Tropical Kit

[stevechasmar]

I am a writer based in Southeast Asia for some 25 years now (originally from San Diego) and have an interest in acquiring and wearing vintage clothes made for tropical climates. My interests run from colonial wear -- what was being worn by the colonials in British, French and Dutch Southeast Asian colonies, as well as the American Philippine Islands -- to clothing designed and made for men living in the American Deep South, with its steaming tropical summers.

I am wondering if you all can help me make a suggested list of pieces of clothing and accouterments that would have kept the tropics-bound gentleman cool, comfortable and of course, stylish. Any ideas or comments are appreciated.

All best,
Steven

[cookie]

I am a writer based in Southeast Asia for some 25 years now (originally from San Diego) and have an interest in acquiring and wearing vintage clothes made for tropical climates. My interests run from colonial wear -- what was being worn by the colonials in British, French and Dutch Southeast Asian colonies, as well as the American Philippine Islands -- to clothing designed and made for men living in the American Deep South, with its steaming tropical summers.

I am wondering if you all can help me make a suggested list of pieces of clothing and accouterments that would have kept the tropics-bound gentleman cool, comfortable and of course, stylish. Any ideas or comments are appreciated.

All best,
Steven

see the Adventurers Gear Thread on this section for the COMPLETE selection

[stevechasmar]

Odd that such a thread need be posted under "Adventurers Gear" when life in the tropics consists less of adventure seeking and more of lounging about trying to keep cool...

[Rooster]

Linen. Watch old movies, that will zero you right in.

[scotrace]

Odd that such a thread need be posted under "Adventurers Gear" when life in the tropics consists less of adventure seeking and more of lounging about trying to keep cool...


Just being in a tropical location is an adventure for most of us.

Welcome to The Fedora Lounge. The Gear thread is an amazing resource. Be sure and see the kit posted by Bellytank, especially.

[CharlestonBows]

In Charleston, we stay pretty humid and steamy, and I think we have a week of winter ( lol ), there are a few tricks to try. Here's some starting points from our experiences...

Obviously, the rules governing the uses of linens, cottons, silks, blends and light worsted do not apply. Same goes from light colors, creams or even whites. (There is a reason all of those Greeks towns are painted white - it reflects the light away, and thereby the heat!). So get those constraints off your mind.

Anything you can find vintage in those fabrics, from a 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 ounce worsted, Venetian linen, linen blends, mohair and dupioni silks are all great choices, and lend themselves to a more classic styling. Worsteds in a pick-and-pick style, or black and white sheppards check make great dressy statements. A cream dupioni silk has been favored by many a Prince of Wales in more tropical climes. And of course, you can't miss with the classic colonial tan plain weave fabrics. Finally, for a dressy suiting that keeps a crisp apperance, go with a wool mohair. Perhaps the best thing for you for everyday wear is cotton, maybe the occasional seersucker (a fabric of Indian origin) or cotton twill done in British Khaki or Stone. It'll have a little wrinkle, but that adds some character and comfort for everyday.

You may also elect to have something made up in any of these lightweight fabrics. This gives you ample opportunity to create and personalize your garment with very vintage touches. Like I've mentioned in previous posts, we elect for a more late-20s inspired, fuller cut leg lending more drape from waist to knee, and less taper from knee to cuff. This allows for more air circulation, and facilitiates the cooling of the body. (This works by moving more air faster around your skins surface, allowing moisture from perspiration to wick into the air, thus cooling you faster and keeping your more comfortable).

In neckwear, there is a reason that Southerners are typified by the bowtie. You may also want to try something like a neckscarf. This allows you to loosen the top button yet still maintain a manner of formality.

And don't forget your Panama!

Some some quick ideas.

[dhermann1]

There's a fellow called Indy Magnoli here on the Lounge, who sells new vintage suits on line to customers around the world. He's based in New Zealand, but his tailor is on Bangkok. Since it's all about measurements, you could get a nice vintage suit made by him, and be sure that your measurements were done correctly. (I did my measurements myself, with the help of my girflriend and totally botched them, but that's another story.)

[Alan Eardley]

Odd that such a thread need be posted under "Adventurers Gear" when life in the tropics consists less of adventure seeking and more of lounging about trying to keep cool...


Dead right. I think there is a clear distinction between adventuring and lounging in the tropics and this is reflected in the gear.

Alan

[Mojave Jack]

Here in the desert the humidity is not a problem, but we definately have the heat. I tend towards vintage-inspired clthes, really, rather than trying to wear strictly vintage or vintage cuts. I depend on my LL Bean tropic weight trousers from April through October. I find that they do wrinkle, but have generous enough cut to be cooling, like Charleston Bows suggests. I also have both Banana Republic and J. Crew tropic weight trousers from years past, but they have both moved towards a lower rise and more fitted cut, so I don't really recommend them any longer.

For footwear, some swear by their Clark's Desert Boots. They don't have enough arch support for me, but the light suede uppers and crepe sole are ideal for summer wear. I prefer a chukka height boot to help keep out sand, goat's heads, and cholla needles, so I wear my Palladium boots a lot in the summer, though they are very casual. Other footwear options are huaraches, which have the advantage of being more presentable than sandals but still light and airy.

I wear a lot of linen shirts, both long sleeve and short. One shirt I find indespensible, though, is my Orvis Long Sleeve Flight Shirt. It is a very light fabric, does not wrinkle excessively, and is presentable under a variety of cicumstances. I wear it frequently with my Ghurka shorts. The fact that it is not khaki or earth-toned also helps to prevent the khaki overload that can easily occur.

For hats, Panamas are really the best option. Pith helmets really make the look, but I've yet to see anyone really pull it off. Otherwise a lightweight felt, but no matter how light the felt, it's still too much for out here.

[BellyTank]

Greetings stevechasmar.

You sound like someone I have prompted to ask such a question, just so I can answer...
I'm trying to get such a range of ready-made, designed-by-me clothing off the ground and up for sale- have been trying for a few years now- hinted at it many times...when conditions are perfect, it will happen...

You've just about nailed a good description of my gear:
"vintage clothes made for tropical climates. My interests run from colonial wear -- what was being worn by the colonials in British, French and Dutch Southeast Asian colonies, as well as..."

Khaki, cream and white in cottons and linens- military styling.
Much great gear can be had from the WW2 reenactment uniform vendors:
www.whatpriceglory.com for instance.
Have a look at some good examples of vintage gear, take a bunch of resource material to a local Tailor and get some made right there in BK!

