Come to pop-up drinks – and other updates

Posted on 05/11/202204/11/2022 by Simon Crompton

The string of pop-ups we announced a couple of weeks ago opens in 10 days time, on Wednesday November 16th, at number 20 Savile Row.

That evening we will have our usual, casual but always fun drinks in the shop. Please come by from 5pm, get a beer or a glass of prosecco, and welcome all the brands that will be featuring over the coming month.

Those brands are, to refresh your memories:

Permanent Style and La Bowtique: Wednesday November 16th to Saturday 19th
Colhay’s knitwear: Thursday November 24th to Sunday 27th
The Merchant Fox: Tuesday November 29th to Sunday December 4th
Marrkt and my pre-owned clothes: Wednesday December 7th to Friday 9th

I also have some updates from brands on what will be appearing in their shops, and available for sale:

La Bowtique: Mickael will be making bespoke bow ties on site, which will be lovely, but he will also have several new projects on display - his new book, which comes out in December, cummerbunds, a new shirt project, and perhaps braces.

Permanent Style: We will be launching our new collaboration with Cromford leather at the shop - a western-style shearling jacket. We will also have the previous coats from Cromford, plus everything on the PS Shop that is in stock. Only the accessories (hats, scarves) will be available to buy, but everything is there to see, try and check sizing.

Colhay's: Colhay's will have all of their knitwear available, including their two new releases, the Painter's Shawl and the Belmondo roll neck. Most things will be available to buy on site.

The Merchant Fox: Fox will have not only their full range of clothing and accessories (which is growing rapidly) but also Fox cloth, including their 250-year anniversary pieces and vintage lengths that are only available at the pop-up.

Marrkt: Aside from a range of the Marrkt pieces you can see on their shop, I will have a big range of my personal clothing on sale, as with our previous pop-up with Marrkt. If you're a 38 or 40 chest, and an 8.5 or 9 shoe, there will be some real bargains to be had.

Opening times

These will vary a little between brands. They are:

Permanent Style / La Bowtique:

Wednesday to Friday, 11am-7pm
Saturday, 10am-6pm

Colhay's:

Thursday, 10am-8pm
Friday, 10am-8pm
Saturday, 10am-6pm
Sunday, 10am-6pm

Fox:

Tuesday, 10am-8pm
Wednesday, 10am-7pm
Thursday, 10am-8pm
Friday, 10am-6pm
Saturday, 10am-6pm

Marrkt:

Wednesday to Friday, 11am-7pm

A little PS redesign

Posted on 04/11/202204/11/2022 by Simon Crompton

So, you’ll probably have noticed that we’ve had a slight refresh on PermanentStyle.com. There is a new colour scheme, a new font, and various other little tweaks and updates.

The important thing to say first is that this doesn’t herald any change in attitude or direction. Permanent Style may have become a little broader in the past year - in style and contributors - but the redesign doesn’t herald any further change. I’m not sure why people always ask about this, but they do.

The other thing is that although we’ve spent many a boring hour checking functionality, loading speeds and something called ‘pixel peeping’, there will undoubtedly be errors hidden deep in the recesses of the PS archive. With over 2,500 articles there will be something, somewhere.

So please let me know - either in the comments or by email - when you spot a bug. The developer and I will change it as quickly as digitally possible.

And what are these various tweaks and updates, I hear you clamour? In brief they are:

A new colour scheme, font and logo
Various spacing tweaks to make the layout cleaner
A new ‘Back to top’ button on the right-hand side, which should make it easier for readers to scroll back up to an article when they’re 100-comments deep
A cleaner layout on the shop pages, with a smaller main image but more room for the text
Zoom functionality on those shop images. Clicking on them now takes you into a window where you can see all the images in detail (useful when analysing tweed flecks)

I told you it wasn’t much. The main thing was a visual refresh, after 15 years with the previous logo. Everything online looks a little old after a while.

If you have any other suggestions on functionality, by the way, please do let me know. People tend to send them unprompted, but I should re-emphasise that this is always very useful.

Thank you in advance, and I hope you enjoy the new look. Normal programming will resume on Monday, at 9am sharp.

Why do people turn up (or cuff) their jeans?

Posted on 02/11/202202/11/2022 by Simon Crompton

Almost every time I've featured jeans in recent months, someone has asked about turn-ups. So I thought it was worth a dedicated post I could point people to going forward.

Interestingly, I think the reason it's coming up more is that there are more people around not wearing them. But we'll get to that in a minute.

Turn-ups on jeans have become the dominant fashion gradually over the past 20 years or so, in parallel with the popularity of higher quality, often Japanese denim.

There are a few reasons people point to. One is that those raw Japanese jeans often came in one length, and it wasn't easy to find somewhere to alter them properly. Another is that it was a way to show off the selvedge down the inside of the outseam - one sign of quality. And a third, probably smaller factor is that it was seen as authentic - harking back to the workers that originally wore denim, and had to roll them up to fit.

The causes don’t really matter though, because I don’t think it's why most people cuff their jeans.

Rather, they do it because they like the look (more casual, some visual interest) and because everyone else is doing it. Turn-ups on jeans have become so ubiquitous in many places that it’s rare to see someone not cuffing their jeans (even guys that have no real interest in clothes - it just feels odd not to).

Now none of us on this site like the idea of following fashions. But as discussed in the past, what we think of clothes is heavily dependent on associations, which are part and parcel of mainstream, longer term fashions.

If it looks like more of a statement not to cuff your jeans - perhaps like buttoning up a polo shirt rather than unbuttoning it - then doing it is only about fashion in the very broadest sense. You only have two options after all.

That said, there are a few objective reasons why it's nice to turn up jeans.

It means you can adapt them to any length you want - perhaps a little less with boots, perhaps more for clearance on a wet, puddly day. It also makes more of a feature of the fading on the hem - so-called roping - which might appeal to those (like me) that admire the way jeans fade in general.

And then there are the reasons we're familiar with from tailoring - cuffs interrupt the line of the trouser; they're a bit more casual; they provide visual interest, but could also shorten the legs.

I think these classical factors are mostly relevant with dark denim.

It's only then that someone who really wants to lengthen their legs visually (for whatever reason) would find a turn up makes a difference.

And it makes the biggest difference to whether a jean looks smarter without a turn-up. l can see the point of view that an uncuffed, dark jean is easier to wear with a black shoe, for instance. And the opposite too - that a turn-up helps if you're wearing a dark jean with a light, chunky, textured shoe, like a tan suede, Alden longwing.

One reader asked why you wouldn't just get jeans shortened to the correct length. Well if people want them cuffed, then that is their 'correct' length.

And if you're into vintage jeans, you might not want to shorten them because you want to retain the roping - it could look odd if there were strong fading elsewhere but nothing at the bottom of the leg (even though that would come with time).

This can actually be a pain if you find vintage jeans that are great elsewhere, but too long. In that case your options are to have a big turn-up, sort of double cuff them (see piece here - 'Japanese cuff') or get an alterations tailor to cut them to length and leave the seam hidden behind the turn-up. (Coverage on that on this piece, on how much jeans can be altered.)

The latter is the most satisfactory visually, but feels a little inauthentic. I think it's quite personal whether you care, and which of those three you go for.

Why do I turn-up my jeans? Partly because I like that interruption and slightly more casual look. But I recognise that it’s also partly because it's more conventional - the current convention.

When you see people deliberately wearing jeans with no turn-up, it looks (to me, in my locale, social group, social media group) like more of a look, more done for effect. You’ve been seeing with fashion brands for years, and in more progressive magazines such as L'Etiquette (above).

But as mentioned at the start, that may be changing, and when the length of jeans allows I’ve played around with not having turn-ups - it looks a little cleaner, perhaps feels more straightforward too.

The important word there, as ever, is ‘play’. This is not a seasonal fashion, it’s a decade-plus trend; and it’s a small thing, not like cut-offs or letting your trousers puddle around your ankles. So play around with the choices, and accept that a chunk of how you feel will always be social.

Autumn/Winter picks 2022: J Press, RM Williams, Aimé Leon Dore

Posted on 31/10/202231/10/2022 by Simon Crompton

Autumn/Winter picks 2022: J Press, RM Williams, Aimé Leon Dore

Monday, October 31^st 2022Tags:

166 Comments

L’Impermeabile gilet, at John Simons

£435

This lightly waxed gilet, particularly in the pale beige colour, is reminiscent of the Eddie Bauer style that has become popular in recent years. It’s 100% cotton on the outside though, which means it will age a little quicker and perhaps more elegantly.

John Simons offers a navy too, but the beige is surprisingly versatile, suiting jeans and flannels equally. It’s not a dressy piece, more workwear than luxury, but makes a great weekend option.

The Real McCoy’s country socks

£30

The biggest problem with this guide every year is that by the time everyone has received their stock, some of the best pieces from the beginning of the Autumn have sold out. This is the case with these new socks from The Real McCoy’s, but apparently they are more coming.

The socks are pleasingly thick and slubby, pure cotton yet strong. The only downside to not using synthetics in the fibre mix (as most brands do) is that they aren’t as good when or if they get damp. But apart from an old AnonymousIsm pair that I’ve yet to find again, these are my favourite Ivy-style socks.

J Press rugby shirt

$165

I never really joined the rugby shirt bandwagon, but in retrospect I think it was because they were often shown with tailoring, as some kind of sporty high/low look. On their own, a great rugby shirt suits me well: it has a collar, it’s flattering, classic in a plain colour, and you can wear the crap out of it at the weekend with the kids.

I tried a Real McCoy’s one, which was an amazing weight but I didn’t like the hoop design. I’ve yet to get hold of a Barbarian one as they don’t ship outside North America. But I found this one in J Press and it’s very good for the price - not quite as heavy as the others, but lovely to wear, and with the proper collar, rubber buttons and so on. I bought size small, in navy.

RM Williams Craftsman boot

£399

I’m profiling RM Williams soon, spurred by the idea of exploring a traditional menswear manufacturer in a different country and culture. And so ahead of that I tried the whole range of boots - and I was pleasantly surprised by the classic Craftsman style. I didn’t think I’d like a square-toed boot, but the shape is subtle and actually appealed to me more than the rounder toes.

Of course this is not a make on the level of most brands we cover (plastic toe/heel puffs, stitching fineness etc), but it’s not designed to be - it’s designed to be durable, and from those I know that wear them, it seems to fulfil that objective.

Colhay’s painter’s shawl cardigan

£595

*Update: I just heard that the Colhay's shawls arrived this afternoon, so they are available on their site now*

This season Colhay’s have a finer shawl cardigan, which is more a piece you’d layer under a coat or even a roomy jacket. It’s a four-ply cashmere, densely knitted as all their Scottish pieces, and in a plain stitch rather than the normal rib.

The thing most worth highlighting, however, is the little design details - something I haven’t talked about so much in the past in reference to Colhay’s. The wider placket, for example, which gives the cardigan a slightly collegiate feel, and the side-entry pockets that are cleaner that patches on a design like this, and stay nice and flush with the body.

The majority of the stock is arriving in a couple of weeks, by the way, rather than being sold out already.

Aimé Leon Dore shaker-stitch cardigan

£325

This is the first piece I’ve bought from ALD, and it pretty much met my expectations. On the one hand, the design is perfect - the shaker stitch gives the knit bulk; the trim is cream rather than white; the depth of the opening is great, as is the fit through the body. It’s well thought-out.

But it’s a straightforward make, in China, and is 6% nylon and 1% elastane (despite the website saying it’s 100% cotton). There’s nothing necessarily wrong with being China-made and synthetics can help with cottons in particular. But it’s not as nice as, say, an A&S cotton knit and feels like it should be a chunk cheaper.

Ralph Lauren trench coat

$1,298

It’s often the case that if you want a traditional style of coat, you’re more likely to find it at Ralph Lauren that at some of the heritage makers, such as Burberry or Aquascutum. With trench coats this has certainly been true, given how short others have become.

The only problem is that the standard trench Polo offers was made in a stretch cotton, which felt odd. Fortunately they’ve now introduced one without stretch - which I tried in New York recently. It’s only available currently on the US site, but I was told it would be elsewhere too. It’s Polo rather than Purple Label, which is reflected in the price and materials, but the cut is perfect.

Drake’s brushed lavender shetland

£195

There’s no shortage of shetland sweaters out there, but I highlight this one for a couple of reasons. First, it’s a lovely shade of purple, with little wisps of yellow and pale blue in there. And second, it’s brushed to a fluffy texture, which I think readers who find shetlands a little scratchy will prefer. Not as thick as a Shaggy Dog, but just as soft.

I like bright knits like this as a layer under a coat - as shown here - and this lavender would be great under a navy. But I also think that if you’re the sort of person that wears a sweater around the shoulders, a bright colour can look great. A pop of colour not unlike a scarf or beanie.

The dilemma of associations

Posted on 28/10/202228/10/2022 by Simon Crompton

By André Larnyoh

If you know the photographer Alex Natt (above), you’ll know that he has his own somewhat distinct uniform: a loose oxford shirt, wide jeans or chinos, well-worn cordovan loafers and a baseball cap of some kind. Simple, to the point and he’s made it his own.

He told me of an encounter he had recently in Canada, where a woman asked to borrow his phone. When he said no, she looked him up and down, called him a “trust fund kid” and went on her way. Those that know Alex know that he’s miles away from being one, but he knew it was his clothes that gave the wrong impression. In North America, an oxford shirt and chinos have particular associations with yuppie and preppy culture.

Associations and the context of a piece of clothing have always been tricky things to get away from. Look at what’s been done with military wear over the decades – from being something that was worn by servicemen on the GI Bill, to being adopted by people on the so-called fringes of society as part of sixties counterculture movements, to now being so ubiquitous in fashion that arguably a good 50% of designs take their cues from the military.

If you wear an M65 or a pair of OG107 trousers out and about today, no one is going to assume that you’re ex-army. They’ll just think you like practical, robust clothing.

I have always been conscious of avoiding looking like something I am not. Not always successfully I might add - I’ve been called/heckled a lot of things. In fact it has sometimes been so debilitating that I’ve kept certain items of clothing at arm’s length, or at the very least worn with a huge amount of trepidation. I haven’t gone near an oxford shirt and chinos since someone accused me of wanting to belong to a culture that I had absolutely no interest in being part of.

This is all a roundabout way of saying that clothes carry baggage, not all of which we’re necessarily aware of.

To some extent - and it’s possible I might be diving a little too deep into this, but stay with me - wearing certain things can give you a sense of imposter syndrome. I’ve certainly felt that with particular pieces or outfits. Things that feel alien or clash with my worldview, culture, or even social circles. What you may see as timeless or classic (two arguably very charged words) could strike someone else as formal, preppy or plain old uptight.

An example of this for me was the collaboration last year between Crown Northampton and AWMS, which produced a Belgian loafer with varying animal prints on the apron (above). My interest was piqued by a brown suede pair with cheetah spots, but it was immediately noted in my circle that they were something a Congolese uncle would wear (there’s a reputation there for decking out in head-to-toe animal prints). The cultural stigma was enough to make me um and ah. It couldn’t be unseen.

