Accessorizing a white Palm Beach suit.

[PADDY]

THOSE are very, very nice Mein Baron!! you sharp looking Doc!!!

As for the mesh shoes!! haha, I'd forgotten about 'them' actually!![huh] YOu know when you tuck things away for the winter...!!:eusa_doh:

I recently plumped for a pair of Grenson spectators in canvas/linen and leather:

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Hopefully they'll arrive soon. The price was right, as they say. Apparently pretty much unworn, so we'll see. these things are so rare in my size. Most manufacturers don't even go small enough in their "standard" shoe lines, let alone spectators.

bk

 

[Anthony Jordan]

Paddy, those canvas shoes might look more/disappointingly "contemporary" in person. Toe shape is the point...


B
T

I agree. I was lucky enough to pick these up not so long ago from http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Shoe-and-Boot-Ltd, which I think might be closer to the required shape:

or (picking up on Jovan's suggestion) you might consider the acorn Trickers next to them in this picture:

alternatively, how about the Alfred Sargent co-respondents shewn in the top line here:

an upgraded version was available for £85 a pair (on sale) here: http://www.herringshoes.co.uk/index.php; ask for the style "Bonnie."

 

[herringbonekid]

THIS is how to accessorize a white palm beach suit:

photo by The Sartorialist​

 

[Tomasso]

Looks fab but where's the straw hat?

[/QUOTE]

 

[herringbonekid]

MUCH better without a straw hat in my humble opinion.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

MUCH better without a straw hat in my humble opinion.

Well, I love straw hats and summer fedoras, but with or without, this looks positively smashing. Well done!

 

[herringbonekid]

Well done!

it's not me by the way ! it's some chap in New York last summer.

 

[Tomasso]

MUCH better without a straw hat in my humble opinion.

But not if one is actually standing under the Palm Beach sun.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

it's not me by the way ! it's some chap in New York last summer.

Well, he nailed it.

 

[cookie]

Looks fab but where's the straw hat?

[/QUOTE]

That PB looks like Linen rather than PB cloth and the pocket arrangement is unusual but cool nevertheless. It is a more modern suit and more Italian looking than PB trad.

 

[Salv]

Paddy, if you're still looking for white shoes I came across some White Soft Grainy Leather Semi-Brogues from Charles Tyrwhitt, for £165.

 

[Tomasso]

That PB looks like Linen rather than PB cloth

Cookie, where's MARC when we need him?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Re: the "look" of the cloth.

Palm Beach cloth looks very much like linen when it hasn't been pressed after laundering. After pressing it resists wear-induced wrinkles much better than linen, and much better than a 1930s tropical weight wool suit i have. So, i don't know that we can tell what that suit is made of just from the photos. If it's modern it's not likely to be Palm Beach cloth*. I can tell you that the last time i laundered a Palm Beach suit i intentionally left it unpressed. I think the wrinkles look great, and somehow appropriate.

Re: the suit itself. O! for a higher waist. There's little i despise more than that bit of shirt/gut/tie that shows when a jacket with a high-ish closure button opens in the wind and the trousers aren't on the waist.

bk

(*It is of course possible that this lucky chap found a bolt of Palm Beach cloth lying around somewhere)

 

[Mr. Rover]

THIS is how to accessorize a white palm beach suit:

photo by The Sartorialist​

This is Sean (or Shawn) from Ralph Lauren...he is always impeccably dressed.
Speaking of RL, they make white bucks, too.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Do they use buckskin? Or some form of suede? Most people are still stuck on using white shiny leather.

bk

 

[Tomasso]

I'll take this moment to apologize for whining about the absence of Mr. Chevalier when there are FL members like BK who are more than able answer our vintage queries.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Don't worry. Marc is far more knowledgable than i am. I miss his input.

bk

 

[Evan Everhart]

I'd agree with Baron. Cap-toe spectator / co-respondent shoes are the unspoken de rigeur for a true Palm Beach suit. Ditto a Palm Beach tie(they didn't make just suit fabrics, remember) in a pastel color.

White bucks are a good option as well, but as was pointed out, they're tough to find. I'd personally avoid them as they're a pain in the rear to keep clean. Regular white leather shoes would be a good alternative, but again you're going to be fighting the cleanliness issue...hence the reason spectators were invented in the first place(I'm likely preaching to the choir here).

For the more casual sporting look, an ascot and open collar is appropriate, although it might look a bit out of place with a DB suit.

Don't forget a bamboo cane.

Not sure of the norm with regard to french cuffs(and thus, cufflinks) while in summer wear, I'd assume it would be a bit confining and warm, and a bit more formal than necessary. I've done it before.

Actually; white bucks are much easier to keep clean than you'd think; my Grandfather kept a pair, and he'd always clean them by rubbing them down with an old hat brush covered in talcum powder, after copiously powdering them in the same. If the beating was too severe, he'd rub 'em a bit with some fine grit sand-paper, but mostly just the brush and talcum. They'd get amazingly white, very quickly, and the marred yellowish patina is part of the charm of white bucks, after all. Which reminds me; I need to get a new pair. My Dad's finally died :/

Yes to the Whangee!!!!!

And don't forget your panama hat and ivory (not gym) socks!

I'm wearing something similar tomorrow and see if I can poste up a picture.

 

[Evan Everhart]

Oh, not too be too corny, but I Love random odd elements with Palm Beach cloth suits, or any sort of tropical or safari style wear for that matter; like a Zebra printed tie, or pocket scarf in a matte silk (but not leopard, ever, it's just been done to death, unless it's the real fur, which is still a bit barbaric and really just unnecessary, and of course as it's fur, has absolutely Nothing to do with Palm Beach suits in spirit or application), or elephant leather (harvested post death) shoes, and yes, perforated spectators! I remember there was an Italian company that used to make them in a cap toe blucher model when I was younger; the toes were brown, as were the stitched down uppers, and as it was the 90s, the shoes weren't too slim line....Those things always breathed so darned well! Also, basket woven leather shoes! Those are super fresco with a summer or Palm Beach type suit, though they can look really shapeless and dowdy really quickly if not done correctly.

Windowpane shirts in summer weight cotton with the windows in pale green or pink or even blue look excellent with Palm Beach or any tropical appropriate suit, ditto finest cotton chambray; heavenly and luxurious. Shantung silk shirts are also great. I've got one of my Dad's old silk shirts in super bold royal blue and ivory stripe with a spear-point one piece collar, but honestly it's a bit loud for me, though I used to wear it in the Summer with a dove gray Dupioni suit that Dad had from somewhere or other....It was very.....Shiny. Don't judge me, I was only 15!