More Cavaricci from the MailBag
I recently got a note from new friend of VG’sMD - Akber. He wrote in response to “Cavaricci Redux”
I really like the style of Cavaricci Menswear, and would like to see someone bring back the style. I feel that this Style has been totally underrated and misrepresented. I also would like to see banded collar shirts brought back as well. Plus in warm climate areas, I would like to see the usage of breathable fabrics, which also should not require Dry Cleaning. Wash and wear is perfect
With the amount of mail I have been receiving about said pants and clothing, it seems like I should change the name of this blog to the “Z Cavaricci presents VintageGent’s Menswear Daily,” as the subject is where the bulk of our mail comes from.
Akber, you are half in luck. Banded collar shirts are in style, as a matter of fact. This offering, at left, is at Neiman Marcus. There are surely interpretations available at a variety of price points. I spied some available in a variety of fabrics, including cottion. Unless, of course, you were referring to a Nehru collar, or the less formal modified crewnecks.
Until next time,
.
1980s, 1990s, cavaricci | Comment (0)From the Mailbag: Buying Retro Cavariccis
Jason read a recent post “Cavaricci Redux,” and was inspired to write in:
I have been looking everywhere to buy a pair of
80’s/90’s Mens Z Cavaricci pants.Do you know where I may find some?
Thank you ,
Jason
Dear Jason,
In my opinion and observation, the style of Caviricci pants that you speak of have not “come around again,” so to speak.
The upside is that not “everyone” is looking for them just yet, so you won’t have as many people fighting you for them! There has not been a Hollywood Star or a musicians who has decided to wear them and create a trend for them.
The downside is that you won’t find that locating a pair is very easy. They are a little “too new” just yet for vintage shops and websites looking to stock them, aside from maybe if the store owner is about my age and buys them because they can’t believe that they saw a pair. Local auctions that will sell “lots” of vintage clothing consider them “just old clothes.” People aren’t fighting over them yet, but on the other hand they are “not coming out of the closets” where they have been forgotten to be offered for sale.
Don’t despair yet. Another note is that because this style didn’t “work” for everybody, there would be an equal number of people who would have put them back in the closet unworn or after just one or two wearings, so the ones that you find might be in “like new” condition. The other half, of course, wore them incessantly!
My best advice would be to keep checking Ebay. Reason being is that when no one else is selling them, people sometimes “test the water” by “trying” something on ebay first to see if it is worth putting something in an online shop. Or it may be something their customers wouldn’t normally buy. I have seen jeans in smaller waist sizes show up there periodically with the same high waisted style as the dressier pants. Also, your neighborhood consignment shop may carry them. It may be dicey as some consignment shops will carry anything that is in top notch shape, but some may reject clothing that they don’t fee is “in style” this minute.
Happy hunting, and I will keep an ear to the ground if I hear any news for you.
1980s, 1990s, cavaricci | Comment (1)Caviricci Redux
Quite some time ago, I wrote about Z. Cavaricci pants. Let’s take a trip back in time, shall we?
I had a bad flashback today. I read an article that mentioned Z. Cavariccis. For those that want to forget, Z. Cavaricci created a men’s style in pants that in the late 80s to early 90s. Many a young man who I knew wore them. I am asking whoever made themselves in charge of looking at influences from the 80s to overlook this one when designing next season’s clothing.
They were high waisted like tux pants, but the belt loops were a bit lower, at the natural waist. The legs were pleated, and what made them veer way off the track of a classic trouser, was that they featured a deep “v” front yoke. It caused the legs of the pants, because they were pleated but flat acrossed the stomach and groin area, to pleat out even farther. On the tall, gangly, and knobby kneed gent, it was actually flattering because the pleats laid right and it made his legs look more proportional. You noticed the guy’s overall ensemble.
But on everyone else…it was “Here comes pants.”
If you were stocky, or were fit but were more muscular of leg, the pleated legs brought a strange adaptation of puffed out harem pants to mind or made one look bowlegged. Of course, this was overcontrasted by the virtually flat triangular yoke covering the stomach to the top of the groin area, appearing like a virtual “directional arrow” towards something that I am sure the designer could not have realized, or the joke was on the wearer that their whole…um… “area”… was being pointed to. The finishing touch was to buy them long and cuff them.
The rear of the pants had little style, most of the budget had been put into the front.I have no photo to show you. I could not find one anywhere. So you may just have to take my word for it!
Well, flash forward to this week, when an alert reader sent me the following image:
The shirt is hiding just how high the waist band is on the man, trust me. Maybe I remember them worse than they actually were. However, having them on a model doesn’t have quite the same effect.
1980s, 1990s, cavaricci, vintage ads | Comments (7)