My Shirting Roots - Part I

 

Looking back, @shirtingfantasy would have never imagined handling these fabrics some 15 years ago! (Pictured: Carlo Riva indigo twill on the left, and their various blue shades for reference on the right)

Recently Gennaro of @camiceria_sannino asked me to talk a bit about my sartorial journey. While not entirely inspiring like some of the local KOLs such as @maslowso or @buzzspoke, I thought it may be interesting to share with people who somehow (mis-)adventured into this so-called "bottomless pit" (in Cantonese English) of classic menswear addiction. 

@shirtingfantasy's humble journey started with shirts. It started around 2006, when he was a university freshman who tried to "look different" and had custom shirts made by local tailors. The price back then was about HKD 1,000 / 4 shirts - it usually included a choice of house fabric ranging from polyester-cotton, low count pure cotton, and linen. As most of these entry-level tailors cater for tourists who would need to have suits finished within 48 hours from initial measurements to delivery, craftsmanship and precision were generally not the focus, but rather the delivery of garments that are of the right colour / pattern and of the right fit. These may sound trivial to the enthusiasts who seek visual texture, luxury fibre, or even some philosophical "relevance" in their daily wear - all not easily achievable without considerable investment in time and money. 

Some old photos showing @shirtingfantasy's bespoke shirts in mid- to late-2000s:

For some reasons, @shirtingfantasy was quite fond of the mandarin (standing) collar.

Another example of @shirtingfantasy's then pretentious style. White mandarin collar shirt with black corduroy jacket!