Outfits I got wrong
February 19th 2021Everyone gets stuff wrong. We all have outfits we look back on years later, and cringe. Fortunately, I believe this is something where you learn and progress. It is not a cycle of fashions, where every few years you wear something different, and di...
My Summer shoes
July 29th 2020Shoes can be one of the trickiest areas for clothing in the summer. Unless we require a jacket, it’s pretty simple to wear a well-cut polo shirt on top and drapey linen trousers on the bottom, and stay cool. But shoes are always required, and...
My Summer shoes
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Between the two shoes in a pair? I wouldn't have said that was that normal, no...
Lockdown looks: What I really wore at home
June 19th 2020Every day, when I get dressed, there is something new I’m interested in wearing. Not necessarily new clothing, but a new outfit, a new combination of colours, perhaps a mixing of styles. And sometimes just a combination that feels new, becaus...
Lockdown looks: What I really wore at home
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It's hard sometimes to quantify precisely, because of the combination of gauge and ply - the gauge meaning it might be chunky hard but it's more loosely put together. Our shawl is a little like that....
The unexpected inspiration of Ralph Lauren womens...
May 4th 2020Something that I find often surprises readers is how much the brands they admire are influenced by womenswear. It’s a topic we discussed briefly with Saman Amel last year, with Dag and Saman talking about old collections that inspired them, m...
The unexpected inspiration of Ralph Lauren womens...
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Great recommendation. Thanks Jeldrik...
Don your highborn cloak: Ralph Lauren, saviour?
April 15th 2020I recently finished reading In His Own Fashion , the official biography of Ralph Lauren, which Alan Flusser kindly gave me last year. I’d recommend it to anyone - it’s both interesting as a history of fashion in the past 50 years, and i...
Don your highborn cloak: Ralph Lauren, saviour?
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Thanks, that's interesting. Still not sure - the width is quite harmonious with the lapels etc, but the patterns look quite garish to me...
Light relief: Jamie’s clothes and style
April 8th 2020OK, so. Friend and photographer Jamie Ferguson has been locked up indoors for weeks, as we all have. And he’s gone a bit stir crazy. We had started talking a while ago about shoots we could do remotely. Perhaps looking at a few outfits of his...
Light relief: Jamie’s clothes and style
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Love the penny loafers worn barefoot! Very hot look...
Our Spring/Summer Top 10, 2019
April 24th 2019Last week the weather in London turned from 12 degrees to 22 in a couple of days. It seems that what passes for the English Spring is finally here. Of course, with most shops and brands Spring/Summer collections arrived in February, and went on sale...
Our Spring/Summer Top 10, 2019
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Yes I know, frightening isn't it?...
Our Spring/Summer Top 10, 2018
May 2nd 2018Last week a friend in the industry asked me what aspect of writing Permanent Style I like the most. It is always, easily, discovering a new tailor, cloth or product that is different and inspiring. That journey from discovering something new, to see...
Our Spring/Summer Top 10, 2018
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I see. Thanks so much Simon!...
Five paradigms of casual clothing: Which do you w...
February 28th 2018Although casual clothing is far more susceptible to fashions than tailored clothing, it is possible to organize it into certain groups, or paradigms. These groups, such as preppy clothing or workwear, often have their roots in particular parts of th...
Five paradigms of casual clothing: Which do you w...
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Overshirts could fall into several, particularly as it's not really a traditional category of clothing. A military one would be something like the Jungle Jacket, a workwear one more a heavy flannel shirt worn over a ther...
Saman Amel made-to-measure jacket: Review
January 22nd 2018It’s so enjoyable writing good reviews. It is valuable to write balanced, semi-critical pieces of course, and this is a core part of Permanent Style. But you always feel very conscious of the effect the criticism will have, and bad even if it&...
Saman Amel made-to-measure jacket: Review
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Yes that's right John. If you want examples, have a look at the different tailors that are analysed in our Tailors Styles series. You can easily see how those foreparts compare with different tailors, and the different e...
Brands need to talk about product
December 29th 2017There are several ways to define the menswear world we write about. As classic style, for instance, or about quality and craft. Also as luxury, given such quality is expensive. But one aspect that is rarely emphasised, and should be more in my opini...
Brands need to talk about product
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Well, my main point was, that the quality is often not there. I don't have an issue with paying a premium price for a premium product, but I won't pay it for an average or even below average product. Here's an example: R...
Our Autumn knitwear Top 10
October 11th 2017The survey we did of Spring/Summer pieces in the shops was very popular back in June. This Autumn/Winter, therefore, we thought we’d do two separate ones - the first (today) on winter knitwear, and the second on casual winter coats. As with th...
Our Autumn knitwear Top 10
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Hi Sebastian, Bear in mind that Scott & Charters was unusual in selling direct to retail as a mill, and I think over time they've proven why, as it's a hard model for a factory to do if they don't invest in the retail si...
Anglo-Italian denim and Ralph Lauren cardigan
August 18th 2017Rather a contrast this to Wednesday's post on dressing for hot weather. But it's good to look ahead to Autumn (God I'm looking forward to it - the coats, the knitwear, the hats!). And it's nice to be able to write about something that's actually in...
