How to dress pale colours for summer
July 27th 2016A reader recently commented that the site could do with some more practical pieces about putting clothes together – rather than commissioning them. I am deeply appreciative of such feedback. I do try to keep a balance between the pursuits o...
How to dress pale colours for summer
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If durability is a concern at all then maybe go with half lined on the front, yes. It's not that hard to take out later, as well...
The appeal of the cotton suit – bespoke fro...
July 20th 2016I've always found cotton very appealing for summer suits, but historically haven't had much luck with them. I had a navy one made by Choppin & Lodge, but the make was really too English and structured for the material (my fault, not theirs)....
The appeal of the cotton suit – bespoke fro...
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With something that sounds pretty minor like that, yes I will usually. It's just the character of the piece...
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 2: The single breasted
May 27th 2016This is the fourth 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. Fitting on a Hardy Amies single-breasted jacket How many buttons should I have on a single-bre...
Suit style 2: The single breasted
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It's a style thing Jawahar, I wouldn't think about it in practical terms - so many things on a jacket are not practical. As a style, it makes the jacket a little shorter and boxier, gives it a roundness and makes it a li...
Drakes made-to-order ties
May 16th 2016A few week ago, Drake's asked me to try out their made-to-order tie service, which has been given a new digital home on the website. The prime question is, of course, do you really need a MTO tie? It didn't even feature on my list last year of the ...
Your next sports jacket: Oatmeal cashmere from El...
April 13th 2016This pale, oatmeal-coloured cashmere is my new favourite sports-jacket material. When men are picking colours for sports jackets, their second choice (after the obviousness of navy) is usually grey. Which can be great, in: a rougher, preppy herrin...
Your next sports jacket: Oatmeal cashmere from El...
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Yes I would I think. I'd look to the Italian jacketing bunches - they change each season, but Loro Piana, Caccioppoli, Drapers, Ariston etc...
Escorial jacket: The modernity of muted colours
April 4th 2016There are many ways in which you can make a sartorial outfit look younger or more modern. Extremes are always wrong: very short jackets, big puffy shoulders. They just look trendy, for a bit. But aside from the extremes, I would argue proportions...
Escorial jacket: The modernity of muted colours
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I think that might be right, it was a hard one to photograph...
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...
Wearing a jacket and jeans
October 12th 2015If there is one question men ask more than any other, it is how to wear a jacket with jeans. Behind this usually lies a desire to dress up an outfit without appearing too up-tight. Friends in the creative or digital industries often have this prob...
Wearing a jacket and jeans
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It depends a little on the weight of cotton, which seasons it would work for. But I think it would certainly work with flannels, and maybe with linen if it was a lighter weight...
A hot, formal evening in Florence
July 27th 2015Four things contribute most to the formality of an outfit: shine, darkness, contrast and desaturation. We see all four of them in formal outfits such as black tie. Dark black or midnight blue is contrasted against stark white. There is virtually n...
Getting dressed: Tan jacket and green linen trousers
June 24th 2015OK, let’s break this down. There are four major choices of colour here: Trousers: green Jacket: tan Tie: brown Shirt: blue I put them deliberately in that order because that is the order in which they were chosen. Readers are familiar wi...
Getting dressed: Tan jacket and green linen trousers
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Simon, 3 years on from last check in. W Bill Linen - any nice olives in there that you would consider for smart casual trousers?...
Hopsack blazer: the perfect summer jacket
May 29th 2015This Caliendo hopsack blazer was completed earlier in the year and is now fast becoming the most useful item in my wardrobe. Just like the Solito cashmere blazer I had made for Autumn/Winter last year, it is thrown on with everything: with a shirt ...
Hopsack blazer: the perfect summer jacket
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Yes, and yes that would...
Harris tweed jacket and jeans
November 21st 2014Walking along the River Tweed, wearing tweed that (is it just me?) is rather reminiscent of the colours of the landscape. Of course, it’s Harris tweed and we’re in the Borders, but it seems fitting nonetheless. Cloth suited to i...
Harris tweed jacket and jeans
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Grey might have a blue cast but it would be fine with this jacket, it's such a neutral. A blue shirt itself would also be fine, which kind of proves the point. If in doubt, add some other warmer brown things, eg a reddis...
Postcard from Begg – teasels and cream cash...
November 4th 2014One of the interesting tensions in a factory visit is the way machinery is portrayed. Some manufacturers will boast of their old, traditional methods, when in fact the same thing could be done, quicker, by a newer machine – they just can&...
Postcard from Begg – teasels and cream cash...
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Yes that would be nice. Not as versatile as most dark plain colours, but it is a nice subtle combination of shades...
Postcards from Madrid
May 26th 2014These past few days I’ve been in Madrid, speaking at the Aristocrata club meeting and seeing a few of the tailors and shoemakers I know ( Langa, Reillo, Calvo de Mora, Norman Vilalta). I invited Elia Caliendo and Luca Avitabile of Satria...