This is one sample example of my line of gear:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/zaphobeeblebrox/DSCN3999.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/zaphobeeblebrox/DSCN3998.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v357/zaphobeeblebrox/DSCN4000.jpg



Soon...


B
T

[cookie]

Any suggestions for a pair of heritage/vintage khaki shorts for this summer Down Under???:eusa_doh: :eusa_doh: [huh] [huh] .

BT the sooner that jacket goes into production the better.....

[Tomasso]

Any suggestions for a pair of heritage/vintage khaki shorts for this summer Down Under?
How about a pair of linen ghurka shorts from here (http://jlpowellusa.com/collection-1/2-Safari-Collection.html).


http://jlpowellusa.com/images/products/114-3-lg.jpg

[dhermann1]

Cough ! Sputter Gak ! I just checked out that web site. $1400 for a cashmere shirt! Very tres tres! I'll rush right out!

[Rooster]

Cough ! Sputter Gak ! I just checked out that web site. $1400 for a cashmere shirt! Very tres tres! I'll rush right out!
I'd prefer this grouse shooting jacket, as long as we're rushing right out....;)
http://jlpowellusa.com/product/34-Outerwear/323-J-L-Powell-Grouse-Shooting-Jacket.html

[Alan Eardley]

How about a pair of linen ghurka shorts from here (http://jlpowellusa.com/collection-1/2-Safari-Collection.html).


http://jlpowellusa.com/images/products/114-3-lg.jpg


For $114.00? They have to be kidding... Anyway, there isn't any such thing as 'Ghurka shorts' outside of a copy writer's imagination. Ghurkas were (are) either in the British Army or Indian Army and (apart from dress uniform) wear pretty much the same kit as other soldiers. Those on the JL Powell site are modelled on 'Shorts, Khaki Drill, 1950 Pattern', originals of which are common enough in UK surplus shops and retail for around $30 in unissued condition and about half that in used condition.

Alan

[Tomasso]

I'll have to remember to refrain from posting any links to clothing resources in the future. :eusa_doh:

[scotrace]

Another source I was unfamiliar with. Cool.

More nice pictures to look at. :)

[cookie]

How about a pair of linen ghurka shorts from here (http://jlpowellusa.com/collection-1/2-Safari-Collection.html).


http://jlpowellusa.com/images/products/114-3-lg.jpg

Thanks exactly what is was looking for shaped on the legs but a bit military and Irish Linen to boot!:eusa_clap

Some of that stuff on their website is awesome - I will wait for the sale time off season though.

[Alan Eardley]

I'll have to remember to refrain from posting any links to clothing resources in the future. :eusa_doh:

Sorry, I didn't mean it to 'sound' like that, but when manufacturers take a basic design of clothing that is available much more cheaply (and authentically) from other sources and 'gold plate' it like that with an over-romantic description at an over-inflated price I feel it deserves comment.

If someone doesn't want to save money and get a more authentic product, he or she can always ignore such comments.

Thanks, of course, for posting the link to the resource.

Alan

[Tomasso]

when manufacturers take a basic design of clothing that is available much more cheaply (and authentically) from other sources and 'gold plate' it like that with an over-romantic description at an over-inflated price I feel it deserves comment.

I do understand your point but you should understand that many on FL are interested in today's repro market. [huh]

[Alan Eardley]

Tomasso

We're all interested in today's repro market and should be interested in 'helping' vendors and manufacturers to improve their products and the way they are advertised and described. This has been going on for years, and examples of vendors 'faking history' are too numerous to mention here. I'd love to see a manufacturer make accurate 1950 pattern KD shorts - I'd lend them a pair of mine to copy...on condition that they described them accurately.

I have no problem with the shorts on the J Powell site, by the way, and the price is a personal thing, so perhaps I shouldn't really comment. My problem is with the description of the shorts. If the vendor said something to the effect that they are 'In the style of British Army shorts' or, 'Our interpretation of... British tropical shorts' I wouldn't have a problem at all. You could even add, '...as worn by Gurkhas' since when serving in desert campaigns, Gurkha regiments, like any others, wore KD shorts.

Its the cynical use of the name of a very special people and unique fighting force to imply that they are special to them to which I object. If a vendor bought ordinary soccer or basketball socks and sold them unauthorised as 'David Beckham' or 'Michael Jordan' socks he'd soon be hearing from their respective lawyers, I think. And they only play ball games.

Anyone who doesn't see why I'm sensitive about this should research the proud history of the Ghurka battalions in the British Army.

Anyway, thanks for posting the link. And, by the way, keep a look-out on The Adventurers Gear thread. Baron Kurtz is going to show us his shorts. And he call them "Gurkha shorts" just to wind me up, you'll see...

Alan

I do understand your point but you should understand that many on FL are interested in today's repro market. [huh]

[Rooster]

Baron Kurtz is going to show us his shorts.
:eek: lol

[stevechasmar]

Thank all of you for the replies! Please excuse me the lapse -- I had to rush off to Cambodia for work (updating a guidebook) and have just now gotten back to Bangkok and caught my breath.

I need to go through all these replies thoroughly, and no doubt I'll have more questions very soon. Thanks especially to BellyTank for the photos of that terrific tropical linen suit. While in Phnom Penh I ran into an old friend who suggested a tailor here in Bangkok -- a mere mile or so downriver from my Chinatown apartment -- who is said to be a real ace at making suits in little-remembered styles. His shop is called Ah Song Tailors and he's located very near the famous Oriental Hotel (normally such a location might start the alarm bells ringing, but I very much trust my friend's word on this).

Anyway, thanks again to you all, and I will be back shortly with some more on this topic.

All best,
Steven

[stevechasmar]

Originally Posted by Mojave Jack
For hats, Panamas are really the best option. Pith helmets really make the look, but I've yet to see anyone really pull it off. Otherwise a lightweight felt, but no matter how light the felt, it's still too much for out here.

A few years back while researching a story in Rangoon for the BBC, I found an old pith helmet -- an Indian-made "solar topee" -- being offered for sale by one of the sidewalk vendors that set up along Shwebontha Street in the evenings. The helmet was in pretty good condition for its age -- even the leather sweat band was intact -- and so I bought it for the equivalent of about eight dollars US. I took it back to my hotel room, cleaned it up a bit, and then practiced wearing it inside for a couple of days -- lest there be some embarrassing surprise (infested with tiny spiders, etc.) that would best be discovered away from the public eye. After gaining a measure of confidence, I donned the hat along with a khaki drill shirt that I often wear while working and some long trousers (no, I hadn't packed a pair of matching khaki shorts!) and made my way out into the brutal Burmese sunshine.

