A Guide to Shawl-Collar Cardigans

November 11th 2024

By Manish Puri. Unless you’re a complete newcomer to classic menswear (welcome, take a seat wherever you like) you're unlikely to need me preaching to you about the elegance of a shawl-collar cardigan. You’re already a member of the choi...

A Guide to Shawl-Collar Cardigans

Match in comments:
I think you'd be better off with a lighter one perhaps, like the Sweeney. But I also think you'd wear it largely inside with the air conditioning...

KnitwearNovember 11th 2024

The (61) bespoke tailors I have known

October 30th 2024

  This article has been updated every four years for the past 12 years. It was originally written in 2012, and has had new versions in 2016, 2020 and now 2024. The number of bespoke tailors we have tried and covered has increased, but the g...

The (61) bespoke tailors I have known

Match in comments:
Sorry for this very belated reply. I only discovered it today! No, I’ve never tried C&M or Sexton but I’d sincerely love to give them a try one day… budget permitting!!!! Steed experience was fairly good but I ...

October 30th 2024

Spring/Summer Top 10 ’23: Shirts, shorts an...

April 28th 2023

It may still be cold outside (in the UK), but it’s late April and time for a write-up of the Spring/Summer pieces I’ve liked from our favourite brands. If you have any questions about other releases from these brands (or indeed brands n...

Spring/Summer Top 10 ’23: Shirts, shorts an...

Match in comments:
It's hard to tell Ayush, but if they were pyjamas I'd probably use something softer, like a light cotton...

Casual clothing - Hanks and scarvesApril 28th 2023

Black tops and tonal combinations under

September 5th 2022

In many ways, today's outfit is a natural extension of things we’ve been talking about recently. There was, back on August 12, our discussion about wearing all black , which has some bearing here. The outfit is not all black, of course, but i...

Black tops and tonal combinations under

Match in comments:
I those could work nicely too - perhaps best to play with these a little yourself and get your own sense of it, it will be more profitable that way and it's hard to give advice on multiple changing parts remotely...

ShirtsSeptember 5th 2022

Light relief: Jamie’s clothes and style

April 8th 2020

  OK, 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 out...

Light relief: Jamie’s clothes and style

Match in comments:
Jaime’s style is not especially similar to mine, but he is a master of color coordination. This is quite an inspirational article....

StyleApril 8th 2020

Thom Sweeney checked jacket: Style breakdown

February 14th 2020

Thom Sweeney is a bit of an outlier in British tailoring. First because it’s a high-quality bespoke workshop with a stylish, effective ready-to-wear brand as well (something no one else seems able to achieve). And second because their besp...

Thom Sweeney checked jacket: Style breakdown

Match in comments:
They are good, yes, but whether they're the next best depends on what style you're after. To get a sense of that, compare this breakdown to the others in this series...

JacketsFebruary 14th 2020

Jamie’s alternative Pitti picks

July 29th 2019

Jamie Ferguson (above), the photographer I’ve worked with over the past few years on Permanent Style, has a different style to me. He gets tailoring, and wears tailoring, but he also wears more sportswear, more workwear, and experiments more....

Jamie’s alternative Pitti picks

Match in comments:
Thanks, and yes I agree...

StyleJuly 29th 2019

New York bespoke tailors – Updated

January 29th 2019

This is a fully updated version of our post from January on the bespoke tailors in and around New York. The contributions of readers were extremely helpful, particularly those that had used tailors personally, as this is an area with a lot of misinf...

New York bespoke tailors – Updated

Match in comments:
Thanks Simon, very much appreciated!...

January 29th 2019

Video: The Young Tailors Symposium

November 18th 2016

Looking back on it, our summer 2016 edition of the Symposium series - which focused on young tailors - was particularly interesting. It's easy to forget until you see our film, shown here, how much the backgrounds of each tailor varied. Each was als...

Video: The Young Tailors Symposium

Match in comments:
Very well done. I think the videos on this site are a nice extra touch. It adds extra value and experience to hear from the personal side of tailoring, which I think is a very wirthwhile side to this industry. Luxury ite...

Jackets - SuitsNovember 18th 2016

The Young Tailors Symposium – discussion

June 21st 2016

Our Young Tailors Symposium last week in Florence - in the beautiful Stefano Bemer atelier - threw up some really interesting areas of discussion. The six tailors all had rather different backgrounds: some trained in completely different fields befo...

The Young Tailors Symposium – discussion

Match in comments:
It varies, but largely yes...

June 21st 2016

The Young Tailors Symposium – filming on th...

June 20th 2016

Davide Taub of Gieves & Hawkes One of the nicest things about the Young Tailors Symposium last week was the fact we managed to arrange a film - something that will record for the hundreds of thousands of you what we discussed and enjoyed. We...

The Young Tailors Symposium – filming on th...

Match in comments:
Hopefully September, but there's been a delay on production over August...

