What does a green shirt (and a brown stripe) go with?

What does a green shirt (and a brown stripe) go with?

Wednesday, November 13th 2024
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I really love playing with new colours in clothing. It’s like a fun little exercise in how much you know about what goes with what - how far you’ve come in your menswear journey. 

Yet at the same time, I also find it consistently throws up surprises. You try the combinations that you think will work first, and then somewhere along the line an entirely new one suggests itself - you try that too, and like it more than you thought you would. 

As readers will know, I also don’t wear much colour, at least strong colour. Compare my wardrobe to most of the lookbooks of Drake’s or J Press, and I look extremely sober. So perhaps I enjoy these exercises because it’s a particular challenge to find ways I do like colours.

The new green oxford shirt we’ve done this winter is a case in point. I’ve never owned one because I thought the colour was more suited to those brighter styles - perhaps more straight preppy wardrobes. 

But so many readers asked for a green in the PS cloth (our exclusive one - vintage, tough, made to emulate old Brooks Brothers) that I made a sample earlier this year and had great fun playing with it. 

The most famous reference for a green oxford shirt is Miles Davis, on the cover of the album Milestones (shown above, and also one of my favourite jazz albums - the first great quintet going hard). 

Miles looks great of course, but I was never sure that colour would work on me - being a different skin tone, not sitting in a studio, and most of all not Miles Davis.

But it turns out yes, it can work, particularly in the very muted green of the PS ones (the same as the stripe used previously). Perhaps it’s best to call the colour ‘mint’, as that suggests something of its faded look. 

So what does the mint work well with? Well, first off, it’s great with blue denim. Always helpful given how much we wear it, and nearly always the case with colours like this. It’s my favourite thing to wear with yellow oxfords as well. 

The mint is good with blue and darker denim, but lighter tones work especially well. 

That shot above also shows how good these colours are with tan, like that vintage lizard belt (bought recently at Stella Dallas in New York). Mid-browns are good as well, but again like denims, lighter browns and tan are particularly pleasing.

But what on top? Well, first the green is great with textured greys, like my grey herringbone tweed jacket above. 

And it’s good with navy, like the cashmere jacket in the second image. So navy and grey - two menswear staples, that’s helpful. 

How about the less formal and more rural colours, like brown or green? Green is obviously going to be a challenge, and this does struggle. I tried some tonal green combinations but it always looks rather sickly - browns are a lot easier for that kind of thing. 

But the green is nice with dark browns, like the knit above. I think it helps that the green is so pale and the brown so dark. 

This green is also good with faded black jeans, but perhaps that belongs in the grey category above. 

Lastly, I love this green shade with pops of bright yellow, such as the old Trunk tote I’m carrying in the second image above. Other bright colours like red and purple are nice too, but yellow is my favourite. 

It’s such fun playing with these combinations - and so much easier experimenting with something cheaper like a shirt, rather than a jacket or a cashmere sweater. Men’s outfits often look more elegant this way - with the colour on the inner layer rather than the outer - but it’s also helpful that it’s a cheaper way to experiment. 

The other new oxford colour - the brown stripe above - is more straightforward, but still it’s more useful than I had thought.

(If it seems, by the way, like all our product experiments work out well, that’s only because we don’t write about the failures. After all it’s only the ones that work which people can buy. Although I guess looking at the failures might make for an interesting article some day.)

A brown-striped oxford is not a common or obvious choice, but when you wear a lot of ‘cold colour’ combinations, containing a lot of charcoal, black, cream, dark olive and so on, a brown stripe is useful. 

I often wear black jeans with jackets in dark navy, grey or murky green, for instance. In that combination a white shirt works well, but it’s a little stark against the black jeans (particularly when I take the jacket off). 

So a brown stripe is great, softening the white as well as providing some pattern - something I often lack in such outfits.

That’s what I’m wearing in the outfit shots above, and it’s become a bit of a default for me with black jeans. 

The brown is not a strong colour, like all the PS oxfords. In fact it could even read as a grey - just one with a touch of richness, like a dark navy jacket compared to a black one. 

Of course a pale-blue stripe would work as well, but the brown is a little more interesting and unusual. In fact, the green/mint is the same - a pale blue would always be easier in those colour combinations I listed, but it would also be more normal and everyday. 

I would always recommend a reader to have a blue or blue/white oxford shirt in their wardrobe first, but when they want something different, these are both great options. 

The green and brown-stripe oxford shirts are available here. There will be cloth available in both too, but not for a few weeks, that's arriving separately. 

Other clothes shown are:

  • Assisi grey-tweed jacket
  • Assisi navy-cashmere jacket
  • Permanent Style cashmere rugby, brown
  • Vintage Levi’s 501 jeans
  • Vintage lizard belt
  • Ludens alligator belt
  • Trunk tote bag (colour no longer sold)

Pictured below: the new 'natural' colours in the Arran Scarf and Indulgent Shawl-Collar Cardigan, which were also added to the shop recently

The rules and how to break them #12: Don’t use your pockets

 

The ‘Rules’ section on PS is a repository for all those conventions that have built up over the years around classic menswear and which people quote too much, often without thinking what they mean, why they exist, or why in fact they should be followed.

We’ve addressed a fair number them over the years, including wearing white after Labor Day and wearing brown in town, buttoning your jacket and specifically which button to button (always the hardest one). The intention each time is to answer those questions: why did these rules or conventions come into existence, how relevant are they today, and therefore should you care?

Today it is the turn of pockets, specifically putting your hands in your pockets. Most of us will remember someone telling us this was uncouth, but surely even with tailoring, those days have gone? Well, yes and no. 

 

 

First, why would this convention come to exist in the first place?

Well, tailoring is a beautiful, fine piece of structure. It is precisely cut to render clean, uninterrupted lines that are both elegant and flattering. Spoiling that by shoving your hands in the trouser pockets, pushing up and rumpling the jacket everywhere, is a bit of a shame. 

This happens when you move your arms around as well of course. Also when you sit – the jacket isn’t necessarily going to look its best then. But those things are unavoidable. Using trouser pockets is not. 

Really? I mean wouldn’t it be weird to just stand there all the time with your hands rigid at your side? 

No, not necessarily. After all, the military have been told not to use their pockets for a long time. Just this year, the US Navy finally relaxed its rules on pocket use, saying they could “have hands in their pockets, when doing so does not compromise safety nor prohibit the proper rendering of honours and courtesies”. (Those who have served, do as ever please pitch in.)

I think the two reasons given by the Navy there are significant: having your hands in your pockets seems impractical, as a sailor would be less ready to perform its duties; and it would be discourteous, a question of propriety and respect. 

 

 

The latter is the main factor when it comes to tailoring. A businessman who always stood slouched, their fists deep in their pockets, would look a little unprofessional. It’s part of the impression you give to those around you – just as much as whether your tie is askew or your shirt untucked. 

So the first things to bear in mind when considering whether the hell to care about this convention is, who are you and where are you? Having a beer in the pub or making a client presentation? It may not really matter much in this day and age, when dress codes have gone out the window, but those are the key points. 

Now the flip side of this is that you might use your pockets to deliberately subvert the formal impression of a suit. Perhaps you want to casualise it – so wear it with casual shirts, with casual boots, with the jacket open most of the time. Using the trouser pockets is part of the same attitude. 

 

 

Jacket pockets as well. This became a bit of a fad when #menswear first became popular 15-odd years ago. Every stylish Italian seemed to have their hands plunged into their jacket pockets, and it looked so damn cool. The guys at The Armoury in Hong Kong started doing it, so did everybody else, and before you knew it, it was a thing. 

You still see echoes of that today. I still have a faint echo of it ringing in my head when I do it. And it can look cool, it can be a significant part of the way we’re re-contextualising tailoring today. But it can also be pushed too far – usually when it looks forced, like so many things in menswear. 

Things that make it look unnatural include doing it with jackets that are too short, or way too tight, so the vents are splaying all over the place. A slouchy jacket helps, as does doing it all the time, so it feels instinctive. 

Something that rarely looks natural, to me, is having one hand in the jacket pocket and a thumb hooked over the top (below). It might spoil the ones of the jacket less, but it always looks awkward and fussy. 

 

 

If you did want to give a smarter impression – with your jacket buttoned up and your tie sprung to attention – it is still possible to use your trouser pockets, just keep it to one.  

That way one half of the jacket is still perfectly sharp and elegant, but you don’t feel you’re standing to attention either. If you look at a lot of old imagery of tailoring in the 30s and 40s, this is very common (above). Although it’s also not hard to find images of men – at least in more casual settings – with both hands in their pockets too. 

Interestingly, this is despite jackets often being ventless. And to me, using your trouser pockets with a ventless jacket looks plain awful. Back of the jacket all over the place. 

 

 

The occasion when this is most relevant today is with black tie, because it’s the time most men are likely to wear a ventless jacket, if they wear one at all. In that case, however, it’s a formal occasion and you should be paying more attention to propriety anyway.

The biggest disadvantage of a single vent, for me, has also always been the way it opens when you put your hands in your trouser pockets. Your bum is revealed like the curtains opening on a stage; not the effect most of us want. 

So if was wearing a single-vent jacket – perhaps a tweed hacking one – I’d probably push the jacket back with my hand before using the trouser pocket, rather than raising it at the side (eg below).

 

 

Conventions build up because they give certain effects, produce a certain impression. Using your trouser pockets is no exception, and jacket pockets even more so. 

But the final question always is – do you care? Who are you, where are you, and what impression do you want to give? You’re going to give one – there’s no choice there – but you can very much decide what it is. 

So please, let’s avoid the the knee-jerk reaction of “it’s just damned awful”, “not in my day” and so on. Nothing is as simple or as boring as that. 

 

 

How to do double denim, and mixing rough and smooth

How to do double denim, and mixing rough and smooth

Wednesday, November 6th 2024
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One of the things Jamie and I were keen to do with The Casual Style Guide was bring in comments from some of the people featured - what they thought about the outfits, rather than just us.

So we approached five people, and asked them to give us a couple of hundred words - roughly the same that we wrote each time - about what the style meant to them. I think they're interesting, both for the content and for the different voices that I, at least, can hear each time.

So I thought it would be nice to reproduce three of them here: Luke Walker of L.E.J, Ethan Newton from Bryceland's and the photographer James Harvey-Kelly.

Ethan:

"I like double denim as a look; there's a bit of a stigma around it, but I think that's dumb. It looks great when the denims are both really dark and raw - there's something of a 90s hip-hop vibe to it then - and when they're really beaten down, like here.

It helps if the denims have a similar cast. They'll start to look strange if one has a really green cast, or a red one, and the other doesn't. Or if one's a right-hand twill and the other a left hand, like a Levi's jacket and a Lee jean. That's more important than whether they're faded the same. Usually denims from the same brand - like these from us at Bryceland's - won't have those issues.

This is a good example of colour blocking too, which I do a lot, with just a little point of colour. All denim (or it could be all navy) with a touch of red in the Papa Nui hat. Oh and velvet slippers really appeal to me here because of the textural contrast between the beaten denim and that smooth, dark velvet."

James:

"For me, most good outfits combine something fresh and even delicate with something more rustic and masculine.

That's nothing profound or new, but it is a way of dressing up the dressing down, or dressing down the dressing up - and when they meet somewhere in the middle the clothes start to feel more like yours.

Here this is about the urbane-ness of the Belgian loafers and Bate's hat, played against the classic sportiness of the Barbour and the Polo rugby shirt that I love."

Luke:

"I think it's interesting you've put this outfit in the workwear section of the book, because it very much is workwear, even if it doesn't look it.

Jeans obviously have workwear origins and I think most people can relate to that – they're clearly still a tough pair of trousers, and have that association. But the jacket is actually an old French waiter's uniform, something that would have been mass produced and then mass laundered. It's not what people associate with workwear, but it is as much as any pair of trousers.

The bag over my shoulder is unfortunately out of shot, but that's another example. It's a Noé bag from Louis Vuitton, a bucket style with a drawstring that was apparently originally made for champagne salesmen, to hulk around town. It's tough, even if the modern association is luxe.

So many clothes are like this – like tweeds, which were real utility clothing but just seem refined today because they're made into smart jackets.

My go-to style is mixing workwear pieces with finer ones, like a silk shirt. I love that high/low, the rich and don't-give-a-fuck look. I like old jeans like this with elongated, French calf shoes in the same way."

Unmilled Coarser Heavier Worsted Wool Twill Trousers

Unmilled Coarser Heavier Worsted Wool Twill Trousers

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Not everyone likes flannels. They can bag a bit, at least more than the worsteds guys are used to wearing to the office. That just means a press now and again, but hey some people are very lazy busy. 

If flannels aren’t an option, and it’s too cold for high-twists, men can be at a bit of a loss for what smart trousers to wear with their tailored jackets. They often turn to things like whipcord, covert or cavalry twill. 

But these are quite niche categories. Cav twill is a tight twill with a double line rather than a single - which isn’t necessarily what people want. What they’re actually striving for is a broader category of cloth that doesn’t have a name: worsted trouser fabric that doesn’t feel part of a suit. 

Readers often ask about this. So many articles like this come from repeated inquiries. The question is basically: “I don’t like flannel; what else should I wear with my jacket that’s sharp but doesn’t look half of my old suit?”

This type of cloth does exist, but it doesn’t have a common label, a tag. Language is often like that - it’s rarely the kind of cohesive, consistent taxonomy you get with an area of scientific study, for example. It’s usually a mess of industry terms and common usage, constantly evolving with the needs of the speakers. 

If there were to be a taxonomic rank of cloth, it might be something like:

  • Fibre: wool (mostly anyway)
  • Fineness: not super fine (too shiny) or super coarse (too hairy)
  • Yarn: worsted (not woollen)
  • Weave: twill (probably; it’s the densest)
  • Finish: Not milled (like flannel is) or super pressed (shiny)
  • Weight: Heavier (otherwise we go to high-twists)

I used to have a pair of trousers like this; Elia Caliendo made them in 2012. They were a charcoal twill from Zegna if I recall. Sometimes readers would ask about them, or ask what I would wear for this kind of trouser, and I’d refer to them. 

But I wouldn’t have a name. Perhaps we could create one - the Non-Suit Worsted (NSW). If anyone has the reach to make a term common enough to enter the language, it’s Permanent Style. But still I doubt it will. 

And that name isn’t that good, as it implies the cloth can’t be used for a suit, when it can - it’s just that it can also be used as a separate trouser. Any other suggestions that aren’t unusably complicated, do let me know. 

Anyway.

The point of this is that I do have a cloth of this type to recommend, having recently replaced those Caliendo trousers. 

In the photo above are three worsted-wool bunches. Left to right they are: 

  • Universal from Harrison’s
  • Botany from Smith’s 
  • Oyster from Harrison’s
  • And out of shot, Classic Worsteds from Holland & Sherry*

These represent a rough spectrum of coarseness and finish. Classic Worsteds is lighter, finer and has more of a press, feeling very much like a suit fabric. My suit below from Whitcomb was made in it. 

At the other end of the spectrum Universal is heavier, coarser and less pressed. You could definitely make a suit out of it, and historically it was the kind of thing that was commonly used, but it’s not associated with suits today, which tend to be lighter, smoother, shinier. 

I used Universal for my trousers (74202), and it’s worked out well. That’s them below, made up by Whitcomb & Shaftesbury, worn with my Ciardi jacket in Anglo-Italian cloth, Yohei Fukuda shoes, a PS Yellow Oxford and PS Bullskin Tote

Universal is not light - it’s 15/16 ounce. But it doesn’t really feel that heavy. You can always wear more weight on the legs than on the torso, and the smoothness of worsteds means they feel cooler than tweeds or flannels. 

There is a necessary connection between weight and this type of cloth. Heavier cloths tend to produce a coarser finish, which is what you want - it gives texture without the milling of flannel. The amount of press then pushes that texture down or doesn’t. 

I should also give credit to Manish, who had a pair of trousers made up in this material - in black, at Bryceland’s 0- and it was admiring them that led me down this rabbit hole. I think he’ll cover the Bryceland’s MTO trousers offering at a later date. 

I’d recommend this type of material to all those readers that have asked. There’s nothing wrong with whipcord, cavalry twill or covert cloth, but often it will have colour variation you don’t want, or few business/city/formal colours. These are all suiting bunches, and the range of colours and patterns reflects that. 

There are some other options worth mentioning too. I’ve never really liked worsted flannel, because it’s usually designed to be a lightweight version of flannel and as a result loses most of the characteristics (the combination of softness and body) that make flannel appealing in the first place. 

But, if worsted flannel is the same weight as woollen (normal) flannel, it can actually be a nice option, as it’s similar to flannel but not as textured and harder wearing. Fox has a nice 12/13oz option that I had made last year and included in my page of favourite Fox fabrics

Let everyone know if you’d had something made in this area that you like, though. I’ve only had a couple of pairs in the past 12 years, so it’s hardly a wide experience. 