The reaction, as I remember it, was not at all what I expected. Several people asked me how much I had paid for the hat, and when I told them, they said that they had a similar one at home and would sell it to me for a bit less!

So I got neither cheers nor jeers -- I'm not sure if I carried it off or not -- but I do believe I have uncovered the Secret Burial Ground of the British colonial solar topee -- Burma!

One quick question though: felts are much too hot for here too. Besides panamas, would any other straws work with colonial-era kit?

[renor27]

I have a pattern for the shorts got it from Folkwear Look @ the outback brush out fit " The classic bush jacket, trousers, and shorts from Hollywood's version of the tropical British colonies." the shorts are just what you are looking for, if you have tailor close by you are in like Flynn. I am having two pairs of shorts made for next summer plus two pairsof the pants.
My Father was in Indo China in the late 1940's and had a few suits made in what he called 6 oz wool were almost see though unluckly I am bigger then he was and they do not fit. I am also slowly getting together French catalogs from the 1920's will look to see if there are any suits for the tropics. I would think that the film The Lover might be place to start and if you can get photos then your tailor could make you what you want. If find any pictures from catalogs will get them to you.
David

[dhermann1]

Steve Chasmar, first you must realize what reading phrases like "I had to rush off to Cambodia" does to most male loungers. I wouldn't quite call it a sexual response, but they get VERY aroused, at least in the imaginative corpuscles of the brain. You need to be somewhat judicious throwing phrases like around here.
Now about the pith helmet. I have new one, bought in the States, but made in Vietnam. I've worn it in public a couple of times, to events where I thought I could pull it off. I mainly had to artfully disguise feeling like an absolute cluck. Is this how you felt wearing a pith helmet in its native land? If so, then there's no hope for the rest of us at all. I wore mine to a WW II vintage plane fly-in at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. It was appropriately sweltering and bright. But there was still that cluckish feeling, even tho I got several nice compliments. I did what they say you're supposed to do, I soaked it an water for an hour or so before going out, to get the cork wet. I THINK it worked. My skull did stay cool. Did you try this?
Please keep us updated. Part of the romance of being in the tropics is having a totally sardonic, cynical attitude about it. So the more you talk this way the more we won't believe it.
Please send us more bulletins from the remote corners of the Empire.
Thanks!

[stevechasmar]

Dhermann1,

I'll watch what I say in the future! Really though, exoticism is in the eye of the beholder. I have lived in Asia and the Pacific Islands full time since I was just out of high school -- about 25 years now -- and am from San Diego originally. I was just telling a friend who hails from Vermont how envious I was of his being able to watch the autumn colors light up the forest. I have yet to see the seasonal changes or even real snow. On the other hand, I've spent so much time watching the sweat collect in my navel in places like Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, that it sometimes seems as though my pre-Asia life were some late-night movie that I watched years back and am now only vaguely familiar with. It helps that I have chosen to be a freelance writer and can barely afford to travel home more than a couple times a decade!

As for the pith helmet, I think Burma might well be the only place in Southeast Asia where one can get away with wearing it. I say this because it has been so isolated for so long, and so few tourists go there, that every foreigner, no matter what they wear, will get the same bemused stares and nervous giggles. It was George Orwell I believe, who while posted as a colonial policemen in Burma, said something to the effect that white men in the Asian colonies lived in constant fear of not being taken seriously by the locals (I think it was his essay, Shooting an Elephant).

Ironically, I think overall the pith helmet was a success -- but only because I didn't run into any other Westerners during my little experimental outing. Had I done so, I am sure that I would have felt self conscious and worried about looking clownish. I did not soak the helmet, by the way, having never heard that bit of advice. It certainly sounds like sound advice though.

Renor27,

Thank you for that great idea re the film The Lover. I actually have a pirated copy of this film that I bought months ago at the so-called Thieves Market on the opposite side of Chinatown. I had a look at it again this morning, and that linen suit that Tony Leung wears is perfect! I had completely forgotten about that movie. It's a pretty steamy movie too, I should say. Now I am just trying to figure out how to capture a frame or two and print them out to show my tailor. I think I can have this done by Monday or so.

I would be interested in seeing any images from old catalogs if you do come up with some. I too will keep an eye out. Below is a link for a photo that I downloaded from eBay a while back and then just recently uploaded onto my Flickr account. It was from an old photo album that was being offered whole. The album belonged to an officer in the US army posted in the Philippines circa 1910. Note the tall, British-style pith helmet one of these guys is wearing. Funny, the US army uniforms at the time look like a cross between British and German styles!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15022827@N04/1613257625/

Thanks again to you both!

All best,
Steven

[renor27]

Steve,
as I find photos of tropical weight suits I will pass them along.
The internet is such a great tool .
Love to see a photo of the copy of the linen suit from the lover when you get it made.
what would a suit like that set you back?
David

[BellyTank]

...Thanks especially to BellyTank for the photos of that terrific tropical linen suit...

All best,
Steven

Steven, it's actually KD, Khaki Drill cotton.
Cheap and cheerful.
It looks the part though, especially in the flesh- it looks 70 yrs old.

B
T

[stevechasmar]

OK, glad to see there are still a couple of you with me. Here's what's happened so far:

I was able to print out some stills of Tony Leung in The Lover that show him wearing a very stylish linen suit in what is supposed to be French Indochina between WWI and WWII. This film is impressive with its attention to detail. I asked a Vietnamese friend of mine about it, a former Vietcong who was imprisoned after "liberation" for speaking out against the government. He's now in his 60s and an archaeologist -- a real character -- and he said he had watched this movie and was awestruck by how they could make it so real. Such sentiments led me to believe that the person in charge of wardrobe would have been a stickler for detail as well, and so I feel good about using these photos from the film as a pattern from which to make a French colonial linen suit.

By the way, there was another movie that I saw recently that had quite a good suit in it -- albeit different in style from what I am after now -- and that is one of the ones worn by Ryan O'Neil in Paper Moon. There are some GREAT clothes in this film if you haven't watched it before.

