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...
Change your laces
May 25th 2015Laces are to a shoe what buttons are to a jacket. Often ignored, but with a disproportionate important effect on the overall look. The most attractive buttons, for me, are always matte horn with a touch of contrast in their colouring. They produc...
Change your laces
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That might be ok, but keep them the same thickness as the sneaker laces - thin ones would look out of proportion...
Saint Crispin’s and Camps de Luca visit London
May 8th 2015Next week there are two great events to get along to if you can: a trunk show by Saint Crispin’s and a drinks evening with Camps de Luca. The Saint Crispin’s event takes place in the Drake’s store on Cliffo...
Saint Crispin’s and Camps de Luca visit London
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I believe it's around £1300...
Tony Gaziano: How Gaziano & Girling started
April 21st 2015Last year I interviewed Tony Gaziano for this video, created by Essence Lifestyle (the questions were deliberately removed to create a single narration). It was interesting talking to Tony in more detail about his early days – beginning o...
Tony Gaziano: How Gaziano & Girling started
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Ha! I think Nick Inkster could make a far more entertaining film than I! I quite like the G&G film above. It's very tricky to get these films right isn't it? They're usually so cheesy or else slightly embarrassing. I...
More materialism, less consumerism
April 8th 2015A tailor commented to me recently that the problem with people today is they are too materialistic. I think this misses the point slightly – and an exploration of it highlights an important aspect of the approach we advocate on this site....
More materialism, less consumerism
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Thanks Wasim. Do you mean how have I walked that line myself? Or how has it changed in broader society?...
Bespoke shoes event: the speakers
January 17th 2015Pierre Corthay Well, you asked for more pictures… First, the speakers. Tony Gaziano Tommaso Melani Phillip Car Norman Vilalta John Carnera Dean Girling Andy Murphy
Bespoke shoes event: the speakers
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1. Partly, I'm fairly well into my career and earn decent money now - I couldn't have afforded anywhere near as much 10 years ago. And partly, prioritisation. I know people (particularly women) who buy even more clothing...
My adelaides patinated
October 24th 2014Continuing the shoe theme of recent posts, above are my Gaziano & Girling bespoke adelaides after repatination from Thomas at the Savile Row store. (Adelaide refers to the U-shaped section around the laces. The G&G model is the St ...
My adelaides patinated
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Got this photo from G&G for a patina that should surely work under grey or charcoal. It’s their Criollo patina. They are able to have their artisan colour with a dark tone (plenty of black burnishing) so as to be a...
Gaziano & Girling guests
October 2nd 2014By request, some of the lovely lovely people at the Gaziano & Girling evening last week. Not that many ties around, but some stunning Chittleborough & Morgan tailoring. Above, Michael Browne in his navy seersucker. F...
Gaziano & Girling launches patina service
October 1st 2014Last week was the launch of the new patina service at Gaziano & Girling on Savile Row. For anyone not familiar with the English shoemaking industry, this is a big step – for the first time, a Northampton maker is offering the same han...
Gaziano & Girling launches patina service
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I don't really, but I can understand why you would dislike it. I think the attraction comes from the craft, and the fact that men tend to see clothes in isolation, rather than style as a whole. So they obsess over the pa...
Five tips on bespoke shoes
July 7th 2014I do like it when readers suggest posts. You feel you’re fulfilling a need. Two weeks ago, on Five Tips on Bespoke Suits, a reader requested a similar post on bespoke shoes, so here it is. 1 Be conservative I know it’s the same as the f...
Five tips on bespoke shoes
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Absolutely Lindsay, there's lots of coverage around the site. Perhaps start with the post 'The bespoke shoemakers I have known' https://www.permanentstyle.com/2014/10/the-shoemakers-i-have-known.html...
Clothes for travel
June 20th 2014Attire for flying out to Florence this week. Polo shirts make great travel items, particularly long-sleeved under jackets. They are comfortable, cool and versatile, and navy is the smartest option. Just make sure the collar is tall enough to not sl...
Clothes for travel
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Aha, I see yes, that makes sense. Which is why knitted polos are so attractive...
Gaziano & Girling shop: An opening party for...
April 28th 2014When was the last time there was a shop opening on Savile Row to get excited about? One making to the same standard as the great tailors already there? Exactly. Reason enough to shout about the new Gaziano & Girling shop, which had an informa...
Gaziano & Girling shop: An opening party for...
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Yes, I think that would be the best place to start. And yes, I've used Minnis flannel before, it's very nice. As I've explained a little elsewhere on this site, there really is very little difference between such cloths....
Gaziano & Girling bespoke Adelaides
March 10th 2014Tan shoes make such a lovely complement to grey flannel, don’t they? And we know why the socks are green. But of course the most beautiful thing here is the lines of the shoe. The tight waist that causes the sole to virtually di...
