You spend a lot of time talking about suits and bespoke shoes, but what do you wear at the weekend? I have trouble picturing what you put on to pop out to the newsagent.
Here are a few of my favourite things. Two types of chinos: those from Albam, which come in fantastic colours and are well made but too rough to wear with a jacket, so are usually paired with boots and knitwear; and those from Incotex, which are smarter despite their softening treatment and can be worn with unlined, unstructured jackets. (Favourites there: Barena, Montedoro, Loro Piana, hopefully Rubinacci.)
Continuing with trousers, I wear jeans (Albam, again – this post should have been a clue) but hate their predominance in menswear and so wear grey flannels, tan cords and brown moleskins more often.
Digression: One reason I hate the predominance of jeans is that it has removed the ability of British men to wear any other form of casual trouser, such as those mentioned above. I was in Sweden last week and more men were wearing slim, sharp chinos than jeans – often paired with a jacket and pocket handkerchief. It’s hard to get men started on smarter dressing when they only know one type of trouser.
I wear mostly shirts at the weekend, but occasionally have a T-shirt underneath a polo-collar sweater and particularly like long-sleeved polo shirts (see post here).
Knitwear, however, is the key to the weekend. Wearing good knitwear always makes you feel dressed up when you don’t feel like wearing a jacket. From the almost too-light cotton sweaters at Avon Celli, to the four-ply cashmere shawl-collar numbers at Drake’s (above), there’s a sweater for every occasion and temperature. All those mentioned also have collars, making them more suitable to knitted or woollen neckties. I also highly recommend Loro Piana’s Roadster model (though size down, they are boxy) and the Trunk own-brand cashmere sweaters, which are anything but boxy.
Foot wear is similar to the working week (these are flexibilities of brown calf) but with more suede, more boots and a much-loved pair of Tod’s gomminos. These driving shoes deserve particular mention, for they have been what I put on when I get home in the evening every day for almost three years, and they’re still going strong. Two or three applications of cream in that time have stopped then drying out.
So what do I wear to pop to the newsagents? On a good day probably Albam dusty pink chinos, a blue Oxford button-down from T&A, a grey shawl-collar sweater and brown suede lace-ups. And my three-year old, in a Mickey Mouse T-shirt.
Question: How do you stop Simon Crompton?
Answer : You can’t…
Thanks for your yet another worthy advice.
Great blog. Could you point in in the direction on a decent RTW unstructured, unlined jacket in London?
Great to see the casual side of Permanent Style. (“Please Sir, I want some more!”)
Love that most adorable of all accessories… a three yr.old daughter in Mickey Mouse. Especially as it is Fathers Day this weekend. (At least in the States.)
Thanks Simon, for a lovely post.
–John
I’m also sniffy about jeans, for the same reasons. Yet chinos are a close second: they often represent the serial jeans-wearer’s sole attempt at trousers and I personally think they look all ‘California’ when paired with a jacket.
Tan semi-jeans.
Maybe those other colours fare better.
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His Simon.
Really quick question …
How did the L’Estrange hoodie age?
Considering investing in one for nest summer in Scotland but just wondered what you about it now some months on.
Very best wishes for the Holiday season to you and your family
Alex
Ok, but I wouldn’t really recommend it. A bit gimmicky and not the greatest quality