What have you used that works well? 

 

If you’d like more explanation of any terms in this article, have a look at The Guide to Cloth

*Classic Worsteds has recently been discontinued as a bunch. The closest from H&S would be the City of London bunch

Unmilled Coarser Heavier Worsted Wool Twill Trousers

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Furuki Yo-Kimono: London’s vintage kimono collection

Furuki Yo-Kimono: London’s vintage kimono collection

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Men's Kimono with Haori (jacket) and Hakama (pants)

By Ben St George. Ben is a freelance menswear writer and has been exploring some unusual brands and shops for us. 

I wasn’t aware of Furuki Yo-Kimono, a small kimono specialist tucked away at the back of The Factory creative hub in Dalston (East London) until Simon put it on my radar. But when he suggested investigating it, I was intrigued. There are (perhaps unsurprisingly) few dedicated vintage-kimono retailers in Britain as far as I know - Kimono Kimono in Bristol being a notable exception. 

I’ll admit to having been something of a Japanophile growing up. I was a nerd (no surprise there, I’m sure) and the country of katsu, kaiju and Kurosawa captured my imagination in a way that has always stayed with me.

That included the kimono, and while it obviously falls outside the normal coverage of Permanent Style, it is still very much traditional tailoring – and with as rich a history as any of the major Western codes. 

 

Kimono with a family crest printed onto the lining. Interestingly, this was added after it was made, suggesting it had a previous owner
Woven obi belts

Another admission – I have at one point owned a kimono, purchased many years ago during a trip to Tokyo. It never saw wear outside of the house, but I loved it as a dressing gown. Traditional British gowns have often felt a little staid and overcooked on me, but the long, straight lines of the kimono and its ‘wrapability’ sat on my lanky frame in a manner that I found both flattering and comfortable. 

An unfortunate cooking oil incident saw that piece prematurely laid to rest – and as the cultural conversation around such things has evolved over the past few years, I did begin to feel a nagging sensation that perhaps kimono were not something for me

No small amount of ink has been spilled celebrating Japan’s remarkable assumption and evolution of British and American dress – generally considered an unalloyed good – but can a non-Japanese consumer do the reverse? Are kimono something that I could (or should) wear, as a white guy? 

“As long as we can see people love them and enjoy wearing them, that’s fine,” says Furuki Yo-Kimono’s founder, Sonoe Sugawara, when I put this to her. “In fact I’d like my shop to be a gateway to kimono fashion for non-Japanese people. We’ve been wearing kimono for thousands of years, but our style has been influenced by non-Japanese people's fashion as well.”

 

Women's festival kimono
A 19th century firefigher's kimono. Made of thick cotton, it would have been soaked in water to help make it flame-retardant.

Sonoe trained as a traditional kimono fitter in Japan in her twenties. Following a career in London as a vintage fashion buyer, she started Furuki Yo-Kimono after her husband’s family discovered an enormous horde of antique kimono in their attic. 

“There were so, so many – and everything was being packed up for Korea,” says Sonoe. “They didn't know what to do, and tried to get rid of them. So I just said, ‘I’ll take everything!’” 

Kimono translates plainly as ‘things to wear’. Whilst some kimono do have a ceremonial function, most are just “general clothes”, as Sonoe puts it – what we might call workwear, loungewear or sleepwear, all sharing the same fundamental shape. 

 

Sonoe points out the hand patching on a 19th century boro jacket
A heavily hand-patched boro jacket.

That shape has remained almost unchanged since the eighth century – straight cut, with a rectangular body and square sleeves, fastened with a sash or obi – but the details have always been in flux.

“We’ve had a lot of influence from foreign people, like Chinese, Korean, Indian people, through the Silk Road. In the 16th century, the Portuguese and the English. Rulers and samurai loved foreign culture, so they adapted it into our traditional style, [which became] fashion.” 

Sonoe’s menswear customers – the majority are men, mostly American and British – often come looking for statement pieces: something to wear for special occasions and parties, or as a dressing gown at home. But Japanese denim-heads seek her out as well, keen to shop the selection of 19th century boro pieces - indigo-dyed worker’s coats, distressed and hand-patched over decades of wear (above). 

She also has a significant following of architects. “LOTS of architects,” laughs Sonoe. “I think because they like structured design and those repeated geometric patterns.”

 

A kimono promoting the Hanshin Tigers baseball team
Sonoe shows the design on the inside of a Haori jacket

Whilst some of Sonoe’s rarest pieces sell for up to £2000, the vast majority are surprisingly affordable, ranging between £150 and £250. Sonoe is also extensively knowledgeable about the collection – a treat in and of itself, as so many pieces have unique and fascinating stories to them. 

Much of her collection focuses on pieces from the 1920s and 1930s – a vibrant pre-war period when Art Deco mixed with traditional Japanese design. The full-length house kimono from this period are particularly elegant, woven from hefty and lustrous jacquard silk that has a svelte yet substantial feel in the hand, and drapes beautifully. 

Haori – shorter ‘jacket-style’ kimono, traditionally worn over top of a full kimono – are some of Sonoe’s best-selling pieces (above). You may have seen them reinterpreted by the likes of Kapital, Universal Works or Maharishi, but the real deal is quite special. Traditional haori often hide resplendent embroidered landscapes or motifs symbolising luck, like tigers or dragons, that only the wearer might see. 

 

Universal Works 'Kyoto' work jacket
Scott Simpson in a kimono-like design by designer Oleg Cassini

Many of Sonoe’s menswear clients like these haori particularly. I’m not my style is bold enough to make one work, but I love the way a more playful dresser like Scott Fraser Simpson (above) can incorporate one into an outfit alongside Western clothing, layering it over a shirt or knitted tee with high-waisted trousers.

For me, Sonoe’s encouragement has made me imagine a world where I would wear a kimono again at home – I find them elegant and eminently wearable, especially some of the more somber, Deco-influenced pieces. Their sense of history and one-of-one, hand-crafted nature also speak to me. 

Out of the house I’m not so sure, but however it’s going to be worn, this collection is a treasure trove of kimono. And it's hard to deny that these beautiful pieces deserve to be worn. “They’re still clothes,” as Sonoe says, “and clothes have to be worn with joy”.

Sonoe works primarily by appointment - you can contact her via Instagram or directly at the email address below if you’d like to visit. She also has a limited ecommerce presence, though for remote customers she more often conducts consultations via Facetime and WhatsApp. 

 

Sonoe Sugawara, owner of Furuki Yo-Kimono Vintage.

FURUKI YO-KIMONO VINTAGE

Pod 15, The FACTORY,  21-31 Shacklewell Lane, London E8 2DA

[email protected] @furukiyokimonovintage 

www.furukiyokimono.com

The (61) bespoke tailors I have known

 

This article has been updated every four years for the past 12 years. It was originally written in 2012, and has had new versions in 2016, 2020 and now 2024. 

The number of bespoke tailors we have tried and covered has increased, but the growth peaked somewhere in the middle. Between 2016 and 2020 there were 18 added to the list; this newest version adds six, with some more coming soon. 

Those six are:

  • Taillour, the popular tailoring house set up by Fred Nieddu
  • Assisi, one of my real favourites and based in Korea
  • Luca Museo, also from Korea
  • B&Tailor, whom we had covered previously but only through a short-lived cooperation with a European tailor
  • Vittorio Salino, the ex-head cutter of Liverano in Florence
  • And Shibumi, which is the oldest having been covered just after the list was last updated

In the offing are J Mueser’s bespoke offering (benchmade in New York) and the last couple of Koreans.

 

 

Most of the names people will be interested in have already been covered. The point of this article is to be a reference for all of those – a way to dip into our previous coverage, and also ask any new questions and comments you may have over which one to choose. 

There are links in all the descriptions to posts elsewhere on the site, while the names of the tailors themselves are hyperlinked to their ‘brand’ page, where you can find all posts listed.

There are now 61 tailors, which is too many by anyone’s standards. I wouldn’t recommend that anyone pursue this course with bespoke, or maintain this number of tailors. One to three is more like it (see the post ‘How many tailors do you need?‘).

Anyone that would like to see many of these tailors’ cuts analysed, with consistent measurements, should see the Guide to Tailors Styles. And if you want a more targeted article on who my favourite tailors are, see here

Remember there is also a separate list for made-to-measure, which I will update later in the year too. 

 

UNITED KINGDOM

Anderson & Sheppard

The biggest exponent of the ‘drape cut’, with soft shoulders and fullness of cloth in the chest and back. Together with a closely cut waist, this gives the illusion of a bigger chest and is very comfortable. Some think that the soft shoulders are unflattering. It is among the cheaper houses on the Row, and I particularly like the double-breasted style as it has a relatively broad lapel with plenty of belly. My suits from A&S were all cut by John Hitchcock, who has now retired.

 

Benson & Clegg / Oliver Cross

Benson & Clegg were not largely known for their bespoke department, with a stronger reputation for their buttons, cufflinks and braces (they hold the royal warrant to Prince Charles for such things). That changed when Meyer & Mortimer cutter Oliver Cross joined the team, and Oliver made me a green-flannel suit. His style is English structured with some drape – though also with an openness to adapt the make and cut. Since that suit, Benson have largely shut down unfortunately, but Oliver Cross set up on his own – as ‘Ollie’s

 

Chittleborough & Morgan

One of the finest finish of any English tailors, learning from the French in their buttonholes among other things, Chittleborough was founded by two cutters from the legendary Tommy Nutter shop, where Edward Sexton was the head cutter. Roy Chittleborough is retired, but Joe Morgan carries on cutting Sixties-inspired suits with large lapels, nipped waists and strong shoulders. My navy suit can be found here.

 

Dege & Skinner

A highly traditional Savile Row tailor with a rich military history, Dege cuts a strong-shouldered, longer jacket. Still family owned, they have been remarkably consistent as other houses such as Huntsman have changed look or ownership over the years. Cutter Nick De’Ath made me a superb tobacco-linen suit. And although the higher rise of the trousers didn’t quite work out the first time, he was accommodating on several other points. We subsequently made an unstructured summer jacket as well. 

 

Edward Sexton 

Edward sadly passed away recently, but the style and house he founded are still going strong. Edward made me a fantastic double-breasted flannel suit and a long grey overcoat. The former has proved very useful and the latter also, after it was shortened rather (by four inches) a year after making. Sexton also offer an offshore service which is partly made in China, which we reviewed here

 

Gieves & Hawkes (Davide Taub)  

Davide Taub, of whose style I am a big fan, is the head cutter at Gieves. He trained at Maurice Sedwell among other places and tends towards a strong shoulder and silhouette. He is also very innovative, and has made several very original and stylish pieces for me, including my pea coat, leather jacket and gilet. For the purpose of this list, however, the most interesting piece is this green linen suit, which is striking for being light in construction yet sharp in appearance.

 

Graham Browne

A traditional City tailor in London. This means not making to the same standard as Savile Row, but doing the important things of cutting by hand and working up a personal paper pattern. Graham Browne is great value as as result, and I have had many things made over the years, including my first bespoke suit in London. (Another tailor, Choppin & Lodge, was an offshoot of Graham Browne but no longer exists. That team, together with Dan McAngus from Graham Browne, runs MacAngus & Wainwright.)

 

Henry Poole 

Known as the founded of Savile Row, the Poole style is more moderate and flexible than either A&S or Huntsman. The basic cut is strong and English, however, just with slightly less padding and structure in the shoulder and chest than Huntsman. I had a double-breasted Prince of Wales suit made, which has been quietly superb. It gets more compliments than almost anything else, yet it is conservative in everything by the cloth. (Subsequent to that post, I have had two additional buttons added at the top, and swapped the buttons for brown horn rather than grey.)

 

Huntsman 

The opposite of Anderson & Sheppard in style, with strong, padded shoulders and a closely cut chest. Relatively slim through the waist and with little skirt, it is known for a one-button fastening. Most other English tailors cut this traditional style, with slight variations. I liked the hunting suit I had made by David Ward, though had some problems with the bi-swing back, as the vents stayed open and elastic was added inside to fix that.

 

Kathryn Sargent

Kathryn used to be the head tailor at Gieves & Hawkes. Her style is, like Poole and others, a traditional English military cut. My travel blazer and trousers were cut by Kathryn Sargent while she was at Gieves. She has since set up her own premises, and made a beautiful tweed jacket for my wife there, which reflected her particular skill in women’s styles.  

 

Kent and Haste

John Kent and Terry Haste work on Sackville Street. Terry was head cutter at Huntsman and his style is very similar; John tends to cut a slightly smaller back and slimmer leg – sharper, in that way. John made my pattern and I have two suits from it, the second cut and fitted by Terry – hence the difference in styles noted above.

 

Manning & Manning

Bryan Manning is an old tailor who used to work at Kilgour and has operated on his own for several years, meeting clients at Holland & Sherry on Savile Row or in workrooms on Tottenham Court Road. He is good value for money, but the high-twist summer suit he made me had some issues, particularly around the finishing.

 

Michael Browne

Michael is a young, stylish cutter who deserves credit for many of the good things that happened at Chittleborough & Morgan, before he set up on his own. Michael’s style is similar, but his mode of working – absolutely without compromise, including remaking every fitting himself – is not. His aim has been to produce the best possible garment, no matter what the cost. This means that the beautiful coat he made for me was very expensive, but it makes Michael unique. 

 

PA Crowe 

A city tailor, PA Crowe has a small shop near to St Paul’s cathedral. I worked close-by for several years and eventually had a pair of brown flannel trousers made. The results were not perfect, with the persistent issue I have of hollow fronts and bulging rear causing the trousers to lose their sharpness too easily. 

 

 

Richard Anderson 

Richard used to be the head cutter at Huntsman and his cut is similar, though with less padding in the shoulder. One difference is perhaps a more adventurous style; he makes jackets in denim, for example, and wool jersey, and has his own collection of jeans. Richard made me a tuxedo, single breasted with a shawl-collared waistcoat. It was slim and perfectly fitting, though my favourite part was the superb trousers.

 

Richard James 

Ben Clarke at Richard James has been growing the bespoke side of the business, which has its own dedicated premises on Clifford Street. Ben made a brown cashmere jacket for me, waistcoat and trousers, deviating from the normal Richard James style somewhat to make something slightly softer and more casual. The result was very good, both in terms of fit and finish.

 

Steven Hitchcock

Son of A&S head cutter John Hitchcock, Steven was trained there and his style is very similar. He now lives outside of London but has a workshop and appartment in Fitzrovia where he sees customers. Steven has made me a tweed jacket and moleskin trousers, a beautiful pale-grey jacket from the Lamlana bunch, a fantastic charcoal donegal jacket and a navy cashmere. I would highly recommend him for this style of tailoring.

   

Taillour

Set up by Fred Nieddu, previously the head cutter at Timothy Everest, Taillour benefits from a high level of Savile Row product and a sense of style that a lot of tailors can often lack. Fred tends towards a wide shoulder and lapel, with little roping in the shoulders, but the whole is subtle and balanced. He travels extensively but is based in East London, near Shoreditch. He has made me a suede belted jacket and brown chalkstripe suit.

 

Thom Sweeney

A more contemporary cut than most on this list, Thom Sweeney started out offering a particularly short jacket, narrow sleeve and fitted waist. They have moderated their style over the years, but it is still the house that will feel most like a modern designer brand to most in London. They made me a navy checked jacket and cord trousers several years ago, which fit very well (though I somewhat regretted the boldness of the windowpane check). 

 

Timothy Everest

Tim is no longer offering bespoke tailoring, having exited his own business and now involved with Grey Flannel on Chiltern Street. The lovely bespoke operation on Elder Street did spawn Taillour though, covered elsewhere, and when it was open Tim made me a suit and velvet jacket that were both solid, but some minor issues and poor style choices on my part. 

       

Whitcomb & Shaftesbury 

Whitcomb & Shaftesbury has an extremely good value service called Classic Bespoke that is cut in London but has much of the making done in a workshop they own and have trained themselves in India. The result is perhaps the best place to start for any full bespoke suit. The full review of the navy worsted suit they made me can be seen here. They have also become my go-to location for bespoke trousers, given that value. 

 

JAPAN

Kenjiro Suzuki

Kenjiro recently moved back to Japan, having been based in France for a long time under his own name, and previous to that the head cutter at Smalto (the other big name in Paris after Cifonelli and Camps de Luca). His style is similar to the other French makers, with little personal touches like the amount of ironing to shape the leg of the trouser. Kenjiro made me a beautiful navy cotton suit. We have covered other Japanese tailors (here) but not had anything made by them. 