Anyway, I bought the material for my linen suit in Bangkok's Chinatown where I happen to live. There is one long alley that is given over primarily to textiles and cloth in bolts. A friend recommended a shop that sells good quality linen at about $10 a meter ( I do believe a meter and a yard are about the same length -- at least that is how I have always thought of it). I bought four meters of a cream-colored linen cloth with a very subtle pattern through it. I don't know the proper term to describe it, but there is a very faint red line running one way and a very faint blue line running perpendicular to the red one, making barely perceptible squares across the cloth. It's quite an old fashioned looking pattern, and while I was at first determined to just get the classic, plain, ivory-colored material (similar to the color of BellyTank's Khaki Drill cotton suit). This pattern really caught my eye. I'm afraid I've not very well described it, so I will include a photo with my next post (if I can figure out how to attach one).

Besides the linen, I also bought three meters of rayon for the lining. Some of you may wonder why I didn't choose silk (I am in Thailand after all) but I had been warned against it by friends who said that silk is hot and would counteract the cooling properties of the linen. The rayon also set me back about $10 a meter.

Interestingly, the cloth seller told me when I bought the material for my suit that I needed to soak both the linen and rayon (especially the linen she said) and let them hang to dry thoroughly but out of the sun. This she said would cause it to shrink up a bit -- something that needed to be done before the suit was made. I did this yesterday and hung the cloth up to dry over night.

This morning I took it all, including my print outs, to a tailor very near my apartment in Bangkok's old business district. This area -- along a street that many foreigners still call New Road, despite the fact that the road was built in the 20s -- Bangkok's first road -- has quite a few tailors due to its proximity to the Oriental Hotel. The tailor is one of those old-school Chinese tailors. I had been warned by friends not to bother with any of the Indian tailors here -- the kind who post a tout outside their shop door and try to snag customers as they walk by ("Hello sir. A silk suit sir? Fine tailoring sir", etc.). The friend in Phnom Penh who recommended this one Chinese tailor claimed that the man was well versed in old styles. The name of the tailor by the way is Ah Song, and he's located on Charoen Krung (New Road) Soi 38 in Bangkok.

This morning we did the measurements, and the tailor, after having a look at the print outs, began making recommendations: breast pocket at a very slight inward slant, for example. He made a whole page of notes as we looked over the print outs of Tony Leung. The tailor thought he had enough material to make a vest -- something I hadn't thought of. Luckily I'm not too big in stature (having lived in Asia so long perhaps stunted my growth -- when I go back to California I am always stunned at how big everyone else is).

I asked at one point how much the suit would cost, but the tailor waved the question away. I didn't press the matter. This is not something I would recommend a newcomer to Bangkok do -- there are a million and one scams waiting out there for the uninitiated -- but this guy is on the level, I can tell. So I made a mental note not to ask about money again -- I will wait until the suit is done.

So -- the measurements took about twenty minutes. I am supposed to go back in for a fitting one a week from yesterday -- next Monday.

Hmmmm. Wish me luck!

[BellyTank]

Good luck, Steven!
I've made a note of the Tailor's details...

Looking forward to seeing the results.


B
T

[cookie]

Sorry, I didn't mean it to 'sound' like that, but when manufacturers take a basic design of clothing that is available much more cheaply (and authentically) from other sources and 'gold plate' it like that with an over-romantic description at an over-inflated price I feel it deserves comment.

If someone doesn't want to save money and get a more authentic product, he or she can always ignore such comments.

Thanks, of course, for posting the link to the resource.

Alan


Alan just googling around it seems the usual problem with vintage aka thin waists depression waistlines. How do you get UL military shorts in 38" waist or who does repros?

[cookie]

OK, glad to see there are still a couple of you with me. Here's what's happened so far:

I was able to print out some stills of Tony Leung in The Lover that show him wearing a very stylish linen suit in what is supposed to be French Indochina between WWI and WWII. This film is impressive with its attention to detail. I asked a Vietnamese friend of mine about it, a former Vietcong who was imprisoned after "liberation" for speaking out against the government. He's now in his 60s and an archaeologist -- a real character -- and he said he had watched this movie and was awestruck by how they could make it so real. Such sentiments led me to believe that the person in charge of wardrobe would have been a stickler for detail as well, and so I feel good about using these photos from the film as a pattern from which to make a French colonial linen suit.

By the way, there was another movie that I saw recently that had quite a good suit in it -- albeit different in style from what I am after now -- and that is one of the ones worn by Ryan O'Neil in Paper Moon. There are some GREAT clothes in this film if you haven't watched it before.

Anyway, I bought the material for my linen suit in Bangkok's Chinatown where I happen to live. There is one long alley that is given over primarily to textiles and cloth in bolts. A friend recommended a shop that sells good quality linen at about $10 a meter ( I do believe a meter and a yard are about the same length -- at least that is how I have always thought of it). I bought four meters of a cream-colored linen cloth with a very subtle pattern through it. I don't know the proper term to describe it, but there is a very faint red line running one way and a very faint blue line running perpendicular to the red one, making barely perceptible squares across the cloth. It's quite an old fashioned looking pattern, and while I was at first determined to just get the classic, plain, ivory-colored material (similar to the color of BellyTank's Khaki Drill cotton suit). This pattern really caught my eye. I'm afraid I've not very well described it, so I will include a photo with my next post (if I can figure out how to attach one).

Besides the linen, I also bought three meters of rayon for the lining. Some of you may wonder why I didn't choose silk (I am in Thailand after all) but I had been warned against it by friends who said that silk is hot and would counteract the cooling properties of the linen. The rayon also set me back about $10 a meter.

Interestingly, the cloth seller told me when I bought the material for my suit that I needed to soak both the linen and rayon (especially the linen she said) and let them hang to dry thoroughly but out of the sun. This she said would cause it to shrink up a bit -- something that needed to be done before the suit was made. I did this yesterday and hung the cloth up to dry over night.

This morning I took it all, including my print outs, to a tailor very near my apartment in Bangkok's old business district. This area -- along a street that many foreigners still call New Road, despite the fact that the road was built in the 20s -- Bangkok's first road -- has quite a few tailors due to its proximity to the Oriental Hotel. The tailor is one of those old-school Chinese tailors. I had been warned by friends not to bother with any of the Indian tailors here -- the kind who post a tout outside their shop door and try to snag customers as they walk by ("Hello sir. A silk suit sir? Fine tailoring sir", etc.). The friend in Phnom Penh who recommended this one Chinese tailor claimed that the man was well versed in old styles. The name of the tailor by the way is Ah Song, and he's located on Charoen Krung (New Road) Soi 38 in Bangkok.

