Why I love my Ferdinando Caraceni blazer
This jacket from Ferdinando Caraceni has become one of my real favourites in the past couple of years, and I think it’s worth exploring why. It says something about where tailoring is today, at least for me. It was made in 2021 by Nicoletta C...
Why I love my Ferdinando Caraceni blazer
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Hey JJ, I have visited actually, and they have some nice things in there. I will be covering them soon. My review of their MTM jacket for me was actually not bad at all, it was just some lack of transparency over product...
Introducing: The New Friday Polo
The Friday Polo was one of the first proper products we ever developed on Permanent Style and has gone through several iterations - spread collar, button-down, lightweight and heavy, short sleeve and long. But in the eight years since it launched, ...
Introducing: The New Friday Polo
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Pleased to hear it Patrick...
Reader profile: Ben C
I’ve known Ben for a long time now. He worked round the corner from me during my journalism days, and we were both customers of visiting artisans like Elia Caliendo and Simone Abbarchi. We even did a shoot together for Elia years ago. Ben and ...
Reader profile: Ben C
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Love the semi-casual....
The jackets I picked for winter
A couple of weeks ago, when our little Indian summer here in the UK came to an end, I started the process of switching my wardrobe around for colder weather. I keep winter sweaters, roll necks, coats and heavy tweeds stored in the attic, and slowly...
The jackets I picked for winter
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I had my colours done years ago, but to be honest I can't remember. As we discussed here, I'm not sure it's that useful On picking five, have you seen the articles on that subject in the Wardrobe Building guide?...
How to wear a cream jacket
A cream jacket is more useful than you might think. Certainly, I’ve found myself using this one from Jean-Manuel Moreau more than I expected since I received it earlier in the year. This post describes, and illustrates, three ways I&am...
How to wear a cream jacket
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I didn't, because I find it really hard to find pink linens I like to be honest - they're all too strong, too red or sugary a pink colour. I think you want something fairly faint most of the time, either solid or stripe...
Summer smart/casual: Three looks, three levels of...
Last week I explained why I find the knit polo shirt to be such a fundamental part of my summer wardrobe. This week, I’m using that polo and a pair of cream linen trousers as the basis for three different looks – three different ways...
Summer smart/casual: Three looks, three levels of...
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Normal napoleon? No, I wouldn't wear leather sneakers with it......
Which sports-jacket office are you?
One of the most popular posts we’ve ever written on Permanent Style was ‘Which office are you?’, back in February 2016. It showed a spectrum of outfits from T-shirt and jeans, through knitwear and flannels, up to a jacket and tie -...
Which sports-jacket office are you?
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No it hasn't...
Two reader stories: Starting and building a wardrobe
In recent years I’ve done an increasing amount of personal consultancy, meeting readers in person to answer their questions rather than just here on the website. I don’t really advertise it because I don’t have much capacity, and mo...
Two reader stories: Starting and building a wardrobe
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I think there's probably lots you can take from traditional country clothing, MB. In the UK, that would be looking at things like tweed jackets, cord or moleskin trousers, and more substantial boots. It all goes together...
Introducing: The PS Bridge Coat
* For updates and stock please see the shop page* Of all the things I’ve developed or helped develop over the past few years, the PS Trench Coat was one of the most satisfying. That was partly because it seemed to fill a particular niche for p...
Introducing: The PS Bridge Coat
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I think that would be too much to be honest Nick, sorry. It might not be right for you...
The summer tie
I don’t tend to wear brightly coloured ties. Too often they’re brash and loud, where a dark simple tie would be more tasteful. The only time I’ve regularly worn them is in unusual colours like lime green, rather than primary red...
The summer tie
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Yes, it can - I have one myself and it's nice...
Hopsack and linen trousers – in humid Hong ...
It was really lovely being back in Hong Kong last week, after a few years away. The talk we Lorenzo Cifonelli and I did at Attire House worked well - more a conversation than an interview, with Lorenzo asking me questions about other tailors, and th...
Hopsack and linen trousers – in humid Hong ...
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Ideal would be a little less strong in colour, but it will work...
Friday Polos back in stock – with new Olive
The much-loved Friday Polos, which I design and produce with shirtmaker Luca Avitabile in Naples, are back in stock . Thank you to everyone that has been waiting so patiently. As per usual, we have produced them in four colours. However, as I know t...
Friday Polos back in stock – with new Olive
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Yes we have had occasionally had this, though more usually on those that wear it quite tight across the chest. The looseness and softness of the fabric is the main cause, but we are making the buttonholes slightly smalle...
Monochrome and concrete: Styling grey, charcoal a...
