It may still be cold outside (in the UK), but it’s late April and time for a write-up of the Spring/Summer pieces I’ve liked from our favourite brands.
If you have any questions about other releases from these brands (or indeed brands not featured) let me know - chances are I’ve tried them, even if they didn’t quite make the list. Sometimes it’s just because they’re more standard, or not something new to me.
Here’s hoping the weather turns soon.
Thom Sweeney crepe-cotton T-shirt
£295
As I noted in an article a couple of years ago, the Thom Sweeney casual collection often has some real gems in the summer: knitted polos and T-shirts, often made with tailoring in mind, always in classic colours.
This summer the stand-out piece for me is the crepe-cotton T-shirt. The fabric is a little crispy and has nice body, it looks smart untucked but can tuck in as well. Slightly higher collar, slightly longer ribs, slightly longer sleeve too that can be worn as is or folded back for a kind of sportier look. Comes up large so you’ll probably want to size down (I’m a Small).
$105
On the subject of knitted T-shirts, The Anthology have just released their knitted tee in white. They did an 'ecru' version with the original launch, but it was always a little too creamy, and certainly wore more like a pale beige in terms of what else it looked good with. The new white is better.
Their latest collection more generally - for the fifth anniversary - has quite a lot of casual shirts, long but with square hems. The thick plackets and big, square chest pockets are pretty casual, and the collars are generous too. I'm not sure about the stripes, but the raspberry pink looks interesting. Those are being released next month. Also keen to try out the made-to-order shirt service later this year.
£60
Perhaps a little unexpected for PS, but there’s case to be made for Patagonia Baggies being a menswear icon. Lightweight, versatile and sustainable, they’re incredibly popular, largely because they’re easy to wear and cover activities from swimming to walking to yoga. A useful piece for holiday.
Made from recycled nylon, this isn’t a luxury short but few luxury ones could cover all that. There’s a five-inch and seven-inch inseam option; I prefer the five.
£299
I’m surprised I haven’t included this piece from Toys McCoy before, as I’ve had it for three years and it’s such a personal favourite. The sweat is great quality, but the thing that sets it apart is that faded blue, which verges on purple. It’s such an unusual shade in menswear but very wearable, perhaps because it’s close enough to shades of denim.
The three-quarters sleeve, equally, is unusual but I find sporty and flattering. It looks much more like a beaten-up sweat than the feminine associations I can imagine readers worrying about. It even convinced me to cut down an old sweat that had too-short sleeves. (But it does come in long-sleeve too if you prefer.)
£350
A reader asked recently about the fit of a ready-made shirt I was wearing. I still wear MTM shirts most of the time but the fabrics are so limited, particularly with more casual styles, that I often wear RTW for less formal shirts. I’d been looking for a really dark navy summer shirt material, for example, and not found anything I liked, until I found this inky cotton/linen popover at Connolly.
If I was having it made, I’d have that chest pocket a little smaller, and if it wasn’t a casual summer popover I’d have the body tapered. But otherwise it’s great, with a good collar height on me and the right sleeve length. There are also two shades of pink - one very subtle, one very bright - alongside this navy.
£210
I’m always surprised how few checked, or even just brightly patterned shirts I like. Browsing a long rail of vintage checked shirts in the Real McCoy’s archive recently, there wasn’t a single one I liked; they always seem too strong, too stark.
This madras-style summer shirt from Post O’Alls is an exception - pretty much the only check I like among the current Clutch shirts as well. It’s probably because of the number of soft colours, plus the iKat-style stripes that soften it further.
As above with the Connolly shirt this is a casual piece, not necessarily something I’d wear with tailoring, and I would perhaps have the body tapered if it proved too boxy.
L.E.J silk 1-pocket officer’s shirt
£375
There’s a bit of a theme of ready-made shirts in this season’s Top 10. We read about L.E.J in Wednesday’s article, where Manish and André showed how they like to wear Luke’s sometimes slightly unusual designs. This is just my endorsement for one of those pieces, the 1-pocket officer’s shirt in cream silk, having bought one myself.
The collar is lightly made but has enough support to sit well under a collar, and the silk is beautiful. I like the origin story for the chest pocket’s button, which is a different colour to the rest in reference to officer’s shirts that were often mismatched because of a shortage of supplies. But I’d probably prefer one the same colour and might change it.
