The corduroy suit
September 9th 2016I have a friend who wears what he calls ‘knockabout’ suits. How exactly he knocks about in them I don’t know, but the meaning is clear: these are casual suits, that don’t belong in a formal environment like an office. Most no...
The corduroy suit
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Great, thanks, Simon....
Five double-breasted styles compared
September 1st 2016Last month we talked about how small changes in the proportions of a double-breasted jacket can have a radical effect on its style - and therefore on the people or situations it suits. This week I've used five of my own jackets to demonstrate these...
Five double-breasted styles compared
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Thanks very much, Simon. I wish there was a rule!...
Chinos, loafers and a sports jacket (or sweater)
August 29th 2016Those on the Drake’s mailing list may have seen this outfit on Friday, accompanying an article on their new trouser range. To fill in the details: the olive Drake’s chinos were worn with a white lightweight pique-cotton shirt made by Luc...
Chinos, loafers and a sports jacket (or sweater)
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They can, but it's not a normal colour for chinos and others are usually easier...
The suede blouson for travel
August 10th 2016Blousons come in many shapes and sizes, but they are united by a short length, fuller body and collar. Blousons work particularly well with higher-waisted tailored trousers, and for that reason make a great casual alternative to a tailored jacket. ...
The suede blouson for travel
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I'd suggest looking at some vintage-style brands, like Warehouse, Real McCoys, Buzz Rickson etc as a first port of call. Vintage pieces were shorter and so theirs often are too...
How to dress for summer – Reader question
June 15th 2016Simon, Would you be willing to do a post on (casual) summer dressing? It’s the area of dress I struggle with the most. Every time I go on summer/spring holidays I find myself browsing through the internet looking for a good mix of casual and el...
How to dress for summer – Reader question
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I think I know what you mean Will. I think you need to find other things of interest to add, such as: - A nice belt - A nice watch - A shirt with some nice texture or subtle pattern - As in all menswear, a nice cut on th...
Colour combinations, from casual to formal
May 31st 2016The colour combinations that we discuss every week in regards to formal wear, can be applied just as readily to casual wear. Although there will always be elements that don't crossover (such as the immense versatility of denim) a lot of the themes ...
Colour combinations, from casual to formal
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Thanks Zawaad. No, but I certainly plan something. Thanks for the suggestion...
Suit style 1: The difference between bespoke, mad...
April 29th 2016This is the first article in our Guide to Suit Style. You can see the full contents so far, and browse between them, on the right-hand side of this post. Bespoke suit, Anderson & Sheppard What’s the difference between bespoke, MT...
Suit style 1: The difference between bespoke, mad...
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I certainly think so Chris, yes, it's your style. I would personally go for some less unusual things, at least to start with. Eg a nice tailored overcoat rather than a suit...
Book signing at the Opening of LeatherFoot, Toronto
April 11th 2016When I fantasise about running my own shop, stocked with the greatest menswear money can buy, it normally involves having the finest tailor and the finest shoemaker on site, beavering away just for me. I discovered last week that Ideyi of the sho...
Book signing at the Opening of LeatherFoot, Toronto
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They have closed I'm afraid...
How wide should my jacket lapels be?
March 21st 2016A reader asked this a few weeks ago now, and I thought I’d illustrate my answer by showing the widths that five tailors have cut for my body and proportions. As you can see from the images below, some lapels are wider than others, but t...
How wide should my jacket lapels be?
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Yes, I'm measuring horizontally to the end of the lower point of the notch. A peak lapel is a different look but I'd still consider a roughly similar proportion - even though the lapel will be naturally bigger, that poin...
How I get dressed in the morning
March 18th 2016Everyone gets dressed in the morning. Most put no thought into it; a few put too much into it. My approach, formed through nothing more than hazard and habit, is to do one of two things: Pick out one piece that I really want to wear (usually som...
How I get dressed in the morning
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I agree Maurice, and I'd say that if anyone has this problem, they can just cut things down a little - eg, you now wear grey trousers, sports jackets, and black shoes. You can pick shirts and ties and knits and different...
Which office are you? (Or, a sliding scale of for...
February 15th 2016Dressing well is as much about propriety as it is about style, quality or personality. This is particularly true at work, where there are often prescriptions, or at least expectations, about professionalism and clothing. I have often talked over ...
Which office are you? (Or, a sliding scale of for...
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wonderful content, the article is super practical for men daily,...
Scarf outfits: Solito, Cifonelli, Anderson & ...
January 18th 2016Several readers asked what I was wearing in the video we produced recently for Begg & Co scarves. So here they are, one by one. In the jacket shots, above: Navy cashmere jacket by Solito. Not a great level of finish, but one of the most u...
Scarf outfits: Solito, Cifonelli, Anderson & ...
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The stitching can be a little loose and irregular - I've had linings come loose for example, though they were then repaired. And buttonholes etc aren't that fine...
Video: The Tailoring Symposium
January 5th 2016Ahead of our next Symposium in Florence next week – focusing on accessories – here’s a reminder of the tailoring edition I organised last summer. The Rake organised this video of our discussion beforehand, at the Four Se...
