Riva fabric: twill or poplin?

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by iammatt

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Nothing is as delicate as people make it out to be. Not even super 180s wool.

I wouldn't necessarily doubt this. But on my last trip to Rome, I got a chance to see some Riva voile shirts in for repair at Battistoni. They didn't look like they held up too well. Of course, I have no idea how hard they were worn, but the sales associate made a point of warning me that voile pretty delicate. Correct or not, I was sufficiently dissuaded at the time.

Originally Posted by Freddy Vandecasteele

Voile is not more expencive than popeplin,
It is a different fabric
$500 for a shirt regardless of fabric is expensive
at least for me.
Freddy Vandecasteele

I'd pay the same for poplin as I would for voile with my shirtmaker. It's an issue of the relative durability, not sticker price.

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

I wouldn't necessarily doubt this. But on my last trip to Rome, I got a chance to see some Riva voile shirts in for repair at Battistoni. They didn't look like they held up too well. Of course, I have no idea how hard they were worn, but the sales associate made a point of warning me that voile pretty delicate. Correct or not, I was sufficiently dissuaded at the time.



I'd pay the same for poplin as I would for voile with my shirtmaker. It's an issue of the relative durability, not sticker price.
Embarrasingly enough, I could not tell you which of my shirts are made from which sorts of cottons. I can really only determine the big differences, not the little. I've not had any problems durability or heat wise, but I don't live in a hot climate, and I don't wear any shirt, other than chambray, all that often.

 

[dopey]

Originally Posted by iammatt

Embarrasingly enough, I could not tell you which of my shirts are made from which sorts of cottons. I can really only determine the big differences, not the little. I've not had any problems durability or heat wise, but I don't live in a hot climate, and I don't wear any shirt, other than chambray, all that often.

You would know voile if you had it. It is very light and sheer. I think it is the same thing as the cotton "lawn" used in handkerchiefs. I haven't found that it is any less durable, but as mentioned above, it is only worn a few months a year so it isn't knocked around as much.

Typical construction for Dege is to employ a double front in the body. I don't know if that is what vereyone else does as well. The sleeves will still be pretty much see-through.

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by iammatt

I've not had any problems durability or heat wise, but I don't live in a hot climate, and I don't wear any shirt, other than chambray, all that often.

Well, I suppose I could always try getting a lot more shirts.

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

Well, I suppose I could always try getting a lot more shirts.

Works for me, at least since I dropped Kabbaz.

 

[TheFoo]

^^^ I am admittedly financially restrained from building an army of 50+ Matuozzo shirts at this time. I'm looking into trying Mercer for OCBDs as a supplement since I most often wear my shirts casually anyway.

 

[RJman]

Originally Posted by Manton

Works for me, at least since I dropped Kabbaz.
How do you stand sacrificing that level of quality?

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by RJman

How do you stand sacrificing that level of quality?

Surprisingly managable.

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by Manton

Surprisingly managable.
If you ask nicely, will he still sell you some of those special fabrics that he used for the pattern matching display?

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by iammatt

If you ask nicely, will he still sell you some of those special fabrics that he used for the pattern matching display?

Maybe, but the cloth alone will still cost as much as two Geneva shirts.

 

[dopey]

Originally Posted by mafoofan

^^^ I am admittedly financially restrained from building an army of 50+ Matuozzo shirts at this time. I'm looking into trying Mercer for OCBDs as a supplement since I most often wear my shirts casually anyway.

I switched almost entirely to non-bespoke for casual shirts, including weekends and sportcoat days at the office. Mostly Brooks Brothers and Press OCBDs and a few buttondown collar broadcloths. I have heard good things about Mercer, but am happy enough with the fit of these two and the convenience can't be beat.

 

[Manton]

Mercer are supposed to be really baggy.

I like the older BB OCBDs and thankfully still have several. They were maybe the only RTW shirt that fit me in the sleeve length. The bagginess is part of the charm, but the length is much too short for me, their only real drawback.

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by dopey

I switched almost entirely to non-bespoke for casual shirts, including weekends and sportcoat days at the office. Mostly Brooks Brothers and Press OCBDs and a few buttondown collar broadcloths. I have heard good things about Mercer, but am happy enough with the fit of these two and the convenience can't be beat.

I like this approach. I've never tried Press, but Brooks has never quite gotten it right for me. Mercer has the added advantage of being significantly less expensive as well.

 

[TheFoo]

Originally Posted by Manton

Mercer are supposed to be really baggy.

I like the older BB OCBDs and thankfully still have several. They were maybe the only RTW shirt that fit me in the sleeve length. The bagginess is part of the charm, but the length is much too short for me, their only real drawback.

Well, Mercer can attach a larger collar to a smaller body size (in my case, a size 16 collar and size 14.5 body), then cut the sleeves to the right length. For a casual shirt, that's as much as I need--because, as you point out, the bagginess is part of the charm.

 

[Manton]

Just looking at the Mercer site. I should try them. Geneva seems allergic to Oxford cloth. They say they don't have it and can't get it. When I found some swatches in their office, they said the quality is bad, and waived me off.

Since these are causal shirts anyway, I suppose there is no point in paying bespoke prices.