Perhaps the theme here is that for a RTW shirt to be anything like MTM, you’ll inevitably have to change something - but there's nothing wrong with that.
£780
I’ve been looking for a summer sweater with a little rolled neckline like this for a while. Done right, it can be more flattering than a crewneck and add a little touch to something quite plain, but most are too high or wide for me; this one from Purple Label is perfect.
It’s also the perfect shade of cream and has a lovely hand (a good example of using synthetic to give body to a pretty open cotton knit), but is predictably expensive. One for a treat one day, or try to get in the sale.
£135
The rayon scarves that Ethan and Kenji wear always seemed a little too quirky for me, but I recently tried a new black version with a subtle diamond pattern and found it much easier. It’s nice under a jacket, perhaps over a crewneck or T-shirt when you want something against the collar, and as a small, slightly dandyish touch in an evening outfit.
The rayon will wrinkle if you tie it, but I rarely do that and it’s not too hard to press if you do. The UK website says it’s sold out of them, but actually there are some in the London store. And the non-UK site (shipping from Hong Kong to everywhere else in the world, linked to above) also has some.
€590
This is last on the list because it’s not Spring/Summer, but I only got one recently and it’s the first longer cowichan-type knit I’ve really liked. I’ve also been wearing it a lot as outerwear, whenever it’s been cold.
It’s a very traditional piece. Coarse, thick wool, chunky brass zip; very warm but only a luxury piece in the fact it’s hand-knitted. The length covers the bum, but there’s a two-way zip that I always use to leave it fastened just around the waist and perhaps the chest.
It’s also a great example of how good Beige is at curating its range. There’s a very wearable cream, pictured, some more traditional styles for those that like that, and a very funky butterfly version that sold out quickly.
Hi Simon, I was wondering if the cotton sweater would get a good use in the British summer? Also, would you suggest a slightly smarter colour such as navy or grey if I were to match it with linen or high twist tailored trousers?
Many thanks,
Jack
The Ralph one? Yes I think it would do in the UK, definitely.
Personally I don’t think it’s one to wear with high-twist trousers, more linen and things more casual, all the way down the scale to shorts and jeans.
Navy would be great too, but I wouldn’t necessarily go for grey in that material.
Oh right.
How about Rubato’s new cotton sweaters if you have tried them? Or the one from A&S you are wearing in this article (https://www.permanentstyle.com/2021/08/playing-around-with-white-bucks.html)? I assume they look certainly smarter but am not sure whether they would be wearable for the summer.
Yes, they’re both smarter and I’d wear both in the summer (at least in the UK)
Great, thank you. I was wondering if you have seen Rubato’s cotton knit in nero colour in person? If so, would you say it is basically black?
I haven’t I’m afraid Jack
Hi Simon, are the Patagonia shorts proper swim shorts? If not, do you have a recommendation for a good quality swimshort? Thanks
It kind of depends what you mean. They’re fine for splashing around in a pool or on the beach – don’t soak, dry quickly, internal mesh layer. But you wouldn’t want to be doing lengths in them.
Can you wear them with boxers? The internal mesh is confusing to me if they’re not meant as swim shorts.
No, you’d wear them without. It can be nice wearing just a mesh if you’re relaxing on a hot, at home or around a villa on holiday etc
Have you tried the Ripa Ripa swim shorts? They seem appealing to the PS audience as far as style goes. I ordered some to try on.
No I haven’t. To be honest there has been a swim-short brand launch almost every year in the past few years so it’s hard to keep track!
What did you like about these?
I liked their retro 1960s style and their presentation. I have not received them yet. They are made in a shirt factory near naples (so they claim). The company must have been around for some years, also available through the Rake some years ago as far as I remember. (I don’t buy there any more.)
Thanks. Let me know what you think when you get and have used them
I kept this one from the two I ordered: https://riparipa.com/collections/swim-all/products/notte-fonda
l like the cut and the fabric and the details like the rope drawstring. Compared to the Patagonias (5 inch) the cut is shorter and more slim, but not overly so. I chose a Large compared to my Medium Patagonias. The fabric is matte and dry. The company’s goal is apparently to make it feel more like cotton despite being synthetic, on which I think they are doing a nice job.