Still, I do think it’s too easy to get stuck in the safety of the rules of the game. Not that there’s something bad about the structure of things, but my admiration is for those I see who, consciously or not, break form and association.

The people who keep an eye on the rules, traditions and contexts that influence what we wear and don’t only ignore them, but often break them entirely. They bring themselves and their background to the clothes, creating something that is more personal - because at the end of the day we are all individuals.

Of course there will be those that argue you just need to grow a spine, ignore the haters, and wear whatever you like. The truth though, is that it’s not that simple. You need a supreme sense of self to do this, and I’ll be honest in saying that I am only halfway there.

There are various people I personally know that I could highlight, but Moteen Iqbal (above and below) is one I’d pick out. One of the kindest people I’ve met, many will recognise him as the former manager at Drake’s and from his days at Timothy Everest - but it’s when he’s off-duty that the magic happens.

His collection is eclectic – spanning streetwear, technical fabrics and more classic tailoring and shoes – and every piece is treated equally, for all occasions and settings. You can easily find Moteen in wide Needles sweatpants, a loose untucked oxford shirt, Horatio horsebit loafers or Adidas Spezials and one of his many voluminous Stone Island coats. He has that rare ability to make them all work together in ways they shouldn’t. It’s nothing short of uncanny.

When I said to him that I wanted to mention him for this piece, Moteen laughed it off. “I have no rules when it comes to wearing stuff,” he said, and that is exactly why, in my eyes, he is a master. You can tell by looking at him that this is someone who has had a long personal journey with clothing and also, as time passed, has both accumulated more and while narrowing down what works for them and what they like, uncompromisingly.

Rachel Tashjian recently wrote a piece examining the meaning of the word ‘chic’ while breaking down this year’s Bottega Venetta show. It’s worth reading in full, but to make a long story short her argument is that the truly chic individual is one who knows themselves so well that they say something about style in the way they dress and carry themselves.

It is something that comes with time - when insecurities have lessened, when you’ve been through enough of life that the opinions of others don’t phase you in the way they did you were younger. It’s this idea that has slowly helped me gain the courage to start wearing gold-button blazers, for example - something I’ve avoided for years because they remind me of Carlton Banks (below, left).

Today the question I ask myself with those blazers is how can I make them work for me, and with what I wear? Always trying to avoid looking like I’ve studied photos of either King Charles III or Carlton. So I’ll add work shirts, knitwear without shirts, or pieces from more fashion-forward brands. Maybe one of those flowy wrap shirts from King & Tuckfield or a pair of pleated trousers from Homme Plisse, all in an effort to develop something that’s more personal, playful and honest.

In fact I think breaking with the story that comes with a piece of clothing is what can separate individuals who wear their clothes, from those whose clothes wear them.

Why follow the rules of a piece of clothing, or even a subculture? We’re at a point in history where anything goes, certainly outside a work environment, and it’s exciting to see people embrace the chaos, to create something that’s personal and interesting.

Most will take baby steps, but that’s better than nothing. Maybe I’ll end up with some animal print Belgians after all.

Image below taken from the PS piece on André and his style

A shopping guide to ready-made trousers

Posted on 26/10/202226/10/2022 by Simon Crompton

By Manish Puri

If my years of reading Permanent Style have taught me anything, it’s that few things make a man look better than a tailored jacket. If my years of having eyes have taught me anything, it’s that few things make a man look worse than bad trousers.

A good pair of trousers are the pedestal for the rest of your outfit to be displayed upon. A smartly assembled set of trousers will make the simplest of outfits look chic and the most elegant of outfits look effortless.

And frankly these days well-crafted trousers made from superior fabrics are neither a bespoke luxury nor particularly taxing to find. So, it’s the aim of this guide to a compile a list that helps you choose from over a dozen brands selling some of the best ready-to-wear (RTW) tailored trousers on the market.

Fit and priorities

I find buying anything RTW involves some tension between what you want (the style) and what suits your body best (the fit). That tension is something the most skilled bespoke artisans can dissipate, but in RTW there is often a compromise. We’ve all bought something that, if we’re completely truthful, doesn’t fit that well but just looks banging.

When it comes to RTW trousers, I’ve learned the hard, expensive and uncomfortable way that there is little room for compromise: you have to prioritise fit.

Even the most perfectly styled trousers will finish their life as nourishment for moths if they cut in the crotch, cling mid-calf or slice the belly after a burger. And so ‘best’ in this guide (perhaps more than any other I’ve written) boils down to what is the best fit on you – and readers’ comments on the ones they’ve tried will be invaluable here.

To help you with this, I’m a 33” waist (which is between the standard sizes usually offered) and so I tend to take a UK 34”/IT 50 and make them smaller in the waist if needed, which is something most tailors would recommend over making tight trousers bigger.

Beyond the fit, you can rely on the brands we’ve selected to make trousers with many of the hallmarks of quality tailoring: enough fabric inlay to allow simple alterations, unhemmed legs (so you can pick your preferred inseam and cuff style), a split waistband with curtain, side adjusters and some handwork.

So, let’s look at the brands, which are presented in ascending price order.

Kit Blake (£255 to £295)

Sometimes while researching these guides I find myself lost among small differences: Brand A has slanted pockets and a 11” rise, whereas Brand B has straight pockets and a 12” rise.

Don’t misunderstand me, I know our community flourishes in these differences and many of us would fight to the death (or at least until the pubs close) over fractional changes to cuff widths and cloth weights. But sometimes it’s damn refreshing to try a product which is truly distinctive.

Kit Blake is the only brand in this guide dedicated to making trousers only. Their classic, Savile Row-inspired designs are made in Italy from British and Italian cloths. Their Aleks model (worn by André Larnyoh below in his ‘How to Dress Like’ piece) is the brand’s signature style and features:

A high-rise - the highest of all the brands in this guide
Double forward pleats - the only brand in this guide to favour them over reverse pleats
A generous leg and subtle taper - the widest leg of all the brands in this guide

Simon has written extensively on trouser rise, pleats and proportion, and I’d urge readers to have a look at those articles to better appreciate how they might work for your physique and tastes.

My tastes have been dictated by my physique. If I wear low to mid-rise trousers I experience a form of coastal erosion, where the tides of my belly gently push and erode my waistband line during the day, with the only remedy a surreptitious trouser hoick. My personal conversion to higher-rise trousers was something of a ‘eureka’ moment.

When it comes to pleats, I know Simon and others have had issue with pleated trousers splaying open even when stood stock-still, but I had no such problems with the Aleks. One factor may be the depth of Kit Blake’s – at 2.8cm the pleat is deeper than any of the other brands in this guide by at least 0.8cm.

In terms of fit, the Aleks is slightly small-to-size and so, as someone who is usually between sizes, I found the larger size (34”) to be a fantastic fit out the box with only the hem needing altering. Of course, if you did need to let the waist out there is ample inlay.

Unusually, there is very little inlay in the leg. However, given the fullness of the trousers, I would, if anything, expect readers to want to take the leg in. Indeed if this is your preference, I would recommend taking a look at Kit Blake’s Grant model which, from waist to mid-thigh, is identical to the Aleks but then follows a slightly more tapered line to the break.

In addition to the Aleks and Grant models, Kit Blake carry a single reverse pleat model (Duke) and a flat front model (Caine).

Other options:

At the risk of labouring the point, there aren’t too many similar options on the market; but Thomas Farthing (£249 to £285) have a selection of high-rise, wide-leg trousers – although the styling may be too overtly vintage for some readers.
And, although not a RTW retailer, Scott Fraser Collection has a formidable range of high-waisted and pleated trouser styles (£215 to £315).

Cavour (£250 to £400)

Norwegian retailer Cavour carry a tantalising assortment of high-end menswear brands, but it’s their in-house trouser design, the Mod 2, that I was eager to feature in this guide for one reason: variety.

The range of cloths and colours is wider than any other: seven different colours of 340g (12 oz) VBC flannel, seven in baby cord, five in wide wale, five in Brisbane Moss cotton drill, three in VBC/Drapers covert wool, three in Loro Piana denim, two in Holland & Sherry Crispaire, and a partridge in a pear tree. I won’t even begin to list the plethora of linen, high-twist wool and summer gabardines that are still available in the ‘Sale’ section.

The prices vary according to the fabric; Crispaire is £400, but most of the offering retails at £275. The price point looks even more attractive when you consider the trousers boast hand-sewn bar tacks, buttonholes and pick stitching – although I appreciate that this level of finishing isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker for many people.

In short if the Mod 2 style and fit works for you then I imagine one could build a balanced and versatile trouser wardrobe with minimal effort.

I’d summarise the style as fuss-free with a sharp silhouette – mid-rise, slim fit and standard front closure. The bulk of the Mod 2 trousers come with a single reverse pleat, but some cloths (like the cotton drill) are also made up in a flat front.

I tried pairs in size 50 and (apprehensive of the slim fit) a size 52. I found 50 a little tight in the waist and crotch but not unbearably so. However, the fit through the leg was too close for my tastes. Sizing up to the 52 was an improvement in almost every respect: very comfortable across the seat and crotch with a better fit through the leg – still slim but not tight. It was (as you’d expect) loose in the waist but I’d be more confident taking in one element on the 52 than trying to let out two or three elements on the 50.

Apparently, the typical Scandinavian gentleman’s tastes is for a slim leg but, if you lean fuller, the Cavour trouser has enough inlay to widen the leg by 5cm – more than any of the other brands in this guide. Sizing indecision is also alleviated by Cavour’s free shipping for purchases over £220 and free returns.

Other options:

Natalino (£135 to £195) is certainly worth exploring if you like Cavour’s pricing and fabric selections (both brands use VBC 12oz flannel and Brisbane Moss drill cotton) but want something with a higher rise and a little more room through the leg. Natalino also sell their trousers unhemmed and hemmed, to either a 30” or 32” inseam, which is a blessing for any of the poor souls who don’t have a tailor on speed dial.

Anglo-Italian (£305)

Yeah, these were good.

Over the years Anglo-Italian have built up a loyal community that values their consistency of palette, product and service; their RTW trousers don’t disappoint in any of those regards.

The palette - cloth and colour options - satisfies the requirements of most classic wardrobes: soft flannels in the winter (sometimes woven in England and sometimes, you guessed it, in Italy), high-twist wools for the summer and various weights and finishes of cotton all year round.

I suspect the silhouette will appeal to a wide cross-section of PS readers - comfortable in the thigh with a gentle taper to the hem.

I found the trousers shaped elegantly over the hips rather than hug them tightly, which makes all the difference if you’re forever jamming your hands in and out the pockets. On that subject, Anglo-Italian’s pockets are slanted with mouths cut to follow the gentlest of curves; a lovely detail and one that further benefits the pocket jammers.

But it’s the service that really sparkles. All in-store trouser alterations are free. Hemming, nipping the waist, letting out the seat, sharpening the taper: all included in the price, which makes this an extraordinarily good value product. What’s more Anglo-Italian’s turnaround time for alterations is a few days; to put this into context, my preferred central London alterations tailor currently has a turnaround time of six weeks.

What’s fascinating is how the free alterations remove, to an extent, the fit impositions from the style-fit conundrum I shared earlier.

For example, Anglo-Italian’s trousers are true to size which meant I could get away with a 48 if I let out the seat and crotch, or the 50 if I have the waist taken in. That decision can now be dictated by my style preference – do I want the slimmer profile of the 48 that sits level with my hip, or do I want the mildly fuller 50 that sits just on the top of it? Champagne problems.

Other options:

Another high-quality, Italian option is the family-run Rota (from €300 upwards). The only reason for not giving them a more prominent place in this article is that their offering is slightly overwhelming and would probably need a guide to itself. There is a cornucopia of fits, styles and cloths on their online shop as well as through other stockists such as Frans Boone, Gabucci, Cavour, Michael Jondral, The Armoury and No Man Walks Alone – many of whom have worked with the brand to develop exclusive models.

Drake’s (£305 to £495)

Sometimes the best way to define something is via comparison. And so, if the Kit Blake trousers are high-rise and full and Cavour’s are mid-rise and slim then I’d place the Drake’s house style somewhere in between: an upper mid-rise (is that a thing?) with a classic line through the thigh.

Made in Italy, Drake’s trousers are styled either with single reverse pleats and aged side adjusters (which I prefer to shiny silver and black adjusters) or with flat fronts, belt loops and a prong keeper - a neat way of demarcating formality. A stylistic touch is the extended tab waistband.

The cloth options are judiciously chosen for wardrobe building: grey flannel, olive linen, brown corduroy and stone cotton. Indeed, if you were so inclined, you could purchase Simon’s five smart trouser capsule wardrobe in one fell swoop from the website this afternoon – not that either of us would advocate such hasty accumulation.

I found the fit to be true-to-size; wonderful news if you’re a standard size and maddeningly close to great for an in-betweener like me. The size 34 I tried was a little big in the waist so would either need altering or a mighty tug of the side adjusters to sit right.

As I mentioned the fit through the thigh is quite classic, but it does taper quite sharply to the hem (which you can see in the Lookbook shot above). This is likely to be a dream pairing for some – comfort where you need it with the eye moving down to a sharp break above the shoe – and reminiscent of Slowboy’s utterly charming illustrations. I found it slightly too contrasting a transition and would prefer either a faintly narrower thigh or a fuller calf.

Drake’s trousers can also be bought as made to order and made to measure; prices start at around £495 for the former and up to £795 for the latter.

Other options:

With a high-rise and classic fit Berg & Berg’s Arnold trousers (single pleat) and Alf trousers (flat front with belt loops) are comparable in style and fit to the Drake’s trousers. For good measure they also sell a double pleated model, Antonio. The seasonal fabric choices aren’t as diverse as Drake’s but there’s more than enough to pair with sports coats and casual getups (from €295 to €305).

The Armoury ($350 to $550)

A few years back Simon looked at the various trouser models stocked by The Armoury. For this guide we wanted to focus on The Armoury’s in-house trousers which, like their jackets, are made by Ring Jacket and available in two models.

Model A is a flat-fronted trouser that is sold separately or as part of single-breasted suits. Model B is a single reverse-pleat trouser that is sold separately or as part of double-breasted suits. Both are half-lined and have a coin pocket secreted below the waistband.

Whilst most discussions on the benefits of pleats tend to centre around their facility for comfort, The Armoury’s founder Mark Cho made a couple of interesting aesthetic observations about the Model B pleats in one of his Instagram Q&A sessions.

The first is that, compared to flat-front trousers, a pleat tends to emphasise and lengthen the central crease line right up to the waistband and this visually elongates and slims the leg. The second is that whilst the pleat in the Model B increases the volume in the top half of the trouser, it also deceives the eye into thinking the trouser is more tapered than the Model A – despite both models being almost identical from the knee down.

The Armoury is unique in this guide for having belt loops on both their flat fronted and pleated trousers, which comes from a desire to position them as an accessible entry-level trouser. But, upon request, they can remove the belt loops and use the excess trouser length to make side adjusters. By the way, The Armoury don’t charge for hemming trousers, although it’s best if this is arranged in-store rather than online to avoid a trouser being irrevocably cut too short.

The fit of the Model A and B is, in my view, closer to mid-rise (although the website describes them as high-rise) with a slim leg; not entirely dissimilar to Cavour’s trousers but not as trim as the Mod 2. And like the Mod 2 I found the size 50 a little tight across the hips and in the fork.

