Steve McQueen - Style

[Marwood]

Hi all,
new to the Fedora Lounge (I liked the look of the place and signed up)
I have been influenced by a couple of style role models over the years but the main one has been Steve McQueen, since being about aged 7 when I first hacked the bottom half of the sleeves of my sweatshirt off! I still favour that Virgil Hilts look to this day! Can anyone help me source a decent raglan sleeve crew sweatshirt in that blue grey shade?
Lately I have drawn from his last film The Hunter (must be an age thing) and returning to another old favourite of mine The Alpha MA1 flight jacket (teamed with a pair of Onitsuka Tiger sneakers) but can anyone help me identify the type of dressing gown he wears in this film (sounds dumb but that guy could make anything look cool!)

If I dont get kicked out for this ....... stay tuned for more dumb questions!

Marwood

 

[Harp]

Welcome to the Lounge.

Unfortunately, I cannot help with this particular question.
However, I can echo your sentiments regarding McQueen's personal
and sartorial style-- The Thomas Crown Affair ideally casual
and formal.

 

[pablocham]

You never said anything about how much you are willing to spend. So, do you want one with the sleeves on:

http://www.toys-mccoy.com/store/mcsweat_long.html

or off:

http://www.toys-mccoy.com/store/mcsweat.html

either one will probably end up running about 175-200 american to get it from Japan.

 

[Marwood]

Thanks!!

Bloody Hell Pablo! thanks for that...... pricey yeah but the holy grail of websites for McQueen fans. Works out at about £68 for the sweatshirt!
How cool is the A2 as well!

 

[Marwood]

Bit frustrating

Cool website...... loads of stuff I want, but its all in Japanese and with no obvious means of contact! (twisting my melon man)

 

[pablocham]

I am pretty certain that Toys McCoys will not sell directly to the states. Your best bet to order from there is probably to use a middle man that specializes in getting japanese stuff to Europe and the States. I have used http://www.bid-service.jp/home.html in the past and he does a really good job, but it isn't cheap.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

DIY

try this http://www.bulktees.com/product.asp?prodno=32&t=Jerzees Raglan Sleeve Sweatshirt (Pack of 6) Mens T-
A gray one washed with a new pair of stiff blue jeans, the un-pre-washed kind, should give you the color you want. Or throw in some fabric dye. Or see if your local shop carries this brand and choose the closest color in person. I can't see anyone who admires the great Steve McQueen paying gobs of money for a raglan sleeve sweatshirt, but then again I live in a dream world. http://www.bettapages.com/shop/proddetail.php?prod=762M

 

[Marwood]

Thank for smacking me to my senses

You're right of course.... the man himself was notoriously cheap and once remarked that he threw nickles around like man hole covers!
So for now I think I'll try the DIY route rather than go for the Steve McQueen Branded Products..... thanks for all your help so far..... anymore will be gratefully accepted e.g. sourcing a decent A2 and Khakis and boots!

cheers

 

[pablocham]

This makes me crazy, I am going to come off somewhat like a zealot, and somewhat deranged, but bear with me, sweatshirts are something I take very seriously. To me, Beginthebeguine's comments are like somebody saying in a thread on Peak lapel double breasted suits, "just get what's cheaper, a suit is a suit." Sometimes it is cheaper in terms of both time and money to buy the quality thing that is what you want than to spend time and money on half solutions that may not even work and will only approximate what you want.

I am a huge fan of vintage and vintage style sweatshirts, and while I probably wouldn't pay 150 dollars for one (though I sold a late 40s champion sweatshirt on ebay for about that price in november), I would sooner do that than pay one tenth that for garbage modern sweatshirts that are 50/50 fabric and have a terrible modern cut for fat people. If you notice and care about the details (see how long the ribbing is on the wrists and waist of the McQueen version?) then I doubt that those polyester Jerzees with an inch or inch and a half of ribbing are going to cut it.

I really like the old fashioned all cotton sweatshirts and they are much different and much better than any of the mass market ones by Jerzee, Hanes, Russell, or even Champion (but Champion makes some good repros that are only sold in Japan). These are the ones I prefer, they aren't raglan, but they are exactly like 1940s sweatshirts, and come much closer to what McQueen wore than any raglan poly/cotton one is likely to: http://www.rakuten.co.jp/hinoya/119698/188196/ After shipping they usually end up costing around 60 dollars apiece and Hinoya will ship outside of Japan.

Feel free to ignore anything and everything I say, but for the love of Christ, please don't buy any sweatshirts with polyester in them! If you buy just one decent 100% cotton sweatshirt like the type that the Japanese repro companies make, you will immediately realize that all blend sweatshirts are made out of garbage.

 

[Marwood]

Melon now severly twisted

Point taken Pablo...... you must be some kind of mind reader.... you picked up on the P word the only flaw in Beginthebeguine's advice that I could see 'polyester'
After much searching I just didn't think anyone made 100% cotton sweats anymore.... once again I thank you for your help and advice........ and no you didn't come over as a zelot... sorry for causing any dis harmony here, hope I can still count on any future help and advice

cheers

Marwood

 

[BegintheBeguine]

lol I'll blame it on the TheraFlu. I didn't even see the p word in the first link and in the second the cute guy in the pic made me not even see the word Lycra. :coffee: You may want to try your thrift shops and church sales, I have good luck thereabouts finding all my cotton sweatshirts.

 

[Harp]

... thanks for all your help so far..... anymore will be gratefully accepted e.g. sourcing a decent A2 and Khakis and boots!
cheers

You might troll eBay for a second hand A2 jacket. Eastman or Aero brands
can regularly be found at considerable discount. Likewise, a discount
retail set of khakis can be bought cheap on the 'Bay.

 

[Marwood]

Got My A2

Thanks for all your earlier help...... just a quick line to say I got my A2 from Eastmans..... its a 'time worn' Pearl Harbour type..... with the Virgil Hilts name tag and insignia, I really can't praise Eastmans enough.... from the quality of workmanship even down to the packaging it was delivered in! They are helpful polite and true gentlemen and craftsmen, dealing with them has been a taste of what the world was like before it turned laxt and sour!

p.s. still need help sourcing a decent cut down sweat & khakis....
as good as it looks I just can't bring myself to pay that much for the Toys McCoys shirt!

Marwood

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Glad to hear it, Marwood.