Thanks
I’ve really struggled to find a good Madras. Its always the yellow- just to much or the shade too bright.The muted colours seem perfect in this shirt.
John Simons has a couple of genuine Madras options that could suit you. Each one is available in long sleeves, short sleeves or as a popover with short sleeves. They are made in London and are priced at a reasonable £120. An alternative is a Drake’s popover at £225. Ralph Lauren has several Madras shirts this summer but, as usual, the quality and fit are inconsistent.
The John Simons madras shirts are great in many ways Gary, but a good example of the kind of colours I talk about here that are too strong for me. It’s a very different look
Not all of the John Simons Madras shirts have bright or strong colours, hence my comment that a couple could suit Peter. The Chico and Peraza would be my suggrestions – https://johnsimons.co.uk/shop/?collection%5B%5D=indian-madras.
Btw, the Post Overalls Madras shirt is only available in extra large from Clutch Cafe. The XL measures a generous 53.5 inches across the chest. It might be worth adding a comment on that in the article.
Thanks Gary, but those are the kinds of patterns and colours I meant. It’s often less about what the actual colour is, but how strong, how saturated. The Post Overalls is softer, and the PS madras, as an example, is softer still.
The Post Overalls shirt was available in all sizes except small this morning. A few must have sold already.
The PS “madras” linen is from Thomas Mason, presumably made in Europe rather than India. Like John Simons, I prefer genuine Madras cotton which tends to be made in brighter colours because that’s what the locals want and wear.
A couple of years ago, I bought a few genuine Indian Madras shirts by Gant (very cheap in the sales) for my holiday home. The quality and fit was remarkably good for the price, much better than Ralph Lauren. Unfortunately, it seems that Gant has dropped them and now uses checked cloth made in China instead.
Thanks Gary. Yes, that cloth was not intended to be an original madras, for exactly the reason that I always found them too strong. Lovely to have something with heritage, but only if the style works for you.
Gary,
Thanks, I quite like the darker hued shirts,but the yellow/green ones are a little bright for me.I wonder if they would lighten after a few washes.
The Gant Madras occasionally pop up on Vinted but collectors know what they are!
I was not aware that Gant madras shirts are collectable. Mine were half-price or even less from Fenwick’s, John Lewis and independent retailers. Some are brightly coloured, others are more muted.
My wife likes Gant shirts because they wash well, dry quickly and iron easily so they are ideal for holidays. She finds the Ivy collar rolls of Drake’s and John Simons’ (in my home wardrobe) difficult to get right so I iron them myself.
It’s the ones made from traditional fabric.
I do like Gant shirts,especially the Portuguese made pinponts.The collar rolls are very nice.
Have you had a look at Gitman Vintage?
I do look at them quite regularly, though they aren’t stocked many places in the UK, much more in the US
What I particularly like about John Simons madras shirts is how they bleed and become more subdued over time. Off topic a bit I know.
Yes, they are the real deal and I wash mine separately. It’s an important issue and care is not off topic at all.
Re: Steve McQueen sweatshirt, The Real McCoy’s still stock a 10oz in 130 Purple (colour) which when faded would achieve similar effect!
The images on the site make the sweat look darker than it is.
Thanks CJ, certainly on the site it does look rather darker – and the McQueen one fades from this colour too, mine already has.
Simon, given your many previous posts where you talk down mixed fabrics featuring synthetics in anything other than performance/sports wear, I am very surpised that you list this RL garment which is 30% nylon.
Hi Alistair,
Did you see what I said in the article?
What I usually say as regards synthetics is that you want them when they’re there for a specific functional use – rather than to save money, or to hide issues with poor quality materials elsewhere in the blend.
A good example of that is socks, where even the best quality sock that is trying to be hard-wearing at all will have some synthetic. And cotton knits are another example – a pure cotton knit is a lovely thing, but it’s often heavy and can lose shape easily. I have them too, but if you want a cotton that performs more like a wool in terms of body and retaining its shape, using some synthetic is useful. Particularly if the knit isn’t especially heavy, or you want to use a more open weave. It’s very different to a wool that had a synthetic in the blend, as there would be no obvious use for it.
