Best US shop 2019: The Armoury (or, how to break ...
February 27th 2019Best shop in the US: The Armoury Runner-up: Sid Mashburn Some of the Permanent Style awards this year were close. The award for best US store was not: The Armoury romped home. To a certain extent, that’s not surprising. I...
Best US shop 2019: The Armoury (or, how to break ...
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Thanks Dennis. So aside from the quality, do you mean someone is not being honest? Sorry I didn’t quite understand...
How to wear a horsehide jacket: Armoury x Real Mc...
January 11th 2019I’ve never had a horsehide jacket before. I did have an old, vintage one rom RRL a few years ago, but it was so old and soft that it felt nothing like this, like new horsehide. To be honest, I’d been rather put off by the styling of hors...
How to wear a horsehide jacket: Armoury x Real Mc...
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To be honest I think a cafe racer rarely looks good, it's a bit flash. You could wear this with a casual shirt, yes, and perhaps loafers. I'm not sure it would be me, but it's one I would have a go at and see...
The Armoury trousers: Osaku, Pommella, Ring Jacke...
November 28th 2018Several readers commented on the post highlighting pieces from No Man Walks Alone that articles on other shops would be helpful, if objective and analytical. If there’s any area that needs this most, it’s trousers. Once men find a model...
The Armoury trousers: Osaku, Pommella, Ring Jacke...
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Brisbane Moss?...
The appeal of workwear, and my favourite pieces
November 12th 2018Although tailoring is my primary passion, I’ve always worn clothing that these days would be grouped under the term ‘workwear’ on the weekend. Good denim, obviously, but also sweatshirts, waxed boots and canvas trousers. Some of th...
The appeal of workwear, and my favourite pieces
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Thanks. I guess when they just feel too warm to wear. It's hard to be consistent in the UK as the weather varies so much, but probably late March some time, and usually get winter things out in October...
Our Autumn/Winter Top 10, 2018
October 10th 2018A reader commented on the last instalment of this list that it shaped his whole season’s shopping. No pressure then. Many of the ranges will feature in other coverage later in the year – particularly the ones I’ve alr...
Our Autumn/Winter Top 10, 2018
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Yes good point, I think that was more a case of how I came to feel about the PWVC cut over time, rather than changing my tastes. But yes shetlands I definitely wear less. Apart from those two I wear Colhay's, Bryceland's...
Hong Kong: A sartorial shopping guide
May 14th 2018Hong Kong has long been a centre for international commerce, driven by its location as a port and later by its strategic importance to the British Empire. When it was handed back to China in 1997, the city retained its vibrancy and international fl...
Hong Kong: A sartorial shopping guide
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Hi Max, Yes the list is fairly old now I'm afraid - we will update it. Attire House and AQ aren't open. For Prologue and Anthology, please check the two reviews of their tailoring...
Wearing warm and cold colours
April 4th 2018Taka from Liverano. Lots of colour and pattern, but overall quite cold Being able to judge the relative formality of an outfit is a key component of dressing well in modern, variable working environments. Many things contribute to this formality: Mo...
Wearing warm and cold colours
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I certainly would mix them together, yes, it can be an interesting combination....
The Armoury at the pop-up: College cardigan, R...
November 30th 2017The Armoury really inspired me (as it did many others) when it started out in Hong Kong, and I still get particularly excited about having them in the pop-up shop. I was in there yesterday, looking through everything with Dick (Carroll, pictured bot...
The Armoury at the pop-up: College cardigan, R...
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Nice, thanks Pat!...
Pommella bespoke trousers – Review
November 3rd 2017Lino Pommella recently became the latest entrant into a group of travelling, Neapolitan trouser makers - a path forged, of course, by Salvatore Ambrosi. The other notable one is Cerrato, whom we have covered elsewhere but who only currently travels ...
Pommella bespoke trousers – Review
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I don't know, sorry JR...
The Pop-Up Shop is back!
November 1st 2017I'm very excited to say that the Permanent Style Presents pop-up shop will be back this winter, opening in two weeks on November 15th. We've switched approach slightly, using a slightly smaller space but staying open much longer (5 weeks) - so hop...
The Pop-Up Shop is back!
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Yes, we have most of the remaining pieces in the pop up....
How to wear trainers: Part 3. Style
October 13th 2017This 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...
Sage green and tobacco brown – earthy summer
August 11th 2017Finding new colour combinations I like makes me disproportionately happy. I know this doesn’t apply to every menswear enthusiast, but for me the interrelationship of colours is one of the most enjoyable and creative aspects of dress....
Sage green and tobacco brown – earthy summer
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I know what you mean David, but I'm not sure many would make that association in a material like plain, dark linen. Of course, you can look for models with more pockets, but at a certain point that also becomes rather as...
Ambrosi ready-to-wear trousers
April 28th 2017Last year, while in Japan at Bryceland's, Salvatore Ambrosi offered me two pairs of his new ready-to-wear trousers to try. Regular readers will remember that the bespoke trousers I had from Ambrosi the previous year suffered from consistency issues....
Ambrosi ready-to-wear trousers
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Yes it should be able to be corrected by letting out the hips a little, but it’s hard to give concrete advice remotely...