I suspect a size 51 would be perfect were it available (alas it isn’t) and so I’d recommend anyone in doubt to try a size up. Failing that there is always the option of The Armoury’s MTO and MTM programme (starting at around $850 and $950 respectively).

Ring Jacket only use handwork in the areas where they feel it will improve quality and durability, so here there are machine-sewn buttonholes but hand stitching inside the waistband and fork.

Other options:

North American readers may want to look at Canadian brand Spier & Mackay ($108 to $228). Whilst the level of finishing certainly won’t be to the standard of The Armoury/Ring Jacket there’s no doubting the appeal of the breadth and depth of Spier & Mackay’s range: loads of fabric options, in-between/half sizes (praise be) and two trouser fits – slim (which is similar to The Armoury’s fit) and contemporary (which has a higher rise and fuller silhouette). Whilst I’ve not had the chance to try them, I have noticed an increase in the number of PS comments recommending Spier & Mackay to other readers looking for a budget option.

Pommella (€420 to €700)

The foundation of Pommella remains bespoke trouser making but under the stewardship of Gianluca Migliarotti the brand has slowly developed a couple of great RTW options.

The first is Pommella RTW, which is made to the same exacting standards and handwork as their bespoke (full disclosure: I own a few pairs of the Pommella bespoke and absolutely adore them). You can also find a nice selection at The Armoury, who have developed a couple of exclusive models: the PA1 and the AUS1. I’m rarely enamoured by unorthodox waistbands, but I must confess I find the D-ring belted closure of the PA1 quite elegant – especially in the verdant Fox Brothers Palazzi flannel that is exclusive to Pommella.

The second option is PML, the home for easy-going polos, unstructured tweed jackets and, of course, trousers which are machine-made and hence cheaper.

Construction methods apart, the Pommella and PML trousers are identical in fit (size up if you’re in any doubt) and style: medium rise, nicely tapered, with a coin pocket, side adjusters, brace buttons and a waistband curtain made from Thomas Mason shirting fabric.

In keeping with Neapolitan tradition, the trousers generally come unlined unless the fabric absolutely demands it. Pommella’s trousers are the only in this guide to have a button fly; an illustration of their commitment to quality detailing as well as something that can help the trousers look cleaner – especially when seated.

Beyond the calibre of the finishing, what I think sets Pommella/PML’s RTW apart is the curatorial eye of Gianluca. There are cloths, textures and colours here that you won’t find elsewhere: the aforementioned Palazzi flannel, a deep but muted red cotton and a Zegna off-white denim that has attained almost mythical status amongst my friends that have it. Even the staples have a point of difference - the mid-grey flannels, for example, are a couple of ounces heavier than everyone else’s.

Other options:

If it’s handmade Neapolitan trousers you’re after, then you might also consider RTW from Ambrosi Napoli (around £755). Their signature detail is a hyperextended waistband which arrows around the belly towards the leg’s side seam. They’re not widely available online but Cavour stock some as does The Signet Store in the Philippines.

The Index

The index is designed to collect the key information of each of the trouser models featured. To aid comparison we’ve shown the waist, rise and hem for size UK34/IT50 - measurements taken from the brands.

Prices are correct as of time of writing.

Brand	Model (Size)	Price	Pleats (direction)	Zip or button fly	Side adjusters or loops	Back pockets	Waist (cm)	Rise (cm)	Hem (cm)
Kit Blake	Aleks or Grant	£255 to £295	Double (forward)	Zip	Side adjusters and brace buttons	Two	44	26.5	22.75 (Aleks) or 20.25 (Grant)
Cavour	Mod 2	£250 to £400	Single (reverse)	Zip	Side adjusters	Two	44	24.5	18.5
Anglo-Italian	House	£305	Single (reverse)	Zip	Side adjuster	Two	45	26	19
Drake’s	House	£305 to £495	Single (reverse) and flat fronted	Zip	Side adjusters (on pleated) and belt loops (on flat fronts)	Two	45	25	19.5
The Armoury	Model A or Model B	$350 to $550	Single (reverse)	Zip	Belt loops	Two	44.25	24	20.7
Pommella and PML	House	€420 to €700	Single (reverse)	Button	Side adjusters	One	45	22.5	20

Manish is @the_daily_mirror on Instagram

J Press, Stock Vintage, CHCM, Snyder: New New York

Posted on 24/10/202225/10/2022 by Simon Crompton

J Press, Stock Vintage, CHCM, Snyder: New New York

Monday, October 24^th 2022Tags:

58 Comments

It was really nice to be in New York last week, after a break of three years. (The last time being for our Ivy Symposium.)

I got to see many old friends, both in the industry (Steven Taffel of Leffot and I realised we both have our 15-year anniversary next year) and outside it (thank you to all the readers that came to the pop-up) as well as going to a lot of my favourite shops.

But I also managed to go to a few new places, and I thought it would be nice to summarise a few of them here. I’ll also be covering some later in full articles, and I mention those at the end.

J Press

Jpressonline.com

51 East 44th Street

Believe it or not, I’ve never been to J Press. I think because I used to be so much more focused on sharp tailoring, and at the same time had the lingering feeling it was rather stuffy and old-fashioned.

Now, the latter is undoubtedly true of some of the styling, and doubtless of many of its customers (it’s interesting to see what the Japanese side of the brand is doing, on that score). But the quality of the products is very good and very consistent, so all it needs is a little personal style - a little of the old Drake’s look perhaps, particularly given the range is similar to what Drake’s used to sell.

There are great Aran knits, made in Ireland, and not too traditional/boxy a fit. The ‘Shaggy Dog’ shetlands are not only super-soft, but in some quite contemporary colours - I particularly liked a brown/charcoal mix. And there’s a line of lighter-weight, slim-fit Shaggy Dogs too.

The tailoring is obviously soft and unstructured, which feels rather contemporary today, and it’s one place that’s always going to have something like a solid grey-herringbone Harris Tweed jacket - even if you wouldn’t want to wear the jackets like any of the models on the website.

Stock Vintage

www.instagram.com/stockvintagenyc

143 East 13th Street

Stock Vintage has been around for years, but I never spent much time exploring New York vintage stores in the past. Now I have, I know the charms of Church Street Surplus and the many many options in Brooklyn. Stock Vintage, however, has a particular charm.

It’s run by the lovely Melissa Howard, who like most experienced vintage dealers, makes the vast majority of her money from designers looking for inspiration. Indeed, she has toyed with whether the retail side is worth it, and keeps the door closed most of the time (the shop is open, but the metal frames and closed door mean passers-by don’t just wander in). But she also says she’d miss the people she meets in a physical shop.

The stock tends to the older end of the vintage spectrum, mostly twenties to fifties, with some very old. Prices are relatively high, with rarity more of a factor, as you’d expect given the designer focus. It’s less of a retail-driven shop, essentially, than somewhere like Le Vif or Rag Parade.

But there are some gems in there, and Melissa knows the stock inside out, which is helpful - she’ll know there are only two varsity knits that are going to be your size, or that it’s not worth trawling through the jeans stacks, as most are overalls or too small. I walked away with an old Pendleton overshirt and a very faded Big Mac chambray.

CHCM

Chcmshop.com

2 Bond Street

CHCM is a little store on a lower ground floor in Noho, and easy to miss. Run by Englishman Sweetu Patel and now 12 years old, it’s a white box with an eclectic mix of classic and contemporary brands.

Indeed, browsing it made me realise how few interesting multi-brand stores there are today. CHCM stocks Stoffa, for example, but I realised I’ve never seen Stoffa styled with non-Stoffa pieces. Sweetu puts those U-neck vests and self-belted trousers with technical clothing from the likes of Teatora, a Japanese brand that is all grey, technical, packable.

There’s LEJ here, Paraboot and Arpenteur; but also Veilance, MAN-TLE and Auralee. “Often guys tend towards their safe areas, the styles of things they’re used to,” says Sweetu. “But my core customer mixes things up - always has. It’s that kind of styling that I’ve always found most interesting.”

It’s definitely worth a visit, if only to remember the stimulation that can come from a multi-brand store with a particular view on the world.

Todd Snyder

www.toddsnyder.com

25 E 26th St (flagship)

Oddly, there’s no equivalent to Todd Snyder in the UK. Essentially a high-street brand, with a roughly similar level of quality, it might also be the most on-trend shop in the world for classic menswear.

There are gurkha trousers, there is turquoise jewellery; there are knitted cardigans of the style you’d expect from Scott Fraser. They sell Alden, Bennett Winch, LL Bean. They even sell L’Etiquette magazine. It’s the opposite of CHCM in that way: you feel it has sucked in every idea and brand from elsewhere, rather than having more of a view of its own.

Whether there’s anything wrong with that is a debate for another day, but PS readers should be aware (one asked about Snyder last week) that the quality mostly isn’t the level we talk about. It does vary - they do shirts with Maffeis for example - but I’ve had a pair of the Champion shorts for a few years, and I’d rather have them from any brand at Clutch.

Then again, Japanese brands are quirky. They don’t have sweats in nine different colours, all in a very standard fit. I bought those shorts because I liked the faded red colour, and no one else had it.

So I can completely understand why readers would be drawn to Todd Snyder, and it would be a great addition to London (much better than the rest of our high street). I just wouldn’t put it amongst the other brands and shops we normally cover, despite how in-tune it appears.

Other shops I visited for the first time included Bode (above), Patagonia, Stella Dallas, Raggedy Threads, J Mueser, Belgian Shoes, 45R, Filson, Attolini, Crowley Vintage and Moulded Shoe. Longer pieces coming on some of those.

Old favourites I revisited included Leffot, Alden Madison, Paul Stuart, Paolo Martorano, RRL on West Broadway and the Ralph mansion. In fact, thinking about it I should update the New York shopping guide - I’ll try and do that soon.

As ever, always interested to hear readers’ views on these places, particularly as ones in New York will be much more frequent visitors.

This year’s winter pop-up: A whole calendar of events

Posted on 21/10/202221/10/2022 by Simon Crompton

This year’s winter pop-up: A whole calendar of events

Friday, October 21^st 2022Tags:

31 Comments

Our 10th ‘Permanent Style presents’ pop-up this autumn will be a little different. Rather than having one event, there will be a rolling series of PS-friendly shops in the same space.

Starting in mid-November, there’ll be a pop-up every week, for four weeks. Then the schedule will start again in the new year.

So from November 16-19, Permanent Style will have its regular pop-up, showing everything available on the PS Shop. And we’ll be joined by Mickael from La Bowtique, who will be bringing parts of his workshop to the west end, making bow ties by hand on site. He will also be presenting a new style of bow - the Laurent - and showing previews of his upcoming book.

The following week Colhay’s will have the shop, then The Merchant Fox, and then Marrkt (with both their stock and my personal pieces). It’ll be a rolling festival! Except, you know, smaller and understated and with quieter music.

The shop will be on Savile Row - full details of location, opening times and opening parties to be announced.

The full schedule is:

Permanent Style and La Bowtique: Wednesday November 16th to Saturday 19th
Colhay’s knitwear: Thursday November 24th to Sunday 27th
The Merchant Fox: Tuesday November 29th to Sunday December 4th
Marrkt and my pre-owned: Wednesday December 7th to Friday 9th

Mark your calendars now! There will be more brands next year, hopefully culminating in another PS pop-up in the spring. If anyone is interested in being involved next year, do let me know.

Thank you everybody. I'm sure you'll make everyone very welcome.

Doek tennis shoes: How great things age

Posted on 19/10/202219/10/2022 by Simon Crompton

I have had these Doek canvas trainers - what could usefully be called tennis shoes - for five years. They have been worn once or twice a week, every week, during that period. So hundreds of times.

With bare feet in the summer, they've occasionally become smelly - but a deodorising spray deals with that.

With muck and rain during any season, they've become dirty. But I soak and then scrub them with soapy water, and that comes off.

The result is shoes that look very worn in, that are scuffed, frayed and even ripped - but not dirty or stained. Which is what you want I think. The kind of condition I like to find vintage in.

They’ve ripped where canvas shoes always do for me - at the joints, where the foot bends. This is pretty common, but exacerbated because my foot is wider than average for the length.

This always used to happen with the Converse and Vans I wore when I was younger. The difference with Doek has been that it took rather longer, and that the rubber around the sole has not cracked (presumably reflecting the vulcanisation).

Inside the shoe, the lining has slowly rubbed away around the heel, and the sole has become smoother. But again in both cases, a lot slower than with those cheaper brands.

These are probably not big things for most people. It’s certainly debatable whether they’re worth paying a lot more money for. But they’re practical differences, rather just aesthetic. The shoes are more comfortable (particularly without socks) because the lining is still intact; and because the sole hasn’t split, they’re more functional.

In terms of style, I also think there’s something rather elegant about a beaten-up tennis shoe.

Modern sneakers don’t really age in this way, either because they’re synthetics (so they just dull over time) or because they’re a thin, treated leather (where the surface comes off).

A canvas sneaker is really very similar to a workwear chino, or a duck-cotton chore jacket - it’s just a tough cotton that can get worn in and worn in. A leather trainer, by contrast, isn’t really the same quality anything else leather we might cover.

Thinking about it, that might be a reason I wear canvas shoes so much more these days than the smart Common Projects-like trainer. Another is certainly their smartness, but even the best leather trainer doesn’t age like a leather loafer.

As with last week’s article about loafers and jeans, there’s also something Ivy about tennis shoes worn in this manner.

It recalls a student putting on his sports shoes with the more expected chinos and button-down shirt, running off to a lecture. Perhaps even with a blazer if he’s feeling subversive.

And because they’re sports shoes of that era, they’re necessarily smarter - fairly slim, simple off-white, with a design driven purely by function. Certainly no branding.

Which is why today they can have a sense of old-world elegance, even with holes in them. And why to my taste they’re a nicer match for chinos and a button-down shirt than something much bigger and brighter.

There might also be, I think, a similar effect here to the one discussed in that loafers-with-jeans article. Except it’s the other way round: a shoe that is more casual than the rest of the outfit, rather than smarter.

It’s more limited, as I wouldn’t wear these Doeks with grey flannels. But with smarter chinos or cotton trousers, and then a tailored overcoat over the top (as Oliver does below), you can see how the contrast works.

On the specifics of the shoes, Doek are a little slim and I size up slightly - to a UK 9, Japanese 28.

That means they’re a little roomy with no socks in the summer, but perfect with a chunky sock in the winter. And no single size is going to cover that whole range of sock options.

I have tried the ‘Basket’ from Doek and the oxford-laced style, both in ecru. But somehow this ‘Court’ pair gets 90% of the wear. I think the derby style might be more versatile, even if the oxford is easier to wear with smarter things, and the Basket is a bit more chunky. (Though that might mean it fits more people.)

I haven’t tried Wakouwa, from Anatomica, that now seems to stocked everywhere (Clutch, Drake’s) partly because of that preference for a derby.

Are these Doeks a ‘great thing’? Well, perhaps not. But they are more expensive (and in some ways better made) than the more common versions of the style, and I’ve certainly enjoyed how they’ve aged.

