The seven shirts I ordered last year

April 8th 2026

We don't talk about shirt commissions that often on Permanent Style, unlike suits or coats or shoes. But I steadily add a handful every year, on top of the PS ones we make up like the Madras or Ramie . The choices tend to be a mix of remaking old f...

The seven shirts I ordered last year

Match in comments:
Oh good, so lovely to hear Gez...

ShirtsApril 8th 2026

Old friends

July 4th 2025

During our recent trip to Naples, there was a lovely moment when shooting outside Marinella, the famous tie shop. Maurizio Marinella (above) the proprietor, came out and greeted me. “Simon, come in, come in!” There was a pause, and then...

Old friends

Match in comments:
Hi - apologies for this slightly tangential question but this article seems the most appropriate place to ask it, being loosely Naples-related. On holiday(s) in the area - Bacoli, Procida etc. - I have seen slightly olde...

Ties - July 4th 2025

How the Permanent Style Madras was woven

June 25th 2025

On Friday we’ll be launching our hand-woven Madras shirts, a collaboration we’re really proud of - both because of the people we visited in Chennai that made it so authentically, and because of the unique comfort and quality of the cloth...

How the Permanent Style Madras was woven

Match in comments:
The cloth is on sale here Heath (though it is currently sold out - more is coming soon)...

ClothJune 25th 2025

The Suede Overshirt made-to-order programme

October 11th 2024

The Suede Overshirt in tobacco has recently been restocked on PS, having sold out quickly back in the spring. But we’re also going to try a made-to-order programme, as the makers Rifugio are happy to make in small numbers. The idea is that re...

The Suede Overshirt made-to-order programme

Match in comments:
Only in October I'm afraid - we do two a year...

ShirtsOctober 11th 2024

How my shirt fit has changed in the past 15 years

August 30th 2024

I know, a graph! Given the nerdery that’s often included on these pages, I’m surprised it’s taken so long for us to lead with a graph. (Mobile users: try opening the image in a new tab.) Let me tell you what it shows. This plots my...

How my shirt fit has changed in the past 15 years

Match in comments:
Sorry Liam, yes I think I misspoke there, an M fits me well...

ShirtsAugust 30th 2024

Introducing: The Suede Overshirt

May 17th 2024

A few readers have asked over the years about a suede overshirt on PS - particularly following the series of articles we did this time last year, on jacket substitutes like overshirts , chores and tebas . So when we visited the suede workshop Rifug...

Introducing: The Suede Overshirt

Match in comments:
No worries. I'd say I wear it open most of the time, yes. Occasionally I button it for warmth, but that's rare...

ShirtsMay 17th 2024

Manish’s five bespoke lessons: Picking cloth

February 16th 2024

By Manish Puri. This article is the second in a series dealing with my personal experiences of having bespoke/MTM clothes made over the last six years. The first covered some of my tips for working with tailors, while this piece focuses on the lesso...

Manish’s five bespoke lessons: Picking cloth

Match in comments:
A navy blazer is undoubtedly the safest choice (my own first bespoke piece was a navy flannel blazer), but its one of drawbacks is, I see often one encounters the same uniform elsewhere. At a recent conference, I saw a g...

ClothFebruary 16th 2024

The importance of visiting your makers (repeatedly)

November 17th 2023

Readers have asked in the past what it’s like developing new clothing, what helps and hinders, what the challenges are. One piece of advice a friend gave me a while ago was to visit the factory more than you think - that even a one-day, flying...

The importance of visiting your makers (repeatedly)

Match in comments:
Cheers Riccardo, yes you can't really ever please/fit the majority of people...

ShirtsNovember 17th 2023

Reader profile: David E

December 19th 2022

David is an example of a reader that has been into clothes for a long time, and now looks back on it from the perspective of a professional and father, fitting that interest into a life that has changed dramatically. A resident of south-east London...

Reader profile: David E

Match in comments:
That’s very encouraging. May give him a commission soon. Many thanks Lindsay...

StyleDecember 19th 2022

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

Match in comments:
Love the semi-casual....

Jackets - StyleDecember 10th 2021

Reader profile: David

September 24th 2021

This is the second in our series of articles meeting, and questioning, Permanent Style readers. The first profiled Manish, who enthused about Russian watches and recommended that readers should start building a wardrobe with good trousers. It's wort...

Reader profile: David

Match in comments:
I know i am sounding like a broken record but the reader profile..another well dressed young man....keep it up!!!! Peace...

September 24th 2021

Introducing: The PS short-sleeved shirt

July 26th 2021

Last Summer, I had coffee with a friend on a hot afternoon in Mayfair. Sitting outside a pavement cafe, he was wearing loafers, a beautifully tailored trousers and - to my surprise - a short-sleeved shirt. I’ve never really liked short sleeve...

Introducing: The PS short-sleeved shirt

Match in comments:
More non-jacket myself...

ShirtsJuly 26th 2021

Introducing: The PS linen overshirt

June 25th 2021

For a long time, my favourite linen overshirt has been an old model from Drake’s - readers will have seen it previously here , and it’s been worn continuously and lovingly since. One of the reasons I liked that model was that it had jus...

