- Thread starter Justintime
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Chacabana
Old people? Think again... guayaberas are quite hip in Miami, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela... not the tiguere stuff from around here, I hand you that... but it's not about ol' folks at all.
But as Bayx pointed out, not everyone looks good in them (and it does require the right accesories).
... J-D.
Ihave 4 or 5 of these jacket shirts although I was introduced to them by another name. I think they are marvelous for those days just too hot for a jacket. They have been admired enviously in the UK, Romania and France. I always wear them when I go to the capital, I think they look infinitely neater that a shirt with the tails hanging out.
Chacabana is to dress 'formal' in tropical weather (RD, Cuba, PR, etc...). They are very nice and comfy... Don't knock it till you've tried it...
Ok, old thread, but....
Also referred to as "Mexican Wedding Shirt". But maybe only in Mexico.
I have a couple traditional type, four front pockets, fancy front stitchings, and only wear them out to dinner. I have a bunch of them with just a single pocket, solid color, 100% linen and don't go anywhere without them.
this old thread refreshed my hatred. 
i stand my my opinion from 4 years ago: old people's clothes. ugly like hell. i do not allow chacabanas in our house. when my in laws bring more and more shirts for miesposo chacabanas go directly to the "give away" bin. hateful wear.
i stand my my opinion from 4 years ago: old people's clothes. ugly like hell. i do not allow chacabanas in our house. when my in laws bring more and more shirts for miesposo chacabanas go directly to the "give away" bin. hateful wear.
this old thread refreshed my hatred.
Chacabanas have evolved a lot. I remember when they ALL had 4 pockets and people would actually stuff things into them, making the whole thing looking baggy.
Then, there are "cheaply" made ones with only few pleads in the bands (alforzas) and the tailor made ones you see "la gente" and politicians wear. Even the cheap ones will run from DOP 800 on to DOP 2000 at local stores which carry mass produced and now mostly imported (yes, from China too
) "imitations".Tailor made, Christian Lagares, Tony Boga, Hipolito etc in Santo Domingo, Robert Rover (Glam), Capellan in Santiago will run DOP 4000 to DOP 6000 depending on the fabric used. The fabric is the problem here... there is no quality shirt fabric made locally... most is bought from traveling Italian vendors who peddle quality brand shirt fabrics virtually door to door but at exorbitant prices. Many customers will buy their future shirt's fabrics at specialty stores in NYC or Miami on their trips. Rex Fabrics on Calle 8 in Miami is a typical place to find the Latino "Farandula" buying (I ran into "Papa" Hipolito there). These fabrics will run from USD 24.oo/yard on upwards (the sky is obviously the limit and to some, the more expensive, the better!). It takes 4 to 4 yards to make a "M" Cahcabana/Guayabera depending on length of sleeves and what type of cuffs and how wide you want your "Alforzas" since there is a new trend to make 3" to 3.5" wide Alforzas (the pleaded vertical bands).
Tailor made Guayaberas go between USD 200 to well into the 500's in Miami specialty stores (NOT the CubaVera outlet at Miami Airport, obviously). So, to some, paying up to DOP 6000 a pop may seem cheap.
The Alforzas are pleaded using a special machine. One can not even blink with an eye when making them. Often bands are lost and have to be re-done... eating up additional fabric (which is expensive as mentioned).
The new design trend has been LED by DOMINICAN tailors (I think they were the first ones to play around with the wider, sportier more "flamboyant" Alforzas). Often only 2 or 1 pocket are used. You can find sporty "slim fit" cuts that will flatter a more toned body. More work with 2 ro 3 different fabrics and colors. Stripes are often used to make the Alforzas stand out further.
While Hipolito and Christian Lagares and a couple of others in Santo Domigo cater more to the more "classy elite", Tony Boga has made a name for himself among the more "hip" crowd, musicians and artists and affluent youths with a little wilder designs and more colorful fabrics.
A few of the more "avangardiste" examples from Tony Boga in Santo Domingo (from his FaceBook page).
[URL="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=459909080694750&set=a.101906773161651.4190.100000269852366&type=1&relevant_count=1"]
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I have bought Chacabanas from most Dominican manufacturers/designers. Some are their own designs, others my own. Really NOWADAYS, there is a lot of room for creativity. Some designers are more open minded and capable to listen than others.
... J-D.
I really like Guayaberas/Chacabanas. The well made ones look really nice. I am going to consider adding a few long sleeve ones with french cuffs to my collection.
JD, the fact they are expensive means nothing to me. have you seen the s**t olsen twins wear? ugly like devil's arse. those pictures you posted... i am sorry... tacky, cheap looking stuff from la pulga. yes, yes, i know, designers, best fabrics and so on... but to me it just does not look right. give me a classic long sleeved shirt - crisp and modern. but chacabanas... no, no, and no. the classic versions: old farts feeding tube feeding and pampers. the fancy versions: uneducated drug dealers who spit snot from their noses onto the street.
Dv, I do not claim that pricey is the ticket to taste. The examples I posted where merely in answer to your "old people's clothes" statement. Well, it just seems you don't like them any which way. Who cares. My answer, even if to your post/comment was not directed at you exclusively.
