Georges de Paris

(Source)

Last week I had the honor of meeting President Obama's tailor.  You've probably witnessed his handiwork without even realizing it.  The president has worn Georges de Paris suits to some of the most important presidential events--the State of the Union Address, the Nobel Peace Price award ceremony, and both his inaugurations.  Known for his personality and exquisite craft, Georges is a legend among American tailors.

De Paris has boasted presidential clients for decades.  Every president since Lyndon Johnson has commissioned the services of de Paris and he has made suits for the last nine chief executives (except Carter).  People from across the United States and around the world come to indulge in the Georges de Paris experience.   Tony Blair, Kofi Annan, Michael Bloomberg and Rudy Giuliani are but a few of his famous customers.

It was a humbling experience to meet the man.  A native of Marseilles, France, he arrived in the United States several decades ago, but became homeless for a time, living in the same Franklin Park that I frequent to buy lunch from mobile food trucks.  I've occasionally given lunch to the homeless who congregate there, and I often wonder what hidden talents belong to them.

From this poverty, he saved enough money to rent a small space and start a tailoring shop.  Over the past few decades, his products and reputation have grown in notoriety.  Consumers of custom tailored products in the D.C. area consistently name Georges as the finest tailor in town.

During my first visit to the shop, de Paris proudly pointed out a suit that he was making for President Obama.  It was a dark gray wool material with the white basting stitches still binding the jacket together.  A piece of paper was pinned to the lapel, and it simply read, "B.O.".  Upon inspection, I found the most notable feature of its construction to be the soft shoulders.  The jacket had excellent structure, but I was impressed by the softness and contours of the shoulder pads.  This feature seemed to be a trademark of all the suits I studied in the shop.  He often describes his style as "modern classic" -- a style that is tailored to the customer's personality.

Georges is truly an artisan.  It did not take long to detect the great love he has for his craft.  Through his use of a "sliding price scale," Georges has a reputation for sacrificing profit in order to retain clients.  He truly loves his work, and he has no trouble keeping busy.

After showing him some of my work that I had on hand (and picking up a few pro tips), I arranged to return in the future to talk tailoring and to purchase fabric for my own projects.  Although he insisted that he would "make me a suit," I fear I will never be able to afford it, even on the low end of his price scale.  But if subsequent visits are as instructive as the first, my own work will soon rely heavily on his influence.  And I would be glad of that.

What Does It Mean to Dress Conservatively?

A slightly different version of the following article was originally published on Rightly Wired.  Although I would never recommend dressing in a manner dictated primarily by a political philosophy, here is an example of what that approach might inspire.
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Conservatism is an idea, but it is not only that.  Concerned with a specific vision of the desirable civilized institutions and culture to be preserved, it demands of its followers a form of actionable evangelism for the sake of certain ideals.  Beyond the realm of state, law, and liberty, the philosophy of conservatism is intimately engaged in a battle for the influence of civilized culture.

We are witnesses of this dynamic in everyday life:  sports, entertainment, literature, and other arts are the bread of a vital culture, and the ideas behind them are its leaven.  No less significant are the trends of fashion and clothing which gird the human form.  They are, after all, a very clear form of intelligent expression.

So then if men and women can think conservatively and act conservatively, what does it mean to dress conservatively?  To be clear, I’m not interested in those who throw on a suit and tie or a muted color dress merely to avoid breaking the mold of professional norms.  Rather, if a person maintains an active conservative habit of mind, how does that individual approach fashion?

For the sake of simplicity, I will not attempt to define conservatism; it means many things to many men.  Instead, I will rely on two broad and generally accepted principles of conservative thought and trace their practical implications.

First, to borrow Russell Kirk’s abstraction, “the essence of social conservatism is preservation of the ancient moral traditions of humanity.”  This is the moral dimension.  And second, in a more humanistic tradition, conservatism asserts that we have collectively inherited a number of human goods that we ought to strive to keep.

If these are central to the intellectual framework of a conservative mind, how are they manifested externally?

A CONSERVATIVELY DRESSES WELL IN PUBLIC OUT OF RESPECT FOR OTHERS

Business casual may now dominate the offices of companies and governing bodies worldwide, but men and women of right-leaning persuasion will meet the standards of expectation or exceed them in good taste.  Even if professional codes have been relaxed there is a noble ideal rooted in the practice of wearing one’s finest to a professional engagement out of respect for one’s clients and colleagues or the dignity of their office and profession.

This is accomplished by employing the finer finishing details of enduring legacy.  A gentleman will tend to wear a tie or jacket (or both) more often than not.  His attire will routinely feature proper dress pants (as opposed to khakis), polished shoes, and ironed shirt.  For more accomplished professionals, a full suit may be the outfit du jour.