This morning we did the measurements, and the tailor, after having a look at the print outs, began making recommendations: breast pocket at a very slight inward slant, for example. He made a whole page of notes as we looked over the print outs of Tony Leung. The tailor thought he had enough material to make a vest -- something I hadn't thought of. Luckily I'm not too big in stature (having lived in Asia so long perhaps stunted my growth -- when I go back to California I am always stunned at how big everyone else is).

I asked at one point how much the suit would cost, but the tailor waved the question away. I didn't press the matter. This is not something I would recommend a newcomer to Bangkok do -- there are a million and one scams waiting out there for the uninitiated -- but this guy is on the level, I can tell. So I made a mental note not to ask about money again -- I will wait until the suit is done.

So -- the measurements took about twenty minutes. I am supposed to go back in for a fitting one a week from yesterday -- next Monday.

Hmmmm. Wish me luck!

Mate that is a trip down memory lane - to 1992 to be precise. I was attending the wedding of an Aussie friend in Siena and thought the appropriate suit would be linen. So when I was in the airlines I used to go down to SamPheng (Chinatown) and look for material for suits. I remember just where you went and the duckboards. I bought some linen that an (Indian) Thai tailor made up for me in 48 hours.[huh] It looked the goods (I changed at the Siena railway station) and I arrived at the church with 5 minutes to spare. .:eusa_clap Those were the days....

I preceded to wear it for another 10 years before it went to Vinnies for a new owner. When I wore it to work in Parliament House a few times the young blokes referred to it as the Miami 'drug baron' suit!lol lol Whatever!

Those photos of the movie star in the suit could benefit from a quick trip to one of those photo shops where you dream will turn into thumbnail shots for the greater edification of the Fedora Lounge.:p Then when we see the finshed product.:eusa_doh: :p

My other BKK memory is of taking a big lump of Irish linen I bought cheaply from the Irish Shop in Perth on a trip and I discovered a tailor like you describe in that River City hotel complex (near the River/Oriental) that made a sensational suit for me which a friend later wore (when I got bigger) and it ended up with his nephew no less. I wonder if its the same guy?:eusa_doh:

Cannot wait to see the finished product as I have 5 metres of Irish ivory linen I have been guarding for a special suit.

Cheers

Cookie

[Alan Eardley]

Alan just googling around it seems the usual problem with vintage aka thin waists depression waistlines. How do you get UL military shorts in 38" waist or who does repros?


Cookie,

It depends which military shorts you want. The 1950 pattern (BKs first photo) rarely come above 32" and AFAIK aren't being reproduced at the moment. The main market for such items is reanactors and I don't think many people re-enact the First Suez Crisis...

The later (1970s-80s) shorts are more common and do come in larger sizes, but you're still talking about kit that was worn by young soldiers who trained in a hot climate and did lots of PT. Again, they aren't thought worth of reproduction.

The earlier shorts (1942 Pattern and later) are reproduced and come in huge sizes (34" and above). Soldier of Fortune in Wales has just revised its range of KD repro kit, and I haven't examined the most recent ones, although the previous ones they sold (made in India) weren't 'quite right'. Try:

www.sofmilitary.co.uk.

I would have thought that it was easier to get military shorts at your end of the world than cold windy Blighty!

Alan

Alan

[cookie]

Cookie,

It depends which military shorts you want. The 1950 pattern (BKs first photo) rarely come above 32" and AFAIK aren't being reproduced at the moment. The main market for such items is reanactors and I don't think many people re-enact the First Suez Crisis...

The later (1970s-80s) shorts are more common and do come in larger sizes, but you're still talking about kit that was worn by young soldiers who trained in a hot climate and did lots of PT. Again, they aren't thought worth of reproduction.

The earlier shorts (1942 Pattern and later) are reproduced and come in huge sizes (34" and above). Soldier of Fortune in Wales has just revised its range of KD repro kit, and I haven't examined the most recent ones, although the previous ones they sold (made in India) weren't 'quite right'. Try:

www.sofmilitary.co.uk.

I would have thought that it was easier to get military shorts at your end of the world than cold windy Blighty!

Alan

Alan

Funnily enough Gowings (RIP) made up a lot of shorts to the military pattern but I never bought them at the time. I used to wear them back in the 80s when you could pick them up easy and I was like a 34" waist.

The pick of the SOF shorts are those Luftwaffe shorts - sehr schoen Mein Freund! The doubel buckle fronts are also nice.

[Alan Eardley]

Funnily enough Gowings (RIP) made up a lot of shorts to the military pattern but I never bought them at the time. I used to wear them back in the 80s when you could pick them up easy and I was like a 34" waist.

The pick of the SOF shorts are those Luftwaffe shorts - sehr schoen Mein Freund! The doubel buckle fronts are also nice.


Yes, SoF have reasonable prices, too, for stuff that is quite accurate. I don't think 30 GBP for a pair of shorts is too bad.

Alan

[cookie]

http://onlinemilitaria.net/shopexd.asp?id=1265&bc=no

Are these any good? http://onlinemilitaria.net/shopexd.asp?id=1243&bc=no

[BellyTank]

Hi Cookie.

WPG, in the US and
SoF, in the UK,
share the same Khaki goods.


I bought WPG khaki from Sof.

You can see people all over the Lounge wearing WPG khaki.
Here, for instance:

http://thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=24627

and in the Adventure Gear thread/s.

The gear is pretty good- I have an Aertex shirt and 1st model khaki trou from them.

You can choose the best prices and postage to suit your location.


B
T

[Alan Eardley]

Same comments as BT's. My only problem is sizing - they have only just begun to offer the smaller (realistic) sizing.

Alan

[cookie]

Dhermann1,

I'll watch what I say in the future! Really though, exoticism is in the eye of the beholder. I have lived in Asia and the Pacific Islands full time since I was just out of high school -- about 25 years now -- and am from San Diego originally. I was just telling a friend who hails from Vermont how envious I was of his being able to watch the autumn colors light up the forest. I have yet to see the seasonal changes or even real snow. On the other hand, I've spent so much time watching the sweat collect in my navel in places like Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, that it sometimes seems as though my pre-Asia life were some late-night movie that I watched years back and am now only vaguely familiar with. It helps that I have chosen to be a freelance writer and can barely afford to travel home more than a couple times a decade!

As for the pith helmet, I think Burma might well be the only place in Southeast Asia where one can get away with wearing it. I say this because it has been so isolated for so long, and so few tourists go there, that every foreigner, no matter what they wear, will get the same bemused stares and nervous giggles. It was George Orwell I believe, who while posted as a colonial policemen in Burma, said something to the effect that white men in the Asian colonies lived in constant fear of not being taken seriously by the locals (I think it was his essay, Shooting an Elephant).

