Cutting Some Slack on Cuffs
Off the Cuff: It’s not easy selecting a pair of slacks. You find a pair that has a nice fabric, comfortable fit, good price, then as the tailor marks the length, he asks the question that sets up a fashion quandary: “Cuffs?”
Are cuffs for casual or business wear? What about slacks you want to wear as both?
A good rule of thumb is that when buying a pair of linen or lightweight wool slacks, always have them cuffed, says Charles Lee of Alex Sebastian in Costa Mesa. “The cuff will act as a weight on light slacks and make them fall a little nicer,” he says. Cuffs don’t look good with slacks made of heavy wool or thick corduroy.
A cuff is fashionably appropriate with business or casual slacks. “It’s just a matter of what you think looks better,” says Rick Lamitie of David Rickey & Co. in Costa Mesa. “Right now I think cuffs are just a little more popular.”
If the tailor asks you about cuffing a pair of tuxedo slacks, remember these are always given a straight, conservative hem, so just say no.
Link Looks: You see some strange outfits on the golf course these days. Perhaps one of the most unusual is the retro-modern duffer look, which often consists of an argyle sweater, coordinating knickers, argyle socks, ancient black spikes and a tweed cap. The golfer often looks like he’s stepped out of a 1940s newsreel, except of course when he starts swinging his $500 high performance graphite “woods.”
Golf knickers became a fun gift for the family’s golfer a few Christmases ago, but because they aren’t a part of most men’s wardrobes, there’s some confusion as to how they should be worn.
“Generally, you should have them pushed down just a little below the knee,” says Larry Scheidt of Nevada Bob’s Discount Golf and Tennis in Anaheim. “You can wear a tube sock with them, or a long, over-the-calf argyle.”
If you’ve considered getting a pair of knickers, look first at the clearance tables of your sporting goods store. Local retailers report that duffers are once again favoring double-knit slacks in bright colors to match anyone’s loud taste.
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A Flap Over Suits: It’s getting harder and harder to own “timeless” clothing. The suits you bought about five years ago that you thought looked so modern may look outdated to the trained eye.
The hot suits of today have jackets with a “straight” back without a slit. “It’s a look that’s very clean and streamlined,” says wardrobe consultant Mike Pleisack of Anaheim. “Without a slit, you don’t have to worry about leaning back on one of the flaps folded, then getting up and having it out of shape.”
Having your slits sewn together may not be worth the expense or trouble. You’re better off sticking those jackets in the closet until the style comes back. Or just throw caution to the wind and wear them. “It’s not so horrible that you’ll look stupid wearing a suit with a slit,” Pleisack says. “If that’s the only thing that bothers you about it, go ahead and wear it.”