 

SOUTH KOREA

Assisi

I was very impressed when I visited Korea in 2023 to see the craftsmen there, and Assisi were probably the one that impressed me most. Relatively young, they have a beautiful sense of style that tends towards the fuller, late 80s or 90s style, but can cut anything. And the execution of the tailoring was fantastic. The only thing they can sometimes lack is trimmings such as buttons, as these have to be imported. They travel to New York for trunk shows, and have made me a tweed jacket and a light-grey suit.

 

B&Tailor

B&Tailor were the first well-known Korean tailor, and several of the houses today have people who started there. They are also thebiggest. Chad Park leads the house, with his father overseeing the making. He has a great sense of colour and style, though the casual clothing is a little less classic and not to my taste. Chad made me a superb double-breasted overcoat

 

B&Tailor/Robin Petterson

This is included more just for the record, as the service no longer exists. But for a while B&Tailor worked in Europe through a Swedish agent, helping serve all those who admired the Korean work from afar. Unfortunately that didn’t work out; my experience was covered here.

 

 

Luca Museo 

Luca Museo’s style is not that dissimilar to the other Koreans covered here, but it does lead towards the more tonal and perhaps larger in cut. See my review of the navy three-piece suit they made me here for some illustration of that. They’re also as innovative as the other tailors, and have their own very nice knitwear line.

 

FRANCE

Cifonelli 

The biggest of the Parisian tailors, the Cifonelli cut is characterised by a light construction but a strength of shape achieved by a roped shoulder and slim waist. Stunning finishing on the buttonholes, trousers and linings. The Cifonelli designs aren’t always my taste, but the workmanship is among the best in the world. I’ve made several things with them over the years, starting with a tweed jacket. The best have been two overcoats, however, one navy and one brown. 

 

Camps de Luca 

Camps de Luca is a small but no less fine Parisian tailor, and made me a beautiful grey two-piece suit with their characteristic closed notch on the lapel and small Milanese buttonhole. Slightly square of shoulder, with a fantastically made trouser and exquisite detailing, they rival Cifonelli in most departments. Although they can seem more classic than Cifonelli, they do also make suede and leather pieces, and some unusual jackets for hot weather.

 

ITALY

Caliendo

A small, second-generation tailor in Naples. Elia Caliendo is the cutter and his father still does some of the tailoring work. Neapolitan style is fairly consistent, with self-lined jackets in the foreparts, very light construction, shirt shoulders and those curving pockets. The biggest difference between them is quality of finishing and fit, and Elia is good on both. He visits London every month or so, which makes him more expensive than some. I have had a summer jacket a Permanent Style tweed jacket and several other things made by Elia.  

 

Cerrato

A Neapolitan trouser maker with a good reputation – and making trousers for some of the other Neapolitan tailoring houses – Marco Cerrato has started to expand more abroad with his brother in London handling a lot of commissions. Marco has made me a few pairs of trousers, including green cottons and pale-grey cavalry twills. Of the three Neapolitan trouser makers listed here, I’ve had the most consistent positive experience with them.

 

Ciardi

Renato Ciardi was one of the best-known cutters in Naples, and his sons have admirably carried on his work. Enzo now travels to London, and has become one of my favourite tailors ever, for his character, cut, and consistency. The cut is more traditional Neapolitan, which means slightly longer and more generous in the body and shoulder, while still being soft. My tweed jacket in particular was superb.

 

Cornacchia

Most areas of Italy have a bespoke tailor or two left, unlike most other parts of the world, including England. In the Puglia area in the south-east, I visited a few and tried out Nicola Cornacchia, who was recommended to me by Vitale Barberis Canonico. The light-grey high-twist suit they made me was not world class, but it was very good, and I’d recommend them to anyone that find themselves in the area. 

 

Dalcuore

Sartoria Dalcuore are a slightly larger tailor in Naples, with a workshop supplying ready to wear garments to places like China and Japan, alongside traditional bespoke. They made me a brown Crispaire suit for the summer among other things, which was beautifully fitted and in a classic Neapolitan style – only lacking a couple of details like fit around the trousers that perhaps could have been corrected at a second fitting.

 

Ettore de Cesare

Ettore is a lesser-known Neapolitan tailor, but actually with a large workshop and international client base. He tends to cut a shorter, closer-fitting jacket, like many modern tailors, and I have had to fight back against that tendency. But he is a very talented cutter, and achieved great fit on the hopsack jacket and coat he made for me. Also works regularly in suede and leather. 

 

Ferdinando Caraceni 

Ferdinando Caraceni, one of four outfits doing bespoke in Milan and Rome under the Caraceni name, made me a cashmere herringbone jacket. A beautifully made piece, it was noticeably more formal than other Italians I had tried – more an unstructured alternative to a Row suit than a rival to Neapolitan casualness. Nicoletta Caraceni is the charismatic head of the house, Ferdinando’s daughter. The next piece, a double-breasted cotton jacket, was even better. Unfortunately, the house closed this year

 

Formosa

My experience with Formosa in Naples was not a very good one – but as with other negative experiences, it is hard to tell how much this should be a conclusion about the tailoring house as a whole. Gennaro wanted to try using two younger cutters for my jacket, whom he was training to take over from the senior cutter. What they made was not a good fit, and the subsequent attempt to correct it by the senior team was not sufficient. I eventually gave up on the jacket. 

 

Gaetano Aloisio

One of the biggest names in Romain tailoring, Gaetano has a strong international following. I haven’t had any suits made by him, but US writer Bruce Boyer penned a lovely piece for Permanent Style on his experiences, which can be seen here. His style is more similar to the northern tailors in Italy, but with a slightly softer shoulder expression than either.  

 

Granata

Biagio Granata is a young cutter who set up his own operation a few years ago. Unfortunately, while clearly a good cutter, he suffered from a lack of consistency in visits to London, in execution of styles, and a lack of English. The suit he made for me had a decent jacket, but I never saw the trousers. The tweed jacket he made to improve the situation in the meantime, was a good fit in the top half, but had gaping vents. Hard to recommend on that basis. 

 

Liverano & Liverano

The best-known tailor in Florence, Antonio Liverano cuts a short jacket and slim trousers. The house is quite contemporary in that respect, and has been popularised by the support of The Armoury in New York and Hong Kong. Antonio made me a purple jacket, which was beautifully executed – and a good example of a tailor guiding effectively on cloth. Liverano is very expensive though; cutters such as Vittorio Salino that have left the house offer better value for money. 

 

Musella Dembech  

Gianfrancesco Musella was one of the young tailors I brought to our Symposium event in Florence, and no one better deserved the invitation. He is both highly skilled and genuinely innovative, bringing different flavours to the Milanese style. Gianfrancesco made me a navy cotton suit, in the same lightweight cotton as my brown Caliendo. It has striking lapels that I love, and great finishing. I like the style of the single-breasted jackets less.

 

Panico

Panico is one of the greats of Neapolitan tailoring, and particularly known for his big double-breasted lapels and comfortable cut. I went for a grey-flannel suit, and really liked the style, though single-breasted. That comfort was also striking, with some shape through the waist at the front, but pretty much no suppression in the back. Antonio Panico has since retired however, and I have no experience of the house since. 

 

Pasinato

Massimo Pasinato is a small tailor in the Italian town of Vicenza. He is a good cutter, and embraces technology when it can help him in the fitting process, for example. He made me a nice cavalry-twill suit, and also offers some made-to-measure on his travels. He has been travelling regularly to London, and if you are after a soft Italian suit that is very good value, similar to Vergallo, he is worth considering. 

 

Pirozzi 

Nunzio Pirozzi runs a highly regarded tailoring house in Naples, and travels to London, New York and Asia. He made me a tan corduroy suit – very similar to an Anderson & Sheppard DB that I love, but single breasted and in the casual Neapolitan style. The result was very good in terms of fit and execution, but the style was a bit too short and close. A subsequent jacket and suit have been more my style, and I highly recommend the family. 

 

Pommella

Lino Pommella used to be the head trouser cutter at Rubinacci until, as often seems to happen with Rubinacci cutters, he left to set up on his own. In this case, it was with the help of filmmaker Gianluca Migliarotti, and the two have established something of a brand for high-end trousers – doing trunk shows with The Armoury among other places.  

 

Rubinacci 

The biggest name in Naples. An interesting take on Neapolitan style, with slightly more closed fronts and sometimes padding through the ends of the shoulders. Rubinacci’s strength is its styling, rather than execution or value. The cashmere Donegal jacket I had made from an old 70s cloth was good, with a great make and ok fit. But it was Luca’s recommendation of the bronze-green lining that made it for me.

 

Salvatore Ambrosi 

Salvatore Ambrosi is easily the best known trouser maker, travelling to lots of cities and working with shops like Brycelands. Salva makes to a very high level, better than most Neapolitans, with lovely hand detailing. He also has style, which helps rather with commissions. My experience was quite inconsistent though, with a few mistakes along the way.  

 

Shibumi

Shibumi is mostly a tie company, founded by Benedikt Fries and based in Florence. I’d highly recommend their ties – they always seemed to tie the perfect knot – but he also used to run a well-priced bespoke offering, which Benedikt fitted but was made by a local tailor. Since Benedikt moved to Japan the service is no longer offered, but he made me a slightly boldly checked suit here.

 

Solito 

One of the biggest names in Neapolitan tailoring. Gennaro Solito is a great cutter; he speaks no English but his son, Luigi, does. Their style is typical Neapolitan although they do a large number of regular (not shirt) shoulders too. Luigi has made me a few jackets since he started visiting London with Neapolitan shirtmaker Luca Avitabile, including the first – a  lightweight green sports jacket. The make hasn’t always been great, with a few things needing repairs, but he is also a little cheaper than others. 

 

Vergallo

A local tailor from the town of Varese, north of Milan, Vergallo has become a bigger name in tailoring since cutter Gianni Cleopazzo began travelling to London. A north Italian style, so softer than English but sharper than the Neapolitans, Vergallo made me a navy cashmere suit and houndstooth jacket. There is an openness on style and cut; not the highest level of make among Italians, but good value. 

 

Vestrucci / Stefano Bemer

Loris Vestrucci was a retired tailor, brought out of hiding by Tomasso Melani and Tomasso Capozzoli of Stefano Bemer shoes, in order to create a new bespoke tailoring house. Vestrucci has a claim to make the original Florentine suit, and his tailoring is soft but elegant, with rounded hips and relatively closed quarters. He made me a charcoal-flannel suit but the operation has shrunk since, focusing more on MTM and going under the Bemer name.

 

Vittorio Salino

Vittorio Salino is a Florence-based tailor who used to be the head cutter at Liverano & Liverano. He makes a largely Florentine-style garment with a high level of execution and some great personal style (he is a fan of vintage clothing among other things). For that style of tailoring I would highly recommend him. He made my a herringbone tweed jacket here, which was perfect except for a little big in the waist. That has subsequently been slimmed down. 

 

Zizolfi

Ciro Zizolfi was introduced to me by Gianluca Migliarotti, the filmmaker and long-time client. Ciro cuts a fairly traditional Neapolitan jacket, which means a comfortable fit, a little padding in shoulders, and overall a little longer and squarer than others. The great fit of my dark-green tweed jacket can be see in the images on that post. 

 

SPAIN

Calvo de Mora 

The best of the three Spanish tailors I tried, Calvo de Mora made a closely fitted grey jacket, a self-backed grey donegal waistcoat, and green cotton trousers. The jacket was quite close through the skirt and soft in the shoulder, although not as casual as a Neapolitan make. Unfortunately Calvo don’t travel to London or anywhere else regularly. They are the most expensive of the Spanish tailors here, perhaps inevitably given the quality.

 

Langa 

Sastreria Langa are best known for their shirtmaker, Mariano, who has a long and storied list of customers. The shirt he made was well-fitted, if quite formal and stiff in the collar, with a good deal of handwork. The linen suit cut by Joaquin was a lovely piece, largely because of the colour of the Scabal linen. The jacket itself could have been made better and there was an issue with the shoulders – partly due to trying to create a Neapolitan look.

 

Reillo 

Reillo is a small tailor – one cutter, Jose Maria, with some help with making at the back of the shop. Like Langa he is good value for money, although the green cotton suit that we made together suffered rather in the shoulders. Partly, as with Langa, this was due to trying to create a very soft, Neapolitan-style jacket, which is not the natural style the Spanish tailors were trained on.

 

HONG KONG

The Anthology

A team based in Hong Kong, Taipei and London, but using a tailoring workshop in China. There have been many tailors over the years that have relaunched and rebranded in Hong Kong, making use of young tailoring enthusiasts, but The Anthology is one of the best. Modern, with a generous cut and great style (thanks to founder Buzz Tang). Some small hangovers from cheaper production, but good value and a cut that I particularly like and find flattering. The Anthology team made me a grey-herringbone tweed suit.

 

E.Italian

Back in the days when I travelled to Hong Kong a lot, and had less money, I tried three or four different cheap HK tailors. Edward Tam at E.Italian was the best, at around £300 for a suit. That will have gone up now, and the cut was rather boxy but if you’re insistent, it can be a good choice for the price. Cut by hand and made by hand, with a fitting or two required. Not to anywhere near the same standard as bespoke elsewhere (try WW Chan or similar for that) but not a rip-off 24-hour tailor either.

 

Prologue

Prologue is a Hong Kong shop making in China – now in its own workshop – with a good, modern sense of style. Similar to The Anthology in that respect, but deliberately making at a slightly lower level in order to be as accessible as possible. Jerry and the Prologue team have made me a green summer jacket and a heavy glen-check winter one. 

 

WW Chan

One of the best-known tailors in Hong Kong, and the only old name that has really adapted to the modern growth of interest in bespoke – thanks in no small part to The Armoury. They also make for Bryceland’s, however, and it was trying the Bryceland’s cut that made me commission a jacket from WW Chan. The result was very good, and I’d highly recommend them. They also do MTM through Bryceland’s which I have covered separately.

 

AMERICAS

Paolo Martorano

Paolo is a young tailor in New York – a place with a historic lack of resident tailors – but with lots of experience in tailoring factories and shops, having helped run the custom programme at Paul Stuart for several years. His natural style is for an English-derived, drapey cut, but he is also very flexible and enjoys making things that fit customer ideas. He is not a cutter, but unlike many in New York, he does employ a cutter and tailor, who work off-site. The two blazers he has made me have been superb. 

 

Sr Francesco

Sr Francesco was an Italian tailor resident in Toronto, Canada. After working on his own there for many years, he was brought into the new Leatherfoot store when it opened, and given his own workshop. The store promoted his tailoring, and took him on trunk shows to New York. Unfortunately the store has subsequently closed. Sr Francesco made me a double-breasted donegal-tweed jacket, which I haven’t covered on the site as he is no longer available to customers outside Toronto. 

 

Personal and practical: How to dress like Alex Natt

 

I’ve admired the style of photographer Alex Natt – who takes most of the pictures for Permanent Style these days – for several years. He’s not the kind of person to talk about it much, and he certainly doesn’t post fit pics online, but to me his functional, easy-going style feels very relevant today. 

Alex rarely wears tailoring, but when he does it’s in a relaxed manner with jeans and a shirt or T-shirt. He can dress up and does it well, but his default is the knits, hard-wearing jackets and either loafers or boots that he needs for shooting every day. 

I asked Jamie Ferguson to shoot fellow photographer Alex (always a weird one) in a few different outfits to illustrate these points, and then spoke to Alex afterwards about his thoughts on clothes in general.

 

 

PS: What are you wearing in this first outfit?

Alex: That’s a hopsack double-breasted jacket from The Anthology. The material is from Standeven – I’m learning that I like slightly heavier fabrics, often with more texture, and a matte finish. It’s actually part of a suit but I rarely wear it that way. Still a navy suit is useful to have for weddings etc.

The weight is good, I can wear it three seasons. The Anthology cut is quite clean, a little close, but I wear it open like this most of the time.  

What are the jeans?

They’re ‘66 501s – the cut is a little bit looser, straight with a nice leg twist. I don’t think jeans should be that clean a fit, they should be a little fucked up, a little bagged in the knees. It’s not really the point of denim. 

I like the nineties vibe of wearing the jacket with jeans and a T-shirt. That’s not really my era (I was born in ‘94) but I watch a lot of TV and films from then. I like the red-carpet celeb look from the time too – people were dressing themselves and it was all a little messy, they were dressing themselves and weren’t over-styled. Have a look at @nightopenings.

 

 

Who’s on the T-shirt?

It’s Steve Miller. I like the music but it was more about the T-shirt, the design. 

What makes a good design?

That’s a hard one. It’s hard to pin down, like taste in general I guess. Difficult to describe, yet all the sellers all gravitate towards the same designs, so it’s something in common. An interesting design, a distinctive design, original but not over the top. The faded colour here is great – a crisp new one wouldn’t be the same, and it’s nice with the overall blue shades. 