Of course, the hard thing is to tell why the synthetic is there, but when you’re dealing with clothing from a brand that makes to a very high level, like most of the ones we cover, you can be fairly sure it’s there for function.
I hope that makes sense. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Cheers
Simon
Thanks Simon. Yes, I got that, but 30% sounds like a very high proportion. I can remember in the past you have been dismissive of cotton corduroy which is not 100% cotton which might contain 3% elastine, so I was a tad confused.
It’s because they’re not really the same Alistair – different types of material (knitted and woven) as well as categories of clothing. It is a a high proportion, but you need something fairly large to make a difference in an open cotton knit like this. 3% wouldn’t make any difference
I think this is where the intelligent customer is so important . When you start on your quality journey,it’s an easy pitfall thinking every fabric has to be natural, whereas the performance part of a garment often needs a little synthetic stretch. I’ve lost count of the number of cotton sweatshirts where neck or cuffs have lost shape.
Obviously synthetics replacing natural fabrics for cost reasons is never ideal, but ,I think you lose a little bit of tstyle (shape) if you discount clothing which has not been designed to perform correctly.
Hi Simon, is there any upper or lower limit you would say to the percent of synthetics in an item, especially when you correctly note the garments are of good to high quality?
It depends heavily on the type of garment David. As noted, a couple of per cent of elastane makes a big difference in trousers, but if you were looking for a waterproof garment it may even be 100%.
Generally though, if you’re essentially adding synthetic to a natural fibre, you rarely want to be above 30%, and it’s usually lower.
Wouldn’t 30% synthetic potentially impact the way garment ages over time, generally speaking? I guess its a matter of compromises for the look you want.
Husbands latest releases include trousers in “polywool”, 50% wool 50% polyester. Thats a composition I’d expect from H&M tailoring. Knowing the brand and observing the price point I’d rule out cost saving so it must be for the look. What do you think Simon?
https://husbands-paris.com/en/boutique/straight-natural-waisted-trousers-in-polywool-black/
Yes it would change it a bit, though it depends on how you want it to age. A cotton knit will fade a little, bag out a little, soften a little, over time. You might not want those things, and it the fading wouldn’t happen so much with cream. Unlike, for example, cotton chinos where a lot of the elegance of them is the way they will fade and fray slightly over time.
On the Husbands ones I’d say it’s likely there to give a sharp line and a particular drape that they guys want – something flowy and light, but still sharp. But as with the cotton knits too, that obviously involves a little compromise.
Simon,
Has yours retained the unique purplish hue after fading? I’ve already got a faded navy sweatshirt from Buzz Rickson, and I’m considering the McQueen sweatshirt, which sounds appealing because of the unique color.
Yes, if anything I think it’s nicer with a little fading – still that purple colour but with some fading around edges etc
While interesting, the Thom Sweeney t-shirt and the Ralph Lauren summer rollneck are awefully overpriced, compared e.g. with the fabulous PS t-shirts or something from Pini Parma that looks exactely like the Ralph Lauren summer rollneck for a fifth or sixth of the price.
The rest does not really appeal to me, but again tastes are subjective.
My favourites would be more like:
Luca Avitabile overshirts
Rubato shirts
Rogue Territory Ecru Silveridge jeans
PS shorts (I do not have them yet, but they look great)
Pini Parma Safari Jackets
Hey Markus, thanks for the contribution.
On the Sweeney tee, as noted above it’s not really comparable with the PS T-shirt, being knitted, but obviously still pricey. With Pini Parma, I assume you realise you’re not really comparing like with like – their stuff is great value for what it is, but when you’re dropping that far in price, it’s nowhere near the same product. It’s always interesting seeing this from the inside now, having developed products.
You look at the price of some of those things, and know that just the price of the best raw materials are more. It would be a closer comparison looking at someone like Anderson & Sheppard, who are also selling the top quality, but without the same investment in design or marketing. You might not want the latter, but the biggest sell for RL is the former, which so many traditional makers lack.
On the rest of the pieces, these are of course all new, so ones there that haven’t just been released wouldn’t be eligible. PS products are also always ineligible.
