Friday, June 14, 2013

Short Jackets

Of late, the trend in suit-style jackets of all material and quality is toward a much shorter skirt than usual.  You can see it creeping here at J. Crew.  More extreme examples abound among couturiers. 

It may be a symptom of the raising of button stance.  My bog-standard JAB suits button about two inches above my navel.  My fashion-forward (at the time) Hickey buttons about three inches above, and my shirtwaist and tie tip are constantly peeking out.  If the fit and material weren't otherwise excellent, I'd be bothered.  Cary Grant was a tall bastard but still often wore jackets which buttoned right at his navel. 

But I was ruminating on skirt length.  I think, and history and the more timeless elements of men's style suggest, that the proper length is just enough to completely cover the bottom of your butt and/or so that if you dangle your arms at your sides and make a cup of your hands, the bottom edge will just brush the inside of your lowest knuckle.  In a few years, after skirt lines have made the gradual return to normalcy, the short jackets will look quite odd.  Or so I predict.