Although I love rich, natural colours (particularly in Autumn) I've always been fascinated by the subtleties of monochrome dressing. It has such strong style, and yet there is so little too it. It's striking and unusual, and yet quiet. These photo...
Monochrome and concrete: Styling grey, charcoal a...
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No worries Daniel. Dark-brown suede could be fine - rather like black jeans, when they're faded and have enough of that casual vibe as your charcoal linen sounds like it has, they work well. Also, I'd encourage you to co...
Bespoke commissions – What I should and sho...
Thank you everyone that responded to my ‘You are the interviewer’ post a couple of weeks ago. The number of variety of questions was staggering, and I will try to answer as many as I can over the coming weeks. It may take time, but I wou...
Bespoke commissions – What I should and sho...
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For a cream linen suit? No, not at all. Jacket or trousers, yes, but the suit should not be regarded as a staple. For DBs, absolutely...
How to dress for very hot weather
As mentioned on my ‘What I pack’ post, I’ve been travelling a lot in high heat recently. There was Pitti in Florence, where the temperature topped out at 37 degrees. Naples in July was very similar. And Puglia at the end of that mon...
How to dress for very hot weather
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To be honest, no probably not. While it is nice if your teenage daughters like how you dress, I wouldn't say they would be near the top of my priority list (my two eldest are also teenagers). My partner, me, and my cultu...
The guide to summer jacket cloths
In some ways, summer trousers are more challenging than jackets in terms of cloth, and therefore more interesting. Trousers present the challenge of having something cool, but with enough body or crispness to hang straight. Jackets are less restricti...
The guide to summer jacket cloths
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Thank you for your prompt response...
Pale summer colours (in vintage linen)
This is a nice exercise in combining summery, pale colours. The challenge is being light and pale overall, while retaining enough contrast between shirt, jacket and trousers - both in colour and texture. The starting point is the jacket, made for m...
Pale summer colours (in vintage linen)
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Yes it was, and yes I think it would do. It would feel a little heavy, but otherwise be really nice...
Naples: A sartorial shopping guide
Naples has the biggest concentration of high-end handmade menswear in the world. Although not so much for shoes, for tailoring and shirtmaking this is the motherlode, with hundreds of tailors in the city and surrounding region, and thousands working ...
Naples: A sartorial shopping guide
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Thanks for the personal recommendation Howard....
Building a wardrobe: Neapolitan tailoring
In recent months a few readers have asked for a breakdown of how I built my wardrobe - my plans, my process and my lessons learned. Doing so across all types of garment and even styles would produce a very long, unwieldy piece, so I thought I would ...
Building a wardrobe: Neapolitan tailoring
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I think it's a nice cut, yes, and for a more formal shape I like it. I wouldn't necessarily do it in a Norfolk jacket though, as that's more of a country/casual piece. Also, I wouldn't necessarily recommend Sinclair them...
Staples for a hot climate – Reader question
Dear Simon, I recently read your 2014 article, ' The staples of a good wardrobe' and was wondering how you would modify it for warmer climes like Hong Kong and Singapore? Grey flannel isn’t a great option for most of the year here, cashmere i...
Staples for a hot climate – Reader question
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I live in a tropical climate and wear a lot of wool-silk-linen. There is some variety in it with options such as the Caccioppoli 240gsm plain weave wool-silk-linen options wearing very cool indeed and also feeling light ...
Cover story in Plaza Uomo
These things always seem to come in bunches. First Esquire named me in a top 10 and now Plaza Uomo have published their latest edition, with a profile of me as the cover story. Plaza is a Swedish fashion magazine, and Plaza Uomo has an English ver...
Cover story in Plaza Uomo
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Hi Neil, Has your copy come through yet?...
Esquire names me one of the 10 most influential o...
I have been included in a list of the Top 10 most influential men in fashion by Esquire. Which is nice. You can read the full article and a short interview here. I dislike the term 'influencer' - frankly if that's how you define yourself, there ca...
Esquire names me one of the 10 most influential o...
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Easily remedied situation … take off the socks and show bare ankles!...
The cap
If styled right, a cap is a wonderfully useful accessory. Not as formal as a fedora, yet not as casual as a beanie, it can bridge a greater range of outfits than any other hat. When the temperature is in single figures, and your lack of hair makes a...
The cap
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No worries Jay, no post is ever too old! It depends a bit on what else you wear, but I guess a dark-grey or mid-grey herringbone perhaps? Something with a little pattern but not too much, in a conservative colour, and pr...
Five double-breasted styles compared
Last 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)
Those 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...
