Published by Tailor and Cutter. Written by Sydney Barney. Highly recommended by Charlie Davidson. Long before Flusser's, Clothes and the Man. Damned near impossible to find. Arrived in today's mail. Opened to page 78. Fourth paragraph down.
Bow Ties.- When the collar size is 14/14 1/2, 15/15 1/2, 16/16 1/2, 17/17 1/2, - the bow length is 31, 32, 33, 34 respectively. If you prefer a loosely tied bow add one size, and likewise if you want a tight bow deduct one size.
I have written before (Bow Ties & Erections) that selecting your neck size on an adjustable bow gives you a tie far too wide for your face. While I'm between a 16 and a 16 1/2, my bows are hooked at 14 to 14 1/2.
I measured a few and wouldn't you know. Most of them are 33" long. Exactly the length suggested above. Stay tuned for my book report next week. If the dog doesn't eat it.
Looks like a well thumbed copy...an E-Bay find perhaps?
ReplyDeleteYes. I do believe there's one more for sale. Paperback though.
ReplyDelete15 1/2 neck in shirts, bow ties set at 13 1/2. I always wondered why they even adjusted that low in the first place.
ReplyDeleteInteresting detail...cover depicts the well dressed gentleman smoking a cigarette..they would not let that out in a contemporary version...
ReplyDeleteOn bow ties conceptually I agree with you Tintin that one needs to undersize relative to neck dimensions if you want to keep the overall width no wider than the middle of your head. Just how much you undersize depends a bit on fabrics because they react somewhat differently when tied. I like mine tied fairly loose how about you?
ReplyDeleteDon't know nuthin' 'bout no bow ties.
ReplyDeleteDidn't think the Trad went that far back (1952), when trousers were very baggy and very pleated. And neckties were short, wide and loud.
The man on the cover: probably atypical of the era, for the average guy on the street, anyway...
-DB
oh boo hoo, let's all have a pity party for the trad, sweetheart.
ReplyDeleteJust snuffled back the tears, after reading your comment chez Els. How absolutely beautiful. It's probably all wrong that I'm saying that. Is touching, moving kinder?
ReplyDeleteYou sound like a truly extraordinary man.
I got very, very lucky the second time. I'll never understand why, but I'm thankful every day.
Warmest regards,
Tish
"The man on the cover: probably atypical of the era, for the average guy on the street, anyway..."
ReplyDeleteActually the average schmuck in any major city dressed fairly well. I just about remember it. Those mid 50's Hitchcock movies aren't a million miles away from reality. Or take a spin through some life magazines from around 1952 and look at the street pics of NYC.
New York 1950
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQJQRGAo3KY
Morning tintin,
ReplyDeleteI am having no luck finding this book on EBay...any suggestions ?
Best,
Fred
Fred- did you even try?
ReplyDeletehttp://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Clothes-and-Man-Sydney-D-Barney-/190465311098?pt=Non_Fiction&hash=item2c589e017a
Tintin,
ReplyDeleteYes I DID TRY !!!!!!!
I even used your address...and come up empty.....
frustrated
Thx
Fred
Fred- It works for me.
ReplyDelete14.75" neck.
ReplyDelete32" bow ties.
Maybe I should reduce them by about half an inch.