Introducing: The PS linen overshirt

Match in comments:
Hi James, A local tailor should be able to do that. On the waist, I'd suggest wearing it a couple of times to be sure what you want, as it's not something you can reverse. Same goes for the sleeves to an extent, as the s...

June 25th 2021

PS (shorter) shorts are back

June 9th 2021

The PS Shorts go on sale again today, in the same colours as the past two years: khaki, olive and navy. Thank you to all readers for their patience waiting for the restock. There is only one major change, which is that the shorts are 1.5 inches sho...

PS (shorter) shorts are back

Match in comments:
Thanks Simon...

Casual clothing - TrousersJune 9th 2021

My shirt collars

January 27th 2021

When we published our recent article on the types and styles of shirt collars , a reader requested a follow-up piece on the precise dimensions of what I wear. In fact, this has come up a few times over the years, particularly as we’ve talked...

My shirt collars

Match in comments:
Yes, it's often something I play about with during an appointment with a bespoke maker. It can work affectively - buttons tend to be set the same for different sizes of shirt even, but of course we are all quite differen...

Shirts - January 27th 2021

The Online Symposium: How luxury menswear can bec...

July 17th 2020

One of the things bespoke artisans have struggled with during the Covid-19 crisis is not being able to travel. Savile Row makes more than half its money in the US, and the Spring trips weren’t possible. Should they try to do remote fittings? C...

The Online Symposium: How luxury menswear can bec...

Match in comments:
Mostly the style...

Shirts - SuitsJuly 17th 2020

The Summer Top Five: Adret, Anglo, Anthology, Con...

July 15th 2020

With stock delayed and most shops closed, there seemed less point in doing our regular Spring/Summer round-up earlier in the year. So here, rather later, is a Summer-targeted piece on items I've tried myself and especially recommend. I've also kept ...

The Summer Top Five: Adret, Anglo, Anthology, Con...

Match in comments:
Those pieces would be long sleeve, correct? I think then it looks like a piece of knitwear, whereas most would see this Anthology piece as a T-shirt essentially, just a fancy one. I might wear the Anthology under a jacke...

Casual clothing - CoatsJuly 15th 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?

Match in comments:
No it hasn't...

StyleJune 5th 2019

Introducing: Striped PS Oxford cloth

February 8th 2019

The traditional, nubby oxford fabric we developed last year has proved so popular that we’ve decided to introduce another option. It’s a little unusual in another way though, beyond the robust, textured yarn. It’s an off-white and ...

Introducing: Striped PS Oxford cloth

Match in comments:
No the colours won't fade that way. I don't tend to wash them damp, but if I could be bothered to do so, they would be slightly easier to iron...

ShirtsFebruary 8th 2019

Sartoria Ciardi cotton suit: Style breakdown

February 6th 2019

In our last installment in this Tailor Styles series, we looked at the modern incarnation of the Neapolitan jacket: light and soft, but also short with a small shoulder. Today’s suit, from Sartoria Ciardi, is the diametric opposite within Neap...

Sartoria Ciardi cotton suit: Style breakdown

Match in comments:
Sure. When I say the shoulders are still strong I mean: - There is a little bit of padding in the shoulders, so they still make a firm straight line - There is a little bit of roping, so the shoulder line continues into ...

SuitsFebruary 6th 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 capacity, and mo...

Two reader stories: Starting and building a wardrobe

Match in comments:
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...

January 21st 2019

Introducing: The lightweight Friday Polo

August 6th 2018

Lovely as our Friday Polos are, they're not really built for Summer. The classic Friday Polo uses a luxurious piqué cotton from Caccioppoli which, while noticeably nicer than other polo cottons, is relatively thick and best suited to the othe...

Introducing: The lightweight Friday Polo

Match in comments:
That's unfortunate! Appreciate the response, cheers Simon....

Shirts - August 6th 2018

The Shirtmakers Symposium – The video debate

January 18th 2018

Below you can find the full video of our Shirtmakers Symposium in Florence. It's a little basic, but thankfully the sound worked well and it's audible throughout. Silvio Albini makes a lovely introduction at the start, then each shirtmaker introduce...

The Shirtmakers Symposium – The video debate

Match in comments:
Awesome article Simon. Very informative. Your photography is perfect and this type of content is hard to find. You are right i found it interesting because of the video. Nice crowd and very well explained everything i al...

Shirts - VideoJanuary 18th 2018

Technical details at the Shirtmakers Symposium

January 17th 2018

[The votes and nominations for the Permanent Style awards closed today, by the way. Thank you for all your comments and emails. The winners will be announced next week.] At the Shirtmakers Symposium in Florence last week we had a display of five shi...

Technical details at the Shirtmakers Symposium

Match in comments:
Interesting Thanks again....

ShirtsJanuary 17th 2018

The Shirtmakers Symposium – The speakers

January 15th 2018

Left to right: Simon Crompton, Justin Chang, Jack Sepetjian, Darren Tiernan, Silvio Albini, Luca Avitabile, Paolo Maffeis. The Shirtmakers Symposium last Wednesday went so well: great location, great speakers, great discussion. We decided this time ...

The Shirtmakers Symposium – The speakers

Match in comments:
I just felt the northern and southern Italian had more distinct styles, and wanted to be as international as possible so bring in Asia and the US. Would have liked to include a dozen other makers......

ShirtsJanuary 15th 2018