Postcards from Madrid
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Again, the price difference is largely down to London real estate, London wages etc, rather than attention to detail. But quality is still a part of it. You should certainly expect an A&S suit to be superior in fit, and ...
Checks, denim and balance
April 25th 2014The question I get more than any other – from both readers and friends – is how to wear separate or ‘odd’ jackets. Indeed, what differentiates an odd jacket from a suit jacket in the first place. There are two factors: cloth a...
Checks, denim and balance
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Thanks John. I can't say I agree on either point, but good to hear your view...
Levi’s final bespoke jeans
April 11th 2014I’ve been wearing in my Levi’s bespoke jeans gradually over the past few weeks, and the raw denim is settling in well. For those unfamiliar with raw denim, it is favoured by those passionate about indigo twill for the way it mould...
Levi’s final bespoke jeans
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I do wear the white ones still, but not the others - because of fashion rather than fit, they simply feel too narrow to me now. I would say bespoke would be worth it for me, except the fact that I have now found two RTW ...
Neapolitan tweed jacket – Elia Caliendo
February 26th 2014This Neapolitan tweed jacket – made recently for me by Elia Caliendo – is perhaps the perfect update of an English classic. Tweed is a wonderful material – tough, soft and highly wind- and water-resistant. It makes a great jacket f...
Neapolitan tweed jacket – Elia Caliendo
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Yes, he is. I haven't spoken to him in a while but try the email [email protected]...
Pictures from Pitti Uomo 2014
January 12th 2014A few of the pictures of me from Pitti this year. Above, in brown tweed Caliendo jacket (more on that in a couple of weeks), Anderson & Sheppard flannels and Ralph Lauren madder-like orange handkerchief. Tweed such as this goes well with lot...
Pictures from Pitti Uomo 2014
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There would need to be more contrast in texture, yes. Try charcoal plain-weave or fresco perhaps...
Cifonelli jacket, D’Avino shirt and others
December 23rd 2013A reader asked what I was wearing at the dinner of Parisian Gentlemen last week. Fortunately, a profile photo was taken that day at the intellectual property conference I was speaking at – the reason I was in Paris in the first place. In t...
Cifonelli jacket, D’Avino shirt and others
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Here are some more pics of Simon's DB: http://dirnelli.tumblr.com/post/69709009635/simon-crompton-shows-you-how-the-cifonelli-bespoke...
Video on suits and their construction
September 11th 2013Last week I was profiled in a video series for Harrod’s, giving insights into the construction of Kiton and Tom Ford suits, among others. It should be available in a couple of weeks, coinciding with the launch of a new MTM/bespoke initiative at...
Video on suits and their construction
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Thanks Simon. That looks spot on. Cruel though to send that video to an emigrant Irish man. Rory's accent is killing me. I'll be crying into a pint of Guinness tonight....
Reader question: belts with suits
March 29th 2013Simon I have been thinking lately about removing the belt loops from some of my bespoke suit trousers. I was previously convinced that I wanted to remove the belt loops, but now I’m confused after discussing it with my Neapolitan tailor. Sh...
Reader question: belts with suits
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Regarding suit jackets, I’ll be trying my current Steed Jacket, currently paired with trousers and braces/side-adjusters, with another pair of “belted”and indeed very much cheaper RTW grey trousers to check the loo...
Sartorial column in How to Spend It
January 3rd 2013I’ve recently begun a column for How to Spend It, the luxury supplement to the Financial Times. The first post, on Neapolitan tailoring, can be seen here. Photo: Luke Carby
Sartorial column in How to Spend It
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I think very interesting Sarto in Napoli are: sabino, solito, formoza, panico, felice, for pants it is ambrosi and Pasquale Mola, for shirts - Lombardi. Simon - I think it will be interesting that I find shoes maker in R...
Send in your Permanent Style Tweed pics!
November 9th 2012I’ve seen quite a few Permanent Style Tweed pieces going through Graham Browne in recent weeks. As my Caliendo jacket gets ready for completion, this is a call out to readers to send in pictures of their tweed made up. The pictures will be ...
Send in your Permanent Style Tweed pics!
I’ve seen quite a few Permanent Style Tweed pieces going through Graham Browne in recent weeks. As my Caliendo jacket gets ready for completion, this is a call out to readers to send in pictures of their tweed made up....
Solito jacket, Naples
October 24th 2012I love Gennaro’s cutting board, by the window looking out into the squareThis was the second fitting on a Solito jacket in Naples. Luigi, the son, was there the first time earlier in the year, and as he speaks some English we could ask rath...
Solito jacket, Naples
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Saw something similar here: http://www.studiosuits.com/jackets/wool_jackets/reda_flannel_checks_green_pure_wool_jacket...