US book launch – at The Armoury, New York
April 9th 2017It would be lovely to see as many Permanent Style readers as can make this, our US book launch. The event will be at The Armoury, 168 Duane Street, 6pm-8pm on April 20th. Please RSVP to [email protected] if you'd like to come. I don't get over to...
US book launch – at The Armoury, New York
It would be lovely to see as many Permanent Style readers as can make this, our US book launch. The event will be at The Armoury, 168 Duane Street, 6pm-8pm on April 20th. Please RSVP to [email protected] if you'd like...
The Armoury: Do you know about the trousers?
March 1st 2017For many reasons - personal, business, product, sheer beauty of execution - I’ve long been a fan of The Armoury. They were therefore one brand I was particularly excited to get into our Savile Row pop-up shop. However, the things I wanted to f...
The Armoury: Do you know about the trousers?
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Yes, should be fine. No worries - any relevant post is good. Basically, it's nice to post questions somewhere wear another reader might have the same question in their mind...
Pop-up shop: The brands and the opening party
February 9th 2017Following last week's announcement of our pop-up shop on Savile Row - under the banner 'Permanent Style presents' - here are some details of the shop and the brands. I also include an invitation, above, to any readers to come to the opening party o...
Pop-up shop: The brands and the opening party
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Thank you Simon, see you tomorrow and have fun tonight with the launch....
Mark Cho of The Armoury on independent retail
January 20th 2017Following on from Wednesday's post on the Symposium discussion, here are Mark Cho's specific responses to some of the questions. Mark wrote the below in preparation for the talk (bless him) and he makes some interesting points that never got to be a...
Mark Cho of The Armoury on independent retail
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Hey Shem. There are a lot of different shops, and lots of different owners. Some were founded or bought by rich guys, and as a result they don't mind if the shop doesn't make a lot of money. But it can't lose a lot of mo...
Retailers Symposium: The discussion
January 18th 2017During my lifetime, there has been a steep fall in the quality and range of menswear retail around the world. Designer brands have expanded aggressively; independent multi-brand shops have closed; and department stores have often lost direction, fil...
Retailers Symposium: The discussion
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For me, Mike is just describing the competitive environment There will always be room for something that is new, different and better. Much more difficult for the Indie is how you sustain the business. A classic example ...
Staples for a hot climate – Reader question
December 28th 2016Dear Simon, I recently read your 2014 article, ' The staples of a good wardrobe' and was wondering how you would modify it for warmer climes like Hong Kong and Singapore? Grey flannel isn’t a great option for most of the year here, cashmere i...
Staples for a hot climate – Reader question
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I live in a tropical climate and wear a lot of wool-silk-linen. There is some variety in it with options such as the Caccioppoli 240gsm plain weave wool-silk-linen options wearing very cool indeed and also feeling light ...
What is quality? What about design? – Stock...
November 2nd 2015At our book launch in Stockholm last week, Konrad Olsson (above) – editor of Plaza Uomo magazine – asked some rather stimulating questions. Such as, what is quality? Well, for me quality (in clothing) is aspects of manufacture that lea...
What is quality? What about design? – Stock...
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Hi Hugo, Well spotted. It will be launching on the website next week - there is a special edition of it just for readers... S...
New York: A sartorial city guide
October 14th 2015New York is a strange town for menswear. It’s a bit of a Wild West, without the same traditions of Europe and with bespoke largely undermined by visitors from Savile Row. If there is a tradition, it is for value: low-priced sack suits that a...
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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Hi Simon (and Stefan and Tom), any updates on the hunt for the perfect shade of green? I'm currently going through swatches for a summer suit and am struggling to pick one. From Maison Hellard, the Vert Ancien leans a li...
Wearing sports jackets and texture: How to dress ...
June 17th 2015I know that one of the style areas people find most difficult is wearing sports jackets, or separate waistcoats, with everything else: shirt, tie, hank, trousers. I’ve always loved the way Alan at The Armoury wears these things together, ...
Wearing sports jackets and texture: How to dress ...
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How true. Think what you want about the clothes — for me they are more an exercise in fashion rather than style — that said, all is ruined by the phenomena of 'the dodgy barnett '. All of us that are lucky enough to ...
The Armoury, New York
May 12th 2014The best stores – certainly in the modern luxury industry – have a sense of community. Trunk has that in spades, thanks to Hugo, Daniel and now Tim. Anderson & Sheppard (haberdashery) too. And digitally, no more so than The Armour...
The Armoury, New York
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Hello Simon! I am a Swedish gentleman soon to be living in New York. During my last visit I visited the Armoury and was quite pleased with the store, the range that they have and above all the staff. I was serviced by Je...
How to tie your tie
September 4th 2013Dear Simon, Ties and their lengths are causing me some problems. I have bought several ties recently, all from Drake’s, but realise that they are slightly too long. Being 5’6’’ I know I am not the tallest of peopl but then, ...
How to tie your tie
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First, I think it's worth stating what I've often said: there is very little consistency to how Bond has dressed over the various films, whether in cut or style, and I find it odd that so many people consider them part o...