 

 

This is more the kind of outfit I see you in every day when we’re shooting – practical, but still with some style.

Yeah, they’re all hard-wearing clothes – loose fits too, I like loose fits but it’s also comfortable and practical. The chinos are from Bryceland’s and I’ve had the cuffs let down – I originally had them hemmed too short so I just let them down recently. 

The shirt was something you worked on with Jake [Wigham] right? 

Yes it was a recreation of my favourite shirt, the one Michael Palin wore in a lot of his travel series. Big fit, big pockets, large enough to fit a passport and a mobile in. It’s a tough Thomas Mason oxford cloth. Jake made one for me and offers it made-to-order now.

I wear the same one with the jeans and jacket above too. It’s like a little capsule – everything goes together. I don’t have much space in my house so everything has to work together. It’s a decent, semi-formal look, something you could go anywhere with. 

 

 

You wear a lot of short jackets with that kind of outfit right? Like Barbours, fishing vests. 

Yes, that’s a little joke to myself often – how you can get away with wearing things like that when you’re working, when you’ve got a camera around your neck. They’re practical but I don’t wear them every day. 

Where are the bags from?

The main one I carry everywhere is a Billingham bag, the bigger of the Hadley camera bags. I’ve always wanted one and I went for the most old-man colours – it’s very National Geographic. 

Why the carabiner on the side? 

I don’t really hang anything from it but it’s a good grab point, like when you’re trying to get the bag down from an aeroplane bin. The other bag is an Epperson Mountaineering tote.

 

 

Where was this jacket from?

It’s from Kim, Kimberley Lawton. It was my first piece of bespoke (the Anthology was made to measure) so it was a bit of a learning curve, but it was interesting being able to design everything myself. 

I was a bit anxious it would be too structured, as that’s what Kim makes, but the inspiration was the old 67 Ralph Lauren jacket, which was an English one, quite heavy and padded.

I think if you’re going to have something made, you should just go for what you want. This is a grey herringbone, sure, but it’s also kind of crazy, with that extended collar and really big bellows pockets. It’s what I really wanted. I like functional pockets – my next commission is a kind of fawn-coloured corduroy also with big pockets. 

 

 

Shoe-wise it’s usually casual boots or loafers right? 

Yeah, these are Crockett & Jones loafers, bought at the factory shop [Alex grew up in Northampton and still does regular work there]. The brown ones are an Alden special make-up in a soft, tumbled calf. I got those from Parlour in Korea last year

If it’s not loafers then it’ll be a boot, like a Danner hiking one or a Moonstar All-Weather. Also white deck shoes or a New Balance 990. All very functional and casual. I need to be able to jump on things, or be sprawled on the ground getting a shot. 

Actually another pair of boots is on my wishlist – an LL Bean hunting boot, or I saw a vintage pair of buckled hunting boots on eBay recently. Love that shot of Harrison Ford on his deck in LL Beans (above). 

What else is on your eBay wish list?

There’s a fifties fireman jacket on there – it’ll be itchy but probably but very cool. I like a clip jacket. Also a reversible Patagonia fleece, Synchilla or Glissade in some kind of wacky colour. I’d like one of those old Coach bucket bags too. 

 

 

This is a shorter jacket so I assume it functions in the same way as the wax ones or hunting ones – but it’s an old Lee right?

Yes a seventies one, nice and short. With the trousers too it’s all the same tones as the first outfit really – blues, greys, navy. You could wear this T-shirt with the blazer, or the oxford shirt with this combination. 

What are the trousers?

They’re vintage French workwear ones, 1960s or so, bought at Front in New York. They’re my favourite trousers – the fit is so good, they’re really comfortable, a single pleat, a little bit workweary but subtle and they work with a loafer or a boot. The cloth has aged really nicely too – it’s tough and has some texture to it.

The T-shirt is another graphic design. I liked the drawing, the shading. And it was from my birth year – some kind of parent-teacher association. Events or associations like this often do good designs – New York marathons, beer adverts, travel souvenirs. The colour and the shape has to be good, but after that it’s about the design rather than what it’s about. 

 

 

I guess the cap is a souvenir in that way too – from that record bar in Korea

Yes exactly. I’m particular about the shape, the crown height etc, but then it’s just a nice souvenir. I think sometimes people can take this too seriously, it’s good to have a little fun with a cap, a bag. Though having said that, I have a bunch of caps at home that I don’t wear – they’re sitting in a pile on top of my desk lamp.  

Why do you like tinted lenses?

These are from Moscot. I think I like the brown tint because it warms up the misery of an average London day. How you can go about wearing blue lenses when London is so grey already is beyond me. 

Who are your other inspirations?

A lot of old photographers; Andy Spade; Eric Clapton, before he bought Cordings and went a bit weird; Fran Leibowitz. 

A lot of menswear can be a bit contrived, a bit too clean and unreal. I tend to like people that look like they live in their clothes, and of course it suits me as I spend so much time dragging stuff around.  

 

 

Outfit 1:

  • Made to measure hopsack jacket from The Anthology (Standeven 27033)
  • ‘66 red-line Levi’s 501s, from Front General vintage
  • Tory Leather belt from Front General
  • Vintage T-shirt
  • Moscot sunglasses with ‘smoke’ tinted lenses 
  • Crockett & Jones calf tassel loafers
  • Automatic Omega watch (“simple and basic – I’m not a watch guy, I like them but I can’t afford them”)

Outfit 2:

  • ‘Palin’ shirt from Jake’s shirts
  • Permanent Style cotton jumper
  • Bryceland’s chinos
  • Alden penny loafers in tumbled calf
  • Vintage cap 
  • Billingham ‘Hadley’ pro camera bag
  • Epperson Mountaineering tote

Outfit 3:

  • Bespoke tweed jacket from Lawton
  • Cashmere cable-knit jumper from Bryceland’s
  • All else as above

Outfit 4:

  • Vintage seventies Lee denim jacket
  • Vintage printed T-shirt
  • Vintage French workwear trousers
  • Cap from Kompakt bar, Seoul
  • All else as above

Some other photos of Alex over the years…

 

August Special, Besnard, Haversack: Autumn highlights 2024

August Special, Besnard, Haversack: Autumn highlights 2024

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1. Snow Peak Boa Fleece jacket

£220, Large

If a Permanent Style reader wanted a good fleece - for park wear as much as mountain wear - this Snow Peak one ticks most of the boxes. It’s a nice style, in a good fleece, without any obvious branding and certainly different to that Patagonia everyone is wearing. 

I like the design, with the curved mobile pocket on the chest echoed by the large waist pockets, and two stuff pockets on the back. It’s been out of stock for a while, but I’m assured by the store it’s coming back in next week. They fit fairly small, so I’d size up if in doubt. 

2. August Special ‘Marraka’ chukka boot

£503, 9.5 US

August Special is an American shoe brand founded by ex-RRL designer Joseph Pollard. We met earlier this year and chatted more in New York during the pop-up. His shoes are an impressive mix of rugged style and elevated make, with a particular focus on comfort. They look better the more they're worn.

We’ll be covering him more on PS, as it’s an interesting product and I’ve now tried a few of the shoes. For the moment though, I’m going to recommend the chukka boot - it’s modelled off an old flying boot, using unlined full-grain suede that’s thick and comfortable, and a foam footbed that makes it more comfortable still. The last shape is also like a moderate version of the modified last, which I know will work well for a lot of people. 

3. Connolly 48-Hour Bag

£2500

I’ve never had a really practical overnight bag - the kind with sections for a laptop, for a shirt and underwear, with pockets I will actually use because I have foreign cash, sunglasses, a watch cap. The closest thing is my old Filson, but that’s very battered and often not smart enough. 

The best example I found was this from Connolly, and I’ve used it for a few months now. I was torn between that and the Sea Bag - the latter has more style but is probably less practical. Both are expensive, but very well made and for a luxe look and make such as this, there are few good options outside the big designer brands. 

4. Granted hand-knit cardigan

$446, Large

A friend has one of these sweaters, and I’ve always liked it. Then during the New York pop-up a reader came in wearing one, which reminded me I should mention the company on Permanent Style sometime. Hence the entry. 

Granted are a tiny operation in Canada, hand-knitting traditional cardigans to order. They take about 4-5 weeks and the quality is good. The wool isn’t quite the same as some I’ve had (eg from RRL) but they’re more wearable than the really heavy ones I've had from the likes of Canadian Sweater Co. The designs are also quite ‘fun’ but there are patterned ones mixed in there too - like the lovely Links Motif above.  

5. Besnard Skipper polo

£169, Large

This isn’t really Autumn wear, but I only got one of these to try relatively late in the summer so it’s only now I’ve worn it enough to recommend it. Besnard is a new menswear shop in Haarlem (The Netherlands) started by Victor Besnard, whose family included bespoke tailors way back.

They do mostly RTW and some MTM, with the pieces made at a high level and usually oriented around tailoring. This polo is a little shorter than most as a result, but is a well-executed take on the skipper style - the collar sits well under a jacket and the button adds a touch of interest without being too unusual. It would be nice if there were more nice colours - I’d only wear the white, navy and navy/white stripe out of the current selection myself. 

6. Atlantic Coastal Supplies beach bag

£105, Large

Atlantic Coastal Supplies is a small company based in Cornwall, England. They make a variety of beach clothing and accessories, and while I can’t comment on the clothes, I really like their beach bags. They’re tough and light, with some nice style in the colours, logo, and a very satisfying G-hook closure. 

The Extra Large size is huge - for lugging actual diving gear - but the Large (above) is good for everyday use. The material is nylon canvas with a waterproof backing, and they’re made by a local sailmaker, in her spare time when not making actual sails. A nice piece and useful for lugging family gear around. The colours that are out of stock are apparently coming back in next week.  

7. Stoffa Asymmetric Coat

£2504, 50

The Asymmetric Coat was one of the first things that ever attracted me to Stoffa - it was such a simple design yet so distinctive. For a long time it wasn’t available, but 10 years later they’ve brought it back, and it feels so timely now - like those loose coats so many women wear, but to me better designed, more masculine, and certainly in better materials. 

The waist only shows one button, but it doesn’t look unusual. The neck buttons up in parallel and makes the design cohesive. That design has also been updated today with a longer looser fit and a part-raglan sleeve. It’s expensive, like all Stoffa things, but like them you can feel the design work and can’t really get the same thing anywhere else.

8. Haversack melton wool jacket

£395, Small

Haversack doesn't get quite as much attention as other Japanese brands, perhaps because it's not as widely stocked and can be quirky in its designs. But there are some lovely pieces in the collections, they're just as well made, and the prices are often quite reasonable.

The cardigan and sweater Clutch has at the moment are both in really interesting materials, but my favourites are the navy/black outerwear pieces - the duffle coat, the melton jacket and the blouson. The duffle coat is very A-line and the proportions generally of the jackets are big and wide, but someone shorter than me would fit them well. I like the details like the frogging on the blouson (above) and the lighter weight of the melton used throughout - it still has substance but it's not as wooden as some meltons that Japanese brands use.

As they come up big, most people size down. That would be fine on me except for the length.

Introducing: The Court Jacket

Introducing: The Court Jacket

Wednesday, October 23rd 2024
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*Care update: The Court Jacket can be wiped down on the outside to deal with any dirt, dust etc. It can also be hand-washed to deal with any perspiration over time. Hand wash in warm water and hang to dry. 

For the new collaboration this Autumn, I wanted to design something that would suit the PS audience but be sportier - for taking the kids to the park at the weekend, rather than to town during the week. 

The inspiration came when I found an old nylon popover - bright red, emblazoned with ‘Coach Pete’ and a local basketball team - in a local vintage shop. The shape and style were great, but it was obviously a cheap piece and let down by the materials. 

So we reimagined it in better, more classic fabrics and added a load of functional details. 

The outer shell is Ventile, the British-military cotton material that’s highly water-resistant and much nicer than synthetics in feel (softer) and sound (no rustling). We then taped the seams on the inside too. 

Functionally we added a full zip in one side seam, a hidden key pocket in the other side, an articulated hood with a flip-back peak, and a mobile-phone holder inside the kangaroo pocket.

They add up into something that’s much more practical that a traditional sports shell - a jacket that's fit for modern life.

The cut of the Court Jacket is roomy, the ribbing at the bottom holding it tight and then allowing room above to move and layer up. It’s nice over a T-shirt, but I also wear it over a roll neck in colder weather.

We originally put a zip in the side seam in order to make the jacket easier to get on and off. But I’ve since found it’s practical in another way: if you get too hot, unzipping the side allows air in and makes it much cooler. It’s also a nice, different look, the jacket dropping straight down rather than sitting on the waist (first image below). 

The zip on the other side, meanwhile, opens into a small pocket that’s big enough for a cardholder or a set of keys (second image). And the big pocket on the front has a patch inside that fits a mobile phone, which stops the phone weighing on the pocket as well as separating it from your hands. 

It was really fun pulling in all these little details from other sportswear. The hidden pocket came from a running jacket of mine, while the patch idea was from a hiking jacket. 

We went through dozens of other rain jackets to find the hood we liked most. 

I wanted it articulated, set in three panels to fit around the head. But it was hard to agree what shape of peak worked best. Eventually we found a solution that encompassed both a smaller and a deeper hood: the peak is cut and reinforced to enable it to be kept forward (completely sheltering the face) or folded back (allowing a wider field of vision). 

The lining is a lovely lightweight jersey. This is what the original coach’s jacket had and it was really cosy, but we’ve upped the quality considerably. It gives the jacket the feeling of a sweatshirt, but not so heavy that you can’t wear it over thicker knitwear. 

The overall result is a piece that feels like elevated sportswear, but without becoming the uber-luxe stealth-wealth that's so common today. It's practical, everyday and has that easy, playful air of original Ivy clothing.

We went back to my Oxford college - Trinity - for the shoot because I wanted to capture some of that collegiate feel. Although clearly sportswear, the jacket looks good with things like chinos and loafers, mixing things together in the same manner as those Ivy students. 

As a result I wear it with jeans and boots or trainers, but also smarter things. In the first image below I’m wearing it with Rubato chinos, sports socks and Alden loafers. But the footwear could just as easily be boots - chukka, desert or hiking - in colder months. 

With brown suede boots I’ve even worn it with flannels, wearing a navy crewneck and watch cap on top. The cotton Ventile and the navy colour make it smart enough.

Yet at the other end of the spectrum, it's something I wear with shorts and trainers to go to the gym. 

I think that’s what makes me particularly excited about this new collaboration - it’s clearly a different category to the other pieces of outerwear, but I feel it compliments them rather than replacing them.

The Court jacket has been made by Private White VC in Manchester, and it retains their signature copper hardware on the back of the neck, though we preferred gun-metal hardware on the rest of the jacket. 

The jacket costs £540 plus VAT, and is available on the PS Shop

In terms of sizing, I am wearing a Medium/4 and that’s a solid size for me - I wouldn’t go up or down. (For those that don’t know, I’m six foot tall with a 39-inch chest.) 

If you were between sizes, you could size down as the body is quite roomy, but I would make sure the length still works on you - perhaps checking against a short jacket you already have. The dimensions are:

XSmall/2 Small/3 Medium/4 Large/5 XLarge/6 XXLarge/7
Chest 61cm 63.5 67 70.5 74 77.5
Shoulders 50.5 52 53.5 55 57 58.5
Hem 35 37.5 41 44.5 48 51.5
Sleeve 65 65.5 66.5 67.5 68.5 69.5
Length 65 65.5 66.5 67.5 68.5 69.5

Product summary:

  • A half-zip, highly water-resistant popover 
  • Made with British cotton Ventile, and taped seams
  • Lined with a lightweight grey jersey 
  • Full zip in the left-hand side seam, to make it easier to get on/off and enable ventilation
  • Hidden pocket in the right-hand side seam, for keys or cardholder
  • Patch pocket inside the front, handwarmer pocket, to carry a mobile
  • Articulated hood with peak that can be worn forward or back, and cinch
  • Made in Manchester, England by Private White VC
  • Care: wipe down the exterior to deal with dirt etc, hand wash on the inside if needed
  • Cost, £540 plus taxes. Available on the PS Shop

Other clothes shown:

  • Vintage seventies 501 jeans
  • Second-hand Vans Authentic shoes
  • PS cashmere watch cap
  • Bennett Winch commuter bag
  • Vintage cap
  • Rubato chinos
  • Alden cordovan tassel loafers

Made-to-order Anthology shirt: Review

Made-to-order Anthology shirt: Review

Monday, October 21st 2024
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The Anthology has an interesting shirt offering that I only really discovered recently. Perhaps because it’s not that clearly flagged up on the website. 

You can get most of their shirts to order, selecting a size that determines the chest and the collar but then specifying the waist, sleeve length and body length. For someone like me, who is a fairly regular size but often wants a slimmer waist and a longer body than standard, it could be very useful. 