Ironically, I think overall the pith helmet was a success -- but only because I didn't run into any other Westerners during my little experimental outing. Had I done so, I am sure that I would have felt self conscious and worried about looking clownish. I did not soak the helmet, by the way, having never heard that bit of advice. It certainly sounds like sound advice though.

Renor27,

Thank you for that great idea re the film The Lover. I actually have a pirated copy of this film that I bought months ago at the so-called Thieves Market on the opposite side of Chinatown. I had a look at it again this morning, and that linen suit that Tony Leung wears is perfect! I had completely forgotten about that movie. It's a pretty steamy movie too, I should say. Now I am just trying to figure out how to capture a frame or two and print them out to show my tailor. I think I can have this done by Monday or so.

I would be interested in seeing any images from old catalogs if you do come up with some. I too will keep an eye out. Below is a link for a photo that I downloaded from eBay a while back and then just recently uploaded onto my Flickr account. It was from an old photo album that was being offered whole. The album belonged to an officer in the US army posted in the Philippines circa 1910. Note the tall, British-style pith helmet one of these guys is wearing. Funny, the US army uniforms at the time look like a cross between British and German styles!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15022827@N04/1613257625/

Thanks again to you both!

All best,
Steven

Any update or progress?

[stevechasmar]

I apologize for being so slow with my posts. A combination of work and illness have made these past weeks less than productive. Rather stupidly, I recently accepted work in the form of updating yet another guidebook, and this has meant much more running around than I am used to doing. Really, guidebook writing is for younger men. I told myself that once I hit 40 I would turn these offers down, but all it takes is the promise of a bit of paid-for travel and I tend to forget all the work that goes along with it. Thank God for the internet or I would never get this done. As for the illness, I wish it could have been something exotic like dengue fever but, embarrassingly, it's been nothing more than a good old fashioned, butt-kicking cold.

Ah, so about that linen suit...

My first fitting was a disappointment. The jacket looked like nothing more than a tattered, chalk-marked vest, and the trousers had been misplaced. On the second fitting a week later the jacket was alarmingly tight. I pointed this out to the tailor but he seemed unperturbed, and asked me again if I wanted authentic vintage style. Of course I said I did. A few days later -- last Monday -- I went in to pick up the finished product and was dumbstruck by my image in the mirror. Nothing seemed the fit. The jacket was way too tight, the sleeves sliding half-way up my arms when I held them out in front of me. The trousers, on the other hand, were way too big. I had seen this coming of course but I just took it on faith that the tailor knew what I wanted. How many times in the past have I opened my mouth only to find that I should have just been patient? Not this time apparently.

It took a few minutes to get to the bottom of things but I finally figured out where my tailor was taking his inspiration as to what pre-WWII styles should look like. He led me back to the innermost area of his shop and pointed out a poster of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. The jackets on both men were a couple of sizes too small. The tailor then reminded me that Charlie Chaplin also had his suits cut in the same manner: small jacket, baggy trousers. "But they were comedians!" I heard myself protesting in my head. Of course no such protestations had left my lips. To "break" the tailor's face would have been counterproductive, so I instead told him that I had made a mistake, and that I didn't really want authentic vintage style. We did the measurements all over again and I am now supposed to go in for a fitting next Monday. Except that I have to go back to Cambodia for another ten days at least, so it won't be until the end of the month before this will start again in earnest.

Am I giving up? Hell no! I've already invested too much time and money into this. I'm sure it will turn out all right in the end. Things in Asia always do.

For those of you still following me, thank you for your patience!

All best,
Steven

[Ecuador Jim]

I'll have to remember to refrain from posting any links to clothing resources in the future. :eusa_doh:

Don't take it personally. I think Alan has access to resources that we would have a difficult time finding. I'd love to have his sources though!

[Ecuador Jim]

It took a few minutes to get to the bottom of things but I finally figured out where my tailor was taking his inspiration as to what pre-WWII styles should look like. He led me back to the innermost area of his shop and pointed out a poster of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. The jackets on both men were a couple of sizes too small. The tailor then reminded me that Charlie Chaplin also had his suits cut in the same manner: small jacket, baggy trousers.

Interesting where asians get their point of reference from about the US in particular. I was in a bar in Japan, where a poster from "A Fistful of Dollars" was hung. There was our anti-hero in his sarape, cigar and six-shooter ambling down the street. The caption read "Crint Eastwood".

No, that wasn't a spelling error on my part.

[renor27]

Glad to hear that you are not giving up on your suit.
But come on what is the tailor thinking.

He has to know the difference between what he was trying to sell you and what the well dressed diplomat or banker was wearing in 1928 or 1938 ( not sure just what style you were going for )
I sure hope it works out for you
David

[Mojave Jack]

He led me back to the innermost area of his shop and pointed out a poster of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. The jackets on both men were a couple of sizes too small. The tailor then reminded me that Charlie Chaplin also had his suits cut in the same manner: small jacket, baggy trousers. "But they were comedians!" I heard myself protesting in my head. Of course no such protestations had left my lips. To "break" the tailor's face would have been counterproductive, so I instead told him that I had made a mistake, and that I didn't really want authentic vintage style. We did the measurements all over again and I am now supposed to go in for a fitting next Monday. Except that I have to go back to Cambodia for another ten days at least, so it won't be until the end of the month before this will start again in earnest.

Am I giving up? Hell no! I've already invested too much time and money into this. I'm sure it will turn out all right in the end. Things in Asia always do.

For those of you still following me, thank you for your patience!

All best,
Steven
Steven, that must have been frustrating, but what a great story! You must have been thinking in the back of your mind -- even as you cringed when he showed you that photo of L&H -- what a great laugh you would have over it someday! I happened to see your post just shortly before leaving for the Queen Mary, and shared it a few times over the weekend for those Loungers that had not logged in recently.

And bravo for not giving up! It is a sartorial adventure of the first order!

[cookie]

Steve ...Adelante hombre! These things are sent to try us!:eusa_clap

[stevechasmar]

Dear Loungers,

For those of you still following me, thanks once again for your patience. I got back from Phnom Penh on Saturday, and spent all day Sunday rehearsing how I would hide my disappointment once I went in to the tailor's to pick up my suit on Monday.

