Why I love my Ferdinando Caraceni blazer

January 8th 2024

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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I would assume it was Italian, but hard to say. I wanted: - A dark navy - A plain because that's how I'd wear a navy jacket mostly - A little texture, not too flat, as it might be a little easier to wear casually. This h...

Jackets - StyleJanuary 8th 2024

Introducing: The New Friday Polo

September 22nd 2023

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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Thank you sir!...

September 22nd 2023

Reader profile: Ben C

December 10th 2021

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....

Jackets - StyleDecember 10th 2021

The jackets I picked for winter

October 20th 2021

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?...

JacketsOctober 20th 2021

How to wear a cream jacket

June 24th 2020

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 think so, yes. Perhaps a derby shoe, or something more casual like an espadrille...

StyleJune 24th 2020

Summer smart/casual: Three looks, three levels of...

May 29th 2020

  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 dif...

Summer smart/casual: Three looks, three levels of...

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Normal napoleon? No, I wouldn't wear leather sneakers with it......

StyleMay 29th 2020

Which sports-jacket office are you?

June 5th 2019

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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Pretty much, yes....

StyleJune 5th 2019

Two reader stories: Starting and building a wardrobe

January 21st 2019

  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 capac...

Two reader stories: Starting and building a wardrobe

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Yes I think so. Obviously they're a little casual, but with just a shirt or a knit on top they'd work nicely...

January 21st 2019

Introducing: The PS Bridge Coat

October 31st 2018

* 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 ...

Introducing: The PS Bridge Coat

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Have you ever pressed/ironed them? All smart trousers need that, and often cord more than others, as they do tend to bag out at the knee...

Coats - KnitwearOctober 31st 2018

The summer tie

August 17th 2018

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 exactly - subtle and restrained. A little pin dot is nice too. I see, the suit sounds nice for the occasion. In that case a silver/grey tie would be nice and formal, or you could do something like a green or yellow, ...

Style - TiesAugust 17th 2018

Hopsack and linen trousers – in humid Hong ...

May 21st 2018

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...

Belts and wallets - JacketsMay 21st 2018

Friday Polos back in stock – with new Olive

April 26th 2018

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...

ShirtsApril 26th 2018

Monochrome and concrete: Styling grey, charcoal a...

March 1st 2018

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...

StyleMarch 1st 2018

Bespoke commissions – What I should and sho...

September 20th 2017

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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I don't know the exact history, but I think it came from English tweed jackets which themselves were derived from those made for riding...

Black tie - CoatsSeptember 20th 2017

How to dress for very hot weather

August 16th 2017

  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 ...

How to dress for very hot weather

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I haven't Maurice, good point. Perhaps I can look to something this winter. I have tried fine wool in the summer and always found a fine cotton was OK - it has to be fine, otherwise as you say they aren't breathable and ...

Jackets - ShirtsAugust 16th 2017

The guide to summer jacket cloths

July 24th 2017

  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 les...

The guide to summer jacket cloths

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Often it does Josh, but not necessarily - it might just have been badly treated in the past. However, I wouldn't take the risk of making a suit out of it, you could end up wasting quite a lot of money...

ClothJuly 24th 2017

Pale summer colours (in vintage linen)

July 17th 2017

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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thank you, much appreciated!...

Hats - JacketsJuly 17th 2017

Naples: A sartorial shopping guide

July 12th 2017

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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Can you do a shopping guide for Birmingham next please...

July 12th 2017

Building a wardrobe: Neapolitan tailoring

January 6th 2017

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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Oh good, lovely to hear - let him know!...

JacketsJanuary 6th 2017

Staples for a hot climate – Reader question

December 28th 2016

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 ...

StyleDecember 28th 2016

Cover story in Plaza Uomo

December 16th 2016

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?...

Coats - HatsDecember 16th 2016

Esquire names me one of the 10 most influential o...

December 6th 2016

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!...

StyleDecember 6th 2016

The cap

November 30th 2016

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...

HatsNovember 30th 2016

Five double-breasted styles compared

September 1st 2016

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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The buttons do make a difference in making something a blazer not a suit jacket, but so do lots of others...

SuitsSeptember 1st 2016

Chinos, loafers and a sports jacket (or sweater)

August 29th 2016

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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Cheers Andrew! I can't say I have though on exactly that shade of Olive. The Anglo Italian ones are pretty close...

Jackets - KnitwearAugust 29th 2016