Delivery takes three weeks, which is fast enough for most people and certainly quicker than anyone doing made-to-measure. Although this is the other way - the negative way - to see their system: very little is held as stock, almost everything has to be made to order. So there’s a trade-off there between speed and customisation. 

There are some other aspects to this - upsides and downsides - but let’s first cover what I ordered and how it turned out. 

The Anthology do trunk shows in London and New York, and at those they will happily measure you for a shirt (MTO or bespoke). But I wanted to try just the online service, without any help. 

I decided to try the ‘deep olive one-piece collar’ shirt, as I really like that deep murky shade of green. I did this back in the summer by the way, so linen wasn’t a crazy choice. 

I took the bespoke shirt of mine that I liked the fit of best, and compared the measurements to those on the Anthology website. This is what I found:

Collar/chest:

  • My bespoke shirt had a measurement of 39.5cm on the collar and 112cm in the chest
  • This doesn’t perfectly align with The Anthology’s block, as they have 39cm and 40cm collar options, not one in between
  • I decided to go with the 40cm collar, in order to keep the 112cm chest of my bespoke. I wouldn’t wear this style with a tie anyway, so the collar is less important 
  • There is no ability to alter the collar or chest in relation to each other though, so others may have to compromise more

Waist:

  • For the 40cm collar I picked, the default waist size was 100cm, which is exactly what my bespoke one measured
  • This was interesting, because as we’ve covered on PS before, a few years ago I would have gone for more like 97cm
  • So there was no need to alter the waist, but I could have increased or decreased it by 4cm if I wanted
  • It is possible to change the proportions more than this, The Anthology explained to me afterwards, but they limit it to 4cm as few people need more than that, and in that case they would prefer the customer to get in touch with them to confirm they’re measuring correctly
  • The size chart on every page shows where the measurements should be taken, and there is a video walking through the process. Although it could be clearer exactly where the waist should be measured 

Sleeve:

  • This is where things got a bit odd. My bespoke shirt measured 66cm and the Anthology’s default was 62cm, so I was at the absolute maximum of what could be added
  • I know I’m not that different to average, so I was worried I’d measured something wrong (despite going off the size chart). So at this point I got in touch with them to check I was doing it right
  • They confirmed I was, and it was just that the limits were partly based on Asian sizing, where the arms are rather shorter
  • I guess this could be communicated better, and it means some people in the West will be beyond the maximum sleeve length. But the team were helpful and as mentioned before, could add any amount required

Shoulder:

  • This was 49cm on my bespoke, and 46.7cm on the Anthology default
  • Like the chest, this can’t be altered, so I did consider sizing up, but in the end decided against it as the seam position makes less of a difference than the chest size

Length:

  • My bespoke was 81cm in the back length, and the Anthology default 78cm
  • So this is one area where I clearly benefit from the system, even with western sizing - my height (184cm) means a lot of ready-made shirts are short on me. I added the 3cm I wanted 

The resulting shirt, three weeks later, was exactly what I ordered. I also liked the colour and other aspects of the style. The only thing I didn’t like so much was the one-piece collar - not that there was anything wrong with The Anthology’s version, but I’ve slightly gone off the collar in general. 

One-piece collars were interesting when they first became popular, and the appeal of something subtly unusual, rolling open in a smooth unbroken curve, remains. Look at my old one from Marol, and I think you can see how well this works. 

But there are a some disadvantages. The back of the placket has a habit of flipping out (see image below) and when worn on their own, without a jacket, one-piece collars are a little less subtle. 

The Anthology’s version is better than most, but my view today is that they’re a nice alternative to have in the wardrobe - a second white-linen shirt when you already have one white-linen shirt - rather than a default. Given I’m only going to have one olive linen shirt, I’d prefer it to have a regular collar. 

This brings us onto the other disadvantage of this service, which is that The Anthology don’t offer a big range of classic, everyday shirts. Yes, there is a white and blue oxford, and a few blue-stripe poplins, but I couldn’t get my olive linen in a regular collar, the white spread collar is a cotton-linen rather than a pure cotton, the pure cotton a point collar. 

Compared to someone like Anglo-Italian or Natalino, The Anthology’s range is more varied and more unusual. There are some classics in there, but the brand’s strength is (for me) the interesting stripes and unusual fabrics - this deep olive, the beige/white linen, the red ‘Workman’ shirt

In fact, there is a particular appeal in workwear-like shirts such as the Workman. Because if you go to a classic shirtmaker they will usually only have fine shirtings from the likes of Thomas Mason, Alumo or Canclini, and will be used to making business styles. Ask them to source a rugged chambray, or make with double stitching and teardrop pockets, and they will struggle. 

I like work shirts but ready-made ones don’t always fit me so well. The Anthology’s offering could be useful there, and I might try one of their Workman shirts next. (Bryceland’s also offer this, as does someone like Gitman Bros at their trunk shows.)

The only other thing I found hard with the Anthology service was shrinkage. Some fabrics shrink more than others, and there isn’t any guidance on particular shirts about this. My linen has been fine, but I know others will shrink more. 

If in doubt, I’d say contact the team and ask their advice. They also made it clear to me that the MTO service is designed mostly for repeat customers - that’s where it works best, when someone knows the Anthology shirts and wants to be able to order something remotely, with a particular fit. 

I think that’s fair - it’s never going to compare to the fit or range of fabrics you can get with bespoke or MTM. It’s more an enhancement, both in terms of fit and convenience, on the style and product of a brand you already like. 

My shirt cost $230 (the quoted price is for MTO, as these can shirts can only be made to order, as mentioned). The only shirt that is not made-to-order currently is the 'Big Man' style. 

Note: This also means shirts cannot be returned or exchanged. So a risk there, although I know from friends The Anthology readily make a new shirt if there is any kind of mistake. Again, it’s a reason why it works best for repeat customers

Clothes shown: Ciardi bespoke jacket in Anglo-Italian cloth, Whitcomb & Shaftesbury trousers in Fox Flannel cloth, Ludens crocodile belt, Gaziano & Girling bespoke alligator shoes

Natalino: Cheaper well-styled tailoring

Natalino: Cheaper well-styled tailoring

Wednesday, October 16th 2024
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Natalino offers a lower level of tailoring than most brands we cover, but with much more PS style than others at that price point. Particularly now they have a physical shop in London, they’re competing with the likes of Hackett, Boggi or SuitSupply, and I’d certainly recommend Natalino over them.

For quite a long time, I confess, I didn’t pay much attention to Natalino. The selling point seemed to be mostly price; they were cheaper than anyone else selling Neapolitan-style tailoring and there didn't seem to be much added in terms of style.

When we went into the store recently and spoke to the founder Nathan, he talking about this point around price: he started Natalino online after leaving his job at Merrill Lynch, because while he and his friends loved having bespoke Neapolitan tailoring, they didn’t want to pay that as day-to-day clothing. Price was always a factor. 

There are a few problems with selling on price, but one is it restricts how much you can add your own personality - basically, how much you can sell the clothes you want. “The Neapolitan factories we worked with all had a default style that was shorter, tighter, with big dramatic lapels,” said Nathan. Developing a separate block and style takes time, and money.

“This double-breasted you’re trying on,” he said as I tried a size-48 navy flannel in the store, “is our fifth variation of the style. It’s now much more what we like than at the beginning. It’s more relaxed, with a lower and more rounded peak. It’s easier to wear more casually.”

Since Nathan brought on staff David and Ruben last year, and opened the shop on Mortimer Street, the company has changed a fair bit. “We now do more of our own photography, lookbooks, we communicate the style,” he said. “We’re also getting better at having stock in - though as things have been so busy since we opened, even that’s been hard to keep on top of.” 

The shop and staff mean added costs, but Nathan has done his best to keep price increases down. “They have gone up, but not much. We still have a lot of guys coming in because the value point so we need to retain that.” A jacket is now between £450 and £525, with trousers £195 extra. 

Of course, the price would be meaningless if the style wasn’t also good, and I was impressed at what I tried on. 

The jackets are all made in Naples (the trousers in Portugal) and it has that feeling of a genuine Neapolitan jacket: spalla camicia shoulder, open foreparts, rounded and rolling front edge. It has all the aspects of Neapolitan style that have made it so popular, with none of the extreme details. 

The armhole is quite high and the sleeve large, which is also impressive at this price. The block itself works particularly well on those with more sloping shoulders, Nathan admits, and so it’s good on me. Those with really square shoulders find it harder. 

And it should be made clear that Natalino don’t do MTM or anything similar - only ready-to-wear and alterations to it.

If I was being picky I’d want a little less pick stitching on the edges and lapels, but I know some readers will like that. The trousers are also genuinely high rise, which is not what I prefer, but again some will love it. Things like the shetland knits they now do are cut shorter with those trousers in mind. 

So if the cut is good, what do you lose by being at this price level rather than Anglo-Italian, for example?

Well the differences are actually quite clear when you put the jacket on. The fronts are partly fused and the lapels and collar feel solid. There is none of the malleability you get with a more hand-made garment, or the three-dimensional elements you get with something like a curved, hand-attached collar. The jackets are also only half-canvassed. 

There are other online sellers where you can perhaps get a higher quality level for a similar price, but comparing Natalino to its peers in London, this still feels like good value - Anglo-Italian is certainly better made, but a jacket there now starts at £1,100. 

And as I said earlier, the style compares very well with the likes of Hackett, Boggi or Suit Supply (though the latter is cheaper). The biggest thing Natalino probably lacks compared to those is variety - other than one tobacco linen, the range is entirely grey and navy at the moment. 

“This is something we will slowly look to expand on,” says Nathan. “To be honest, most people want navy and grey, in fact the biggest request we get is for more standard suits, in worsteds rather than flannel, but it is good to do some interesting patterns and colours.” Variety, of course, is one more thing that comes with a cost. 

I haven’t yet tried the rest of the clothes at Natalino, but the shirts look like a good proposition: simple make but with nice style, like the tailoring. 

The knitwear will be too short for me, while the jeans are an impressively high rise but I’m not so keen on the washes. They have done other categories in the past, including rip-stop cargo trousers made in Japan, and are developing T-shirts and shorts. 

It’s an interesting operation, with a contemporary-feeling store, stylish staff and now more developed product. I’m happy to say I was wrong to discount Nathan and what he was doing for so long; hopefully this piece will go some way to correct that. 

natalino.co

46 Mortimer St, London W1W 7RL

Luca Museo navy three-piece suit: Review

Luca Museo navy three-piece suit: Review

Monday, October 14th 2024
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Yeah, the collar on this shirt is kinda high. I remembered it as soon as I saw these images - it was one I tried with a higher collar in order to wear with my A&S tailoring, which always has a high collar itself. It looks nice with those pieces, but it’s really too much for everything else. 

Don’t let that distract you from this suit from the Korean tailor Luca Museo. It is both excellently cut and rather interesting. 

Interesting because the style is quite extreme but well hidden. It's probably the biggest jacket I've ever had. The shoulders measure seven inches along the seam, which is the same as my A&S (see our Tailor’s Style series) but a chunk of wadding in the sleeve head gives them an extra half inch. We even brought the shoulders in from their standard width, because I thought it looked too big.

Apart from that wadding at the end, the shoulder is only lightly padded, with nothing but canvas at the end nearest the neck. This makes everything lighter, but also means you sometimes get a fold halfway along the shoulder when you move or turn. That's shown a little bit in the image below. 

There's also a lot of drape in the chest, and the armhole isn’t particularly small. The result is that while the top half of the jacket is both flattering and comfortable, it also moves as you move, riding up and off the neck a little.

I mentioned in my introductory article on Luca Museo that they have quite a few clients who are regular gym goers, and so are quite built. I can see this cut working well on them. There would be plenty of room for the pecs and traps and lats without the material being tight, and they’d look even bigger than they actually are. 

None of this should take away from the execution of their particular style, which is excellent. The jacket is clean in the front and good on the back, with only a little drape under the blades (despite the actual volume there). 

The lapels have a nice curve from the chest down to the buttoning point; the ‘barchetta’ breast pocket is subtle. The only issue I could find anywhere was on the waistcoat, which could do with being closer to the back of the neck. 

Pleats are not an easy thing to fit on me, often splaying (and then staying splayed) by my hips and seat. But the backward-facing pleats on these trousers sit very cleanly (as did those from fellow Korean tailors Assisi).

The finishing is also good - as you can see in the close-up images above and below. Having spoken to a few customers of Korean tailoring while in Seoul, this seems to be the area tailors have improved most recently. 

The only thing I don’t like about the finishing is the prominence of the pick stitching. There’s quite a bit of it and it is a little large. Almost like the machine stitching that some brands put on their ready-made suits, in order to make them look hand crafted. 

That AMF machine (named after the original maker, American Machine and Foundry) has been so overused in recent decades that I wonder whether anyone gets the connection any more - that those decorative stitches are meant to replicate the functional handwork of a tailor. 

I explained in my first article on Luca Museo that this suit was something they wanted to make for me, and so some of the choices were theirs.

This includes the waistcoat, which I wouldn’t normally have, and the purple lining. Actually, I just remembered today that my first ever bespoke navy suit had purple lining, from Graham Browne way back in 2010. 

The waistcoat also necessitated high-waisted trousers - there’s nothing worse than trousers that leave a ‘muffin top’ of shirt material between their waistband and the bottom of a waistcoat. My trousers are not, of course, normally high waisted (true high rise, up above the hip bones). But it is nice to have this option in the wardrobe alongside my normal cut. There are a couple of shorter sweaters and such that could with the extra coverage.

I was interested in trying a navy suit, and I will use it for smarter occasions. Maybe not in such a City shirt-and-tie combination, but it is still fun to show those kinds of looks. A printed silk tie (often Hermes, like this) with a blue shirt and a navy suit used to be such a uniform.

The material is a 4-ply worsted using Lumb’s Golden Bale wool. It was a collaboration between agents in Korea and Hong Kong for Lesser's, and only available there. It’s light and fine, but also dry and with some nice texture; 370g. 

So unfortunately it's not available elsewhere, but it does remind me that there are some lovely similar worsteds in the No.305 Lumbs Golden Bale collection, for anyone looking for a high-quality suiting without the sleek or shine of most superfines.

The shirt with the tall collar is from D’Avino, in a superfine grey/blue cotton. Here, the superfine fibre creates a massive amount of wrinkling, as partially visible above. I don’t mind this too much, as I know what comes as a result - that very light, very soft feeling. But it isn't what I'd recommend to most people, particularly given the accompanying high prices. More on superfine cotton shirtings here

That shirt collar is actually only 0.5cm taller than my usual shirts, which are 4.5cm (measured on the back of the collar stand). It’s amazing that half a centimetre makes a difference, though I guess it is 11% bigger, so proportionally more. 

Lower collars, like a lot of my workwear shirts, are often 4cm high. So the same decrease as this is an increase. The new Friday Polos have that, and again the difference is noticeable.  

Luca Museo are producing some really good tailoring, at a fairly affordable price - $3800 for full bespoke, with other options going down to $2000 (see list below). They also have a lot of style, which is clear from their atelier in Seoul, and visit New York.

I’m not sure the cut of the jackets is one I'll want to pursue going forward, but I am having a Neapolitan-style pea coat made that we fitted at the same time, so it will be interesting to see how that turns out. 

For more details on Luca Museo, see our introductory article here

Luca Museo offer three levels of make: Blue, White and Black label.
- Black is the full bespoke, this suit
- White is bespoke cut and fitted, but with some work (eg chest padding) done by machine
- Blue is made to measure, largely machine made and outsourced

Starting prices for each level (for a two-piece suit) are $2,000, $2,500 and $3,800. Trunk shows are currently held in New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Bangkok and Taiwan. All Asian trunk shows are hosted by Coller (prices might vary there slightly).

lucamuseo.com
@lucamuseo

The Suede Overshirt made-to-order programme

The Suede Overshirt made-to-order programme

Friday, October 11th 2024
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The Suede Overshirt in tobacco has recently been restocked on PS, having sold out quickly back in the spring. But we’re also going to try a made-to-order programme, as the makers Rifugio are happy to make in small numbers. 

The idea is that readers will be able to pick the size they want, but then specify the sleeve length and body length. This gets round the biggest issue with RTW sizing, of assuming that a person with a smaller chest is shorter, and one with a larger chest is necessarily taller. 

We’re only offering these two options because we want to make it simple enough for people to be able to order remotely, and we want to keep the costs down. Once you start adding options for waist, shoulders etc, the factory has to make a bespoke pattern and the price goes up steeply.

A lot of readers already know their size in the overshirts, because it’s the same as the popular Linen Overshirts. But during the upcoming pop-ups in New York and London we'll be bring a size run of the Suede Overshirts, so everyone can try them and make sure. We are also happy to give advice on how much longer the sleeve and body should be. 

