Middle page spread design exercise where spread had to contain a set list of editorial design elements.
Spread Design
THE MODErN PINSTrIPE the revival of a classic
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new breed of pinstripe suit has been popping up this year – featuring an improved cut and
shorter jacket length – giving the style a much more contemporary appeal. With
the right accessories and a carefully considered shirt and tie combination, a pinstriped suit isn’t the sole reserve of annoying Wall Street wannabes anymore, but an excellent purchase for anyone who’s looking to add a bit of pattern and variety to their existing tailoring. Personally, I think more traditional pieces of tailoring (like the pinstriped suit or the patterned blazer) are having a resurgence due to the direction that menswear is starting to take. We’ve gone through our 1960s inspired period of skinny suits, shirts and ties, which evolved into more expressive elements such as bold patterns and brightly colour pieces.
Now it’s time for a slightly more 1970s twist to be incorporated, with designers, tailors and the high street all edging towards a fuller, more confident and masculine cut within formal wear collections, which is ideal for classic items such as the pinstriped suit.
The first thing you need to consider when choosing a pinstripe suit is just how pinstriped you want it to be, because there are a wealth of options out there.
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Generally, the distance between the stripes on your suit will correlate to the amount of confidence you have when wearing a suit.
If this is your first time delving into the murky depths of tailoring, you may want to stick to stripes that are close together. On the other hand, if this is just another suit shaped brick in your sartorial wall, then why not go bolder with a wider stripe? With each added millimetre, you’ll need to have an equal increase in confidence. You then need to decide the details. Suit colour? Stick to monochromatic colours such as navy, grey and black. They’re the most versatile when paired with other pieces and will help cement the traditional formal aesthetic. Stripe colour? I prefer a chalk stripe for the statement that it makes but there is no end to what you can find. For a more conservative look go tonal, such as navy and light blue. For a bolder look, maybe go for navy and red. It’s up to you.
Lastly, decide on what to wear the suit with. If you want to keep things simple, do
so. You’ll never go wrong with a white or blue dress shirt paired with a solid neutral tie and black Oxford lace-ups. But this is 2012 guys, and these are a new breed of suits. So why not step it up a bit?
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