June 20th 2016

Young tailors take over Instagram!

May 30th 2016

This week the young tailors featuring in our Symposium at Pitti will be taking over my Instagram account. Every day, a different one of the six tailors from England, Italy, Hong Kong and Korea will post images of the pieces they are making and the t...

Young tailors take over Instagram!

This week the young tailors featuring in our Symposium at Pitti will be taking over my Instagram account. Every day, a different one of the six tailors from England, Italy, Hong Kong and Korea will post images of the pie...

May 30th 2016

The Young Tailors Symposium at Pitti Uomo

May 17th 2016

Every Pitti Uomo for the past two years, we have held an event to bring people together with a unique group of the finest craftsmen in the world. For the next instalment, we will be returning to last summer's focus: bespoke tailoring. But whereas t...

The Young Tailors Symposium at Pitti Uomo

Match in comments:
No, it's not really about craft - it's a trade show, where people come to see and buy product. And then there are the peacocks, who are about style (in theory) not craft....

May 17th 2016

Paris, Mr Porter, and Dalcuore visiting London

December 2nd 2015

A round-up of different notices today – three separate posts seems like overkill. First, I had the pleasure of putting together Mr Porter’s lead journal story last week – featuring some of our favourite craftsmen in ...

Paris, Mr Porter, and Dalcuore visiting London

Match in comments:
I had a chance to meet Eithen this weekend in NYC, where he accompanied Luke and Richard on one of Thom Sweeney's regular visits here. It's exciting to see this still young firm already working so hard to bring in fresh ...

December 2nd 2015

How to wear a black necktie – reader question

February 11th 2015

Dear Simon, Following your Calvo de Mora combination [above] What are your general guidelines to wearing a black necktie? Most of the time I see it paired with the classic ensemble of white shirt with a grey jacket/grey suit. Any other combination...

How to wear a black necktie – reader question

Match in comments:
I read very little online about menswear, with the exception of Die Workwear. Jason Diamond's columns are good, as is anything Tony Sylvester writes, eg for Brycelands. My favourite Substack is The Ruffian, about politic...

Reader questions - StyleFebruary 11th 2015

How to buy my first bespoke suit – reader q...

February 3rd 2014

Dear Simon, In a couple of months time I will be 21. This is clearly an important time in one’s life, in my case particularly as I will also be undertaking the purchase of my first bespoke suit. As a regular reader of your blog I’...

How to buy my first bespoke suit – reader q...

Match in comments:
Thanks Sam, great update, and great knowing how timeless this advice has been...

Reader questions - ShoesFebruary 3rd 2014

How to wear separate jackets and trousers

October 2nd 2013

In an age where suits no longer dominate the workplace, more and more men are wearing separate jackets and trousers. But while the dress code is more relaxed, the outfit is suddenly more complicated. There is much broader range of cloth, colour and p...

How to wear separate jackets and trousers

Match in comments:
In terms of jackets? I'd start with something like a light or mid-grey jacket, white shirt and black shoes. I'd then also try a navy, a cream, possibly a black, and possibly a beige/oatmeal. Plain colours (given the trou...

Jackets - StyleOctober 2nd 2013

A suit at Thom Sweeney: Reader question

October 3rd 2012

Normal.dotm 0 0 1 492 2805 Euromoney PLC 23 5 3444 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false Dear Simon,

 I hope that you don’t mind me emailing you, but I have a few questions regarding bespoke and made-to-measure suits that I ne...

A suit at Thom Sweeney: Reader question

Match in comments:
Hi Jae. I'm afraid it's not an easy answer, because MTM varies hugely in terms of quality of make, and fit. If you can afford bespoke, I'd generally say go with that though; and don't bother with upgraded cloth...

Reader questions - SuitsOctober 3rd 2012

Thom Sweeney jacket and trousers

March 12th 2012

With most bespoke tailors worthy of the name, the quality of construction is pretty consistent. Everything worth the effort is done by hand: chest padding, inserting sleeves, sewing buttonholes. The French may double-sew their buttonholes; the Neapol...

Thom Sweeney jacket and trousers

Match in comments:
Your favourite item of clothing you bought in 2021: Midnight blue pleated tuxedo shirt with convertible cuffs from Thom Sweeney. Your favourite item of (ready-made) clothing ever: Black wool belted trench coat with epaul...

JacketsMarch 12th 2012

Thom Sweeney: settling in nicely

September 26th 2011

I first met Thom Whiddett and Luke Sweeney through a very dashing friend of mine, JC. That’s him modelling Thom Sweeney tailoring, above. I can see why JC likes the style; it is very him: sharp, sleek, close and with a readiness for experimenta...

Thom Sweeney: settling in nicely

Match in comments:
Thom Sweeney are part of the movement of independent boutiques that are helping to turn Mayfair into a destination shopping area. Where better to fall into as you fall out of Claridges or The Connaught. A wonderful shop/...

September 26th 2011