An Education

Last month, The New York Observer noted (observed?) the rising sartorial sophistication of New York men. As further evidence of this promising trend, the boys over at Complex were just treated to a quick tutorial on "floating chest pieces."

Contrary to Complex’s description, however, floating chest pieces don’t necessarily represent quality. In fact, they’re quite common in “fused” suits, which use glue (rather than hand stitching) to attach their various components. An interfacing -- the fabrics used between the lining and outer fabric of a suit to give it body and shape -- is often fused over large sections of its front and chest, while a separate piece held by the shoulder and armhole seams is added.