While Tony Boga (example) is most known for his more colorful designs, I have 3 Chacabanas by his name (my design however) that I consider modern-classy... meaning they are made of some of the finest linen (and one of Italian woven Egyptian cotton), with French cuffs, no "funny" designs but a "tailored"/more sporty cut than typically seen in traditional Guayaberas.
You might not like them either... but no need to knock them so harshly just because you don't.
... J-D.
Me and my son... that one was made by Tone Boga... modern/classic?
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Dv, I do not claim that pricey is the ticket to taste. The examples I posted where merely in answer to your "old people's clothes" statement. Well, it just seems you don't like them any which way. Who cares. My answer, even if to your post/comment was not directed at you exclusively.
While Tony Boga (example) is most known for his more colorful designs, I have 3 Chacabanas by his name (my design however) that I consider modern-classy... meaning they are made of some of the finest linen (and one of Italian woven Egyptian cotton), with French cuffs, no "funny" designs but a "tailored"/more sporty cut than typically seen in traditional Guayaberas.
You might not like them either... but no need to knock them so harshly just because you don't.
... J-D.
Older men? whooah!
Me and my son... that one was made by Tone Boga... modern/classic?
I like your style JD
"Cuban Jacket"
I grew up in South Florida in the 50s. Guayaberas were the shirts, named for the town in Cuba.
Chacabanas were the jackets with lower side pockets, double vented and more threads (heavier).
I was told by Cubans that it was called chacabana as a corruption of Yaqueta Cubana, or "Cuban Jacket".
Chacabanas, not Guayaberas, are acceptable in restaurants where otherwise you would need a tie and jacket.
In the Philippines they persist from Spanish colonial times as Barongs, today mostly without pockets and sometimes with lavish embroideries. The president wears them to state dinners. While guayaberas there are usually cotton, Barongs (chacabanas) are made of linen or pineapple thread.
Chacabanas, like Barongs, are not an old man's shirt, but a gentleman's dress for "going out" or to semi-formal occassions.
I grew up in South Florida in the 50s. Guayaberas were the shirts, named for the town in Cuba.
Chacabanas were the jackets with lower side pockets, double vented and more threads (heavier).
I was told by Cubans that it was called chacabana as a corruption of Yaqueta Cubana, or "Cuban Jacket".
Chacabanas, not Guayaberas, are acceptable in restaurants where otherwise you would need a tie and jacket.
In the Philippines they persist from Spanish colonial times as Barongs, today mostly without pockets and sometimes with lavish embroideries. The president wears them to state dinners. While guayaberas there are usually cotton, Barongs (chacabanas) are made of linen or pineapple thread.
Chacabanas, like Barongs, are not an old man's shirt, but a gentleman's dress for "going out" or to semi-formal occassions.
JD, I love the striped shirt you're wearing in the photo, I actually can envision my son wearing that.
Mr. AE liked it too, but added "Don't get any ideas, I've never worn one and never will", haha
He's one of those guys who's either very dressed up [starched shirt, tie and jacket] or very dressed down [tank top, shorts and flip flops in summer, jeans and t-shirt/henley in winter].
Mr. AE liked it too, but added "Don't get any ideas, I've never worn one and never will", haha
He's one of those guys who's either very dressed up [starched shirt, tie and jacket] or very dressed down [tank top, shorts and flip flops in summer, jeans and t-shirt/henley in winter].
I was given a similar explanation here in the DR by some "older" folks... interestingly "country" folks, but who seemed to remember, when I once inquired about their "older" "Guayaberas. The story I was given was, that short sleeved ones were Guyaberas and long sleeved ones Chacabanas. "Today's" folks in the DR, seem to label any of the two as Chacabana... it's a "Dominican" thing by now.
Berta Bravo "The Guayabera Lady" in Miami (quiete well known in the Guayaber / Cuban fashion / Cigar scene, seems to call short and long sleeved ones just Guayaberas... I haven't heard any difference on Calle 8 (Casa de la Guayabera (btw... starting at $400.oo for a plain classical linen Guayabera!)). Interestingly, Dominican Chacabanas are now quiete reputed in Miami for their more modern, more tailored approach.
I buy most of my fabrics in Miami (still way too expensive) and have them converted into Chacabanas here in the DR by by now about 6 different tailors. It's turned a little into an addiction (I just recently realized that I had amassed over 3 dozen over the past 3 years)... but since it opens nicely to a certain creativity and freedom of experimenting with styles... oh well, at least I have ONE thing from the DR that I can say is of QUALITY to measure up to the highest of Int'l standards.
I got a nice French luthier made acoustic Jazz guitar, a Fender American Telecaster... and other typical quality items from other countries... and well, my baby girls who's turning 11 soon (not so baby anymore, I'm afraid) who is Dominican and of the highest quality too
Taste and style is debatable, quality and workmanship is not.
... J-D.
Yes thanks, he's quite a Killer and breaking hearts almost as fast as his "old" man.
I see, that while you don't care for Chacabanas/Guayaberas, you do have taste after all!
(sorry, I can sometimes just not resist)... J-D.
all i have to say it's a good thing miesposo is not as fashion conscious as JD. he already has more clothes than myself and would surely feel my wrath if he ever dared to buy a 500 dollar shirt when my jewelry box shows a total and absolute lack of any diamonds
JD, maybe i can be convinced to chacabanas if you post a picture of your son wearing one
JD, maybe i can be convinced to chacabanas if you post a picture of your son wearing one