Anglo-Italian denim and Ralph Lauren cardigan
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It's a mix of two things: the cut I find a little too slim and tapered now, and the washes I don't like that much - they feel a bit too artificial. I'd go with raw denim and wear them in yourself....
Summer colours: Tobacco and tan
May 12th 2017Shades of tobacco and tan are one of the loveliest things to wear in the Summer. As the weather warms up, I've put together three outfits here - all somewhere in the 5 to 7 formality range - that illustrate this. They are displayed on my wonderful...
Summer colours: Tobacco and tan
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That bunch is no longer current I'm afraid (as with pretty much all cloths older than 2 or 3 years). Most still carry a natural or biscuit-coloured version however...
The suede blouson for travel
August 10th 2016Blousons 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'd suggest looking at some vintage-style brands, like Warehouse, Real McCoys, Buzz Rickson etc as a first port of call. Vintage pieces were shorter and so theirs often are too...
Casual tie and sports jacket (military donegal de...
August 17th 2015In the spirit of our recent posts on assembling outfits, here’s the process that put this one together. Originating idea: I’ve always liked the way this pale, silk tie from Ralph Lauren goes with my Rubinacci cashmere jacket. The corn...
Casual tie and sports jacket (military donegal de...
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Many thanks for your answer. I appreciate it....
The eternal style of the shawl-collar cardigan
September 29th 2014If you don’t own a shawl-collar cardigan, it’s the one sweater you should invest in this winter. No other knitwear is more versatile: its collar makes it the only style that works with T-shirts, shirts or polos, for everyone. Some m...
The eternal style of the shawl-collar cardigan
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I have two of the shawl collared cardigans from Drake’s and a William Lockie labelled one that I bought from Richard Gelding (Baltzar). Although they look identical, they’re not in reality. The Lockie one seems to be...
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...
RRL: Vintage outerwear and modern fit
November 27th 2013If I have an addiction outside of tailoring, it is not shoes or ties but outerwear. Leather jackets, suede blousons, trench coats: I love the ability of such big pieces to radically change a look and a silhouette. Leather, cotton and their derivative...
RRL: Vintage outerwear and modern fit
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A great article! There's a lot of good stuff described and pictured here. Outerwear is probably my "addiction" - why is it so neglected by British men? But please don't use the expression "outside of" as you do in your f...
A good tool for removing pilling from sweaters
September 9th 2013I’m not great at looking after anything apart from shoes. Suits I brush down occasionally, but certainly not after every use, and knitwear rarely gets much of a look-in. In an effort to change this I recently picked up a few of the garment care...
A good tool for removing pilling from sweaters
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I know this is a very old post, but I found some of the movie's suits on Ebay, apparently all the tailoring was made by Cantarelli. Hope that helps....
How to buy a quality suit
February 12th 2013Men are not interested in the clothing of celebrities. At the most, the endorsement of a film star, a magazine or a fashion brand is an endorsement, a shortcut. A man’s number one priority is not looking stupid, and popular culture is a safety ...
How to buy a quality suit
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Refreshing honesty, thanks. That's where as a customer we have to make our decisions as informed as possible. And that's where we have to set our priorities and, dare I say, our values. I think that more durability per s...
Ralph Lauren: The enduring appeal
May 28th 2012This has been said many times before in more abstract ways, but it deserves to be stated distinctly. It is astounding how effective Ralph Lauren has been at selling a very particular dream over the past 45 years. This was my dominant thought during a...
Ralph Lauren: The enduring appeal
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Great reporting! Right on the mark. Best of the Big-Name Preppies. The only highly commercial brand that manages to maintain both perceived and real quality. Selling pedigree to haves and have-nots alike. That said, Ralp...
Stuff on eBay
February 2nd 2012In case anyone’s interested, I’m selling a few lovely things on eBay over the next few weeks – essentially ready-to-wear jackets or suits from Kilgour, Ralph Lauren Purple Label or others that have had to make way for be...
Stuff on eBay
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Glad you like it. Check out the Ralph Lauren suit on there at the moment - purple label one going on tomorrow as well. The scent is likely a mix of cedar wood and the Al Bazar house perfume, which comes in sachets you ca...
The window dressing of Hackett
October 14th 2011One of the main reasons that I (and I assume most other men) read blogs is to get inspiration for things to wear. Or to buy in order to wear. I know I should write more posts on the former. Ideally, every shop window should provide such inspiration o...
The window dressing of Hackett
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Forgive me if this seems pernickity, but whilst I find this window style attractive, one little issue stands out and that is putting one hand into a pocket which frankly irritates me. I always look for the tailoring styl...
English Cut and Thomas Mahon: made to measure
September 27th 2011During a recent conversation with Thomas Mahon of English Cut, I was interested to hear about the made-to-measure service that he is launching in India. The tailors he has hired and trained are among those that suffered from the tsunami in south Asia...
English Cut and Thomas Mahon: made to measure
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I don't know I'm afraid Mark, sorry...