Cheers
A cotton t-shirt for 300GBP seems like a joke. That’s the price of a good bespoke shirt!
I should have perhaps made clear, Fernando, that this is a knitted piece and of course as we regularly discuss, should be thought of as a short-sleeve piece of knitwear rather than a regular T-shirt. 300 pounds is still a lot of course, but that’s a large part of the reason for the cost.
Hi Simon. Just a quick point/question about Madras. I completely understand that many shirt options start with brighter colored patterns. But good quality Madras is famous for the way it softens and fades with use and washing (“It bleeds!”) to acheive that great washed-out and worn effect. Given your obvious love for breaking in denim, is there a reason you’d be less inclined to break-in a Madras shirt? Thanks!
Hey John,
Of course, and no I certainly wouldn’t have a problem with that, the madras linen also faded in a deliberate way that I loved. Most madras shirts that I’ve seen that fade still don’t get to that level of softening in terms of the colours that I liked, but I’m aware that preference is personal (as are most of the points/recommendations).
It’s actually an interesting comparison with denim, as I can’t recall seeing many places that show examples of how their madras fades over time – but many that sell raw denim do have examples. And of course faded denim is more ubiquitous as well. It would be good to see examples like that in shops – it might encourage people that otherwise are put off by strong colours, don’t you think?
That’s a great idea. And I think a “New-10 Wash-25 Wash” type of fabric comparison would be even more useful for Madras than it would be for raw denim, since washing a shirt is more standardized and the results would be more uniform across all the fabric. With raw denim the results can vary so much from person to person (depending on amount of wear, how it’s washed, etc.). As for why companies don’t do that for Madras, maybe it’s simply the fact that good quality Madras is simply less common. For example, when a maker gets their hands on a deadstock bolt of old genuine bleeding Madras, the shirts can sell out in days. So there might be the assumption that if a customer is buying at that level, they already know why the fabric is special. One of those “if you know, you know” situations. Cheers!
Yes, good point on the washing, and I reckon there would be variation as to how different madras fades as well – from one deliberately trying to be very authentic, to ones that fade quite naturally, to one that is actually made to not fade at all (as that’s what most regular consumers expect)
Is it possible to find an authentic fading Madras nowadays? I know it’s the holy grail of the Ivy set,but would a modern fabric ever fade in the same way? Is it technically possible to achieve ?
It’s not hard to make cloths, cotton or linen, that fade as they’re washed. The linen we did was actually very bright to start with, but washed before selling, to take away more than half of the saturation – and then carried on fading at home. Original madras would have been raw cloth and not washed in that way.
But I don’t know the details of the way madras faded and bled, and how easy that is to replicate. I know 100 Hands work with some Indian weavers that say they’re making madras in the authentic manner, all hand woven, and outfits like Original Madras Trading Company do the same. But I’ve never looked into it in depth. Be interesting to hear from anyone that has.
When I opened PS this morning,I didn’t think I would be buying a Madras beach mat bucket hat.
https://www.omtcnyc.com/collections/summer-madras/products/n-73-beach-mat-bucket-hat
You,sir,are a bad influence.
I’m sure most people here already know the story behind “bleeding Madras” (Brooks Brothers, a desperate fabric supplier and a feature in Seventeen Magazine circa the late 1950s). My understanding is that traditional Madras dyeing methods had to change due to the environmental toxicity of the dyes originally used. So they were replaced with either modern vegetable dyes that didn’t bleed and fade in quite the same way or chemical dyes that were colorfast for convenience. There are other important qualities to the fabric as well (“authentic” means it was hand-woven in Chennai/Madras from 100% cotton). Again, the demand for Madras from the 1960s to the 80s meant there was a shift to mass production of the fabric on industrial looms, which had a a negative impact on the cottage industry in India still making it the traditional way. Bolts of old deadstock Madras do sometimes turn up, but they sell out almost instantly. I think the last time I saw one project with old bleeding Madras was almost 5 years ago. However, as Simon says below, there are some boutique brands today sourcing handwoven Madras from makers in Chennai and trying to get as close to the original bleeding effect as possible.
Thanks John. So it sounds like the weaving is still going on, but it’s not actually possible to replicate the original dyes? Or not legally anyway.