Made-to-order will also be available remotely, via email with Lucas on the support team - [email protected].

We are offering four colours in the overshirt, which we have made up into samples for people to try. I thought it was important to pay to do this because, again for a pretty expensive product, we didn’t want decisions to be made off just a swatch. 

The four colours are shown above, and we will later add images of finished shirts. The shirts themselves will be available in the pop-up to see. (Pictured below: Manish and myself trying to whittle down the range to just four.)

The colours are, from top to bottom: 

  • Navy (dark, a classic menswear navy)
  • Sand (not as pale as the swatch above suggests - look at the top image in this post)
  • Dark brown (my favourite)
  • Tobacco (a very muted shade, very versatile - the original colour here)

Delivery of the overshirts will be in February next year, the idea being that they will be available for spring onwards. The price is £1860 plus VAT, a 20% uplift on RTW. 

I know this is an expensive product, but the only thing I can say is that this is what it costs. If you want the finest suede in the world, it’s going to cost around this - the comparative products are a Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Brioni or Loro Piana, whose prices are higher. I have a Purple Label overshirt and love it, but I prefer the design of ours and it’s better value for money in that sense. 

Hopefully this is something readers can appreciate when they see the shirt in person. It really is, as one friend put it, ‘a spenny product that really looks a spenny product’. 

I’ll be interested to see how the pre-order goes too. It’s something we’ve done in recent years for autumn products - the Donegal coats, the cashmere knits - but this is the first one for spring. Pre-orders have proved to be an effective way to offer greater range: more sizes, old products, unusual colours. But it’s not possible to do with all makers (for some the minimums are too high) and not everyone wants to wait that long. We'll add more options in the future where we can, if the reaction is good.

On the subject of pre-orders, please do note that these are always non-refundable and non-exchangeable. We’re specifically ordering a single piece that we wouldn’t buy otherwise, so it can’t just be placed back into stock. 

I think people understand this point for different colours, but don’t always for the same colour as something in stock. We still have to make these non-exchangeable, because otherwise the amount we buy would be unbalanced and we’d end up with lots unsold in different sizes. 

In fact, perhaps we should call this something else in the future to make it clearer - special orders or something. Let me know what you think.

There’s a full description of the Suede Overshirt and how it was designed on the launch article. As with everything we do, if you want to understand it and would like to appreciate it, that’s the place to go.

But here’s a brief summary, followed by one for the pre-order process.

The Suede Overshirt:

  • An outer layer that can be worn over a T-shirt or a sweater
  • Larger chest pockets than most, plus an internal patch pocket
  • Hip pockets that are concealed in the seam, maintaining the look of a shirt
  • Made in Naples by Rifugio, one of the best in the world
  • Made from the finest suede, unlined, with horn buttons
  • Same pattern and sizing as the existing Linen Overshirt
  • Tobacco colour works with jeans and tailored trousers, warm and cold colours

On the last point, in the launch article I showed the tobacco with many things, but not with black. The images here were specifically included to show how good it looks with black and white (being a more muted shade).

The Pre-Order:

  • Cost £1860 plus VAT
  • Delivery in February 2025, ready for spring
  • Available in the pop-ups, and online until end of November
  • For online orders, email Lucas at [email protected]
  • Four colours available: tobacco, sand, navy, dark brown (see images)
  • Six sizes available: XS to XXL (see size chart below)
  • Body length and sleeve length to order, please specify cm
  • All orders are non-refundable and non-exchangeable

 

Chest Shoulders Back length Sleeve
X-small 106  46  74.5  59
Small 112 48 76 61
Medium 117 50 78 63
Large 123 52 79.5 65
X-large 129 54 81 67
XX-large  135  56  82.5  69

 

As always it's also useful to compare the measurements of the size chart to an item you already own. Simon is six foot (183cm) with a 39 inch (99cm) chest, a 34 inch (86cm) waist and weighs 12.5 stone (79kg). He is wearing a medium.

Below, three outfits with the overshirt showing its range by season and formality: knitwear and jeans, shirt and high-twist trousers, T-shirt and linen.

A Guide to Mohair

 

There are two main reasons people use mohair for tailoring today. One is for eveningwear, when they want something with a little more sharpness and lustre; the other, less common, is as an alternative to high-twist wools in the summer. 

And there’s a third, increasingly rare, which is to be deliberately influenced by Mod style. When mohair/wool suits first became popular in the 1960s they were worn by varieties of younger people, but Mods made them their own. 

The look had a revival in the 1980s, and when I was growing up in the 1990s it was brought back again by Ozwald Boateng. I owned a purple Boateng suit at the age of 17, bought attractively cheap in Bicester Village. It was sharp and exciting, but I confess I barely wore it.

 

 

Mohair’s two key properties as regards tailoring are its two-tone sheen and a particular combination of lightness and sharpness. If you were a club-goer in the 1960s, or a jazz musician on stage, the first made it exotic and the second practical. 

Made from the hair of the Angora goat (not to be confused with ‘Angora’, the wool from the rabbit of the same name), mohair is a strong for its weight, warm for its weight, crease-resistant and naturally elastic. 

It also takes dye well, which is one reason suits were often made in vivid colours. In fact that association is, I think, just as important as the sheen when it comes to why people are put off by mohair. Open the Standeven ‘SummerStrand’ book and your eye is caught by teal, burgundy and peach alongside black and grey. It can be hard to shake that.

 

 

Summer tailoring

Let’s return to the main uses for mohair today, and so why you might consider using it. 

First, mohair’s lightness and ability to hold its shape make it an effective alternative to high-twist suitings. John Hitchcock, the ex-head cutter at Anderson & Sheppard, used to wear mohair-mix suits in the summer to great effect. 

“They were cut in a classic manner, softly tailored with wider trousers,” one contemporary remembers. “Made like that, a mohair suit was very different to the tighter-fitting Mod suits, or Boateng’s long nineties jackets. It showed me how they could be elegant.”

In some parts of the world, tailors also find they’re popular because high-twist wools like Fresco can be so matte and dry, with a pronounced texture from the thicker yarn. There are less rustic high-twists of course, like Ascot or Crispaire, but there’s also a correlative reduction in sharpness and breathability.

“I find customers in south-east Asia often prefer mohair mixes because they’re sleeker than high-twists,” one English tailor tells me. “They have a little shine and are similar in some ways to the superfine wools they associate with luxury.” 

 

 

High and low mohair content

This brings us onto the amount of mohair in a fabric, as the proportions make a big difference. A little mohair is usually a performance enhancer; mostly mohair creates a real look.

When mohair was developed as a suiting in England in the 1960s, it was by using it in the weft with wool in the warp. The mohair content was high as result, with William Halstead in England the first to find a way to weave it effectively, without too many of its natural flaws. The most famous brand though became Tonik, sold by Dormeuil, which used a thicker yarn (three-ply twist) and was almost more like a Fresco in texture

After that, the most popular mix for a long time was 87/13 wool/mohair – Burberry used it famously for many years, and it settled down to become the industry standard. Today the market tends to split in two: mixes around half mohair or more (often referred to as British mohairs) and ones with around 5-15% (more commercial and more European). 

The second type adds a little of mohair’s properties without making it a mohair cloth. It’s basically a worsted wool with slightly more crispness and lightness. The first, on the other hand, is really mohair: this is where you see its naturally uneven texture, quite similar to slubby linen. You also see the two-tone lustre, which becomes apparent as the material moves and folds. 

The other major difference between mohairs is weight. Older mohairs were 11-13oz and up; today most are around 8oz, with the greater emphasis on coolness. That, the amount of mohair, and some production techniques that are no long possible (eg flyer-spun) are what make vintage mohair more characterful. 

 

 

Dinner jackets

It shouldn’t be surprising that mohair became popular for evening wear – the combination of crispness (for a sharp look), lightness (to stay cool indoors) and sheen (for a bit of glamour) were perfect. 

Gianni Agnelli is often referenced here, though personally I’m not a big fan of the blue colour, satin lapels or undone style of his dinner jacket (above). Black tie is one of those areas where you really shouldn’t be too sloppy or undone. That waist should be covered if nothing else. 

I had a dinner suit made by Richard Anderson in a mohair cloth back in 2014 (below). It was a high mohair content – 40/60 I think – and very sharp. In retrospect though it wasn’t really what I wanted. The sheen was a bit too much and I didn’t like the crispiness. Today I’d use a barathea, as deep and matte as possible. 

Structured English tailors used to like mohair because they could get a very sharp waist on a jacket. When your priority is a square shoulder and as slim a waist as possible, mohair’s ability to hold a shape is perfect. It’s my purely personal preference to favour something more soft and draped. 

However, one of the reasons I wanted to write this article was that I am having a black mohair suit made with J Mueser – 70/30 wool/mohair, Dugdale’s – that is intended to not be black tie, but rather a sharp, slightly rock ‘n’ roll evening option. Two button, belt loops, very sharp. I’ll cover that later in the year. 

 

 

Bunches 

These are a few of the main bunches and what they offer. I’ve focused on the ones I know personally, but most of the options should be covered.

Standeven is the merchant arm of William Halstead, probably still the best-known English mill for mohair. They certainly have the biggest range, with five varying bunches. They break down as:

– British Mohair – The higher percentage bunch, as British mohair historically was – a mohair weft with a worsted-wool warp. Plains and other suiting patterns, 8 and 9 ounce. The close-up of cloth higher up is from this bunch. 

– Carnival – The other high-percentage bunch, with a particular focus on colour. Fabrics are piece-dyed to get a really vibrant range

– Cape Town – The vintage-feeling bunch, more like Tonik. Basically from being a two or three-ply, giving it a drier feel. Think Michael Caine in Get Carter (below).

– Summer Strand – The lower percentage bunch, along with Festival. Around 6% mohair, with classic suitings alongside lots of colours

Most big mills/merchants have mohair in their collections, if only as part of a ceremonial range. Italians like Loro Piana and Ariston for example. Four others with standalone bunches though are:

MohairDormeuil – This contains just two colours of the original Tonik quality (black and midnight blue) and the rest are a range of mohair/wool mixes, often with a touch of lycra. The bunch ‘Tonik Wool’ is just their high-twist wool range.

Cape Kid, Harrisons – Traditional English mohair in the 40/60 mix, 8oz. A lot of shades of blue, charcoal and black, with patterns such as glen checks and pin stripes for variation, rather than colours. 

English Mohair, Holland & Sherry – Lower percentage, with 80% Super 100s wool and 20% mohair. All plains in a variety of colours, rather than adding patterns. 

Mohair, Drapers – The main outlet for VBC mohair, in a mohair mix between the previous two at 71/29. All plains, with a big variation in dark colours rather than more vibrant tones. 

 

 

A tonal exercise in 14 looks

A tonal exercise in 14 looks

Monday, October 7th 2024
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One of the things that first attracted me to Rubato as a brand was their style: that particular mix of laid-back Ivy and tonal Scandinavian (ref. our five casual paradigms). It managed to feel refreshing yet familiar. 

Style is more important to the value of these brands that some realise. Yes, you want the highest quality, at the best price, in a fit that flatters. But if you also identify with the brand's style - as communicated through their imagery - it gives you confidence in things like the shades of colours they pick, the specific materials, and gives you the confidence to try something new, because you trust their style. 

With Rubato, I always thought this was particularly well communicated through their flat-lays, like the ones below. They have a consistency that makes them easily digestible, and the whole collection feels like an exercise in colour combinations. 

So that’s what I’ve turned them into. I know this wasn't how they were intended but I think the guys will forgive me.

I’ve taken 14 of their historic looks and rearranged them to create an order that feels logical and progressive, changing one element each time to alter the effect. It’s like trying to put together an outfit in the morning, swapping one thing each time until you get the look you want. 

Let’s begin with an exploration of wearing black, given so many readers ask about it. 

Look 1, above, reminds me that while black and white can work together, it does help if the white is ecru, off-white. Everything here apart from the jeans is black - knit, belt, shoes - so there's no relief elsewhere, and the ecru rather than optical white turns it into an elegant outfit rather than a flash one. 

Look 2: The same as Look 1, but with a tiny dash of interest in the brown scarf. Nice option to have.

Look 3 exchanges the cream trousers for khaki. This reminds me how effective khaki and black can be together - something I often forget when I’m trying to find things to go with my black jackets, for example. 

Significantly, this look is less striking than the first two because the contrast between top and bottom has been reduced. A good option if the others were too showy for you (or for the occasion). 

Look 4 flips the top and bottom. Now we have a beige/light brown layer on top and black jeans on the bottom. Works just as well. 

I must say, it is easier doing these combinations without the additional variable of a shirt, as you’d have with tailoring. The more variables there are the more complicated it gets. Though of course that has its own satisfaction too.

For Look 5 the colour has all gone and it’s just black. This look also won’t be for everyone, but I think it’s a good reminder that having everything in black (and it’s pretty much only possible in that colour) is a cool alternative, particularly for the evening. 

Note the amount of interest going on in the layers and textures: knits layered on top of knits and matte wool contrasting with shiny belt and shoes. 

Look 6 is a summer version of Look 5. Less going on, and I think having that contrast of the belt and its brass buckle is helpful. I might tuck, or at least semi-tuck. 

Now take that all black, and add navy over the top. Black and blue are apparently not meant to mix, but if the blue is a really dark navy, it can be very effective. See me wearing something very similar here

This look will be even nicer as the black jeans wear and fade, making them less of a stark block and adding some textural interest. But we’re necessarily playing with new clothes here. 

OK, so now let’s keep the black belt and shoes, but make everything else navy. For Look 8 it’s a navy knit on top and dark-indigo jeans, and even the scarf at the neck is a navy spot (I think). 

All navy is, of course, a great option for the guy that likes the full-tonal look but finds all-black to be too redolent of bikers, gangsters, fashion students or indeed mime artists. 

The Rubato guys really do like all-navy. Here’s the same look but with a shirt and dress chinos, rather than a knit and jeans. Nice step up the formality scale. 

Look 10 is a casual combination of 8 and 9. Shirt but untucked, jeans, and canvas shoes. Not sure I’d do the scarf with that combination but hey, we can’t agree on everything. That would be dull. 

All-navy again. What’s the point of all this? Well, Look 11 has brown-suede shoes rather than black. And I feel like brown suede is more in the wheelhouse of most PS readers than black with looks like these. 

So yes, brown suede shoes are a more subtle option. A brown-suede belt would be nice too. Always helps if the brown is relatively dark. 

And here’s the classic combination, the PS reader’s happy place: navy on top, cream on the bottom, brown suede accessories.

So elegant, so refined, and a lot less trad when it’s done with knitwear and jeans rather than a blazer and flannels. 

There are several different directions we could go from here, but I’ll suggest two quick ones, as the list is getting pretty long. Maybe we need a follow-up that brings in more browns and greens. 

Anyway, Look 13 is telling you that if you want to add another colour, a lighter shade of blue can be effective. In fact, it’s a really good way to wear things like sky blue, particularly if you’re in a country like England where it’s rarely sunny enough to justify a brightly-coloured knit all day. 

And the other thing I’ll say is that tonal looks obviously don’t have to be black or navy. 

Look 14 shows that beige and its associated colours can be nice too. I like wearing something very similar (stolen from Alessandro Squarzi - penultimate picture here) just with brown-suede shoes and belt. It’s sort of a showy look, but only a little. Also quite Cucinelli, but more refined.

I hope there’s something for you in this casual chic collection. Rather like the ‘Which office’ articles, I feel like there will be, but it won’t be everything. You gotta pick your place and your personality. 

All clothes from Rubato except the Belgian Loafers. AtempoRubato.com

Introducing: The dark navy Donegal

Introducing: The dark navy Donegal

Friday, October 4th 2024
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For our new iteration of the Donegal coat, I wanted to create a version that was the easiest possible colour, weight and pattern to wear. Readers ask so much about versatility - about having one good coat - so I knew making something that could be smart and casual, office and weekend, would be welcome. 

The colour, therefore is dark navy; actually a combination of navy and black in the herringbone. There’s a reason navy is the menswear staple, and in the images here I’ve tried to show how that works with both smarter clothing and jeans. 

The pattern is herringbone because it creates visual interest (also helps with the versatility) without being a bigger pattern. And the yarn is a slightly lighter merino than the previous Donegals - 680g rather than 720g. This makes it a touch smoother (easier with suits) and a very versatile weight. 

Given how popular the article was on jackets that substitute for coats, I know a lot of people are looking for a lighter-weight option, particularly as the world in general warms up. At 24oz, this is a solid mid-weight for a coat. 

Here’s a link to buying the coat by the way - I know people say we don’t always include that high enough. 

The style of our Donegal - the most popular and probably influential thing we’ve done - is also of course what makes it versatile. The simple fly front and collar mean it doesn’t look dressy with jeans, even in this dark navy. 

