shoulders

[michael coster]

I think that the shoulder is the secret and defining mark of the mod suit.

I have been obsessed with this since sixties.

The shoulder is almost always where suits are let down in my opinion.

I liked ideas at work in Adam and especially cloths and admire the whole set up but shoulders . That guy Paul Smith has a lot to answer for.

Alright he was around at right time but still gets shoulders wrong.

I used to study French and US style magazines in sixties and French shoulders were best.

I looked at recent documentaries on Saville Row and they discussed shoulders but going to Saville Row wont get you to right place if you dont have savvy.

Now shoulder should be soft and dare I say it feminine.

Mods revolted against ugly fifties shoulder as worn by Krays .

I learnt hard lesson as got stuck with the wrong shoulders by Jewish tailor in Whitechapel .

Now my mate who was working there as it happens did himself the right shoulders . I came out looking like a Ted who had joined mods.

So I say always study the shoulder. Michael. best of luck to all

[Daka3]

So what is - in your view - the ideal shoulder? Adam's suits are quite built up in the shoulder area, something that can be a bit dodgy if you're blessed with well muscled, broad shoulders. I find them great in profile, albeit somewhat tight, since the side of my shoulder is always pressing against the fabric.

If I could get an alteration made on an ADam's jacket, it would be a bit less stuffing around the shoulder area.

Would you prefer the Ivy, natural shoulder look on a suit jacket? I'm thinking the middle would be interesting. Thoughts?

[michael coster]

Well it wasnt fashionable to have built up body in early sixties.

Then it was androgenous .

But I dont want to exaggerate it. At the time I ( and I daresay a lot of others) studied American and French fashion mags to get ideas for suits.

The gangster types from fifties era who we rubbed shoulders with at time kept on with raised and padded shoulders.

A lot of young guys and designers now especially Paul Smith have perpetuated the sub fifties shoulder.

I personally had broad shoulders and last thing I wanted was broader shoulders.

So minimal padding and interlinings and take cue from early sixties american movies.

The ideal suit was like Platonic but was aimed at.

Certainly waisted . 17-18" bottoms. Sleeve shows cuff. Subtle cut of rever with roll .

These days trousers are worn too low on shoe .

So if you say you are well muscled dont want to play it up . Got to go with flow .

I used to work in suit shop and we dreaded muscle builders as couldnt fit them .