I think it’s mostly that. However, the original Madras fabric also usually came raw/unwashed. So it would also shrink like crazy, being a loose weave cotton. Maybe the closest comparison would be something like unsanforized selvedge denim from the 1950s. The irony of the whole “bleeding” characteristic that many believe is a hallmark of authentic Madras is it was a marketing strategy to recover from a mistake. The care instructions for original Madras were actually very detailed about how to first soak the garment to fix the dyes to prevent fading and keep the colors bright (and manage shrinkage). Having said that, I’m lucky enough to own a couple of vintage Madras shirts (Gant) and the bleeding/fading is unique compared to my more contemporary ones made with modern vegetable dyes: the colors are lightened and desaturated as you’d expect. But on the older shirts, the boundaries between the colors in the pattern are also blurred and softened. It’s almost like the plaid has gone out of focus, if that makes sense. I’m honestly not sure if that is a result of the traditional dyes themselves “bleeding” or if it’s from age and washing. I just know there is subtle but interesting difference.
Thanks John. That certainly makes sense given it’s not hard to replicate fading today, but you don’t see merging or bleeding of colours together
I think a comparison of available Madras would be interesting,Simon.
An investigation for Inspector Manish, our very own Pink Panther.
Ah man, he’s going to love that reference…
Go to Chennai and visit the markets where you will find Madras checks that will bleed
Hi Simon,
On the topic of spring/summer shirts, I’m having a couple of linen ones made, and I can’t seem to decide on whether to get side back pleats or a box pleat. I very much enjoy the box pleat I have on my Oxford shirts, but I don’t know if I feel the same about linen. I also think side pleats are slightly more unusual, and as a result slightly cooler. Any advice? Thanks!
Hey Marc,
I don’t think it’s a big design point either way, it might even go into the category of the kind of thing only someone into menswear would notice! Certainly when it comes to the side pleats, which I feel are pretty common and certainly subtle. And compared to things like the collar or chest pockets. Though of course, deciding these things is half the fun of having shirts made as well.
A box pleat is more associated with oxford shirts, but it would be fine on the linen too. I’d say go with side pleats if you instinctively prefer them.
Thank you so much for the quick input, Simon! I do have the rather annoying tendency to overthink even the smallest of things, so I’ll just go with my first instinct and get side pleats hahaha (mainly because I really like the RTW Emma Willis linens that have them!)
Always a great reason, if you have them on something else and want to repeat.
Hi Marc, glad I’m not the only one with a tendency to overthink clothing purchases – strangely not the case with other things.
I got two of 10 (baggies, anthology) and was planning the lej shirt before this came out, so I’m happy to be on the right track!
Hi Simon
Thanks for this interesting article. I have some of these and similar. I particularly like the cowichan although the plain darker colours from the Real McCoy’s version better suits my needs.
Incidentally I too was distracted by the button on the LEJ shirt, having re-read the article on Wednesday they are not something I’d go for. I’m not sure about the name of the “come up to the studio “ shirt on the website. For me Drakes do a very good (IMO) range of work shirt’s. . Thanks for the heads up on the rayon scarf.
Good to see it’s not all new either.
Thanks Stephen, yes a dark cowichan would certainly be easier most of the time. The Drake’s work shirts are good, but not at the quality level of McCoys or LEJ I’d say.
Thanks Simon. I agree wholeheartedly on the Real McCoys. I’m sure LEJ is good quality. just not a design that I would wear. Thanks again
Hi, interesting discussion on cotton knitwear. I noticed Rubato just released new ones, that seem very nice, and heavy – have you tried those, and do you think they are likely to lose their shape?
I have two of them, and they’re great. They grow a little bit, but nowhere near as much as ones I have from other makers because they are so heavy. That’s the easiest alternative to synthetic if you want a cotton knit to perform better
Hi Simon, here is probably not the right place but I saw the advert for Sanpetuna.
Every company website I’ve gone to from the adverts as been 100 per cent legitimate, can you vouch for Sanpetuna? And thanks for the above reply to me
I can’t vouch for them, having not used them yet, but they certainly look good and I’ve no reason to doubt them
Thanks, just found their contact details which helps. Also looking through the archives it’s been about 10 since you did anything much on UK glove makers.