The outfits hopefully illustrate these points. The coat looks good with my very battered blue jeans above (vintage LVC ones that someone has clearly worn from raw), and would do with a simple white or grey T-shirt as well. 

But it’s also effective with a ‘casual chic’ look of dark-brown flannels and a black knit. Those are my Fox char-brown flannels, a Rubato lambswool sweater and black Shanklin boots from Edward Green in the shots below. 

I know this is as smart as many people dress these days, so I wanted to include it as an option. I also don’t think readers will have any problem imagining it with a navy or grey suit and tie.

As I’ve commented in the past, a good indicator of the versatility men’s outerwear is whether it can be worn with black and brown shoes. Those two are a decent read on the rest of the outfit, and this coat could equally be worn with dark-brown chukkas, even though both pairs shown are black. 

Something else I think it’s worth mentioning is that this dark-navy Donegal would compliment the other colours of outerwear we’ve done in the past - other than the flecked navy Donegal or Bridge Coat. 

Readers often ask about that, given our outerwear made by the wonderful Private White VC has been going for seven years, and many already have one piece from the collection - whether it’s the brown, grey or charcoal Donegal, the English Tweed, a Trench Coat or the Wax Walker. 

Most don’t want coats that overlap in colour or formality, and the new dark-navy I think would compliment all those non-navy pieces. It’s certainly an easier combination than those readers last year who questioned whether they should get both the English Tweed and Donegal in mid-grey. 

We shot the coat in Oxford, both in my college (Trinity) and the city as a whole. It was nice to go back, and it wasn't too hot fortunately, despite it being August. 

This of course is also a question that always comes up - what temperatures could you wear this coat in? 

It's a hard one to answer because people vary so much - I feel the cold more than most but don't overheat that easily for example. But in general I find this weight of coat is fine in the UK until the real depths of winter, so around freezing. 

I just layer up - a thick knit underneath, a T-shirt or undershirt, wool socks and boots, a big scarf and a cashmere watch cap. 

And right now in London, with temperatures around 12 degrees and some light rain, I wear the Donegal over a light knit or even just a shirt. Perhaps a knit in the bag or over the shoulders - much like the Rider's Raincoat discussed a couple of weeks ago.  

I'm wearing a Medium size in the coat here, and will have it lengthened by a couple of inches at some point (there's good inlay for alterations - unlike most coats). I could wear a Large, but it would be much drapier, a little too big for just a T-shirt or shirt on its own. More sizing info below. 

The clothes shown are:

  • Navy and black Rubato lambswool crewnecks
  • Vintage Levi's LVC jeans
  • Whitcomb & Shaftesbury flannels in Fox char-brown cloth
  • Shanklin boots from Edward Green in Utah leather
  • Piccadilly loafers from Edward Green in calf leather
  • Hermes 90x90 silk scarf
  • Vintage Ralph Lauren cap
  • Vintage Lock & Co suede cap

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. They will also be at our London and New York pop-up shops.
  • At the moment it is exclusively available through Permanent Style, on the webshop here. Private White VC will also have the same coat on sale from a week today. Of course, we always appreciate it if readers buy direct from us. 
  • There are sizes from XS (chest 46, 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.

Alterations

  • The coat deliberately has more inlay than other 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.

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

The Wax Walker: How Great Things Age

The Wax Walker: How Great Things Age

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Wednesday, October 2nd 2024
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At the beginning of the year, I asked readers if they had a Wax Walker we could feature as part of our ‘Dry January’ project. We were focusing on how things age and become more beautiful with wear, and wax jackets are particularly nice in that respect. 

A few got in touch, and I ended up borrowing reader Bart’s - his had been particularly heavily worn and he bought it in the very first batch, four years ago. We chatted, I photographed it, but by the time that done January had passed and it seemed a shame to write about it given we had no Wax Walkers to offer.

So this week, as we’ve finally restocked them, it’s finally time to talk about Bart’s jacket. (Note - the new batch have been shortened slightly, see bottom of the post for details.)

Bart works in London but is very much a country person, and wanted something that crossed both places stylistically. “Barbours never worked for me in that respect,” he says.  

“I’ve worn this one so much. I remember during Covid, when you could only go out for one walk a day, this was hanging by the door and I’d put it on every day for that walk. Then after Covid it was the same - for a good while it was the only good coat I had and I wore it every day. 

“It was my first step into building up a quality wardrobe, so there wasn’t much else that was close.”

“That thing has not been treated carefully. It’s been on the commute into London every day, on long walks in the countryside, dumped in the corner of the pub.

“It’s so soft now compared to when I first got it. I was really pleased to see how it was wearing in, as I’ve never worn a piece of clothing this much, or only rarely. It really shows the appeal of waxed cotton as a waterproof material - it’s so comfortable, reassuring.”

When I first saw Bart’s jacket, the thing I loved was the way the colour has changed. You can see that in the image above of the shoulder - the points that have had the most wear have gone a lighter, slightly tan shade of brown, with the folded over seams remaining dark. 

“The colour has faded, softened and kind of gone more matte,” says Bart. “It’s a bit like suede, or better a washed linen like the Art du Lin that Solbiati do.”

One place you also see patina like this (on wax as on jeans) is on the seams and hems where the sewing makes the material slightly wavy - as shown above. Here the colour change is often the reverse - the top of the wave acquires dirt and dust and turns darker, while the troughs in between stay paler. 

Over long periods of time, you’ll also start to get tiny nicks in the material where it rubs again and again - you can see that in the bottom of the hem above. 

This can be repaired of course, but if the jacket is still functional, many people (including myself and Bart) love these signs of wear. They give the jacket character, making it yours and no one else’s. Again like jeans. 

Even if you’re not into the way things age quite as much as this, I think you can appreciate how a jacket like this has more personality than a similar piece in Gore-Tex. 

There is one stud on the Wax Walker that has come off - the third one down. “That stud is the first one I use, the one I always use. It has probably been snapped thousands of times,” says Bart. “Plus Private White have said it’s something they can easily repair, so I’ll do that when I get round to it.”

Wax jackets in general are easy to patch and repair, which has always been part of their charm. A long time ago I wrote an article about a vintage one of mine; I covered that process at the Barbour factory a few years later; and André covered the extensive repair of his wax jacket in a more recent piece. 

Bart hasn’t rewaxed his jacket in the four years he’s had it, and hasn’t had any issues with it becoming less water-resistant. But that will be needed at some point, and while this can be done at home, it’s a fiddly job. I’d recommend Oily Jacks, whom André used, for that. They can take care of any little repairs if you want them at the same time. 

The rewaxing does take away a little of this colour change, but not all of it, and all the nicks and scratches stay the same - as does the way the hardware naturally tarnishes. 

“This is a size 5 and I should probably have sized up,” says Bart. “I’m only going in one direction! It still fits well without the liner, but I could have gone for a bigger size at the start. (In the images I am wearing the jacket though, not Bart, as he did not wish to be photographed. I normally wear a 4, medium, so it doesn’t look small on me.)

“And when I bought my second good raincoat in 2023 - the Rider’s Raincoat you did - you were very helpful giving advice on that over email. You encouraged me to size up if I was in any doubt, and that was definitely the right call.

“In fact it was generally the right advice, as I’m not getting any smaller and it is more elegant having that extra room, maybe just cinching it a bit more when needed.”

The Wax Walker has been fully restocked and is available on the Permanent Style shop. To read more about how it was designed, see the launch article here

Please note that there has been one change to the design for this iteration: shortening the jacket by 3cm. This was based on seeing many readers try the jacket in the pop-up shops, and noting that it was a little long on lots of people, and never too short. I think this was largely down to me being the fit model and being above average height...

In general, the only care required for a waxed jacket is an occasional wipe down with a damp cloth to remove mud etc. Rewaxing can be done whenever required, but should be done lightly and ideally by someone with experience. 

The Private White repair policy is:

  • Anything that is a fault with the product will be repaired free of charge. There is no time limit on this, but usually it's something that comes up quickly
  • They can repair pretty much anything, but there is a cost which includes sending it to the factory. Sometimes materials are sent to the customer in order for them to arrange a local repair, as it's cheaper
  • Rewaxing is something the recommend customers do themselves

Below: A recent shoot in Oxford with Manish for the Wax Walker and other PS x PWVC coats

Belt capsule guide: The basics

Belt capsule guide: The basics

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There’s been a lot more interest in belts with smarter clothing in recent years - something I highlighted and explained my reasoning for in this article

But we’ve never done a ‘wardrobe building’ piece on them, or set out my general advice in one place - at least, not since this rather basic piece 16 years ago (16 years!). 

So here are some guidelines, essentially capturing all the little pieces of advice given in answer to comments, plus some personal reflections. I’ll follow up in a subsequent article on suggested brands, including my personal collection. 

 

Brown suede belt, Rubato

1. Colour

A smart belt should roughly match the colour of your shoes. That doesn’t mean you need a brown one for every shade of brown you own, but in general most guys that wear a lot of smart clothing will need a dark brown and a black, plus perhaps light brown or tan. 

A good example of matching or not is Color-8 cordovan. I’ve never managed to find a Color-8 belt I like, but this is minor niggle. Until I do find one I’m happy with, I wear dark brown (given how dark most of my Color-8 is) or forego a belt altogether. 

With more casual shoes, there is much less need to match materials or colours. You just want a more casual belt - eg a tan suede, a braided leather - rather than a slim smart calf. There’s also more leeway to wear more colours - eg stripes on a webbing belt

More on matching leathers in this article.

 

Braided suede belt, Tightly Stitched

2. Leathers

As with colour, you want to roughly match the material when it comes to smarter shoes. So suede with suede, leather with leather. 

This is pretty obvious - less obvious are the things that make a belt smarter in respects other than colour: width, buckle, stitching, type of leather. The most common mistake I find guys make is wearing a thick brown leather belt (often with a big buckle) with a fine calf shoe. 

This distinction between types of belts is also often one between types of maker. Independent leather workers, particularly in the UK, tend to work in thick leathers like bridle that have no backing and no stitching along their length (eg Tim Hardy). These will usually be more casual than a maker who uses finer leathers like calf, on both sides.

Braided leathers are a nice casual option, but can look a little old-mannish in some contexts. Personally I prefer these when they’re a little narrower, or very worn in. Tooled leather is a lovely art and a more casual look - a nice option if you want the belt rather than buckle to be slightly unusual.

 

Black alligator belt, Rubato

3. Other materials

Exotics such as crocodile can be a nice way to elevate a belt, without going for something as dramatic as a big buckle or an unusual colour. Unfortunately, exotic leather has gone up hugely in price in recent years - the supplier I know best has seen the cost price of their crocodile double in five years. 

If you can afford it, I still think croc is a nice option, but also look around for alternatives such as lizard (Ralph Lauren used to do some great ones) or ostrich - I recommended here my ostrich-leg belt from Silver Ostrich. Other types of leather with some texture, such as deer or a tumbled calf, can be also be a nice bridge between smart and casual.

A canvas belt is useful and subtle, and has functional aspects some people like (a little stretch often, a softness and lightness). But like braided belts, they can look a little old-fashioned. The best way to avoid this is going for something slimmer and subtler, or getting an unusual vintage one (Sean Crowley has loads), or perhaps a cordovan-faced one (eg Rubato). 

 

Ludens crocodile belt

4. Width

Classic belts are usually between 1.25 and 1.5 inches, with smarter ones at the narrower end of that spectrum. 

However I like narrower belts, both as a more elegant look and something a bit more unusual. Going from 1.25 to 1 inch makes a surprising visual difference - like a lapel going from 3.5 inches to 4. It’s particularly nice with tailoring, but I like it with jeans too, like my Ludens belts

One-inch belts have become popular in recent years and quite a few of the newer brands offer it (Berg & Berg, Natalino, Rubato) where the more traditional ones stick to 1.25 and above. So it might be a bit of a trend, but at the same time I don’t think it will ever look odd or out of place, given it’s a small difference. 

Very thin belts can also be quite interesting, like Matt Woodruff’s here for example (vintage) or the tape belts Husbands and Scott Fraser Collection do. But they’re definitely more of a look. 

 

Horseshoe brass buckle, Equus

5. Buckle materials

A good belt buckle is solid brass, even if it’s then been coated silver. It’s stronger and ages better. That’s often the most difference between a cheap belt and a more expensive one, though not everyone bothers to say so online. (In person it’s more obvious - solid brass is heavier.)

Try to avoid buckles with obvious treatments. ‘Antiqued’ effects tend to look artificial, and even something with a coating that doesn’t look like it’s had an ‘effect’ applied is better to my eye. 

You can get buckles in solid silver, but they will be more expensive. One well-known silver design is the engine-turned buckle associated with Tiffany, some Western belts and Brooks Brothers (and so a bit of an Ivy staple) These are often not as expensive as other sterling silver as the material is quite thin.

Those Ludens belts of mine have that design. And that leads us onto the last section…

 

Western-style silver buckles

6. Buckle designs

This is a huge area, and probably deserves its own in-depth article at some point. You can roughly separate it though into different shapes of dress buckles, and then more unusual ones like Western buckles. 

As to the first category, I think elegance and subtlety will be the watch words for readers. Think of this as a piece of jewellery, at least from a design point of view. One of my favourite aspects of a Cartier watch is the clasp you get on many Tanks - that delicately turned and flowing design that really adds to the design of the whole. 

Obviously, a big Hermes ‘H’ is fairly crass, but it’s worth considering the finer aspects of design too, as it’s likely to be one of the few pieces of hardware you’ll be wearing. 

Buckles become more casual as they get bigger and thicker. They may suit a thick cowhide belt more than a dress one. But they also explode in possibilities, with square frames and oval plates, containing initials or pictures, as well as three-piece engraved sets. 

These can be real works of art, and fantastic if they’re your style. But as with most things I’d advise going slowly and carefully. I have two from Silver Ostrich which I love, but mostly as objects. When I put them on they often feel like too much of a statement, and they get worn a tenth as often as every other belt - usually when an outfit feels like it lacks something. 

Double-ring belts are nice on canvas belts, a little more unusual on leather ones. I've had them in the past but sold mine as they always felt a little fussy. I can definitely see the appeal for someone who likes the functionality though.

 

Silver Ostrich belt with three-part Western buckle set

That feels like enough for a first article, but do let me know what I missed and what you’d like to see included in subsequent pieces. 

I will, as mentioned, do one follow-up on my collection and brands, but feel free to share your personal recommendations in the comments here as well. 

Remember all articles on PS are broken down into categories in the menu, so there is a dedicated section here on belts and wallets (small leather goods basically).

 

Black alligator belt, Rubato

London pop-up(s)! Details for the two events, plus New York and outerwear update

London pop-up(s)! Details for the two events, plus New York and outerwear update

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It’s taken us longer to get the London pop-up shop organised this year, largely because Savile Row and its environs are now increasingly filled up. But we finally have confirmation, and I can announce that we will be in our old space at 20 Savile Row from October 30 to November 2

That’s a Wednesday to Saturday, as per usual, and our opening times will be the same as well: 11-7 on the weekdays, 10-6 on the Saturday.

We will also have our regular drinks event on the Wednesday, from 4pm. So please swing by if you would like a drink and a chat, or in fact would like a more relaxed atmosphere to browse the PS products. 

And there are also drinks next week! As per usual, William Crabtree in Marylebone will have all our coats on display during the month of October (well, from the 3rd), leading up to our pop-up at the end of the month. 

There’s always a tricky balance here: we want to do the pop-up when all Autumn stock has arrived, otherwise there will be some things people won’t get to try on. But we also know people are looking to buy many things right now, so they want to see them earlier. Hopefully this dual approach works well. 

Also, for this time this year, myself and Lucas will be in William Crabtree for the first Thursday and Friday, to answer any questions in person. And on the Thursday, October 3, the Crabtree team will be serving drinks in the shop from 4pm. So in the same manner, swing by if you would like a chat and some casual feedback on Donegal sizing. 

Finally, the New York dates remain the same as we announced earlier: October 16-19, in the J Mueser showroom at 14 Christopher St (Suite 1). It will be just us and Rubato this time. 