So I think we can allow them into the ‘How great things age’ series.

The chinos shown are the dark khaki Officer’s Chino from Rubato (just the perfect shade - a little dark, a touch brown) and the shirt is a PS Oxford in white.

The watch is a seventies Speedmaster (much, much more detail here). And the belt is a woven suede from @tightly_stitched covered here.

Photography: Milad Abedi

Reader profile: Shun

Posted on 17/10/202211/10/2022 by Simon Crompton

With the PS reader profiles, we’re always looking to add something different - a different style, a different age, hopefully at some point a different location.

Although Shun’s love of classic menswear will be shared by many, he is a little different from previous subjects in his affinity for colour, and for streetwear. We’ve skewed his outfits here towards the classic, but still you can see elements creeping in.

Most of all, I love the way Shun clearly enjoys his clothes, and the carefree way he wears them. I hope you find a little joy and inspiration, as ever, somewhere in the mix.

Outfit 1: Cord suit

Hey Shun, thanks for doing this. Do you want to walk me through the first outfit?

Sure. So this green-cord suit is from Novel Mart, the shirt is from Bryceland’s and the tie is from Drake’s. Pretty classic for British menswear I guess. The shoes are JM Weston 180s, with Gammarelli purple socks.

What do you do for a living and how does this fit in?

I work as a consultant in IT, sitting between finance and retail [ecommerce] at the moment.

Before Covid, if you were in the office, particularly in finance, you would wear a suit and a poplin shirt, maybe with a tie - although in the past five years most people have started going without. Since Covid, the default is more what I’m wearing in the second outfit [below] - an oxford shirt and chinos, maybe not white but a beige or a navy chino. Often a blazer of some kind.

I work at home a lot now, so then I’m more casual, like the third outfit. The great thing about remote working is also that I don’t have to travel as much. Before Covid I would be in different cities around the UK all the time.

So does anyone wear a suit?

Some of the senior guys do. They’ll certainly always be in a shirt and smarter trousers. And if anyone is seeing a client they’ll smarten up a bit - so I would usually wear a suit then, pretty classic, a navy suit and poplin shirt. With loafers all the time actually; I can’t remember the last time I wore lace-ups.

Working as I do between different areas, you can also see the variation in wardrobes. So in retail everyone is very casual, but in finance it’s smarter. I think you can see that between different professions too - bankers are more likely to be in tailoring, and lawyers more likely still, but accountancy firms are more casual.

How has the casual trend highlighted differences in style?

It’s interesting, I think it’s more obvious now that some people care and others don’t. It’s much harder to hide when everyone isn’t wearing a suit.

Outfit 2: Tweed jacket

Run us through the brands here.

This is a Drake’s tweed jacket, I think in a W Bill fabric. The oxford shirt is from Bryceland’s again, the trousers are from Casatlantic (Tangier cut - the widest one) and the loafers are Alden cordovan.

I love how much colour you’re working into this outfit and the last one. Has that always been your style?

Yes I think so, especially pastels. I’m wearing a little more black these days, as I’m seeing it around, but really most of what I wear is colourful, striped oxfords and tweeds, big checks.

The only difference in the past 10 years is probably that I buy better quality - I used to buy a lot of vintage tweeds online, and often the fit wasn’t always that great. In fact I’ve recently started ripping out the shoulder pads from those old jackets, and they sit better on me usually.

Did you look up anything on how to do that, or are you a decent sewer?

No, it’s all very amateur! It’s not the best way to do it really, but it’s an experiment, and the jackets were cheap so it doesn’t matter that much if it goes wrong.

Overall I’ve been pleased with them though. The fits were always quite big, so with the unpadded shoulder they sit more like overshirts almost.

You do a lot of shopping on eBay, but also buy more expensive things like the Bryceland’s oxfords. How do you decide what to spend more on?

I guess I spend less money on basics generally, but oxfords aren’t so much of a basic for me as I wear them so much. Also I have cheaper ones from Drake’s, from Jake [Wigham].

It’s also easier to find interesting tweeds second-hand, less so oxfords. Ethan [Newton, Bryceland’s] has a great selection of old oxford cloths in all these colours.

How about more designer or fashion brands?

Yes I’ll often spend more on those if it has a particularly interesting pattern or colour. Something like ALD or Bode, or a Japanese brand like Needles.

Outfit 3:

You were born in Japan but came over to the UK when you were fairly young, correct? What influence does Japan still have on how you dress?

Yes that’s right. I go back for long periods every year to see my family.

My parents and grandparents are always smartly dressed, in chinos and oxford shirts, tweed jackets, that kind of thing. I guess the Japanese version of Ivy. They all grew up in a time when people had to wear a suit and tie during the week, so they didn’t deviate much at the weekend.

Is there similar conservatism today in Japanese offices?

It’s still quite strict - the classic salaryman will still be wearing a suit and tie. But there’s more variation when people are off-duty - you can see that in the kinds of brands that are becoming popular over there, and how people dress in areas I hang out, like around Harajuku.

You can almost spot different branches of Beams in how people are dressed - one person might be more Beams Plus where there’s a lot of vintage, and another more Beams F, which is more Italian tailoring and brands.

This outfit has a few Japanese pieces right?

Yes, it’s a Rocky Mountain Featherbed jacket, a jumper from Jamieson’s but for Fennica, the socks are Rototo and the shoes are Wales Bonner Japans. With a vintage T-shirt and old Levi’s 550s.

The 550 is such a comfortable cut, and so cheap. There’s hundreds of them on eBay - I don’t think they’ve really become that popular as vintage just because they’re so cheap and plentiful.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to clothing?

Maybe oxfords, I buy so many oxford shirts. And vintage T-shirts recently, old band ones like this or Supreme.

I assume you’re not the kind of guy that’s queuing up outside Supreme for new releases?

No, but I will pick up vintage pieces and do go to the shop now and again. I won’t buy something with a big logo, but I’m interested in weirder stuff these days, and often Supreme will have something interesting. I got a Visvim jacket the other day which is pretty weird. Way too expensive as well.

Do you think that has happened as you’ve been working from home more, and have less of a uniform?

Yes probably. There’s more freedom to wear what I want, and even if I still love wearing tailoring, it means I can explore more unusual things as well.

Do you see that happening with your friends too?

I think so. Of course it’s no coincidence that a lot of my friends are into clothes, but I think people have more freedom now to explore their own tastes, to develop more of their style. It can be quite liberating.

Cashmere Rugby restock, with navy

Posted on 14/10/202212/10/2022 by Simon Crompton

The Cashmere Rugby - our reintroduction of the classic four-ply quality of Scottish polo - has just been restocked.

A dark navy has been added to last year's flannel grey, covering pretty much all the bases for a slightly classic, slightly better-dressed guy.

The knit was really popular last year, in large part I think because of this combination of luxury and versatility. It's the kind of piece you really can pull on with both sharp flannels and battered jeans and improve both. It runs the full gamut of officewear (today) to a lazy Sunday at home.

In fact the name itself is something of reflection of this breadth. It wasn't deliberate, but where (thick, tight, Scottish) cashmere says luxury, 'rugby' suggests a more easygoing side.

Readers have been telling us that since last year, which is always nice. Noel for example commented on the launch post: “I’ve had my PS rugby for about a week now. It’s very soft and spongy, very cosy…Overall a very nice product that it’s easy to put on and look fairly stylish without standing out.”

I was particularly interested, however, in how Lucas Nicholson, who now works on PS, took to the knit.

Lucas dresses more casually and less conservatively than me. He’s also worked in menswear for a long time, and is pretty shrewd about clothes both in terms of style and quality. He really took to this product out of all the ones he helps with on PS, so I asked for his reflections.

“I’ve owned an incredibly vast array of clothing: if you've coveted it I’ve probably owned it. That's not to show off, just to say I've been around the block a few times. I'm also ruthless with reducing my wardrobe - constantly selling when things don't fit the way I want, or if the dream of acquiring was more fun than the actual owning.

Some pieces have been with me throughout this journey - certain Polo jumpers acquired in Miami that are probably a dozen years old, my first Drake’s shawl-collar cardigan, which cemented the brand in my head as something I'd wear for years to come.

When we launched the Cashmere Rugby last year, I quickly got my hands on it and tested it out. I could immediately feel the density and the way the collar would hold itself. When you work in clothing and are surrounded by beautiful objects, you have to take some advice from Biggie and not get high on your own supply. But I really felt this was something I needed.”

“The only thing that held me back was the colour. The grey is wonderfully flexible but it’s just not something I like myself in. So when Simon and I discussed a navy version my eyes lit up, and ordered a sample in my size.

Unfortunately, as often happens in menswear, the seasons were out of whack. I got it in the summer and after trying it to check the fit, the sweater was rewrapped in its plastic bag and put in the bottom of a draw, not to be seen again until last month.

Let me tell you, time has made the heart grow fonder. As I slipped it on for the first chilly morning this year I can’t stress how great it felt. For me and my style it strikes the perfect chord between smart and casual, bookish and sporty.

I’ve worn it endlessly with a T-shirt under a jacket, over a shirt with jeans. It really is one of those pieces that could take you from a meeting in the office, to dinner out or even a couple of pints after work. It’s flattering and expensive-looking without being ostentatious or showy.

And fear not the ‘delicate’ reputation of cashmere - this stuff can stand up to wear. Proper hardy Scottish cashmere only gets better with age.”

More voices, more perspectives. I like my Rugby with bespoke trousers like the off-white Pommella ones above, but I know Lucas would never wear that. I’ll try and take some decent pictures of how we would, and does, at some point.

The navy Rugby is of course shown here with tailored trousers, but would equally be at home with tan cords, pale jeans and with any type of chino from smart to workwear.

At this point, the most common question I get is, which is the most versatile? Should I start with navy or grey?

Well, I think most guys will know their answer from knitwear they already have, but for the others, I’d say it depends whether you wear more mid-grey flannels or navy chinos and jeans. The grey is going to go with everything except trousers in the same grey, and the navy with everything apart from trousers in the same navy.

There are effective grey-on-grey and navy-on-navy outfits of course, with top and bottom the same colour, but we’re talking about the easiest, day-to-day looks.

One last thing - I’ve deliberately used a couple of short videos here, just to show what the Rugby looks like in motion, or to try and get a little sense of the texture when worn.

I can’t promise to do this every time, as it always takes multiples of effort compared to photography. But if anyone has particular thoughts or feedback on them, do let me know.

I know Instagram is now basically blocking any account that doesn’t do video, video, and more video, but I’d really rather not be told what to do by Facebook if I can help it, and only do things when readers find them genuinely useful. Thanks.

All the details on the Cashmere Rugby, including the quality, origin, and sizing, can be found on the product page here, with more detail in the launch article here.

Made by William Lockie in Scotland
Sold in collaboration with William Crabtree & Sons
100% four-ply cashmere (two ends of 2x28s)
15-gauge
Grey mother-of-pearl buttons
Price £355 plus VAT
Available only on the PS Shop here

Photography and video: James Holborow

My new watch: Why I bought a seventies Speedmaster

Posted on 12/10/202215/08/2023 by Simon Crompton

Back in August, I wrote an article with some reflections on my watch collection, and mentioned that I was thinking of replacing my IWC Portugieser with a steel sports watch. I also asked horologically minded readers what their suggestions might be.

The flood of comments and recommendations took me a little by surprise. There were over 200 comments in 24 hours, and many of them in depth, offering wide-ranging thoughts on watches and value, as well as specific suggestions.

I guess this is what happens when you step from one hyper-geeky area to another.

As I read through them all though, and answered each in turn, the thing that started to surprise me more was that I didn’t like any of the suggestions.

Even though I’d set out some fairly specific criteria, in terms of material, rarity and budget, none of the watches readers were putting forward - from a Cartier Santos to a Tudor Black Bay - really appealed.

Now, sometimes that was just because people hadn’t picked up a detail I mentioned. Given I was replacing the Portugieser, a similarly sized, similarly dressy chronograph was never going to be right.

But the bigger issue was that the thing I value most in watches is design, and design is highly subjective. It involves a lot of preferences and prejudices - some of which are irrational, and many of which are subconscious.

As suggestions started to come in, I quickly realised I don’t like sports watches with big dials and pushers - the kind that you only actually need if you go diving. They look a little silly and pretentious to me - but that rules out quite a few sports watches.

I realised I have a particular dislike of watches that look like they’re cheaper versions of more famous models. I’m at a point in my life where I would rather have nothing at all than something that’s a stand-in. And while I know Tudor has its own rich history, too many of its and other brands’ designs look like they’re trying to be a Submariner.

I also realised I particularly prize the quirky and unusual. There’s plenty of that around in watchmaking, but the models don’t tend to be the ones people suggest initially. But then I hadn’t been specific enough about any of this, mostly because you don’t really analyse your preferences unless you spend a lot of time talking about the subject, or are actively looking to buy.

With this in mind, my next move was to turn to a friend who was not a watch expert, but whose eye I valued from a design point of view. He showed me a few vintage pieces he had his eye on, and we were immediately on a better track.

The watch I ended up going for is pictured here. It is a 1977 Omega Speedmaster, reference ST176.0015, an automatic chronograph with a caliber 1045 movement.

The first thing that drew me to it was that it had such a distinctive design, with enough of the Speedmaster feel but unlike any other model I’d seen. On closer inspection I liked the deep case - which gives it a very different feel to my GMT - and the slightly yellowed seal, which shows its age (it varies between models).

All this was quite instinctive. But given I was going to write about it, I thought I should know a little more. So I spoke to Petros Protopapas, a PS reader and head of brand heritage at Omega, who knows his way around the Omega archive better than anyone.

“The design with its integrated bracelet [meaning the bracelet runs up into the case, forming a continuous line] harks back to the 1969 introduction of the Speedmaster Mark II,” said Petros. “Also to several proposals for NASA’s programme office from within the legendary ‘ALASKA Project’ series of prototypes.

“While they were eventually not chosen for adoption by the American Space Agency, the design itself trickled down to several new and rather professional iterations of known models – hence the Speedmaster Mark II, the Mark III models and the automatic models like the one in your possession.”

This was all quite interesting, as was the background on the caliber, but it wasn’t until we started talking about the design of that period that I hit on what appealed to me.

“The watch is very much a ‘child of its time’,” said Petros. “The deep ‘tonneau’ shape of the case - what Omega called the ‘pilot’s line’ - was distinctive of the early to mid-seventies. And even more so is the thick integrated bracelet and big links.”

He was putting in expert language what had appealed to me instinctively - that this felt like a very seventies watch. In the same way that I love my Reverso for its deco influences, I liked the Speedmaster for its distinct and time-specific design language.

Watches appeal to me as pieces of jewellery rather than engineering, and jewellery is always driven by a combination of individual flair and broader cultural influence.

A nice thing about preferring uncommon designs, often, is price. This watch cost me £2,700 on Chrono24, which is well within the £5k budget I set out in the initial piece.

My experience with the seller was not great, in that one of the pushers for the chronograph was faulty when it arrived. I was able to take it to the Omega branch on Oxford Street, who have a watchmaker on site, and they fixed it immediately with no charge.

