Juhn @ sleevehead

The small world of Los Angeles men’s haberdashery

Yesterday I drove to Brooks Brothers in Beverly Hills to pick up some made-to-measure garments that needed adjustments. Naturally I got into a conversation with Victor, the salesman I work with at the store, and we started talking about bench tailors in Los Angeles. I mentioned that I only knew of two bespoke tailors in …

The small world of Los Angeles men’s haberdashery Read More »

The rise and fall of sartorial standards – why?

Recently, a member of AskAndy asked the $64,000 question – since when and why have modern men been dressing so poorly? The consensus seems to be sometime in the mid-1960s, a period of political, cultural and social rebellion. As to the question of why, however, the collective answer is less certain. My own thinking suggests …

The rise and fall of sartorial standards – why? Read More »

Chicago – superlatives of the Windy City

This recent StyleForum thread on Chicago v. NY led to a rather wide-ranging discussion on the self-satisfaction of San Franciscans and New Yorkers, the lack of “style” among Chicagoans and other comparisons. Chicago My post on the superlatives of Chicago apparently piqued the ire of others. It is remarkable how individuals are not truly individuals …

Chicago – superlatives of the Windy City Read More »

Tips for successful blogging: My 5 P’s

As promised in an earlier post on blogging, I’ve compiled a list of tips and pointers to help get your thought process started. Perhaps you’ve thought about starting your own blog. If you’re interested in making an impact, let me suggest that you need the following ingredients: Passion Great things start from interests, ideas, places, …

Tips for successful blogging: My 5 P’s Read More »

Two works of lyrical modernity

This evening I attended a concert at Walt Disney Hall featuring LA Philharmonic players performing the String Quartets Nos. 10-12 by Shostakovich. The program notes describe these pieces as works of “philosophical lyricism”. I agree completely. These quartets combine a remarkably vibrant lyricism shot through with a sense of fracture and alienation that is quintessentially …

Two works of lyrical modernity Read More »

The human resources gap in men’s tailoring

There are two gaps actually: generational and geographical. The first gap is generational because the tailoring tradition has remained largely with the older generation as jobs and skills have migrated to “softer” more cognitive skills. Tailors are getting older and their replacements are virtually nowhere to be found. The second issue – the importing of …

The human resources gap in men’s tailoring Read More »