I am not Tim Gunn.

[hackthis_archive]

I've gotten a lot of comments on the How to Dress Your Character post and I just want to say upfront:

a) I'm seriously surprised at the response. I didn't think anybody was going to be interested in this besides myself and maurheti, but if it works for you then that makes me very happy. And pleased. And I thought this was all rather clear from the title and the post itself, however...

b) The point of that post was to dress characters, not people. I'm not trying to dress anybody but the characters in my stories. I'm not saying you can't or shouldn't use it for whatever you like, but that was the point of the post. Dressing a flesh and blood being is very different from writing about it.

c) This is an overview. A very brief overview. There are things that I've left out for the sake of time and clarity and because I just didn't have the inclination at the time. (Always unbuttoning the bottom button on your jacket; you do not get a suit dry cleaned and pressed. Please god, don't. You just get it dry cleaned. The importance of Made-to-Measure as a step below Bespoke, or as the place between RTW and Bespoke). If I was making a proper go at covering menswear this wouldn't be one post, it would probably be six. Yes, six. Possibly seven. Maybe eight (casual wear x2, formal wear, suits, outerwear, accessories).

There are millions of things I didn't cover and even the brief overview is hella long. If you are interested, go out and do some legwork. Make up your own mind.

d) This is not meant to be anybody's Bible it's just meant to give Inception fandom an idea of what they're dealing with, to point out that there is more going on than just a guy putting on a jacket and matching pants.

e) It is not cohesive. Hell, it may not even be completely coherent. My point in putting it together was to create a jump-off to give people someplace to start from. To get people to think about the clothes when they write. Not so much to drop labels as to look at a cuff, or the collar of a shirt, the knot of a tie.

f) I am not Tim Gunn. I am not teaching a class at Parsons. My opinions are just that my opinions. You don't have to like them or agree with them. You may think Prada is the best thing since sliced bread. You may hate every designer or house I listed. You may think I did this shit all wrong: that's totally your prerogative. But.

Don't be an asshole about it. I'm not in your house pissing in your pocket; extend me the same courtesy.

g) I have always been a firm believer that if you want something done a certain way, you do it yourself. I did this for me. And M. Nothing's stopping you from doing your own.


We now return you to your regularly scheduled programme.

Comments

[droolfangrrl.livejournal.com]

"Don't be an asshole about it; I'm not in your house pissing in your pocket."

And I'm pretty much just falling over from how funny that is.

[skyvehicle.livejournal.com]

I thought it was a really freaking cool and informative and totally badass thing of you to write. Are people giving you shit for it or something? because you totally went out of your way to do this, people should just... gah. that's weird.

[valancy.livejournal.com]

I'm terribly sorry people gave you guff over this; though if I hadn't seen this follow-up, I wouldn't have seen the original, which would have been tragic. It made my day, and I'm glad you did post it, and sorry there are very cranky people out there.

[tricksterquinn.livejournal.com]

I, for one, thought it was excellent. And I am a bit of a nerd about menswear, but only a bit. Rock on with your bad self!

[dremiel.livejournal.com]

Haven't read anyone else's comments but I LOVED your post and was interested enough to pull up the itsy pictures on my phone and read it while I was traveling.

I love a sharp-dressed man character!

p.s. I thought you made your purpose abundantly clear in the original post. Fuck 'em if they took offense. It's your journal, after all.

[lady-lurker.livejournal.com]

I found your post so informative, I was really grateful cuz I love great suits but know next to nothing about how to describe them. And I'm not even a writer!

I can't think of a good reason why somebody would have an issue with this, surely it should be taken for what it was meant to be, 'an informal tutorial'.

[romancandles.livejournal.com]

Wow, I'm really surprised you got flak for it. It really was a wonderful post of porn. ♥

[knowledgequeen.livejournal.com]

Nothing super offensive in the comments to that post, so I'm going to conclude someone messaged you to be an asshole, which is like, upping the level of assholeness. Fuck 'em.

[frackin-sweet.livejournal.com]

Your journal, your opinions, haters gonna hate? People are morons. Fuck 'em.

FWIW, I loved and appreciated that post for all sorts of reasons. So thank you :)

[ohfreckle.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised that anyone could take this as something different than a huge post of Inception meta.
But usually people get pissy about things that they wish they would have done themselves, so wear it as a badge of honor.

[stele3.insanejournal.com (from livejournal.com)]

Whoa, are people actually giving you shit over that post?

It was suit porn! Marvelous suit porn! Enjoy it people! Yeesh.

[hypertwink.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I learned a lot from that post. I totally loved the ties, since I only know one way to knot a tie, so it's nice to have alternatives. I agree with ohfreckle about people being pissy because they didn't think of it themsleves.

[aurora]

Always unbuttoning the bottom button on your jacket
Huh, interesting!

And man, screw the haters.

[forsweatervests.livejournal.com]

b) The point of this post was to dress characters, not people. I'm not trying to dress anybody but the characters in my stories. I'm not saying you can't or shouldn't use it for whatever you like, but that was the point of the post. Dressing a flesh and blood being is very different from writing about it.

...and yet, I really want to dress people in my life this way. Particularly in the British-style suit. Mmm.

[silveraspen]

... people are giving you a hard time over that post? I am completely blindsided by this -- it was awesome and helpful and you were very clear about the purpose of it! I'm sorry.

[shaney.livejournal.com]

Did not read the comments, but haters gonna hate (although there is absolutely NOTHING to hate in your post)

I really love your post because much as I love suits and men's wear in general, I never do much research or have much in-depth knowledge about the different cuts/types/brands/cufflinks/buttons/fits etc and your post really educate me a lot on it so I am so appreciative of your post.

[pjvilar.livejournal.com]

Um, I read all the comments and didn't see any hating. Just lots of praise and some people getting excited about what you did and chiming it with stuff they knew. Did someone PM you or something? That would blow.

[third-ray.livejournal.com]

Believe me your post is an awesome read. I come back to it from time to time just for entertainment, because I love your sense of humor and style of writing about menswear. If you ever wrote eight more posts on it I would be in heaven :)
I am surprised to learn someone took offence about designers - I hope you were laughing at this as I am now. (Probably Prada is the best because devil wears it, you know :P)
Thank you once again (and I'm proud to announce that I learned how to tie a full windsor knot)!

[meanheans]

That post was so informative (and SEXY) that I, for one, am tremendously glad was put out there after Inception. (Oh, Arthur, what you've done for waistcoats...)

Thank you, for this. Feel free to keep randomly babbling about menswear. You've got an appreciative audience.

[avellis.livejournal.com]

...

*fangirls from my corner*

that is all

[celemie.livejournal.com]

It might be necessary that you watch White Collar, just for Neal's suits. And hats. Really, it's like a gift from heaven. And he makes fun of others' bad suits. And is hot. And the actor is adorable, and possibly sharing his closet with his best bud Zach Quinto....