But if I ever bought a pre-owned watch again, I think I would always try and do so in person, both for the reliability and to see it physically on the wrist.

I’ve found this process fascinating, and I’m very grateful to PS readers for taking the time to give their advice and suggestions. Even if I took up none of them, I feel I know my own taste a lot better now than I did before, and I’ve reached to a very satisfactory outcome.

As ever, I feel there are parallels here with clothes, in that finding the right person to give you advice - whether it’s a friend, a writer or a shop founder - is invaluable.

In particular, we should value shops (online or not) not just for how keenly they price their cashmere sweaters, or flannel trousers, but what advice and style they inject along the way. It’s all nothing without style.

P.S. yes, the days of the week are in Spanish. One more quirk that I liked - though I realise for some people it might be the oddest choice of the lot!

Thank you to Silas and the team at A Collected Man for their advice with this article. For details of the clothes shown, see article on loafers and jeans here.

Photography: Milad Abedi

Wear loafers with jeans

Posted on 10/10/202210/10/2022 by Simon Crompton

In the hyper-casual world we’re living in, any opportunity to add a little smartness to everyday clothing should be grabbed with both hands. One of the most effective ways to do this, I’m finding, is wearing loafers with jeans.

Jeans are what most men will put on as their default at the weekend, and many during the working week as well. It’s then easy to follow them with the obvious partners: a T-shirt and a pair of trainers.

But a casual loafer, such as the Alden cordovan tassel loafers pictured here, immediately make things both smarter and more interesting.

Of course, it can’t just be any loafer. It has to sit some way down the casual scale, as we discussed at length with regard to trousers here.

Suede or a more casual leather like cordovan are the most obvious materials. And often in a more casual style too: not a slim, thin-welted Cleverley, but a chunkier, round-toed Alden.

My particular favourites are the two pairs from Alden pictured here: a brown cordovan tassel, and a Color 8 cordovan full strap. They’re both on the slightly slimmer Aberdeen last, but the Alden make up is rugged enough, and I still wear my jeans slimmer than some. The regular Barrie last would fit with a wider range of jeans (and chinos).

This look has a few different effects that I like.

One is that it adds personality to what can otherwise be a fairly ordinary look - T-shirt, jeans, trainers - without adding bright colours or fashion-driven sneakers. It’s still subtle.

A second is that it stops an older guy looking too young. There’s something about that tee/jean/trainer default that can be a little infantilising.

And a third is that it stops men looking simply sloppy. Of course there are other ways to avoid this, including wearing neater, cleaner versions of each piece, but substituting a loafer for a trainer is probably the easiest.

To me, there is something of the Ivy spirit in a combination like this.

To many Ivy purists, jeans are anathema; to others, a shirt will always be better than a T-shirt. But the playful combination of smart and casual, using easy, practical pieces, seems in keeping with what I take from the original Ivy mentality.

The jeans can be thrown on, and look better the more they’re worn in. The same with a cordovan loafer - quickly slipped on, and tough enough for the park, the rain and the grass, as long as they’re given a wipe down and a brisk buff afterwards.

Why a loafer rather than a boot, by the way? I think just that a boot is more common, less unexpected, and most of the time more casual than a loafer too.

One brand that does this look well is Horatio (above), which makes (to PS) mid-market loafers in Italy and in the Far East.

The marketing is very effective at showing a guy who mostly wears trainers, how good a pair of shoes can look - whether it’s a penny or a snaffle, with black jeans or blue.

Of course it’s also something someone well-dressed like Ethan (below, far left) has been doing forever. But hey, I was always a late adopter.

At the weekend when I get up and go our - often a little too early, to take a bouncing three-year-old to the park - I instinctively pull on a T-shirt and jeans.

I might wear a Cashmere Rugby over the top, often a vintage piece like an M65 or a jungle jacket as well. But it’s the choice to wear smarter shoes rather than trainers that makes me feel most like I’m wearing something interesting, something personal.

In the pictures here, that T-shirt is a PS Tapered Tee, the loafers are a Trunk collaboration with Alden and the jeans are 80s Levi’s (though let’s the argument about rips for another day - a fight like that deserves its own space).

The blouson is not an especially good illustration of today’s point, as there’s certainly nothing boring about it. But it is perhaps a good illustration of the point made a couple of months ago - that there’s some good vintage shopping to be had in Florence.

It’s a seventies suede popover from Hermès, which I bought at Desii this past summer. Suede is not the easiest thing to buy vintage, but it’s clearly been looked after well - there is a slight darkening here and there on the surface, but otherwise it’s unmarked.

Being a popover, it is quite voluminous in the body, especially the waist (see profile image below).

But as we discussed with casual outfits at Pitti, or is the case with the alpaca cardigan I featured from Anatomica, as long as the body isn’t too long, a roomier fit can be fairly flattering.

The jacket cost €700, which is certainly not cheap. But a new piece from Hermès today costs thousands, and of course the advantage of a vintage one is that you’ll never see anyone else wearing it.

I wish Hermès did more pieces like this - more playful in a colourful, Arnys manner, rather than the H stripes and robot prints they define as playful today. Perhaps there’s room there for someone like New & Lingwood to take up that mantle.

Photography: Milad Abedi

Women and clothes: An interview with Emilie Hawtin

Posted on 07/10/202207/10/2022 by Simon Crompton

It’s not uncommon to hear men complain that they don’t know what to wear anymore, particularly to the office. Or that there aren’t any good mid-market brands, just cheap high-street and high-end luxury. But no matter what our issues, women have it worse.

The expectations, the never-ending trends and the lack of quality makers all make it harder. Friends and female PS readers have always bemoaned this - and one such conversation with a friend who works in fashion, Emilie Hawtin, seemed particularly revealing.

So we talked again, to discuss the issues further, and to reproduce elements for Permanent Style. I hope it makes you grateful.

PS: Thanks for joining us Emilie. Perhaps let’s start with the kind of expectations you feel there are on women in how they dress.

EH: Sure, and thanks for having me Simon. I think part of the problem is women are fed so many mixed messages. You’re expected to be professional, but also feminine; to fit with the trends, but also to have your own sense of style.

Then there are the dress codes, what men might call ‘rules’. Like uniforms for certain occasions, the expectation to wear a dress to a wedding, the length of dress, how bare it can be, not competing with the bride. Then there’s your hair, your make-up. So much more than just a suit and tie.

With the mixed messages, it sounds like there’s a kind of a tug-of-war between them, because some are naturally opposed - like appearing feminine but fitting in with more traditional office attire.

Exactly. Perhaps the worst from your point of view might be newness - the pressure to always have something new to show, for others to admire.

Men are often encouraged to buy fewer clothes and to buy better. It’s OK, even admirable, to have an old pair of shoes that you polish and take care off, that show their age. But all the messaging that women get is to buy new.

So if you don’t, it can make you feel self-conscious and even considered boring - or perhaps rebellious, but that might not be the impression you want.

It’s an expectation that’s hard to get away from, because it’s existed for so long. Men have always dressed in some kind of mutually agreed uniform, whereas women have been portrayed as staying in the home, and then shopping as a kind of hobby. It’s been seen as something we like to do.

I suppose the knock-on effect is that there aren’t many brands offering quality clothing, because they have to change their designs all the time - they can’t offer something season after season.

Absolutely. There are some of course, but even with the growth of menswear in the past 20 years, women’s clothing is 70% or so of the turnover at most businesses, because of that expectation of newness.

There are more consistent brands, like Margaret Howell perhaps, but it’s a name you have to search for, or be told about. And you have to live somewhere that has a lot of stores for those more specialist places to be accessible.

It also means there aren’t the resources to talk about more classic clothing - like Permanent Style - because of the lack of brands to support them.

That point about awareness was interesting. Do you think women’s brands need a certain amount of advertising spend to make make enough people aware of them?

Yes, I think that’s the reason some small quality brands don’t succeed. When the industry standard is magazine advertising, and inclusion in editorials, it’s what women come to expect - even in the age of social media.

Women are also used to being shown how to wear things. They’re more visual. A men’s brand can succeed with just images of the product, and information about how it’s made. Women’s clothing needs more styling, better imagery. I think that’s one reason the women’s offerings from men’s brands often aren’t well known.

Of course, the problem is that all this advertising and styling puts up the costs, and so the prices. It becomes harder to spend more on the product.

When you mentioned the mixed messaging earlier, I presume you meant more than just advertising, which can be ignored to an extent?

Yes - it’s the magazines and their editorial of course, or how people talk about newness on social media. But there’s also social pressure.

Women are more likely to get ready together, more than men. There’s a big element that's about dressing for each other, for your friends.

Does the messaging about what is feminine, or what is professional, also change with fashions?

Yes certainly, that’s one more layer. So feminine at the moment might be about details like puffy sleeves, that more romantic element. But I feel ridiculous if I wear that.

How have you personally come to coped with these pressures?

It’s been a long journey. I think it starts with paying attention to different things, different information. So realising what media you consume and perhaps being more considered. Then it’s about thinking about what makes you feel good. Which clothes make you confident and yourself.

I’ve found, for example, that if I put on a crisp Turnbull & Asser shirt I feel ready for anything. Which also then makes me feel at ease. But that’s not the same in a wrinkled linen shirt, even if it’s cooler to wear.

It requires quite a lot of self-knowledge, which comes with time and experience. But it's fairly quick to stop looking outward, to stop following all those Instagram accounts and focus on how you feel in clothes instead.

It reminds me of the uncertainty men feel with the disappearance of the suit from office wear. There are fewer expectations of course, but it’s also a new experience.

That’s true. Things are more fluid these days, for men and for women. There’s a lot of freedom, which is great, but I think freedom also has a lot of men reverting to the easiest thing they can wear - just because it means they don’t have to think about it.

Everything has to start with what makes you feel most like yourself. That’s what people are talking about when they say ‘oh you could pull that off, but I couldn’t’. Someone else can pull it off because it feels like them.

But isn’t it also the case that you can become comfortable in something over time - that it can ‘become’ you? How do you draw that line?

Yes that’s hard. For example the first time I wore the white linen suit above, I frankly felt pretty overdressed.

I felt great in one sense, in that it fit me really well, and I started to realise how much I like being a little buttoned up - wearing clothes that I can feel on me. But it took me a few tries to work out how I liked it.

For me the best thing was wearing it every day, so it very quickly became a little beaten up, a little softer, and I became used to it. I wore the jacket on its own, the trousers on its own, and it began to feel like me.

It’s interesting that you found you preferred that type of closer fitting clothing as well.

Yes I think that was just as big a part of this journey. I find that I value a true waistband. Even if I’m on the coast I’ll wear a linen trouser, and not one with drawstring - something you button into.

I find that kind of unstructured but fitted clothing gives me a type of confidence, and I feel comfortable in it wherever I am in the world.

I have to say, a lot of this is pretty refreshing, given male readers often seem to worry that they’re overthinking things.

Oh absolutely. That’s just as much the case for women, at least for ones I know. There is so much thinking, trying and rethinking.

I know when I started wearing suits more, particularly to events, I had a lot of anxiety about getting dressed. It would drive me crazy, it would drive my partner crazy: was this me, was this appropriate?

But then if you wear something else, that is less your style, you often don’t feel great in it. You’d be wearing a piece of clothing because you felt it was expected, or on-trend. You’d have spent a good amount of money, but you wouldn’t enjoy what you were wearing.

So many women talk about that - how bored they feel with their wardrobes, even though they have all these clothes.

So many choices, yet so little freedom. Why does this end up being much cheaper clothing as well?

Because if you’re not focusing on what you like to wear, and just consuming what’s around you, you never get a chance to buy better. It’s only when you have a little capsule wardrobe that you can then start upgrading things, or buying things that work with everything else.

I had lots of jobs where I’d feel a pressure to dress for that environment, even if it wasn’t me. Such as being at a big luxury brand and having to wear that kind of clothing. Which would then be inappropriate anyway in the rest of my life.

Whereas a man could wear a suit - in some form - almost anywhere. Or at least some very simple combination of clothes.

Exactly, that’s something men need to hold onto.

Of the many things this discussion makes me feel, one is definitely an appreciation for the suit - even it’s a casual suit, like a linen or a cord.

Oh God, yes hold onto that for all it’s worth. And try encourage more women to start wearing them too.

Thank you Emilie. That feels sufficiently on-message to end on. It’s been a pleasure.

For me too Simon, thank you.

Emilie Hawtin is an editorial director and style commentator, based in New York. The suit she is wearing is a made-to-measure cream linen from J Mueser - the ‘Clementina’. It is also available made to order, and is intended to be a simplified ordering experience for women.

Photography: First outfit, Milad Abedi; second, Chris Fenimore; third, Todd Ritondaro

My Anderson & Sheppard cord suit: How great things age

Posted on 05/10/202205/10/2022 by Simon Crompton

This Anderson & Sheppard jacket is part of a suit I had made over 10 years ago. When I wrote back in January about my ‘favourite clothes ever’, I named it my favourite ever piece of bespoke.

It is therefore a good candidate for our ‘How great things age’ series, and a good advertisement for bespoke’s long-term value.

I brought it into A&S to be altered last year, having gone through some changes due to visiting the gym more (some weights, but mostly yoga and pilates), and cutter Danny Hall did a great job.

He not only let out the side seams, but extended the shoulders, which is not always easy. Fortunately the A&S fit is more accommodating in general to these kind of changes, unlike naturally closer-fitting styles like Solito or Chittleborough & Morgan.

I also had the sleeves lengthened, as getting bigger in the back has the effect of pulling up the sleeves (a particular issue with shirts, given they’re that much harder to lengthen).

I mention the alterations because they demonstrate one way in which bespoke tailoring is great at ageing. I’ve always shouted about the virtues of bespoke in this regard, and a decade later I’m living proof.

But the other reason is to talk about the marks of ageing, which to me make a jacket like this – in a fairly casual material – both more personal (obviously) and more beautiful (perhaps more subjectively).

You can see the mark on the cord created by lengthening the sleeve in the image below. There are more subtle examples on other parts of the jacket, such as around the side seams.

I personally think a cord jacket should be thought of in the same way a pair of jeans, or perhaps better, an old pair of chinos. Marks are good, fraying is good. They add personality.

That’s not the case with finer things. A worsted-wool suit needs to be treated more delicately so the elbows don’t shine prematurely.

And interestingly, signs of wear seem to look better in a tailored jacket than tailored trousers. Balding elbows can add character, less so balding knees.

That might be an argument for buying separates rather than suits in these casual materials. It also leads neatly onto the only mistake I made with this commission, which was to use cord that was a mix of cotton and cashmere.

The material from Scabal is lovely, and I still recommend the bunch; I have my eye on the olive green, 501465. But it’s much better in a jacket than in trousers. As a trouser, the cashmere means it loses shape.

(I’ll be writing a fuller piece on different cord bunches and how they compare in a couple of weeks, so maybe hold off questions on materials until then.)

I wouldn’t say the jacket has proven to be that versatile tbough. I love everything else about it – the material, the colour, the style, the cut – and as a result derive great joy from wearing it. But it doesn’t work with that many trousers and looks.

It’s best with a good tailored cotton trouser in beige, as shown in that ‘favourite clothes ever’ article. It’s also great with grey or green flannels, as pictured, but here there is a risk of it looking a little old-mannish. I find myself wanting to add alternative touches, such as a denim shirt.