Thanks, yes good point
Hello, Simon!
My question is a bit off-topic with the article but… Is the so-called “old money” style the same as what you call the “casual chic” style? And would you consider writing an article about it?
No, old money is rather different and more specific – have you read this article on the subject by Bruce? The looks are pretty similar, old money is just a bit more general
Any idea about the washing instructions for the Thom Sweeney T shirt Simon? I can’t see it on the website. Thanks.
No, sorry W, I haven’t bought one yet and am not in the shop for a few days – might be best to ask them
Hand wash (or dry cleaning), says the label. I assume hand wash then, as I can’t imagine anyone dry cleaning T shirts all the time.
Thanks – I took a chance and bought one anyway as they were running out in my size. I can live with it but not impressed at lack of info on web.
Beautiful piece though.
A praise for having included shorts from Patagonia. A brand with a very good quality/price ratio with a long established attitude to sustainability (well before the issue became popular).
I do not agree on the fact that for a high quality tshirts and sweatshirts you have to pay three digit figure.
Thank you Petronio.
On tees and sweats, it depends what you want. If you want something very well made, you do have to pay that, synthetics like these shorts are very different. More on sweat quality here if you’re interested.
The Patagonia shorts are great, provided you can bear the company’s self-righteous marketing spin…
They’re one of the few companies that actually follow it up with action Michael, and have been doing it for longer than pretty much everyone else as well
Look at the waist and rise on those white trousers in the first pic. Exactly where they should be.
Is it me or are the Patagonia baggies pictured – navy 5 inch – impossible to find? The link takes you to a green pair and searching online turns up navy in 6.5/7 inch or every other colour in 5inch. Quite frustrating!
Hi Simon, just a quick question. Would you prefer to wear under PS overshirt Thom Sweeney’s men’s white crepe tee or it’s knitted cotton raglan tee? Please also explain why you choose one over the other. Regards H
Either would be good – it wouldn’t make a big difference with the overshirt. I preferred to crepe tee because of the neckline, which is a little higher. On the raglan tee I found it a little low
Hi Simon,
which color do you prefer for Baggies?
I think navy or black, something very easy
Hi simon have you tried the casatlantic shirts?
https://www.casatlantic.com/products/agafay
I think this looks great with a moderate sized collar but the shirt composition is strange for what i think is a high summer shirt with wool in the mix. How would this wear you think?
I haven’t, sorry Shem. I wouldn’t worry too much about the wool, it can be nice to give some performance and body to cotton. But hard to say much about the make or fit remotely
Hey simon after wearing loafers and canvas sneakers for summer for many years i have been thinking of trying different styles of sandals and how they can posibly go with a casual stylr on weekends during high summer (knit tee/polo/long sleeve linen camp shirt up top and gurkha khaki shorts down below). Im wondering what are your thoughts on leather sliders by shoe brands (https://myrqvist.com/en-row/products/solvik-black-suede) or even paraboot sandals like these (https://www.cettire.com/sg/products/paraboot-pacific-buckled-sandals-95112339)?
Personally I prefer espadrilles to both, but if I were to wear one it would be a closed-toe sandal on a slimmer last than the paraboot
Hi Simon,
Have you seen the Anthology waffle jersey Cuban collar shirts? From a distance, it might seem like a nice shirt for resort/beach wear, possibly thrown over a t-shirt, but the waffle jersey gives me pause.
I haven’t BC, but I know what you mean. That kind of waffle weave can be great, but it would cling a bit more, not drape so much – a bit like the button-through short-sleeve knits
Can shorts such as these be ideal for wearing in summer on weekends at home or should it be reserved only for certain sports activities?
They’re pretty casual – some would wear them at home, but I wouldn’t myself
What do you generally wear while sleeping? Is it pyajamas?
Just underwear in summer, underwear and T-shirt (usually our undershirt) in winter
Do you think these shorts look good at home?
It’s hard to tell much from the picture Ayush, and what do you mean at home? Just round the house, like pyjamas?
Yes, like pyjamas.
It’s hard to tell Ayush, but if they were pyjamas I’d probably use something softer, like a light cotton