Nineteen of our squares left… (and the virt...
December 28th 2015There are just 19 of our cashmere squares left – the beautiful collaboration we started a few weeks ago with Begg & Co. The colours have sold pretty evenly, with 9 navy and 10 ‘natural’ (pictured above) remain...
Nineteen of our squares left… (and the virt...
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Lovely to hear Robert, thank you...
Best of British book launch – at Anderson &...
December 3rd 2015So, everyone knows how much I love the Anderson & Sheppard haberdashery. Expensive as it is, they are doing something almost unique around the world – creating genuinely innovative versions of classic menswear without resorting ...
Best of British book launch – at Anderson &...
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I'm only going to pick out the Armoury...
Best of British: Buy your personalised copy
November 26th 2015My third book this year, published by Prestel and in bookstores worldwide, is now available. It is called Best of British: The Stories Behind Britain’s Iconic Brands. The book covers 14 British manufacturers that are over 100 years’ ol...
Best of British: Buy your personalised copy
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Their top end is still a good level - which is what we feature in the book. But generally the focus of this book is on history and stories of England's oldest manufacturers, so quality was less of a concern (eg Barbour.....
Double-breasted checks, and cream trousers
October 30th 2015A couple of readers commented on the collar of my Anderson & Sheppard suit in our recent video, ‘How to look after your suit’. A&S have always cut a particularly thick collar (1.75 inches at the back for me), an...
Double-breasted checks, and cream trousers
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Thank you, most helpful...
Video: How to look after your suit
October 21st 2015This is the first in a series of videos – made in conjunction with Richard Anderson – on maintaining, brushing and pressing a suit. [It’s worth enlarging to full screen if you want to watch it all] They are practical gu...
Video: How to look after your suit
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If you sweat that much you will unfortunately just have to clean them more often, which means dry cleaning or a warm water soak as the tailor suggested. I'd try that on cotton first - linen is where you could get some sh...
Launch party: The Finest Menswear in the World
September 18th 2015It was lovely to see so many people on Wednesday night at our launch party for The Finest Menswear in the World. Nearly everyone made it, despite the torrential rain, the taxi strikes and the underground closures. Cleverley and Anderson &...
Launch party: The Finest Menswear in the World
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These outfits have held up really well. Makes me nostalgic for pre Covid dress codes. Everyone was so elegant!...
House styles and difficult customers: The Tailori...
August 19th 2015Edward Sexton Before the public part of Tailoring Symposium in June, we all gathered next to the pool at the Four Seasons to have a chat about tailoring and its future, with The Rake busily making a video of the event in the background. This was ...
House styles and difficult customers: The Tailori...
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Thanks Chris. There is a post covering it here....
London: A sartorial city guide
August 12th 2015I’ve had quite a few requests by readers over the past year for city guides, so this is the first in a series. In London, there are so many options that it makes sense to group some together. Also, if I leave too many out I’ll...
London: A sartorial city guide
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Hi Todd, This list is a little out of date, sorry. I will update it soon. Sadly, London really isn't very good for vintage these days. It's just about worth going to Brick Lane for things like Levison's and House of Vint...
Wearing colour: Tobacco jacket and cream trousers
July 20th 2015At the BTBA party last month I wanted to try wearing my tobacco-linen jacket separately. It is part of a suit of course, but it was commissioned from Sastreria Langa in Madrid with a ‘shirt’ sleeve and patch pockets to make it c...
Wearing colour: Tobacco jacket and cream trousers
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It's covered quite a bit in the 'sliding scale' articles, like which shoe goes with which trouser etc. Maybe worth a check of those? Let me know what gaps you see...
The Finest Menswear in the World
July 17th 2015Finally, wonderfully, the book on luxury craft I began writing three years ago is coming out: The Finest Menswear in the World. – You can buy your own personalised copy of The Finest Menswear in the World in the Permanent Style shop &...
The Finest Menswear in the World
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Thank you, Simon. Yes, I think makers, especially with own brand, like Zilli and Seraphin schould be in prioritet position. That's why I would add Hettabretz to your selection. I read what Hattabretz small maker with own...
Grey cashmere and brown flannel: Caraceni and Abb...
July 1st 2015Last week’s explanation of how I put an outfit together seemed to be popular, so let’s try that again. This outfit is simpler than last week’s. There are fewer colours, there’s no tie to worry about, the handkerchief is pla...
Grey cashmere and brown flannel: Caraceni and Abb...
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Yes, I'd start with brown as the safest, then try something that is similar, like olive, and only occasionally look for something with more contrast that was a harmonious colour...
Tailoring Symposium: the outfits
June 22nd 2015* Update: Going by the ‘likes’ on Instagram, the outfits currently rank as: Anderson & Sheppard Cifonelli Liverano Edward Sexton Panico Richard Anderson (Do you agree? Join in!) * These are the si...
Tailoring Symposium: the outfits
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Yes it is, and of several other Savile Row tailors. Usually just on the back pocket though, given no buttons on the trousers are visible elsewhere. I always liked it as a small decorative touch....