The Anderson & Sheppard cut also places the jacket somewhere between Neapolitan and structured English in terms of smartness. As a result it’s harder to wear with jeans – you need to perhaps wear it open, with the collar up, or in some other way mess around with the tailored lines.

Being a double-breasted doesn’t help of course. It adds great style, but detracts from the versatility. That’s why I’ve tried in the past to have single-breasted versions made, at Pirozzi and at William Crabtree.

However, I think it’s important to recognise that there can be a downside to versatility. A jacket that goes with everything might not have as much personality of its own.

It’s not because of its versatility that it’s my favourite bespoke ever – it’s because I love wearing it so much when I do.

Finally, I’ve mentioned this before but I think these images are a particularly nice illustration of why the Anderson & Sheppard DB cut is so nice.

In the image above, look at the line that runs from the fastened waist button, into the rolling lapel, over the top of the draped chest, and finishing in that distinctively tall A&S collar.

I think it’s so elegant. You don’t get that line and roll with any non-drape tailor, and not with any ready-made suit either. Some aspects of the A&S cut I know people dislike, like the slightly messy back of the sleeve, but I find the appeal of that line and drape to be pretty universal.

The suit was cut in June 2012 by John Hitchcock, then head cutter at A&S, in Scabal cotton/cashmere.

It is shown with:

Shirt by Simone Abbarchi in Lighter Everyday Denim
Flannel trousers by Whitcomb & Shaftesbury
Cashmere scarf by Begg & Co/PS
Tassel loafers (Belgravia model) by Edward Green
Cashmere PS watch cap
Canvas tote bag by Ichizawa Hanpu at Trunk (not currently on offer, but apparently coming back)

Photography: Alex Natt @adnatt

Sartoria Giuliva and Giuliva Heritage: Inspiration from Gerardo

Posted on 03/10/202203/10/2022 by Simon Crompton

Gerardo Cavaliere is someone whose style I've admired for a while, but rarely had a chance to talk to for more than a few moments at an event.

While Milad and I were in Rome recently, therefore, I spent some time with Gerardo and his partner Margarita in their studio in the Regola area of the city, learning about the business.

I feel there will be some readers who will also have seen images of Gerardo around online - he's hard to miss, with those striking features and often equally striking tailoring - but won't have known what he does or how to buy it.

Gerardo grew up near the Amalfi coast, and trained as a lawyer. But like many who end up with their own business in this area, he quit to follow his passion for tailoring.

That business is what is known as Sartoria Giuliva today. But it doesn't have that high a profile - apart from those pictures of Gerardo - because it's only accessible by visiting the studio in Rome.

“The whole point of the brand was that it was just things I love,” Gerardo says. “So it makes sense to do it here. It would seem too cold and impersonal somewhere else.”

The tailoring is made to a bespoke level in Naples, but fitted by Gerardo in Rome and usually requires one or two fittings. Milad was measured for a jacket while we were there. A two-piece suit starts at €3500 excluding cloth.

The Sartoria has also been a little eclipsed in recent years by Giuliva Heritage (above), the ready-to-wear line of initially only womenswear that Margarita and Gerardo started after they met six years ago.

Giuliva Heritage is a big brand, certainly for a young company. It's carried by Selfridge’s, Harrod’s and Matches; Eva Herzigova models; there was a collaboration with H&M. Ten people now work in and out of the Rome studio - one reason they’re about to move down the street.

After three years of Giuliva Heritage, menswear was added, meaning some of Gerardo's designs can now be accessed there. The make isn’t the same as the bespoke tailoring, but the materials often are.

This is significant for me, because while it’s always hard to buy suits and jackets off the peg, it is the design elements at Giuliva that I find most interesting.

Milad was planning to visit Gerardo anyway - before we scheduled our trip for PS - because he’d wanted to have something made with him for a while. And this makes sense: Giuliva is more Milad’s taste than mine.

Milad likes bolder colours and bigger patterns. He’s more likely to wear something that stands out, and take real pleasure in it. He had been particularly enamoured with Giuliva’s pink shawl-collar jacket - above - which despite my occasional foray into pink and purple jackets, is not something I’d wear.

The same goes for tailoring like the Prince-of-Wales check suit I’m trying on below - in that case less for the material and more for the dramatic lapels. Even on the white jacket pictured lower down, I’m conservative enough to prefer more traditional shawl lapels with a low belly.

But as I never tire of saying, if you’re interested in clothes then you’re interested in more than what you wear. Plus I know from meeting them that there are readers who revel in unusual tailoring.

Most importantly, inspiration should be pursued everywhere - maybe not in a lapel, but in a colour; or in the combination of colours; or in the way the cuts are combined. Otherwise all we do is make carbon copies of each other and circulate them, around and around.

For style to be inspiring, what it needs is creativity. And Gerardo certainly has that. Even in such a narrow aesthetic as tailoring, he always looks fantastic and always looks different.

On the day we met, he was wearing a bright blue polo under a white-linen jacket, for example. Now it helps if you live in a sunny country, but still it made me consider bolder polos under white linen.

He was also wearing red socks between his tan worsted trousers and tan suede shoes. I don’t wear bright socks generally, but it made me think about strong colours as a way to separate similar shoes and trousers. And he is often more subtle in this combinations too - a cream silk shirt with that white linen jacket, for example, with a a pair of pale-green linen trousers (see various images at the bottom of this post).

Creativity stimulates. It makes you not just want to copy, but to be more creative yourself. It opens doors in your mind. Or at least it does for me

The same went for some of the things Milad and I tried on in the Giuliva studio.

I loved the shape of the lapels on the big suede coat above, even if I wouldn't have them quite as big. The baby-blue colour of the trench on the right, below, was gorgeous, although the trench on the left in a super-heavy linen had woven leather details that weren’t for me.

It was actually Gerardo’s collection of vintage fabrics that I gravitated to most - perhaps because they were often more subtle, and could be made up in more conservative cuts.

I ended up ordering a shirt in a beautiful 80s cotton, a cream with fine multicoloured stripes. It’s a material you would never buy online, and I can understand why it might not have sold the first time around. But it made perfect sense in person, with Gerardo’s advice and eye.

In any store it’s easy to get caught up in the aesthetic around you, buying something that really looks best in the shop - in their world. Gerardo’s studio is so beautifully appointed that it could certainly have that effect on you.

But I’m fairly confident the shirt will be nice, and the style was pretty simple - a standard point collar, just a touch bigger than I would have normally.

Let’s wait and see. That too requires a trip back to Rome, so it might take a while.

For anyone else that thinks they could find inspiration in Gerardo and Giuliva, I recommend trying to see the products in person, particularly for the fabrics. Doubtless the number of stockists where this is possible will carry on growing, given the direction the brand is going.

giulivaheritage.com

@sartoriagiuliva

Photography above, Milad Abedi. Images below, from recent lookbooks and social

Niwaki Japanese tools and knives: Levels of quality

Posted on 30/09/202230/09/2022 by Simon Crompton

You might be forgiven for wondering why a luxury Japanese gardening shop opened last year on Chiltern Street - I mean, who buys axes and ladders in Marylebone on a casual Saturday afternoon?

The explanation lies in the history of that store, Niwaki, and I think in some aspects of modern retail.

Niwaki started as the hobby of Jake Hobson (below), a sculptor turned gardener who fell in love with Japanese techniques, and then found on his return to England that few people appreciated them or the tools required.

He began importing things like secateurs and three-legged ladders, and selling to gardeners. “It wasn’t easy at the beginning,” Jake says. “No one had websites, and people would still ask for documents over fax.”

This wasn’t that long ago either - the company has been going 15 years. But Japan was (perhaps oddly) a very late adopter to the internet.

Over time, Niwaki grew to the point where Jake could do it full time. There was then a slow evolution from being a reseller to a brand.

It's become a fairly familiar story in the past 10 or 15 years, which I think is testament to how much easier the internet and social media have made it for businesses to find a customer niche. (Something I should keep in mind every time I’m bemoaning their downsides.)

Jake’s wife (who’s Japanese) then joined the team and Niwaki continued to grow, becoming a regular at specialist events like the Chelsea Flower Show. “This is the vast majority of our business today - online selling to gardeners makes up about 75%, and most of the rest is wholesale,” says Jake.

In other words, very little is people randomly browsing Marylebone on a casual Saturday afternoon. So why open a store at all?

“It’s nice to have a focus point,” says Jake. “We have lots of people come through who don’t know us, but at least half are existing customers that just want to visit in person.

“We have quite a few Americans who come in, for example. There was a couple last week from LA who were long-time customers, and made sure they came in while they were in London. It’s a destination.”

This, I feel, is the direction many brands are going. You don’t need multiple stores to run an international business today, and it’s a lot cheaper to just have one, and then perhaps do trunk shows like Anglo-Italian or Saman Amel, or events and trade shows like Niwaki.

This might seem like a niche point, but it's interesting how many people have asked me - in the year since Niwaki opened - what such a seemingly specialist shop is doing there. There’s still an assumption that a physical store must be funding itself through physical custom, rather than just being part of the business - the tip of the iceberg.

“There are lots of little benefits to having a store in London too,” says Jake. “It’s effectively our buying office, which is easier to do there than down in Dorset. And you get a different kind of customer interaction - often longer, often deeper.

"Someone is much more likely to suggest a tool they would like to have but we don’t sell.”

Having gone through all of this, I do think Niwaki is worth visiting, even if you're not a gardener let alone an existing customer.

First, it's not all axes and ladders: they also sell Japanese stationery, a little clothing, and a wide range of kitchen knives.

I got some advice on looking after an object that is very precious to me - the knife I bought from Japanese maker Sasuke (below) when I visited his forge in Japan (reported here on PS).

And I like the fact that Niwaki always has a range of prices - from everyday items to the really special.

“We try to offer three different tiers of products like knives,” says Jake. “So you have a starter one for £39, which is equivalent to the normal German chef’s knife. Then something around £100-200 where you get all the refinements of Japanese knifemaking. And finally the top end around £300 or £400.

“The difference between that second and third level will be little things like the fact it’s made by one person, or the Damascus decoration.”

The refinements of Japanese knifemaking, by the way, are things like using a carbon-steel edge, sandwiched between two other layers of steel. The carbon-steel retains its sharpness for longer, but is more delicate (too delicate to make a whole knife out of).

I can testify to both the effectiveness of this type of knife and the care it requires, having used several over the years. The edge can even chip if you’re rough, but as the Niwaki website says, the key is to think of it more like a fine wine glass than an everyday, every-job tool.

I also have a pair of Niwaki secateurs that I use in our garden, and am reasonably good at looking after. Like the knives, they come in levels of quality, but I noticed a huge difference (and satisfaction) in the mid-level Higurashi (£59).

The approach extends to stationery too. Niwaki sell Cray-Pas crayons for £8.50 (“every Japanese person will remember these from their school days”) as well as Tombo artist’s pencils, £179 for a set of 90.

Jake says Niwaki does get a fairly regular stream of browsers, simply interested in anything that is interesting and well made - even if they don’t necessarily buy an axe.

“There’s also a very particular customer who comes in just before Christmas, looking for a present for his wife. They want something different, but special, and that’s often a niche we can fill.”

Jake's biggest problem today is supply. Most of the makers Niwaki works with are small and family run, and if the father or son are ill production just stops. They also have little interest in growth.

“It was particularly hard during Covid,” he says. “There was a boom in hobby gardening - with everyone stuck at home - but a lot of workshops shut down.” Fortunately things are now back on track. Though if you do want a present for a gardener in your life, I guess it would be a good idea to not wait until just before Christmas.

www.niwaki.com

Introducing: The navy Donegal Coat

Posted on 28/09/202228/09/2022 by Simon Crompton

The cut and contours of this, the PS Donegal Coat, will be familiar to most readers. So I’ll focus on the colour to begin with.

This is our navy iteration, and it is primarily a large, 3x3 herringbone weave that alternates between navy and black. The combination gives the coat the true dark navy colour prized by fans of classic menswear.

But I wouldn’t want it to be just that. Partly because that’s not what a donegal coat is - we’re using authentic donegal yarn, and there have to be flecks a plenty - but also because I didn’t want this to be just a conservative, formal business-type coat.

The thing that pleased me most about last year’s iteration, the large mid-grey herringbone, was that it wasn’t quite what people were expecting. The pattern was larger than a traditional overcoat, and this gave it a contemporary feel.

It surprised some readers, but in the end became the most successful collaboration we’ve ever done. That classic pattern, in a slightly larger size, made it wearable with everything from suits to sweats.

This year’s navy is in the same vein.

It’s dark, but the number of brown, cream and grey flecks in it make the coat much less conservative, and (to me) more interesting.

It’s still classic enough to wear with a charcoal suit, white shirt and black shoes (above). But I think it also looks very stylish - clean and modern - with just a navy knit (below).

In fact, there are three slightly different office outfits here, in perhaps a futile attempt to reflect many levels of formality: flannel suit and shirt; navy knit and shirt; navy knit alone. All worn with black loafers and the occasional navy watch cap.

And then thre’s an outfit with jeans and a sweatshirt (below) to show how the same colours could be used in something that is more casual still.

That’s a grey sweat from The Real McCoy’s, over a PS T-shirt, with Rubato jeans and Alden boots. The coat looks just as good with a light-wash jean, but the dark denim continues the theme.

Oh and there’s also a shot lower down of the coat with a pink oxford shirt, just to remind us of a different colour navy looks great with. Although no one here needs instructions on what looks good with navy.

Milad Abedi and I shot this around Somerset House and another few places in London, on a cold and overcast day - and I was struck by how many compliments the coat got.

It might have been that no one had expected the suddenly cold weather, and were envious of any coat at all. But I think it was at least partly how interesting the pattern is.

Walking in and out of the Somerset House cafe, on different occasions, a man and a woman both said ‘nice coat’ as they passed. Anyone who lives in London will know how rare that is, and I can’t help feeling there’s something about this iteration that draws people in.

It’s not anonymous, like a plain navy; but it doesn’t declare itself loudly either. Milad said it reminded him of the images the James Webb space telescope started sending back earlier this year, and I know what he means. The depth of space, with all the constellations scattered across it.

Anyway, that’s 500 words on why I really like this coat, and chose it for this year’s iteration. It is available now on the Permanent Style shop.

For those that haven’t been following this collaboration for the past few years, here are some of the details.

The PS Donegal Coat was born out of a need for a versatile coat that could be worn with jeans for a walk, or tailoring to the office. Something that could be thrown on, almost without thought, and yet be rigorously designed such that it always flattered the wearer.

To that end, it is a little longer than most (but can be shortened if required) to add a touch of flair, and that’s balanced by a slightly higher collar that effectively frames the face. The collar stays up when put up, due to curved insert on the neck. The standard throat latch is reshaped to sit more elegantly when not in use.

It has both two internal breast pockets, and a large hip pocket in which to keep a hat, book or anything else bulky. The outer hip pockets are lined with cashmere (always my favourite touch).

It has a distinctive yet subtle lining in antique gold; and the buttons are two-hole buffalo horn - a style more commonly seen on Savile Row, and reflecting my love of bespoke.

