The Subtle Layer
THE RADAR // Issue #22
Hello! Welcome back to THE RADAR, The Prep Club’s fortnightly mini-magazine keeping you in the loop of what’s hip in the sphere of collegiate threads. You can attend last week’s meeting here, for thoughts on the “Ralph Lauren Christmas” and The Prep Club’s festive fashion philosophy.
Here’s what’s on the radar this week:
- Layers that whisper their presence
- The best, big, blue coats
- A vintage cardigan you should know about
- Prep’s most parodied practices: the popped collar, and the shoulder sweater.
The Subtle Layer
Layering is intrinsic to fashion, but it’s not easy, and there’s a lot more to it than getting proportions right. It’s very easy to get swamped by clothes at this time of year, there’s a sort of “layer blindness” that plagues the fashion semi-conscious, that leads to these look-book esque displays of half a wardrobe brought out for the day. Back in early spring of this year we made a foray into the complexities with “layer resilience”, now I want to explore how layers needn’t announce themselves as loudly as they often do.
I think we always need to start discussions on this matter with a recognition that the primary reason to layer is to offer warmth, and all aesthetic considerations are secondary to this, that was the main concern of “layer resilience”. The subtle layer is a true embodiment of this in that there are likely times when it won’t be seen at all. Ultimately we’re looking for clothes that peek through, that are hardly noticeable, but have the capacity to alter proportion or allure significantly.
Perhaps the most simple example would be a tee appearing from beneath a sweatshirt, at the hem and the neck. For the hem, it creates a noticeable gap between top and bottom, accentuates the fit of the sweater— provided both the tee and sweat are the right length.
At the neck it’s likely only a sliver, on one side or the other, but it lends a vital intrigue. The same can be said about the Ivy League staple of a crew-neck underneath an OCBD, or I’ve even seen a thin undershirt beneath a heavyweight long-sleeved tee, they all have the same function. That undershirt will almost always be white, though I’ve also seen Breton stripes under a heavy cable-knit which is a beautiful, nautical look.
Another classic example would be the ~1cm of cuff visible when wearing a well fitting tailored jacket (blazer, sport-coat, suit jacket, whatever), maybe even three subtle layers if a jumper is worn on top, and turned up just right, that third layer might only show itself as you reach to pour a glass of wine or pull a book from the shelf. It goes further to show that when layers fit well, and are put-together well, they whisper.
A more off-piste favourite of mine is to see the very tips of a turned up collar from under a polar neck (turtleneck, roll-neck, if you’re so inclined). A gentleman came into the store a few weeks back sporting that and it floored me, it’s so much nicer that the classic of a crew-neck resting up against the collar, I always feel a little dorky in that look personally, especially at my age.
That’s just a few ideas to get you started, and an ethos to carry into every look, layer responsibly, and subtly, for the best results.
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Big Blue Coat Index
A few weeks back we took a look at what might be the very finest winter coat of them all, the Balmacaan, and though its versatility is truly unparalleled, there will forever be a Yin to its Yang in having a big, bright, gorpy coat. There are many a classic colour in this sector, think of bright-red down jackets or orange mountain parkas, but there’s something so perfect about a strong blue, the favourite of so many labels— and likely the most versatile— and this year there are some especially lovely ones on the market.
Yarmouth Oilskins
Resplendent in all-natural fibres and a striking cobalt, Yarmouth’s explorer smock ticks all the boxes we like around these parts. Being a smock it’s hardly the most practical for wandering in and out of natural wine bars, as I imagine most of them will be worn for, but it does lend a nautical quality which is very lovely, the British coastline feels almost woven into the fibre of this garment, and it’s on sale for an absolute fucking steal right now.
All Blues Karakoram
Declaration of bias, I work at AB, but that does mean I’ve spent a rather long time staring longingly at the petrol blue Karakoram that we’ve stocked this year. Again, I may be biased, but this is just about the only Karakoram reproduction that’s the right length, (the others are all too short) certainly the only one in this price bracket, and it’s 60/40 this year too, as opposed to the ripstop nylon on the original and most repros, which is just a bit nicer. It feels better, and the matte finish looks far more premium.
The North Face Brown Label
The budget option here, with a bit of skillful Ebay/ Vinted work you can grab a brown label, The North Face, down jacket or mountain parka for a hundred bucks or less. They’ll usually be in a shiny nylon and down filled, you may come across some examples with Gore-Tex linings too.
L.L. Bean
Blue is the iconic shade for a Bean parka, particularly the Baxter state, however, that comes up a little small for this list. The Maine Warden on the other hand is a perfect fit, down filled or thinsulate lined, depending on the era, and the only example here occasionally found sporting a fur hood (faux, as far as I can tell). They also tend to be Gore-Tex lined.
William Ellery
The most “old-school” looking on this list, I would say, Ellery’s Storm King is made in Seattle, and comes in navy this year. The collar is a nice touch for when the hood is removed and coupled with the brass snaps puts this piece more squarely in a rural visual space, to me. It’s is fun as a point of difference but does diminish some of the streetwear attitude that I think you can get from a lot of the entries on this list.
Sierra Designs
Closing out with the one I’ve picked up, regular readers might know by now that I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for just about any garment with the words “Sierra” and “Designs” on the label. Mines not all dissimilar to a vintage The North Face, it’s a very nice, almost cropped, length, has a removable hood, and it’s a lovely bold blue.
