What the Actual Hell is This?

[GHT]

We were rubbish at remembering to take photos on the day, actually - we'll get proper ones done after The Plague when we can have the party. Don't have any of me stood up, but here I am at the signing table with the now wife and the only family we brought with us - the dog!

View attachment 345243

Sadly not the shoes I wanted, I'll sort that out when we go for my family side of the party in the Old Country next year. I had much better shoes in the storage unit, but the Boss decreed I was not taking the risk of going there during lockdown, so....

"Don't have any of me stood up, but here I am at the signing table with the now wife and the only family we brought with us, the dog!"

A canine best man, now that is original. You're from East London, are you not? Is the dog from Barking?

 

[GHT]

We were rubbish at remembering to take photos on the day, actually - we'll get proper ones done after The Plague when we can have the party. Don't have any of me stood up, but here I am at the signing table with the now wife and the only family we brought with us - the dog!

View attachment 345243

Sadly not the shoes I wanted, I'll sort that out when we go for my family side of the party in the Old Country next year. I had much better shoes in the storage unit, but the Boss decreed I was not taking the risk of going there during lockdown, so....

It was remiss of me not to compliment you both. I love your lady's fascinator. You were right Edward, the colour of your jacket is almost identical to mine. What a lovely couple you are.

 

[Edward]

"Don't have any of me stood up, but here I am at the signing table with the now wife and the only family we brought with us, the dog!"

A canine best man, now that it original. You're from East London, are you not? Is the dog from Barking?

The dog was officially the bridesmaid! She's Romanian, I'm Irish. We're both keeping the tradition of the East End as a welcoming home for immigrants alive. #spiritofCableStreet.

 

[MisterCairo]

I had not thought that suit/look to be Italian - only awful!

Before I take a splash of eye bleach, please allow me to defend European, and in particular Italian, fashion.

I'm sure that abomination the OP posted will be described as "Italian" (many of you have pointed out the European origin already) since it looks like all of what is tight and short or kitsch in fashion is nowadays attributed to "Italian style".

Truth is, short and tight garments with garish colours have never been popular among Italian common people. The so popular "Italian style" was a creation of some designer, most likely of US origin, who mis-interpreted the styles sheen in the TV show "Mad Men". As a matter of fact, in Italy you could not find a pair of skinny trousers until 2011.

Alleged "experts" in the web make a big deal about "true Neapolitan tailoring" being all about "slim" and "unconstructed" but the reality is that Neapolitan tailors have learnt to cut clothes that way only to sell clothes like that to wealthy American enthusiasts.

No one in Italy would have ever caught alive in a rumpled, uncostructed jacket ir in a garish checked tight fitting suit. On the contrary, Italian suits were particularly known in the market for their abundance of padding - shoulders, chest and even sleeves! Waist suppression and "V-shapes" were something added with extreme subtlety, as the favoured silhouette was "stocky" and "flush", almost "rectangular".

On the matter of short trousers - I laugh so loud when I read about the "no-break" rule coming from Italy. It is simply a blatant lie. Even the most incompetent dry-cleaner in Italy would have hemmed your trousers to an extreme angle, so that the back would solidly rest on the heel and the top would sit firmly on the shoe, forming a couple of folds. No break was actually a British fad, definitely not Italian.

And speaking of lies - how about the short jacket? Neapolitan tailors are known in Italy for cutting a VERY LONG jacket - as a matter of fact, the traditional Neapolitan jacket is preposterously long to the eyes of a, say, Roman tailor.

Colours - until the total destruction of menswear, 99% of offices in Italy strictly enforced a rigorous business dress code made of DARK, plain suit, white shirt and tie. Deviations from the white shirt started to be accepted during the mid-90s, while the dark colour of the suit still remains something the lack of which would raise several eyebrows.

If you don't believe me - just look at Italian movies from the 50s to the 90. You'll always see the same style, with minor changes.

Apologies for the rant - but it's now time that bullshit like this is put back in the closet and forgotten for the rest of human history.

 

[GHT]

The dog was officially the bridesmaid! She's Romanian, I'm Irish. We're both keeping the tradition of the East End as a welcoming home for immigrants alive. #spiritofCableStreet.

How I loved Petticoat Lane on a Sunday morning, ending up in Blooms for one of their salt beef sandwiches on rye bread.
My brother was after a bomber jacket, the trader, in that typical gesture, told him that he could do a deal, my brother offered him about 90% of his asking price. "Would I argue with a gentleman?" The trader said, wrapping the jacket up even before my brother got his money out.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Congratulations to you Edward and your fair wife. It's awful that The Plague has brought about so many unwelcome constraints on every facet of life.