Just as important as the style, though - in fact probably more so - is the Donegal yarn.

Donegal tweed is so pleasing and unique in its texture. There’s slubbiness in there, an authentic and natural feel, plus great colour variation when you look closely, but compared to other traditional cloths it never feels old-fashioned - unlike a big windowpane check.

The tweed is spun exclusively for us by Donegal Yarns in Ireland, the last remaining mill that makes the yarn - before being woven in Lancashire and manufactured by Private White VC in Manchester.

You can read all about Donegal Yarns in our factory visit - to the Willy Wonka of wool - here.

Alterations

To start with on alterations, I should also say that the coat can be lengthened as well as shortened, and I’ve done that on a couple of my coats, which I prefer. But then I’m above average height (6 foot) and have a predisposition towards longer coats.

The coat deliberately has more inlay than most RTW coats, increasing the possibilities for alteration.
Length can easily be shortened - up to 10cm without interrupting much of the balance. It can also be lengthened slightly, by up to 5cm.
The sleeves can be lengthened by around 4cm if required.
And they can be shortened. Shortening by 1.5cm would be easy - more than that would require the wrist strap to be moved.
The sleeve width can be increased from bicep to cuff up to 2.5cm.
The body - chest, waist, and hem width - can be increased by up to 4cm in circumference.

Ordering:

The coats are available at William Crabtree in London for the next couple of weeks, to try on if you would like to. Purchases are then made online.
The coat costs £825 plus VAT. (The price has gone up slightly, only to reflect increased costs.)
At the moment it is exclusively available through Permanent Style, on the webshop here.
There are sizes from XS (chest 46, Private White size 2) up to XXL.
Have a close look at the measurements below if you're unsure of sizing, and if in doubt compare them to a coat you already own.
The fit is pretty standard, however, so taking your normal size is usually safe.
I am six-foot tall and usually wear a size 50-chest jacket. I am wearing a Medium (4).
As with all PS products, there are free returns should you want to change sizes. Ships from the UK.

Measurements:

	X-Small/2	Small/3	Medium/4	Large/5	X-Large/6	XX-Large/7
Chest	50.5cm	53	56.5	60	63.5	67
Waist	52	54.5	58	61.5	65	68.5
Bottom hem	58.5	61	64.5	68	71.5	75
Length	108.4	109	110	111	112	113
Sleeve	81	82	83	84	85	86
Cuff (width)	13.8	14.1	14.5	14.9	15.3	15.7

Our next talk in London: Ethan Newton, October 25th

Posted on 27/09/202227/09/2022 by Simon Crompton

Our last evening talk with Tony Sylvester was so fun that we have a second one lined up - with Ethan Newton on Tuesday, October 25th.

The Bryceland's founder is only in London for a few weeks, but we've found a date and will be in the same space as last time - the top floor of Mortimer House, the club in Fitzrovia, five minutes from Oxford Circus.

Please come along if you'd like to meet Ethan, see some Bryceland’s products, and join in the chat. We'll be covering topics such as how individuals' styles evolve, and the meaning of authenticity today.

As before, please RSVP to [email protected]. We had a great audience last time of around 40, which really contributed to the enjoyment of the evening.

The event will start at 6:00pm, with the talk beginning at 7pm. We will be up in the Gallery at Mortimer House, where there is also a small bar. I’ll send details on how to find us upon RSVP.

Thank you everyone, and see some of you soon.

Simon

Trousers and what they go with: A sliding scale of formality

Posted on 26/09/202205/11/2024 by Simon Crompton

When we published our second capsule guide to trousers recently, there was a discussion in the comments as to their smartness – and a request for an article setting it out.

Now, trousers vary in more than just their material, so this will always be a simplification. But trousers are relatively simple compared to shoes or jackets, so I think there is something sensible to say.

Just keep in mind that these brief guides are a starting point – a way to understand the factors (more texture is more casual, muted colours are smarter) rather than a set of rules.

So with that always in mind, here is a sliding scale of formality of trousers, with notes on what else – as a result – they might go with. Apologies to those that will find it basic, but I know now that some readers will find it useful.

We’ll go from the smartest to the most casual.

Wool gabardine, mohair, superfine worsteds

A normal business suit is made from worsted wool – fine wool that has been processed to be smoother and sleeker. That’s why it’s different from a hairy tweed jacket.

Some worsteds are especially fine, or particularly processed, to be sleeker still. These, such as wool gabardine, are usually seen as smarter than regular worsted; and while mohair has a different, crisper handle, it has a similar sharpness.

Shoes: These worsteds are most suited to shoes such as oxfords, that are also sleeker given they don’t have the extra leather layers of a derby. Usually calf rather than suede; usually darker colours.

Upper half: Most usually worn with a smart jacket such as a blazer, or a particularly fine knit.

Regular worsteds

As above, but more like a standard business suit. And usually not the preferred choice for trousers on their own anyway. A navy pair worn with a white shirt won’t look wrong, but it will probably look like there’s a matching jacket somewhere.

If you want separate trousers for a work environment, best to go for something like flannel, or even cavalry twill, that doesn’t look like it’s part of a suit.

Shoes and upper half: If you do wear suit trousers in this manner, then same as above

Textured twills and high twists

The group I’ve called ‘textured twills’ includes cavalry twill, covert and whipcord. They all have much the same sharpness as the worsteds above, but aren’t as fine and usually have a little more texture. They’re also usually in less formal colours, such as greens, beiges and browns. But they don’t have to be.

I’d put high-twist wool in the same bucket. It’s a summer material, but also has the sharpness of a normal suiting with a little more texture by natural of its twisted yarn and open weave.

There is, by the way, more comprehensive information on all these fabrics in the PS Guide to Cloth.

Shoes: These sub-sections get easier and more predictable as we descend the smartness scale. A textured twill such as whipcord is more likely to suit a brogue, a derby or a boot, and a brown shoe rather than black. But as always there is more than one variable, so a charcoal whipcord could be great with a black boot, for example, because it’s a smarter colour.

Upper half: We’re getting into the realm of more textured jackets, such as fluffier cashmere and tweed. Knits can be fine, but smarter shetlands, for example, also work.

Flannel

The old favourite. A woollen rather than a worsted, so without that fineness, and with a napped finish that gives it a little fuzziness.

Flannel is great at bridging casual and formal; perhaps the best. And annoyingly there’s little in the summer that does it as well.

Shoes: A classic grey flannel works with black leather shoes and a white shirt, but also with a brown suede boot and a crewneck.

Upper half: As above, good with a navy blazer or a tweed jacket, a fine V-neck or a shetland. If you imagine all these categories as overlapping sections of a scale, rather than single points, then flannel is a wider section than most.

Linen

Linen is tricky because its formality varies quite a lot depending on its weight. A heavier, starchier Irish linen is arguably very elegant and could sit above flannel on this scale. But a lighter, Italian one could be made with a drawstring and be fine on the beach.

I think it’s important to remember this versatility and see it as a strength rather than a complication. You could wear nothing else all summer and cross several types of smartness.

Shoes: Rarely an oxford, but most other things, particularly loafers given it’s a summer material. And at the casual end everything like espadrilles and sandals.

Upper half: As above. Tailored jackets to T-shirts.

Tailored cottons, moleskin and cords

This section could be divided up further: many tailored cottons look smarter than any corduroy. The latter is more casual by virtue of its texture, as is moleskin.

But the important point here is that cotton is nearly always less smart than wool; and that this is a separate category to chinos or khakis, which come next.

Shoes: Not oxfords, but derbys and loafers, no blacks, and suede as well as leather.

Upper half: Not a T-shirt, and not a smart blazer or fine knit, but everything else in between.

Chinos

A chino will usually be made from a less fine cotton than the types above; it will only have a simple waistband; it’s more likely to have raised seams and other details.

You know what a chino is. But these are the reasons it is in a different category to the cottons above, and they are why it looks different too – eg it doesn’t really drape, it just sits there, more like a denim.

Shoes: Slightly more casual than the tailored cottons, and therefore suited to slightly more casual shoes. For example, perhaps not a fairly smart brown-calf derby. But then at the bottom end, anything you want, including trainers/sneakers.

Upper half: There is an American style that involves wearing jackets with chinos and it can look good, but it’s quite specific (roomier jacket etc). Most of the time chinos aren’t the best with a jacket, and should be kept to more casual partners, such as a suede blouson or overshirt.

Jeans

You don’t need to be told that jeans are at the bottom of this list, or probably that a dark, indigo, unfaded jean is smarter than a light, blue, faded one full of holes. But they’re here for the sake of completeness.

It might also be worth saying that white jeans are in some ways the smartest of all denim. And as a long as it isn’t dark and raining, they’re quite versatile.

Shoes: Same as chinos although, oddly, I think some leather shoes work better with jeans than chinos. Eg a tan derby.

Upper half: Same as chinos although, equally, I find tweed jackets better with jeans most of the time.

Images:

Homepage image: Paolo Martorano
Article images, top to bottom:
- Osaku trousers workshop
- Cream gabardine trousers
- Chalkstripes on Patrick
- Grey Crispaire trousers
- Panico flannels
- Cream linen from Whitcomb
- Heavy brown corduroy
- Chinos at Clutch Cafe
- Full Count jeans
- White Drake’s jeans

The point of this article was to answer reader questions, so please tell me if I have. And if I haven’t, tell me how – I’ll add answers in the comments, or supplement the above. The whole of PS is basically an extended Q&A anyway.

Seiji McCarthy bespoke shoes: East Meets East

Posted on 23/09/202223/09/2022 by Simon Crompton

Seiji McCarthy is someone I've wanted to cover on PS ever since we hung out in Tokyo some six years ago. But with no prospect of travelling to Japan soon, I turned to local writer and friend Christopher Berry to visit Seiji and report - on Seiji's American style and MTO process in particular.

By Christopher Berry

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Seiji McCarthy, one of Tokyo’s most interesting new bespoke shoemakers. I say new, but actually he’s been in Japan for five years, assiduously honing his craft and building a brand. He just tends to keep rather a low profile.

Seiji first lived here in his twenties, both to master the language and to re-connect with his roots (he is half Japanese, on his mother’s side). Back in the US, he pursued a career with the NBA (that’s the National Basketball Association), which took him all over America and Asia. But then he returned a few years ago to pursue shoemaking.

Somehow, Seiji has managed to make a name for himself in a country renowned for its master shoemakers. Some might have called the move foolhardy, given the country already seems to be bursting with names. But I think this is to misunderstand the local culture. Whether it be in shoes, suits or watches, whenever a new player enters the arena, everyone pays due attention - and often the bar ends up being raised for everyone.

When Seiji started he shared part of the upper floor of World Footwear Gallery, in the Harajuku district of Tokyo. But today he is in a new atelier - a discreet ivy-clad building around the corner, a stone’s throw away from Bryceland’s - and frankly it is a joy to see him thriving in his own space.

After settling into the jazz café-themed workshop, Seiji explains to me his new made-to-order service. This is quicker and less expensive, and presents a high level of value to those who want bespoke quality, but have fairly regular feet.

The fitting process is inherently an additive one. First, clients are guided into their best-fitting trial shoe. Then, corrections to the pre-made form are made as necessary. For each altered location on the last, an additional charge of ¥5,000 (£30) is added.

This process can also be done remotely, but is only recommended for people that can fit into a standard sized last of a commonly known brand. For example, one could tell Seiji they were a 9.5 in, say, Alden and select a style and leather. The shoe would then be made in one shot with zero fittings, according to the customer’s appropriate size based on those discussions.

There is one final option, where a trial shoe is sent as part of this remote MTO service, for an extra ¥70,000. For those who are travel-restricted, these options all work well, to good customer satisfaction. However, Seiji always advocates in-person fittings when possible.

Bespoke is inevitably where things get more interesting.

While Seiji’s shoes are as far from a factory product as possible, he places a heavy emphasis on factory-like levels of consistency: “I like to take as much guesswork out as possible. If I have a gauge that shows me how your foot looks, I can imagine it in 3D so much better."

While European shoemakers typically favour simple tape measurements and foot tracings, many in Japan and Asia use more involved fitting processes, replete with plastic shoes, pressure sensors and even plaster moulds. These devices can provide a 1:1 anatomical reference in the absence of the customer’s foot, but in Seiji’s view don’t always guarantee better results.

In his experience, topographical cross sections of the foot using a gauge are extremely useful for achieving a good fit, on top of tracings and measures. Although as in many areas of craft, ultimately the proper decision about which tools to use is up to the artisan, and which they find delivers the best results to their customers.

It’s also useful to note that ‘well-fitting’ shoes are considered differently here in Japan than abroad.

For example, people take off their shoes with more frequency, and no one wants to garner even the slightest negative attention from peers or superiors by spending too much time lacing or unlacing their footwear at professional functions. Consequently, Japanese people typically wear shoes about a half size too large, and sometimes more.

Here, people prefer to jump in and out of their shoes in a flash, so that the gears of society may continue to turn uninterrupted.

Seiji and I agreed these societal and workplace norms are also the reason why men in Asia tend towards a more elongated shoe. Convincing customers to break with this visual bias has not always been easy. But, with much of the world becoming less formal the tides seem to be finally turning, and Seiji is enjoying the opportunity to cultivate and educate customers during this cultural shift.

There is also a parallel with Seiji’s own journey, from idolizing super-slim London shoes to the more American-oriented styles he prefers today.

“When I started as a bespoke maker I wanted to make the George Cleverly Churchill-style chiseled toe. But the style I’ve developed since living here is a lot less chiseled and a lot more round,” he says.

“Today the most popular shoes we sell are still brogues and dress shoes, because Japanese guys typically wear more dress shoes. But whereas in the past I’d sell a brogue with a super chiseled toe, now we do things much more rounded. Now I’ll push people into grain leathers or suede, or I’ll suggest people try cordovan, which instantly gives that bulky, waxy feel.”

It’s interesting to hear this, as cordovan is notoriously one of the more difficult leathers to work with. With shell, especially on the heel and toe areas, Seiji likens getting a clean pull over the last to “hog wrestling.”

And even suede skins are harder, because they have to be kept spotless throughout the (physically demanding) making process. “The materials I recommend the most are some of the toughest to work with as a maker, but I don’t mind. I enjoy the challenge. I love the feel and look of those materials for myself and for my customers,” he says.

While many will associate cordovan with ready-made shoes, you could argue its sought-after properties are actually better suited to bespoke in some ways.

On a bespoke last the material adapts more readily to the foot and gives in all the right places from the first step. Ready-made cordovan by contrast can be harder to break in, and the pain lingers in our memory (and sometimes feet) for years.

The author personally wears a size EEE in Alden and can attest to this phenomenon. A lot of it also has to do with age. As we get older, our feet spread out or can become misshapen by years of ill-fitting shoes, causing further injury.

Seiji’s range includes both English and American styles, but it’s the creation of an elevated, more refined version of the latter that arguably sets him apart from other makers. This casual elegance really seems to put the shoes into a more versatile category of bespoke, approachable by a wider variety of customers.

