADIAN SUPPLIER TO THE MAJORITY OF LEADING MENSWEAR STORES IN CANADA INCLUDING HARRY ROSEN, TIP TOP TAILORS & HOLT RENFREW ETC. IN THE USA THEY SOLD TO BARNEYS, BERGDORFS & SAKS FIFTH AVENUE.

THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO AN ALL-SALES REP MEETING, (ABOUT 10 MEN FROM ACROSS CANADA) I WAS IN AWE. THE SALES REPS HAD LISTENED CLOSELY TO WHAT THEIR STORE BUYERS WANTED AND BROUGHT THIS INFORMATION TO US. THEY WERE ALSO QUITE SURE OF WHAT THE RETAILER DID NOT WANT.

AFTER SOME GENERAL BUSINESS MY BOSS REVIEWED WHAT WAS NEW FOR THE COMING SEASON. WE HAD DECIDED TO INCREASE THE THIGH MEASUREMENT IN OUR BEST SELLING SLACKS BY A QUARTER OF AN INCH. A GREAT DEBATE ENSUED, THEY WEREN’T SURE ABOUT THAT AT ALL, WHY CHANGE A GOOD THING, WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE USUAL?

ALTHOUGH FASHION FORWARD MENSWEAR HAD BEEN OFFERING THE PLEATED PANT FOR A YEAR OR TWO AT THAT POINT, WE DID NOT. BY ADDING THE QUARTER INCH TO THE THIGH (NO PLEATS YET) WE WOULD WOULD HELP EDGE THEM TOWARD WHAT WAS COMING.

AFTER THE MEETING MY BOSS SMILED AND SAID TO ME, NOW DO YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DESIGNING MENSWEAR VERSUS WOMENSWEAR ( I HAD COME FROM WOMENSWEAR WHERE OF COURSE EVERY NEW SEASON WAS A NEW BALL GAME.) AS I SAID I WAS IN AWE/SHOCK. I HAD NO IDEA OF THIS “NEWS” AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT LESSON.

FOR MANUFACTURERS, RETAIL STORES AND THE MEN WHO PURCHASED AND WORE THE GARMENTS, IT WAS PRIMARILY ABOUT REPLENISHING ANY MISSING STOCK AND MAYBE REFRESHING IT BY ADDING A COUPLE OF SUBTLE NEW FABRIC VARIATIONS AND/OR COLOURS. LEAPS IN FASHION WERE RARE. THIS HAS SLOWLY CHANGED OVER THE DECADES AND EACH YEAR MEN ARE TAKING ON MORE OF THE CHOOSING AND PURCHASING.