The rehearsal was not necessary. Not only did the tailor completely rectify the problem of the ill-fitting suit jacket, he refused to take payment for the extra cloth that he had to buy to re-cut it. The suit fits perfectly and I am very happy with it. I just now (as in half an hour ago) had some photos taken to show you all how it looks.

All I have to do now is figure out how to attach photos to these replies! Any advice would be appreciated. I tried the "insert image" button on the tool bar above but that gets me a window asking for the "URL of the image" -- as if I am supposed to enter an web address. I have seen photos attached to others' replies. How did you do it?

Thanks much!

Best,
Steven

[BellyTank]

Hi Steve-
Use a service such as www.photobucket.com
...upload yer pics there, then copy the IMG tag and paste it in yer message-
the pics will magically appear here.

Looking forward to seeing the finished product!

B
T

[stevechasmar]

OK, let's see if I can make this work. If so I will add more photos. As I said this was taken just a couple hours ago. We are having very cool weather in Bangkok (current temperature at 6:30pm is 30 degrees Celsius or about 85 degrees Fahrenheit) and so wearing the full linen suit with vest and jacket is reasonably comfortable. I really wonder how people did it before electricity though. Forget air-conditioning, they didn't even have electric fans out here until the 1950s or so. Of course there was the punkah -- a curtain-like ceiling fan powered by a "punkah wallah", a guy who pulled it back and forth. But I can't imagine one of those things did any more than stir the air a bit.

Anyway, before I get started on a ramble let's see if the photo posts...

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii311/stevechasmar/DSC04860.jpg

[BellyTank]

Looks good, Steve!
That check sure adds a distinctive edge to a linen suit.
Nice style and the fit looks good.

Only one photo showing...


B
T

[stevechasmar]

It works! Thanks, BellyTank.

OK, so as you can see, the tiny lines of the pattern (anyone have any idea what this pattern is called?) don't match up perfectly on the side seams, but they do in front where it really counts. I don't know if you can see it but this pattern consists of rust-colored horizontal lines and gray-blue vertical lines. They are very subtle on the background -- the color of which I am unsure of but it reminds me of the creamy yellow that one sees on colonial-era buildings in the former French Indochina countries (Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos).

I welcome any advice on what kind of shirt and tie I should wear with this suit, and if a pocket handkerchief is necessary. Please feel free to make suggestions about accoutrements!

The label, by the way, was a gift from an Austrian artist friend -- a little joke of his. He had these labels made and then made up a story to go along with them. The tailors, two Russian Jews, were originally from Odessa but fled to Shanghai after the Russian Revolution in 1917. In Shanghai they prospered in the White Russian community, and were tailors to the British and American tai-pans in the International Settlement...that is, until the Japanese invaded in 1937. The tailors were able to get out of Shanghai just before the Japanese took complete control in 1941 (they attacked Shanghai's International Settlement at the same moment that they attacked Pearl Harbor) and the tailors settled in Manaus, the capital of Brazil's Amazonas State. There the tailors' grandsons continue their work to this day...

It was pure luck that the color of the silk label matched the color of the linen suit so well!

All best,
Steven

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii311/stevechasmar/DSC04858.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii311/stevechasmar/DSC04863.jpg

[renor27]

What a wonderful suit.
Very vintage in the look as for a shirt would say white with detached collar also try open turned back cuffs, like a French cuff but with buttons and not studs. I found this style cuff in a 1921 Philipsborn's catalog.
You could always dress the suit up by going with a very light blue shirt and white collar.
Glad the whole thing came out and that you found a tailor that you can work with
David

[stevechasmar]

David, thanks for the feedback. I've always wanted one of those shirts with a detachable collar, and the light blue would go with the gray-blue lines on the suit. Here's a question: I will probably just have the tailor try to make such a shirt for me. Do you remember if the collar is supposed to be pointed or rounded? I think a rounded collar would look good with this.

Oh hey, I totally forgot to mention the price of this suit. I spent 4000 baht on the material (about $135) and 6000 baht on labor ($200) for a total of $335. Actually, if it weren't for the US dollar dropping so drastically over the past few months, this would have been even cheaper. A year ago the cost would have been a mere $250.

Silly misunderstanding aside, this old Chinese tailor is very professional. Unlike many of the Indian tailors here in Bangkok, he won't stoop to standing outside his shop door and touting his wares ("A fine suit for you, sir?") nor does he give commissions to touts who bring in customers.

I live in Bangkok year round so if anyone is passing through and wants to try to have something made, I would be happy to point out the place in Chinatown where I got the linen as well as the tailor's shop.

All best,
Steven

[cookie]

Congrats so far... as I suspect you will be visiting that guy again when you get paid in HARD currency ha ha oops sorry...:eusa_doh:

It's funny you know. In my mind I had a totally different idea of what that suit would like like. I though it would be more along these lines of something flashier and more Euro instead it is very distinguished/diplomatic-Foreign Office (the window pane pattern is very UK) look and dare I say a little modern in ways with the 3 buttons. A couple of photos of you without the jacket and only vest would be nice. I see you got the right pointy bits on the vest bottom.

Tell us more about your debriefing with the tailor about future tailoring opportunities and the chance of FL business.

[carter]

Steve, I just read this entire thread and must say your journey of the suit has been very entertaining and enlightening. Reading of your travels and the ups and downs of this entire process has been fascinating. I'm glad to find that you have a very nice suit that you like at the end of the process. Congratulations on staying with it and prevailing in the end. :eusa_clap
We have friends who are missionaries living in Chang My (SP?) for well over a decade at this point. All three of their children were born in Thailand. They have a deep affection for the people of Thailand. It's interesting to read a little of your life living in Bangkok.
Thanks for a great read and best wishes for the future. I look forward to more of your posts.
Carter

[BellyTank]

If you're getting shirts made, then you can have the collar of your choice- attached. I thought a round/club collar would be suitable and departure from the norm. Cookie's right- dress it up- dress it down.



B
T

[renor27]

Hi Steve,
I would think a round collar.
I know that your tailor will not need a pattern for what you want. So I will not send that but will up load some photos once I get this last paper for school finished.
If you want 1920's I have catologs from the early 1920's and some other photos.

Not a bad price on the suit to bad the tailor is 1/2 way around the world . A great label and a wonderful story behind it
David

[stevechasmar]

Thank you all for your input. Cookie, thanks for letting me know the name of this pattern -- windowpane. I'd never heard of it. Thanks too for the feedback on the round collar -- I'm sure now that's the way to go. David, I would very much like to see your catalog from the 1920s.