It’s a style heritage he and I have in common, having both spend time at school in Philadelphia. “Wide leg chinos and button-down shirts - if you’re from the East Coast, we get born in these things, you know? Penny loafers, khakis, rugby shirts and jackets.”

Practicality is also at the centre of the appeal, for him: “I’m probably at the age now [46] where I don’t want to even ride the subway anymore. I mean I will, but there’s a focus on quality of life stuff. I really prefer walking or commuting by bike.

“I like shoes, but I don’t want to have my toenails split. I want a pair that is comfortable and that I can keep for 20 years. You don’t really expect 20-year-olds to show up in bespoke shoes. But I’m at an age now where it makes more sense.”

There’s little surprise that his East Coast beginnings greatly inform the type of clothes Seiji pairs with his shoes. With that in mind, it will also come as little surprise to readers that his workshop is so close to Bryceland’s, the menswear store run by Ethan Newton.

“Ethan really influenced my style to the point that if I hadn’t met him, I think I might still be making British-style shoes. He got me into vintage. I think of him almost like a Rick Rubin. He supports artisans in a way that is ridiculous,” says Seiji.

“The style I’ve developed since living here in Japan is a lot closer to my heritage and a lot more based on daily life. In the end you get back to who you are.”

Seiji is planning international trunk shows in the future. Stay tuned to this space and Seiji’s Instagram for updates.

Prices in JPY as of September 8 2022:

MTO:

Price: ¥200,000 (£1225, plus ¥5,000 per last adjustment)
Lead Time: 3-4 months
Fittings: 1

Bespoke:

Price: ¥400,000 (£2450)
Lead Time: 1 Year
Fittings: As necessary

The olive PS Trench is back

Posted on 21/09/202223/09/2022 by Simon Crompton

Three weeks ago, I received my new olive PS Trench Coat. I did have one years ago, but it was a size 3 and I’m definitely more of a 4. I also prefer the belt system on the new model.

Wearing that coat over the past couple of weeks has reminded precisely me how versatile it is.

I wore it with a grey suit and white shirt to town, with a brown jacket and beige trousers, with a knit and flannels, and with a sweatshirt and jeans.

The little test period also showed how well it can bridge the seasons. Even when it was pushing 20 degrees (68 Fahrenheit) it was fine on a rainy day, without the liner.

Coats that show this kind of versatility make me particularly happy - I think because I know from talking to readers so consistently that this is something they prize in such an expensive item, and value especially in a coat.

In this latest shoot of the Trench, I added one more look to the ones we shot years ago, to demonstrate that full range.

So alongside the suit, the jacket and the jeans, there’s now a simple cream knit (from Rubato) and charcoal flannels (above).

I think it’s a lovely outfit on its own - simple and elegant - but it looks especially nice under the trench. On the feet are suitably water-resistant boots.

The combination could be a navy knit with cream trousers, a grey knit with brown, even green trousers seem to work ok, I guess because the olive colour has so much brown in it.

Of course, all of that would mean nothing if the cut of the coat wasn’t great. But I think all classic-menswear enthusiasts will appreciate that collar shape, the size of the lapels, and the overall length.

It is dramatic but extremely practical style, like most of the best menswear; certainly outerwear. Form follows function.

The silhouette is of course emphasised by cinching the waist of the Trench, which is easier now we have the simpler, pull-through-and-tuck belt at the front. (For details on that, see the launch article for the navy version here. Most sizes in that are still available too.)

At the same time, I’ve found I equally like wearing the trench buttoned up just at the neck and chest, leaving the rest open (above).

The advantage of this buttoning is that you have easy access to layers underneath, and it still protects against the vast majority of rain. It’s a little like a cape in that respect.

More significantly, it’s a different style - a different look. And perhaps one that’s a little less traditional.

It might seem a little geeky talking about buttoning orientations, but with something like a raincoat I find I put it on quickly and want to fasten it without much thought. It’s nice to have one or two defaults, and not need to play around with it.

Everything else about the PS Trench has been said before, in the launch article here and subsequent relaunches here and here.

If you would like more detailed information, you can find it there. But the essentials are that it is a waterproof coat made in cotton Ventile, with taped seams.

Its design combines the best (in my view) of a traditional despatch rider's coat (like the angled chest pocket) and a traditional trench coat, which contributes the button orientation, the back yoke and the length.

It comes with a removable grey-flannel liner which makes it wearable most of the year.

Various small updates have been made since the original in 2017, including a more secure liner, studs to fasten the throat latch, and a removal of the D-rings on the belt, which seemed a little antiquated (no function to drive form there).

The cotton Ventile is entirely waterproof once the seams are taped, and it doesn’t have the nasty rustle of synthetic waterproofs. Ventile also ages really nicely - softening and fading slowly at the seams, like other cottons.

The length is crucial. Trench coats have been cut shorter and shorter in recent years, which not only denies them the swish and swagger of a long coat, but is highly impractical. In the rain, water simply streams off the bottom and onto your knees.

Throughout the design process, the guiding philosophy was not to skimp on detail. Details, after all, are what a good trench coat is all about.

So it has:

Big hip pockets, with wool/cashmere lining in the front
That angled despatch chest pocket
A great throat latch on the collar (giving protection right up around the chin)
In-set sleeves on the front of the coat, to give a cleaner appearance, but raglan sleeves on the back, to aid movement
Gun flaps on the shoulders at the front, and a saddle piece across the back
Dark-brown horn buttons, fastening that double-breasted front all the way up
All put together in the Private White VC factory in Manchester, England

Sizing and delivery

The sizing measurements are set out below. Note that in these images I am wearing a medium (4) whereas in previous shots of the olive I wore a small (3).

I think this demonstrates how much most people can wear two sizes with this kind of coat - given its raglan fit and ability to cinch the waist as much as you want.

It's really a case of how close you want the coat to be, and what you will wear under it most of the time. I liked the small, but it was tight over a suit. The medium is better, and never looks big (as you can see with the thin Rubato knit here) because of that belt at the waist.

Measurements in cm	XS/2	S/3	M/4	L/5	XL/6	XXL/7
Chest	104	109	116	123	130	137
Shoulder to shoulder	42.5	44	45.5	47	49	50.5
Centre back length	118.5	119	120	121	122	123
Sleeve length	67.5	68	69	70	71	72
Waist circumference	100	105	112	119	126	133

Alterations

I know that I'm above average height, and that therefore the coat might be a little too long for some people. This is easy to alter, as the coat is unlined (and the removable lining considerably shorter than the full coat).

At least 10cm can be taken off the length of the coat without causing any issues. Private White VC offer a great service for this, or it can be done by a local alterations tailor.

The sleeves can also be shortened, but only by about 1.5cm. More than this and the end of the sleeve gets too close to the cuff flap and will look odd. But 1.5cm will make a noticeable difference.

They can also be shortened by more than 5cm if you want to remove the flap, but I doubt many people will need that.

The sleeves can be lengthened slightly too, by around 1.5cm, though there is a small chance of a mark where the fold was. Adjustments to the body are not really possible unless you are willing to give up the taped seams.

The coat is available in olive now, in size XS to XXL, on the PS Shop here.

There are also three navy coats left from last year in most sizes.

Photography above, Milad Abedi; below, Jamie Ferguson.

Note: Images below are of the first version of the coat, which has been updated in small ways. Most obviously, the belting system is different at the front, and there are no longer D-rings on the back.

PS outerwear available to try on in London – at William Crabtree & Sons

Posted on 20/09/202220/09/2022 by Simon Crompton

PS outerwear available to try on in London – at William Crabtree & Sons

Tuesday, September 20^th 2022Tags:

24 Comments

PS is planning to have a pop-up shop in London this autumn, but it won’t be until the beginning of November.

So, in the interim, our friends at William Crabtree & Sons have kindly offered to host some of the new outerwear - focusing on this because it is the biggest investment for everyone, and because it’s the thing we get most sizing questions about.

The PS Trench Coat launches tomorrow, for example, in the original olive. So from tomorrow, the shop will have this coat on display - in olive and navy - to try on.

You won’t be able to buy on site, as the guys don’t have space to carry stock alongside all their other lovely clothes. Orders need to be placed online, for delivery the next day. But it will hopefully avoid ordering the wrong size and having to order two sizes to compare.

Then next week, when the new navy Donegal Coat launches, the guys will have that available too.

And finally, when the new version of the reversible suede blouson launches soon after, that will also be there.

The plan is to continue this for a month, with the pop-up shop happening soon after.

While there is space at the beginning, we will also send some Bridge Coats, as that is a tricky one to size. But that will only be for the first week or so, and no other products will be available at any time.

Hopefully this will make things a little easier, given the pop-up is some distance away and, by then, some of these coats may be sold out, at least in some sizes.

The service will run from September 21 to October 21, at William Crabtree & Sons, 15 New Quebec Street, London. The lovely staff will be fully briefed on the products.

Video: Tony Sylvester, style and subcultures

Posted on 19/09/202213/02/2023 by Simon Crompton

Can subcultures ever exist in this century the way they did in the last? Why are logos better on some clothes than others? Why do French men dress like happy Englishmen?

When I introduced this talk with Tony Sylvester I promised a wide ranging menswear discussion, and the audience wasn’t disappointed.

Luckily we were able to film the whole thing, so it’s here for all those that want answers to those questions - or just want to hear why Tony can’t look at images of himself from more than about three years ago.

The evening at Mortimer House was incredibly enjoyable - thank you to all the readers that came along, and to Mortimer for hosting us. I’m sure there will be more talks like this one, so keep your eyes peeled.

The products on display are from Tony’s still fairly young brand, AWMS. You can read his articles on Permanent Style over the past here, including ones on the relevance of 80s Armani today, and how artists dress, here.

Mortimer House is the members club I’ve used as my office and refuge for the past five years. More details on that here.

In the film I am wearing my bespoke jacket from Whitcomb & Shaftesbury in PS Plaid cashmere, which has just had a small restock - it's on the Joshua Ellis website now, although won't be shipping until the end of September.

I like this combination even better than the one it was first shown with - with black cords and loafers, rather than grey flannels. It becomes something with more of an evening feel, even with a denim shirt.

Film by Itch Media.

A-W-M-S.com

Tommy & Giulio Caraceni: Modernising the Roman tailor

Posted on 16/09/202216/09/2022 by Simon Crompton

Tommy e Giulio Caraceni is one of the great tailors in Italy, but it’s fair to say they’re in a process of transition.

The shop is run by Andrea Caraceni, grandson of Tommy. His father retired last year, and now when in the shop you’re greeted by contrasting generations: the young Andrea and a few younger tailors, and the older generation represented by master cutter Carlo Tonini (top image), who stands at the central cutting board instructing those around him.

Caraceni also moved recently - only a little way geographically, but perhaps further philosophically.

They’re now on the ground floor - which is unusual for tailors on the continent - and at the corner of a block. The windows are large, the door open; Caraceni of Rome now feels like somewhere you might just wander into.

This was a conscious decision from Andrea, who also arranged the store in this spirit of openness. The tailors upstairs are in one large space, rather than the little interconnecting rooms you usually find. And where most tailors have the cutting tables hidden away, here they're on the ground floor, making it impossible to be unaware of the craft going on.

“This is the key problem with bespoke today,” says Andrea (below). “If people understood the work involved, they would also understand the value of it, why it is expensive and why it takes so long.”

Some brief background is probably useful here.

There are three significant bespoke tailors today with the name Caraceni. The founder was Domenico Caraceni, who set up in Rome in 1926. As he became successful and expanded, his brother Augusto set up a branch in Paris, and the youngest brother Galliano set up in Naples.

Both closed after the Second World War, and the family subsequently split apart after the death of Domenico. Augusto started his own business in Milan, becoming the biggest and best-known Caraceni today: A Caraceni, covered previously here.

And Galliano started his own business in Rome, with his sons Tommaso (Tommy) and Giuiio. This is the smaller operation we’re covering today.

Finally there is my tailor, Ferdinando Caraceni. This is the smallest of the lot, and was set up by Domenico’s head cutter. It is run today by Ferdinando’s daughter, Nicoletta, in Milan.

I was wearing a jacket made by Ferdinando Caraceni when I visited Andrea in Rome, and he was interested to see it.

Apparently he knows Carlo and Massimiliano Andreacchio, who run A Caraceni today (the husband and son of Augusto’s granddaughter, Rita) but doesn’t know Nicoletta or her work.

Andrea’s conclusion was that my jacket was similar in some ways to what T&G Caraceni offer, which is a little more traditional than A Caraceni.

“I think over the years they have adapted a little more to fashions, perhaps in length of jacket or width of lapel,” he says. “Whereas we have stayed more with that original cut from the 1930s and 1940s.

(That's me trying on a T&G Caraceni jacket below.)

The differences are pretty small, particularly given any client can specify a particular length or lapel width. All the Caraceni clan seemed to do a similar conservative cut, with a strong padded shoulder line but lightweight body.

In fact, the biggest difference to me between what Andrea and his colleagues were wearing and my jacket, seemed to be that the shoulders had a little less padding, the line a little more natural.

And there was minimal roping on the sleevehead - as you can see in the image of Andrea, Carlo and myself below.

Despite Andrea's modernisations, to be at Caraceni in Rome is to be surrounded by history.

Their most famous client - at least among menswear enthusiasts - looks down from a couple of photos on the wall: Gianni Agnelli. The fitting rooms, meanwhile, are bedecked with such photos, from Hollywood names to local celebrities like Mario D’Urso and Valentino.

"My father always had these in the fitting rooms - I guess showing you were in good company," says Andrea. "But I moved some of them out into the front of the shop, so other visitors see the heritage."

The tradition of candid photos in the fitting rooms started with Domenico Caraceni, and you see it on the walls at A Caraceni as well. Seeing them again here, it reminded me how you can date the ones from the 1970s and 1980s because the prints from that period all have time and date stamps on them.

Another aspect of this history is the archive of cloth Tommy and Giulio built up. “When we moved, this was the hardest thing,” says Andrea. “There was so much of it, all in varying degrees of both condition and of taste!”

The team sorted through it all, got rid of what wasn’t usable and brought the best examples into the front of the shop.

As is often the case with vintage cloth, the lengths on display are significant for their robustness. The flannels are tightly woven, heavy but not necessarily thick - just dense, which gives them a wonderful hand.

The jacketings, by contrast, are more open and spongey, but still hairy. The thing they all have in common is the feeling that they’re built to last.

(Unfortunately the cloths are only available to Caraceni customers. Which is understandable really - it’s something they’ve built up and is a nice selling point.)

Like the other branches of Caraceni, Andrea doesn’t do trunk shows. They all emphasise the importance of both them and the cutter seeing a customer in person.

The most Andrea will do is travel to see one particularly good customer: he will be in London soon, for example, to see a longtime customer who has ordered 20 pieces of tailoring. (“I really hope they don’t need any changes!”)

However, any readers in Rome or that visit the city have a tailor worth visiting that is both storied and forward-looking.

“This evening I will go to see my friend Valentino at his show on the Spanish Steps,” says Andrea. “I think every tailor should be aware of these things - it is my generation’s job to take tailoring forward, to make everyone understand its craft and its style.”

Bespoke suits start at €4500 including VAT. TommyeGiulioCaraceni.com

Photography: Milad Abedi

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