Blouson, chore, or leather jacket? An exercise in...

June 7th 2021

Three years ago, I wrote an article called ‘ Five paradigms of casual clothing ’, which attempted a rough division of informal men’s clothing into different styles. It was an interesting exercise. The categories were necessarily ve...

Blouson, chore, or leather jacket? An exercise in...

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Oh good...

Casual clothingJune 7th 2021

Should your belt match your shoes? (Or bag)

September 21st 2018

This question might seem like an easy one, but I do get a lot of comments and emails about it, so I thought I’d lay it out in a post. No, in short, a leather belt and leather shoes do not have to match. But they should be closely related. So a...

Should your belt match your shoes? (Or bag)

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I know what you mean Markus. I actually tend to wear 1-inch ones with jeans and chinos too, because I like the look, but I can definitely see an argument there that something wider is a good partner to them as well (but ...

Bags - Belts and walletsSeptember 21st 2018

Suit Style 8: Trouser measurements, style and pro...

April 30th 2018

One of the reasons jacket fits and styles are so hard to describe is they cannot easily be put into numbers. Trousers, by comparison, are pretty straightforward. From the shoe up, there is: circumference at the trouser opening or bottom, at the kne...

Suit Style 8: Trouser measurements, style and pro...

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I also have the same issue but if you shorten the back rise, it would help significantly. My bespoke trousers' back rise is nearly the same as the front rise....

TrousersApril 30th 2018

A casual capsule: The Valstarino jacket three ways

December 21st 2017

The blouson in general, but particularly in brown and especially in brown suede, has to be one of the most versatile pieces in a man's wardrobe. The shape is short and neat enough to work well with smarter clothing; suede suggests a more dressy look...

A casual capsule: The Valstarino jacket three ways

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I'm afraid not, sorry, I've never had that. My first thing would be to hang it somewhere to air, perhaps even outside for a few hours. As a last resort I would also approach a specialist leather cleaner...

Casual clothing - DenimDecember 21st 2017

How to wear trainers: Part 3. Style

October 13th 2017

This post is an illustrated explanation of how I wear trainers, or sneakers. As with similar exercises on the blog, I have attempted to be as structured as possible, keeping some parameters constant in order to focus on those being discussed. So in ...

How to wear trainers: Part 3. Style

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I think I'd basically remove that category - I wouldn't wear trainers any smarter than that refined casual look. On the plus side, that is a style I wear quite a lot and I think has a lot of mileage these days...

Denim - KnitwearOctober 13th 2017

How sartorial principles can apply to casual clot...

December 19th 2016

This outfit, which was shot for the recent cover story of Plaza Uomo magazine, is probably one of the most casual ever featured on Permanent Style. Much like the first image of our popular ‘ Which office are you?’ post, it is the informa...

How sartorial principles can apply to casual clot...

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No, I have that milk colour and it's rather different - no melange and paler...

Hats - StyleDecember 19th 2016

The suede blouson for travel

August 10th 2016

Blousons 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 wouldn't wear it with indigo jeans, no, though most of these might be a little smart for that anyway. I wouldn't wear olive that way either. If that's the look you want, you're better looking at the RRL western options...

Casual clothing - Glasses and jewelleryAugust 10th 2016

How to wear tan shoes – reader question

October 6th 2014

Dear Simon, As with your other readers who write, let me say how much I enjoy your posts, columns, etc. They are fun to read and informative. All your posts on shoes, and brown shoes in particular, have been very useful, and I am slowly building a ...

How to wear tan shoes – reader question

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Yes that's true, though when we talked about tan loafers it was more as a casual option where you might not wear a jacket on top. Any white or grey, as would be very popular in a T-shirt or knit, would work well...

Shoes - October 6th 2014

Outerwear at Pitti Uomo 2013

January 9th 2013

The greatest pleasure at Pitti, of course, is discovering new things. But there are fewer than you might think. The majority of what’s on show is ready-to-wear suits, shirts and jackets, and if you have those made bespoke then they are relegate...

Outerwear at Pitti Uomo 2013

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I don't know I'm afraid Brentano....

CoatsJanuary 9th 2013

Reader question: Side straps and chinos

September 5th 2012

Normal.dotm 0 0 1 424 2417 Euromoney PLC 20 4 2968 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false Incotex trousers Dear Simon, I have a couple of questions on trousers which I haven’t seen you address. First, you said in a post a while ago that...

Reader question: Side straps and chinos

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Thanks Simon....

Reader questionsSeptember 5th 2012

How to dress casually: Reader question

August 15th 2012

Dear Simon, Many thanks for the invaluable resource of your blog when it comes to style. I started reading a month or so ago and am taking pleasure in devouring the wealth of information there is on classic sartorial menswear. However, the occasions ...

How to dress casually: Reader question

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In my experience Caruso does very good RTW jackets with a less trendy cut....

Reader questions - StyleAugust 15th 2012

PEN magazine: Permanent Style big in Japan

September 22nd 2011

You could never refer to yourself as a style icon. But if someone else gives you the title, it’s alright to pass it on, right? Seriously, I was highly flattered to be asked to appear in the latest issue of PEN magazine, which I am told by...

PEN magazine: Permanent Style big in Japan

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Thanks, I certainly will. It will hopefully also be the topic of my third book, which I'm talking to publishers abou at the moment...

StyleSeptember 22nd 2011

Long-sleeved polos for summer

May 4th 2011

It’s depressing to see what men wear on hot days. Baggy shorts, ill-fitting polo shirts and logo-plastered T-shirts. But then it’s also hard to find smart, tailored clothes suitable for high temperatures. One often overlooked option is a ...

Long-sleeved polos for summer

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Yes that looks nice Ayush...

May 4th 2011

The opening of Trunk Clothiers

September 8th 2010

[Cotton jacket by Beams Plus, shirt by BD Baggies and bow tie by Drake’s] Tomorrow is the official opening of Trunk, an innovative new boutique in London’s Marylebone. Though the shop has been welcoming passers-by for the past few wee...

The opening of Trunk Clothiers

[Cotton jacket by Beams Plus, shirt by BD Baggies and bow tie by Drake’s] Tomorrow is the official opening of Trunk, an innovative new boutique in London’s Marylebone. Though the shop has been welcoming passers-by fo...

September 8th 2010