Carter, thank you for the kind words. I lived in Chiang Mai for about six years (1989-1995) before moving down to Bangkok, and yes, there are American missionary families who have been there for generations. The first one apparently arrived in the 1860s and became the first long-term non-Asian resident of Chiang Mai (I believe he was up there for 30 years). Not all the Christian missionaries stayed in the fold. A famous case was one Dr Cheek who abandoned his missionary post and went into business with Louis Leonowens (son of Anna Leonowens, whose controversial memoirs were made into the play and movies The King and I). Dr Cheek and Louis Leonownens are said to have built a sizable harem consisting of fair-skinned ladies from northern Thailand -- and kept them happy with gifts of gold, silver and elephants. I was able to interview a few of the missionary families for an article I did years back. I don't always agree with their methods, but I still find them fascinating.

OK, looks like I got sidetracked. I have a question for anyone out there. What color tie would best go with this suit? I'm afraid that getting colors to match isn't my strong point. Although given the color of my hat band, I reckon black is a safe bet. Any other suggestions?

All best,
Steven

[BellyTank]

A colour that will pick up the Windowpane- rust, blue.
That's just for starters.


B
T

[carter]

You might want to consider ascots.

There's a thread located at:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=24366

[renor27]

Hi
Here are a few pictures for the 1920's catologs that that I have collected, hope this helps let me know if you are looking for some thing in perticluare. the last one is more mid 1930s but gives some ideas on collars.
Wish was coming out your way would keep that tailor of yours busy.
David

http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii297/renor27s/
http://s267.photobucket.com/albums/ii297/renor27s/?action=view&current=pg49.jpg

[stevechasmar]

David,

Thanks for those great scans! I have a little book around here somewhere called Angkor: Heart of an Asian Empire, and in it are reproduced some ads from a French magazine that is contemporaneous with your scans. They show men in tropical fashions of the day. I will try to find the book and scan the page. This is something I had totally forgotten that I even had until I saw your scans. Typically though, my apartment seems to have swallowed the book -- at least I can't seem to find it at the moment...

By the way, speaking of books on esoteric subjects, my first photograph-driven book has come out and is now on Amazon.com. It's called "The Art of Opium Antiques" and features photos and illustrations of my 1000+ piece collection of antique Chinese and Vietnamese opium-smoking paraphernalia, as well as old historical photos of opium smokers (on the cover is a rare snapshot from 1930s Indochina of a Frenchman in a smoking jacket indulging in the narcotic). The book took me five years to research and write, and I must say I am very proud of it!

All best,
Steven

[cookie]

David,

Thanks for those great scans! I have a little book around here somewhere called Angkor: Heart of an Asian Empire, and in it are reproduced some ads from a French magazine that is contemporaneous with your scans. They show men in tropical fashions of the day. I will try to find the book and scan the page. This is something I had totally forgotten that I even had until I saw your scans. Typically though, my apartment seems to have swallowed the book -- at least I can't seem to find it at the moment...

By the way, speaking of books on esoteric subjects, my first photograph-driven book has come out and is now on Amazon.com. It's called "The Art of Opium Antiques" and features photos and illustrations of my 1000+ piece collection of antique Chinese and Vietnamese opium-smoking paraphernalia, as well as old historical photos of opium smokers (on the cover is a rare snapshot from 1930s Indochina of a Frenchman in a smoking jacket indulging in the narcotic). The book took me five years to research and write, and I must say I am very proud of it!

All best,
Steven

Having seen opium smoking/dens in a few films (Last Emperor comes to mind) and recently in a Poirot episode I have always been intrigued with the way it was conducted in a stylish sort of way - for a deadly pursuit.:eek: Your Amazon reviews are a wonderful tribute and the book is obviously going to be a fantastic resource for Orientalia enthusiasts.:eusa_clap

[stevechasmar]

Cookie, thank you for the kind words. I have posted here a close-up of the snapshot of the Frenchman in Indochina that appears on the cover of my book.

As one Amazon reviewer remarked, "Getting addicted back then was no doubt as painful and ruinous as it is today, but they sure knew how to do it in style!"

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii311/stevechasmar/18-2.jpg

[RBH]

Wow great thread !
And great photos... Im gonna have to visit more places than the hat section.
Boy I have been missing out.:eusa_doh:

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii311/stevechasmar/DSC04858.jpg

[Mojave Jack]

Steve, congrats on the publishing of your book! And on the successful completion of your suit. Both look fantastic!

Your next book will have to be on tropical clothing and accoutrements. You are in an excellent position for that, and I'd really be curious to find out what works and what doesn't. I'm all about what's practical in my environment, but always with at least a nod to the vintage age. I'm sure a lot of folks are the same way, and your experiences would be invaluable!

[stevechasmar]

Hi Jack,

That's actually a very good idea. The art of dressing stylishly but with comfort in the tropics has been completely lost -- at least here in Southeast Asia. That rigid dress code to which Westerners held themselves while in their Asian colonies was, I suspect, what kept such fashion sense alive. With the independence of Europe's Asian colonies after World War II the old standard began to slip, and by the 1970s had completely vanished. Nowadays, expatriate Westerners in Southeast Asia more often than not dress like they are at the beach -- no matter that they may be in Bangkok, city of ten million plus people!

I'm certainly not calling for a return of the racially superior attitudes that fueled the dress codes of old -- looking sharp in the tropics should be fun. While I admit I do not wear my newly-tailored linen suit on a daily basis, I have found a great brand of shirts that fits the climate.

If you've ever watched Showtime's Dexter which is set in Miami, you'll have noticed a Spanish character named Batista who is partial to wearing Cubavera shirts, especially a line that blends the Cuban guayabera and the American bowling shirt from the 1950s. Unfortunately most of Cubavera's models seem to be a polyester and rayon blend (what were they thinking?) but there are a small number of designs that are 55% linen and 45% rayon -- and they are much, much cooler than cotton.

But back to the colonial-era attire, it would be an interesting subject for a book. Not only rediscovering the details of the attire of that period, but all the odd accouterments as well -- everything from hip flasks to swagger sticks (for thrashing the punkah wallah...haha, just kidding).

Get a copy of George Orwell's Burmese Days if you can find it. Orwell does a fantastic job of describing how the colonials dressed in British Burma in the 1920s, and how their attire and the lack of electricity made them suffer greatly!

[dpyper]

I love the tropical look, British had a widespread empire taking in large parts of Africa, India and Asia so seeing what would have been fashionable and prictical in thease areas is interesting for both sexes.