The Gaziano & Girling store takes shape
January 30th 2014OK, it’s only a work site at the moment, but the Gaziano & Girling shop on Savile Row is looking exciting. At number 39, it might be the only shop on the west side of Savile Row that’s worth going into, and it certainly ...
The Gaziano & Girling store takes shape
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No, they're far better than Grenson......
Green is the third colour
November 25th 2013Navy and grey are the kings of colour. They should be your first choice for almost every item of clothing – suit, jacket, trousers, overcoat, knitwear, even ties. Navy in particular for jackets and ties; mid-grey or charcoal for trousers. The c...
Green is the third colour
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Ice Cotton is a branded yarn, a high twist I think...
Edward Green Top Drawer
November 20th 2013An archive-trawling reader recently reminded me that back in November 2011 I wrote about my new Edward Green Top Drawer boots, concluding that perhaps it would be best to wait two years and then see how the boots had worn. So what have I learned in t...
Edward Green Top Drawer
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I like shoes very much but i think buying cloth is more important to me because i dont have enough cloth at my wardrobe...
The inside line: Gaziano & Girling in How to...
November 19th 2013It has been a year since I began my column with How to Spend It looking at value in menswear. Nice as it was, we had covered most of the basics – so the editors and I decided recently to change tack. The new column, The inside track, wil...
The inside line: Gaziano & Girling in How to...
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Sorry. My bad. Harrow it is....
The divergent styles of Cleverley and Gaziano &am...
October 28th 2013Having tried so many tailors and shoemakers, I am often asked to compare them. With bespoke shoes, the most common question is which maker achieved the best fit. However, the fit often doesn’t vary that much, and most importantly (perhaps depre...
The divergent styles of Cleverley and Gaziano &am...
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Well, the leather is only one thing that affects comfort, but yes that could be a contributing factor...
Me in Dartmoor; Michael in suede; Thomas joins G&...
September 23rd 2013These photos were taken at the Gieves party for Rose Callahan’s book I Am Dandy last week. Michael ( Browne, Chittleborough & Morgan) and I were rather underdressed, perhaps deliberately so, for an evening of fops and costume drama. Mi...
Me in Dartmoor; Michael in suede; Thomas joins G&...
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much obliged Simon. A...
Gaziano & Girling’s new factory
September 16th 2013The new Gaziano & Girling factory in Kettering is taking shape, and it’s a wonderful thing to see. An old Loake factory, where they used to do their bottom stock, it backs onto the Church’s closing facility. In fact, the whole bu...
Gaziano & Girling’s new factory
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Lovely building. Reminds me of the original Saatchi Gallery....
Gaziano & Girling bespoke: new adelaides and ...
August 21st 2013These are my latest Gaziano & Girlingbespoke shoes, waiting to be made ready for a fitting (hopefully next week). They are a St James style (semi-brogue adelaide) in vintage cedar. Interestingly, Tony has changed his fitting process recently...
Gaziano & Girling bespoke: new adelaides and ...
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Hi, The cost is £2900 plus VAT for EU customers, no VAT outside EU. Waiting time currently 6-8 months. Simon...
How to buy quality shoes
August 12th 2013“If you want to know if a guy is well dressed, look down.” So said US columnist George Frazier back in the 1950s, and his words have never been more true. Men who spend too little on their shoes end up with flimsy things that look old ...
Permanent Style in Free & Easy magazine
March 22nd 2013This column in Japanese magazine Free & Easy is the result of the photo shoot I posted about before Christmas. I have no idea what the Japanese text says, but hopefully it faithfully reports my opinions on shoes and shoe collecting, and desc...
Permanent Style in Free & Easy magazine
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John you wouldn't be so sceptical and ignorant in your reproach if you judged by the content of the magazine. It's one of the best menswear magazines out there in my opinion, much more relevant than the shit they sell in...
Hidetaka Fukaya, Il Micio
January 21st 2013Hidetaka Fukaya, also known by his nickname Il Micio, is as much artist as artisan. Shoemakers tend to divide into two groups: those that are primarily driven by the artistic side of their work and those that are motivated principally by th...
Hidetaka Fukaya, Il Micio
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According to me specially my taste your are one of the best quality shoe and very remarkable...
Shoe shoot for Free and Easy
November 21st 2012Photo shoot yesterday for Free and Easy magazine in Japan. They’re doing a special on English shoes, so shots of four pairs of my shoes from four different English shoemakers, and an interview/shoot with me. Photos of that next month when...
Shoe shoot for Free and Easy
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To be honest, I'd say most of the ones I've used for more than one shoe have been similar - Stefano Bemer, Cleverley, Gaziano. Though perhaps with Masaru Okuyama being a little better (see that recent post). The stand-ou...
