FASHION NEWS: Briar Vintage's chivalrous threads

Old City's Briar Vintage offers fellas a much-needed spot to snag old-school duds.

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FASHION NEWS: Briar Vintage's chivalrous threads

POSTED: Wednesday, August 17, 2011, 4:00 PM

Filed Under: Shopping Fashion

Lochner rocks a pair of knickers like nobody's business

When it comes to vintage duds, there's a sad fact us fellas have to accept: There are far more vintage clothiers that cater to the ladies. Etsy has nary an ascot, waistcoat or derby. So what gives?

Briar Vintage in Old City seeks to remedy this sorry state of sartorial-ism. The newly opened men’s clothing, accessories and collectibles salon (part of Amanda Saslow’s Sazz Vintage empire on N. Third) has the feel of an old world dressing room, an overstuffed yet rarefied airy closet. “When picking inventory, I gravitate to material that resonates with age,” says Saslow who has a 6,000 square foot wholesale vintage warehouse, and still spends hours at country auction just to snag one immaculate condition circa-1910 top hat. “I can see the older wools and cottons. They have a different look, a texture … a richness.”

While Briar advertises men’s clothing from the 1800s through the mid-1960s, the groove here is cosmopolitan and gentlemanly with a majority of refined suits bouncing between the lean-cut and slim lapels of the '60s and the fuller shoulders and double breasts of the '40s. There's more than just suits at Briar: cuff links, bow ties, flasks, cigarette cases and a selection of hats from bowlers to fedoras also line the shelves and racks. But it’s how it’s all knitted together that’s key.

When making purchases, Briar C.E.O David P. Lochner looks at the quality of each item, finding its "special something," then picking an item in the store to pair it with to make multiple outfits. “Say for instance a double-breasted blue blazer,” states Lochner. “It's a very traditional jacket. But pair it with deasdstock yellow drop-loop gabardine pants, a bright-blue bow tie, and brown and white spectators and it's quite a dandy ensemble. But I also have to be able to pair it with something a bit more conservative like a pair of tan slacks, cordovan wingtips [and] a plain red tie. This way the blazer will look attractive to any potential customer. "

Hey, what about that question — why are there more women’s vintage shops then men? “Most of the vintage store owners I know of are women, some even find men's wear boring,” says Lochner. “A friend of mine once asked, 'How much can you really do with a grey glen plaid suit?' If you are me, you can do a lot.”

Photo: Briar Vintage

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