Conservative women in the workplace will mirror their counterparts.  She will favor the dress, or the slacks with the finished jacket, and some good soles.  In truth, a lady has more freedom to craft her appearance; for men it’s the five-part test:  shoes, pants, shirt, tie, jacket.  Men and women have both inherited a lasting sense of sartorial civility, and the conservative-minded will be inclined to preserve it as a cultural identity.

A CONSERVATIVE DRESSES TO KEEP UP STANDARDS

It is good to maintain standards.  This a conservative knows.  It is preferable to wear jacket and tie to the opera, and it is bad-mannered to wear a skin-tight track suit and tennis shoes to Sunday worship.  Standards in a society remind us of the elevated nature of those particular human incidents and affairs.  For this reason, presidents by default choose the business suit when conducting affairs of state.  In this sense, even a Democratic president can be said to be “conservative.”

A CONSERVATIVE DRESSES APPROPRIATELY FOR THE OCCASION

This includes both overdressing and underdressing.  Overdressing tends draws attention to oneself (rather than the real purpose of the gathering), and it may often embarrass the host or the decorum of the office.

Underdressing is also to be avoided.  Consider the example of a funeral and the time of mourning.  Black (or another very dark color) has long been traditionally associated with mourning, dating back at least as far as the Roman Empire, and this practice continues to feature prominently in Western civilization.  Conservative men and women will adhere closely to this established norm of ancient tradition.  They would not consider donning inappropriate color or spurning a sense of formality.

A CONSERVATIVE DRESSES IN ACCORD WITH THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

It would be at odds with a conservative moral ideal to wear something that profanes the dignity of the human person, or offends the sensibilities of a civilized society.  Even if certain conduct or expression may not be proscribed, a conservative will ask himself, “Still, should I wear this?”

That Well-tailored Look

The best dressed men and women wear clothing that compliments the unique contours on their body.  This is because fitted clothing presents the natural body silhouette in the most flattering respect possible.  But body types are unique and vary in distinctive features much like houses on a street.  So it should come as no surprise that merchandise that is purchased off-the-rack almost never fits our body type as it should.

A tailor can make some effort to adjust these retail pieces, but only so much can be altered without completely disassembling and reassembling the garment.  The emerging market of made-to-measure clothing has a distinct advantage over something purchase off-the-rack, but even this intermediate option pales in comparison with true bespoke or completely custom tailoring houses.  A bespoke tailor will take over forty measurements of the customer's unique bodily shape before cutting an individual pattern and handcrafting a final product with the fit of a glove.  An added benefit of the bespoke experience is being able to choose whatever fabric and features are included in the final product.  With a commissioned bespoke garment, there is no fear of meeting another man on the subway car who is wearing the same Joseph A. Bank dark gray pinstripe suit as you.

Bespoke tailoring produces the finest fitting garments available, but with costs exceeding $1500 for a single suit, most consumers (like me) are unable to afford such luxury.  But I haven't given up on crafting a well-tailored appearance.  In fact, I have adapted my handcrafting skills to a new pursuit:  sewing and tailoring.

About a year ago, I began mending my own clothing. I could sew buttons back in place, adjust pant leg hems, and stitch together small seam failures.  Eventually I acquired a sewing machine and my projects grew to include more serious endeavors.  Soon I was taking in seams on suit coats that were a tad too large around my body.  A personal pet peeve of mine (long suit coat sleeves) was soon remedied.

But as I continued to yearn for a fitted and distinctive wardrobe, I finally undertook pseudo-bespoke projects.  I like to think I'm a legitimate bespoke tailor, but that would be a gross exaggeration of my ability and a insult to the real masters.  Regardless of my own grand delusions, this hobby permits me to build a well-tailored wardrobe without breaking the bank.

Starting with a concept of the final goal, I purchase all the raw materials and begin the process of making my own clothing from scratch.  My most recent project involves a double-breasted windowpane waistcoat with six buttons and shawl lapels (yet to be added).  Here are some photos of the process as it unfolds and begins to take form as a truly unique garment.

On first try it has a decent fit, and I know there is no other item like it in the world.  There is much work yet to be done, but I daresay it already has that well-tailored look.



As with all projects, they begin with a concept.

After taking measurements, a paper pattern is cut.

 

The pattern is used to help draw the chalk lines in preparation to cut the cloth.

After the cloth is cut, it's basted onto a canvas which is used to give the garment structure.

Next the edges of the fabric are folded over and stitched in place.

At this stage the two main panels are in their basic form.  Darts have been added to both
sides just under the fullest part of the chest.  You can see the yellow lines of the fabric pinch
together where the cloth is drawn inward.  These help create the shape that will follow
the contours of the wearer's body.

After basting on the back lining, I've tried it on for a first fitting.  At this stage, there are many changes to be made.  I will carefully mark and adjust all the seams to ensure a flawless fit.