So here’s a quick breakdown of the three shop events this Autumn, including what products will be on show:

London: William Crabtree

  • October 3 - October 29, opening times same as theirs
  • Opening drinks October 3, from 5pm
  • Simon and Lucas on site October 3 and 4
  • 15 New Quebec Street
  • Stock: All coats available at the time:
    • Bridge Coat, Wax Walker (stocking next week), Grey Donegal, New Navy Donegal (launching next Friday), Brown Reversible Suede, very limited English Tweed (restocking in November). Not the new outerwear piece (slightly delayed)
    • Rider’s Raincoat only available to try on at Drake’s, not in any pop-up
  • All only available to try on, orders placed online

New York: Permanent Style and friends pop-up

  • October 16 - October 19, opening 11-7
  • Opening drinks October 16
  • 14 Christopher St (Suite 1)
  • Stock: Everything available at the time; some things missing that launch later
  • MTO offer on Rifugio suede overshirts (pictured top)
  • Also featuring: Rubato (not Taillour or Seiji McCarthy this time)
  • PS only available to try on, orders placed online; Rubato available to buy

London: Permanent Style pop-up

  • October 30th - November 2nd, opening 11-7, Saturday 10-6
  • Opening drinks October 30
  • 20 Savile Row
  • Stock: Everything available at the time, which should be pretty much everything
  • MTO offer on Rifugio suede overshirts
  • All only available to try on, orders placed online

And here’s a round-up of product deliveries coming in the next week or two, to try and anticipate questions:

  • Suede Overshirts restocking September 30
  • Wax Walker restocking October 2
  • Dark Navy Donegal launching October 4
  • New outerwear project launching roughly two weeks later 
    • (Hip-length, waterproof, sportswear!)
  • Nubuck Tote restocking next week (black and brown)
  • Japanese Denim shirts (below) restocking in blue mid-October, black a month later

The work in a bespoke jacket: Part 3 (sleeves)

The work in a bespoke jacket: Part 3 (sleeves)

Wednesday, September 25th 2024
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One of the most important functional aspects of a bespoke suit is its small armhole. Or rather, the way a large sleeve can be worked into a small armhole. It means the sleeve is separated, and can move around without dragging the body with it.

However, the extra material of the sleeve can be worked into different parts of that armhole, depending on what you want the final sleevehead to look like. The top can be smooth and clean, with all the fullness at the bottom; or roped, with a thick wad of padding at the top to sit around; or it can fall in lots of little ripples, in the Neapolitan manner.

In this, the third video with tailor Jennie Adamson, we see how she puts a sleevehead together. There's a lot in there, and I'm amazed it can all fit together so beautifully.

 

 

I hope you like it and, as with the first video on pockets and the second on lapels, it gives you newfound appreciation of your bespoke clothing. They're such beautiful pieces of both art and engineering.

Jennie is a a coatmaker for Gieves & Hawkes, a pattern maker for brands like The Deck and Casablanca, and a cutter and maker of her own tailoring. More on her here. The location is Cockpit Arts in Bloomsbury, a wonderful home for craftspeople that's just behind Lamb's Conduit Street.

Thank you to Vitale Barberis Canonico for supporting this series. The cloth we used is my favourite VBC material, the four-ply high-twist wool in the Ascot bunch from Drapers. The suit being made is for Jennie, and I am wearing my suit from Assisi in the same material.

You can see the first video in the series here. Other similar videos:

Cheyul: Traditional Korean lacquer craft

Cheyul: Traditional Korean lacquer craft

Monday, September 23rd 2024
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Every time we go on a trip to a new country, we try to cover a bit of the local non-menswear craft alongside the usual tailoring, shirtmaking and shoemaking. 

When we were in Japan a couple of years ago, we visited the master blade-maker Sasuke in Sakai. That turned out to be one of our favourite ever experiences, and it set the rest of Japanese craft in some context - their traditional attitude to apprentices, for example.

In Korea last year we did the same, this time visiting Cheyul, the country’s biggest and most modern proponent of traditional lacquer work. 

Lacquer is important to Korean heritage: it’s the kind of thing foreign dignitaries are often given as a gift. US President Joe Biden was given a four-drawer chest with red lacquer recently; LVMH’s Bernard Arnault was also given a piece when he visited. 

And the work is held up as art - a floor vase made by Cheyul is held by the Met in New York in its Arts of Korea gallery.

The lacquer comes from local trees and is tapped in the same way as maple syrup. It’s clear, but traditionally was dyed black or red, building up to 10 layers in order to create a deep, shimmering effect. Today synthetic dyes are used to create every colour. 

The technique also often involves mother-of-pearl, either covering objects or being delicately sliced to create patterns and pictures. This makes some of the results quite feminine, and popular uses today are for a bride’s wedding chest or jewellery and jewellery boxes. 

The designs can also be quite floral, which contributes to the same impression - like the inserts and handles on a chest like this.  

But Cheyul’s mission is to make the craft relevant as well as protecting it, so they work with current artists to apply it to new objects, such as guitars and tube amps. These pieces, which usually forego mother of pearl, look more masculine as well as more modern. 

The big room vase above is similar to the piece at the Met. It has a layer of hemp applied to the surface to create a natural texture, which the millions of slices of mother-of-pearl are then applied to. 

Compare that to these lattice chests, which are a modern interpretation of the same design - with an aluminium frame, less organic shape and angular decoration. The same technique is used on a slightly more traditional box below. 

The surfaces of those pieces really were stunning in person, and I think more intriguing on a smaller scale as in these boxes. But often the pieces that attracted me most were wooden tables and stools, perhaps because I loved that rich brown of the wood - and pieces with more expressionistic designs, such as this one

I wasn’t really shopping, as those little boxes were £500 and the furniture is in the thousands (‘price on request’ is never a good sign). But it’s fun to think what you would buy if you could, and it gave us an appreciation of a craft we previously knew nothing about. 

That was deepened when Alex [Natt, photographer] and I were surprisingly given the opportunity to make a piece ourselves. 

The parameters were, thankfully, limited. We each had a tray and a set of mother-of-pearl cut outs to arrange. It was hard to go wrong. 

We did our best though, often dropping slivers of pearl into the wet lacquer, and then finding it hard to turn them the right way up, let alone position them. God knows how anyone could create something precise and on a large scale. 

Thankfully, again, Alex neglected to take any photos of the finished result, so you’ll have to imagine our attempts. 

There are other makers of lacquer in Korea, but they are generally one or two artisans, and pieces are made to order. Cheyul, which was established in 1988 with a mission to make this craft more widely known, is the only one of any size with stock. 

It’s only available in Korea - in their shop, a hotel and a department store - but they apparently plan to expand overseas. There was an exhibition of the work in the Saatchi Gallery in London in 2015. 

For now, this is about appreciation of a new craft, and a recommendation to visit the shop if you’re in Seoul - it’s enormous, seemingly small at ground level but then going down and down for four floors. 

cheyul.com

For more from that Korea trip, see articles here

Bryceland’s made-to-measure jacket: Review

Bryceland’s made-to-measure jacket: Review

Friday, September 20th 2024
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Hello! This is my made-to-measure jacket from Bryceland’s in London, in the Fox/Permanent Style tweed. It’s rather good - not the absolute best MTM fit I've had but solid, with more importantly great style, and significantly, a bespoke level of make. 

The importance of the style only occurred to me afterwards. I still remember admiring Bryceland’s tailoring on Ethan Newton when you could only get it in Japan, and the particular combination of that natural shoulder and slightly wider lapel. It looked so different, so easy and also versatile - one of the few easily at home with both tailoring and jeans. 

When I had bespoke with WW Chan, again one of the reasons I liked the result was the style, which had been influenced by working with Ethan. It shouldn’t have been surprising that I really liked the style of the MTM therefore, but I think I was more focused on how the tweed was going to look.

The style really is effective. The shoulder is wide, but not too much; the lapel also wide, but not too much. The gorge remains high enough for most that have bought tailoring in recent years, but not extreme. 

The shoulder is unpadded and sits very naturally on me, but there is the slightest touch of roping in the sleevehead, to stop it falling straight down. This was my main feeling when I put it on for the first time - how much I liked the style of that top half. 

The fit was pretty spot on too. Ben and the team in the London store are relatively new to MTM, but the important things like balance and length were perfect. 

I took the photos shown here a week afterwards, having decided it actually needed no alterations. Straight from order to perfect, for MTM, with a first-time customer: that’s pretty impressive. (I had specifically requested that WW Chan not use my existing bespoke pattern to aid with the fit - and they said they didn’t.)

Since then, I think the jacket might need a little tweak here and there. Perhaps some room in the hips, as the vents can open a little too much. Perhaps lifting the shoulders, and there’s a touch more drape on the right than the left. 

But these are minor things, and given I’m uncertain it’s best to wear it a few times before making any decision, so I’ll be doing that over the next few weeks. I can post a little video along the way on social too. 

The process of making the jacket involved trying on sizes in the Bryceland’s store, by the way, which is always helpful to get a sense of the fit and style. There’s usually a piece or two hanging around the store in a different cloth as well. I know Ben just had a nice DB made in Spring Ram.

Those blocks are also important because the only difference between the Bryceland’s MTM and the WW Chan bespoke is the fit. The make is exactly the same. 

There are precious few MTM services that put a bespoke level of handwork into the structure of a jacket. Ones we’ve looked at in the past include Saman Amel (Napoli line) and Jean-Manuel Moreau in Paris (their block with Orazio Luciano). Bryceland’s through WW Chan is one more.

The difference from the bespoke offering is then primarily about having a unique pattern, which is all about fit. Those that are unusual shapes or find it generally hard to get MTM to fit well will likely find bespoke better. 

There is also style of course - bespoke gives you far more leeway to change shoulders, lapels, general design and shape. This MTM is the Bryceland’s style and you have to like it. I do, but that doesn’t mean you will too. One more reason it’s good having those examples in the shop. 

Based on this experience - and pieces I’ve seen on other people - I can certainly recommend Bryceland’s, particularly given the prices for such a high level of make. 

In London, a Bryceland’s MTM jacket starts at £1500, with average prices around £1600. Mine, being Fox cloth, was £1899. Suits start at £2000 and average around £2300. 

It also brings us onto a reason I wanted to cover more MTM generally. 

Prices of bespoke have gone up a lot in recent years. Everything has become more expensive, but the top tailors are at a point where they feel significantly less affordable to even the PS readership. 

Now, good things are always expensive. If you start having furniture handmade, for example, you quickly realise how much the same quality costs elsewhere.

And the kinds of makers we’re talking about have always been the top of the market - there’s a reason their customers used to be film stars and aristocracy. The bigger issue, you could argue, is that there are fewer cheap tailors, doing things like cutting by hand but making by machine. 

But perhaps that is what high-end MTM is today - that part of the market. It’s certainly improved a lot in the past 20 years, not just the quality (fit and make) but the consistency of the product and the variety of styles. 

As to our collaboration cloth, I’m pleased with how useful it's proved to be. I was concerned it would be too dark for black jeans or flannels for example - and a couple of readers have asked that very question. 

But I’ve shown it here with both these things, and I think it works well. I like the opposite-of-fussy, stripped-back-and-faded look of my vintage chambray shirt, old black jeans and the jacket, shown above. It feels like the polar opposite of the too-fussy windowpane-and-pocket-square look that became so popular 20 years ago. 

(And that’s a long time - think about what changed between 1945 and 1965, or 1970 and 1990.)

But you could add a belt to both these looks to create an extra point of contrast, and a sharper shirt, or more tailored trousers, would make the world of difference. The same jacket with sharp cavalry twills and bespoke black oxfords is beautiful. 

Any other questions on the Bryceland’s service, the cloth or the style, please let me know. 

The other clothes shown (as well you know) are:

  • PS Oxford shirt in pink (size medium)
  • Fox Brothers grey flannels, bespoke by Whitcomb & Shaftesbury
  • Frank Clegg signature working tote, chestnut
  • Alden full-strap loafers in Color 8 cordovan
  • Jaeger-LeCoultre reverso, yellow gold on black alligator strap
  • Charcoal socks, TM Lewin (OK you didn’t know that one)

brycelandsco.co.uk

The Rider’s Raincoat is back, in new beige and restocked khaki

The Rider’s Raincoat is back, in new beige and restocked khaki

Wednesday, September 18th 2024
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The weather definitely turned in London last week. All of a sudden there was knitwear around, and raincoats. The first day it was cold and rainy - Wednesday - we had five questions on different articles asking about the best macs. 

Happy to help on other styles, but this is my favourite single-breasted raincoat at the moment, in large part because it has such subtle style. Single-breasted raincoats can look so plain and dull - one reason so many guys look to trenches instead, I suspect - but the Rider’s Raincoat has style in spades. 

It’s that wide fly front, which makes a feature of the single-breasted design. The A-line shape that is so effectively cinched by the belt at the back. The thickness of that belt and its dense lines of stitching (which are echoed on the back of the collar). 

It looks like a plain mac, but has these details everywhere - the gusseted double pockets, the triple stitching at the shoulder. I can take credit for none of these things of course, as it was designed by Drake’s back in 2017, and even then with inspiration from a vintage cavalryman’s coat. 

But it’s lovely to have the power to be able to bring it back, given how much I’ve loved mine. I convinced Drake’s to remake it last year in a new colour - khaki - and this year we’ve brought back the original beige as well. It’s available on the PS Shop now, here.

I've deliberately been wearing the one pictured for several months. Partly this was to illustrate how it wears in, because the the pure-cotton material is densely woven (in order to be highly water resistant) and that means it’s a bit stiff to start with.

Mine softened quickly and has only got better since, through repeated wears and soaks plus the occasional wipe down when it got muddy. The material is more malleable now but feels dense and strong - ageing in much the same way as a pair of vintage chinos. 

The principle of making a coat this way is the same as with the chinos, but that does mean a little more communication is required. Hopefully seeing one worn in helps. 

I like wearing the raincoat over a knit or T-shirt, as you feel the material that much more closely. It’s so much nicer than a normal, swishy synthetic. Though I should say I also wear my Coherence coat regularly and that’s a synthetic - in those cases often because I need something thin that can be folded into a bag. 

I’ve shown the raincoat here with a white T-shirt and a Rubato crewneck, plus black jeans and brown-suede boots. In the image below the knit is slung around the shoulders, which won’t be a look for everyone (and of course not practical when it’s actually raining). But the point here is that on warmer but wet days, a T-shirt underneath the coat is fine and a knit can be worn or removed as needed. 

In places like London at this time of year that’s particularly useful, when it can be eight degrees in the morning but 20 by mid-afternoon, then raining by evening. 

The other reason I wore that outfit was to illustrate how colours like washed black and white work with this version of a traditional beige. 

That classic raincoat beige is usually more associated with warmer, rural colours like brown and green, particularly with a corduroy collar. But both the beige and that cord are muted enough that it works with my cold-colour wardrobe as well as business colours like navy and grey. 

And of course, if you’d still prefer to avoid the traditional mac look, you can go for the khaki alternative we introduced last year (below). As I showed in the launch article for that, it has a real late-80s Armani vibe, but it too works with a T-shirt and jeans. 

I know most readers are looking for just one good mac, particularly given how expensive everything is these days, so these points of versatility are always front of my mind. 

I’ve also included images at the bottom of this article from other shoots with my original coat over the years, to show some other combinations. 

You can see warmer colours here - brown cords, green flannels, Colour-8 cordovan. Plus some other levels of formality - a tweed jacket, double-breasted jacket, flannels. It has been shot quite a bit.

The one thing I find I do a little differently now is wear the collar down more. I still love that popped-collar look more, for its drama and old-trench-coat vibes, but the collar looks good down too, particularly with a scarf. 

 

I wrote more in the original launch article about the specific design aspects of this coat, and other functional points. If you want more on those and missed it the first time round, do have a look there

Some of the points in summary though are:

  • The material comes from an Italian mill that specialises in technical outerwear
  • It has a similar waterproofing effect to the Ventile, but also has an immersive waterproofing treatment (no spraying, no PFCs) 
  • The body is quite A-line, but it should be cinched at the back, as shown, to give it shape. This creates a really flattering silhouette
  • I wear it mostly either open, or with one or two of the top buttons fastened. Less so the waist button or all the way down
  • The overall design reflected one of my favourite periods of Drake’s, when it felt like so many parts of a traditional man’s wardrobe were being made contemporary again: made to be and shown to be relevant.

And functional details:

  • The angled hip pockets have a double entry, so you can put your hands in the outer pocket but also reach through to bigger internal pockets
  • There’s a phone-sized pocket behind the fly front, like the Wax Walker. So you can more quickly reach a phone or something else.
  • We decided not to do a lining with the coat largely on economic grounds. Having one in the old trench coat always made it expensive, and readers said that they’d have preferred to pay for just the coat and make it more affordable. 
  • The lining is a 100% cotton heavy shirting cloth
  • Sold-brass belt buckle, dark-brown horn buttons

 

 

As with the first coat, Drake’s are also stocking it, so it’s available to try on in their stores. Of course, we always appreciate it when people buy from us and we will have it with us when we come to New York for our pop-up in mid-October, and the London pop-up in late October. 

The coat is not part of the PS outerwear available to try on at William Crabtree, who are holding try-ons of all other coats through October. 

The Rider’s Raincoat costs £995 plus VAT (£1195 in the UK) and is available to buy now on the PS Shop, in sizes XS to XXL.