Two reader stories: Starting and building a wardrobe
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 capac...
Two reader stories: Starting and building a wardrobe
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 h...
London: A sartorial city guide
I’ve had quite a few requests by readers over the past year for city guides, so this is the first in a series. In London, there are so many options that it makes sense to group some together. Also, if I leave too many out I’ll...
London: A sartorial city guide
I’ve had quite a few requests by readers over the past year for city guides, so this is the first in a series. In London, there are so many options that it makes sense to group some together. Also, if I leav...
Kingsman: British and bespoke
Kingsman: The Secret Service launches in the UK in February. There are several nice things about this. Sections of it are set in Huntsman, on Savile Row. The clothing is all supplied by British brands (and nearly all made in the UK): George Cleverl...
Kingsman: British and bespoke
Kingsman: The Secret Service launches in the UK in February. There are several nice things about this. Sections of it are set in Huntsman, on Savile Row. The clothing is all supplied by British brands (and nearly all ...
Interview: Dean Gomilsek-Cole, Turnbull & Asser
Over the past few months, Turnbull & Asser has gone through an interesting experiment, attempting to extend its signature bright colours and clashing patterns from tailoring to casual wear. While not all the results are to my taste, the met...
Interview: Dean Gomilsek-Cole, Turnbull & Asser
Over the past few months, Turnbull & Asser has gone through an interesting experiment, attempting to extend its signature bright colours and clashing patterns from tailoring to casual wear. While not all the resu...
Shirt cuffs and watches
A reader recently asked whether he should have his shirt cuffs made bigger – or the sleeves shorter – in order to accommodate a watch. This is relevant to anyone buying a shirt, not just those commissioning bespoke. The short answer is ...
Shirt cuffs and watches
A reader recently asked whether he should have his shirt cuffs made bigger – or the sleeves shorter – in order to accommodate a watch. This is relevant to anyone buying a shirt, not just those commissioning bespok...
Luca, Satriano Cinque and A&S collars
[NOTE: Luca Avitabile, the cutter for men’s shirts at Satriano Cinque above, has split from the company and set up on his own. I recommend contacting him for any inquiries, at [email protected]] One of the nice things about having cl...
Luca, Satriano Cinque and A&S collars
[NOTE: Luca Avitabile, the cutter for men’s shirts at Satriano Cinque above, has split from the company and set up on his own. I recommend contacting him for any inquiries, at [email protected]] One of the ...
Should I change from Turnbull & Asser to Kiton?
Hi Mr Crompton, I’m a fan of yours (Permanent Style, The Rake) from Singapore. I’ve been agonising over my shirts for some time and would like to ask your advice. I’ve been wearing bespoke T&A for about 10 years...
Should I change from Turnbull & Asser to Kiton?
Hi Mr Crompton, I’m a fan of yours (Permanent Style, The Rake) from Singapore. I’ve been agonising over my shirts for some time and would like to ask your advice. I’ve been wearing bespoke T&A for ...
Royal warrant holders at the Coronation Festival
This past weekend saw the Coronation Festival in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, at which holders of royal warrants exhibited. The royal warrant is not exactly the mark of quality that some might assume, given that it includes Austin Reed and Daks...
Royal warrant holders at the Coronation Festival
This past weekend saw the Coronation Festival in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, at which holders of royal warrants exhibited. The royal warrant is not exactly the mark of quality that some might assume, given that i...
How a shirt should fit
Learning how a shirt should fit you can take surprisingly long – as most fans of bespoke try far fewer shirtmakers than they do tailors. Once learned, however, the lessons are fairly simple. They are becoming particularly clear to me as I c...
How a shirt should fit
Learning how a shirt should fit you can take surprisingly long – as most fans of bespoke try far fewer shirtmakers than they do tailors. Once learned, however, the lessons are fairly simple. They are becoming parti...
Profile piece in How to Spend It, Spain
The Spanish version of How to Spend It, Fueria de Serie, interviewed me and did a photo shoot when I visited Jose Maria’s Club Aristocrata last year. The piece came out today. Unless your Spanish is a lot better than mine, you won’...
Profile piece in How to Spend It, Spain
The Spanish version of How to Spend It, Fueria de Serie, interviewed me and did a photo shoot when I visited Jose Maria’s Club Aristocrata last year. The piece came out today. Unless your Spanish is a lot better th...
Satriano Cinque: bespoke shirt, Naples
In Naples last week, I was able to have a fitting on the shirt I ordered from Satriano Cinque earlier in the year. As neither Luca nor Gabriella travel to London, this was the only opportunity to get a fitting done – indeed, in the end we h...
Satriano Cinque: bespoke shirt, Naples
In Naples last week, I was able to have a fitting on the shirt I ordered from Satriano Cinque earlier in the year. As neither Luca nor Gabriella travel to London, this was the only opportunity to get a fitting done ̵...
Get your shirts altered – Turnbull & Asser
Normal.dotm 0 0 1 324 1852 Euromoney PLC 15 3 2274 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false Shirts cannot be tweaked and tucked quite as fully or often as a jacket, unfortunately. There is no inlay in the side seams, and therefore it cannot be ...
Get your shirts altered – Turnbull & Asser
Normal.dotm 0 0 1 324 1852 Euromoney PLC 15 3 2274 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false Shirts cannot be tweaked and tucked quite as fully or often as a jacket, unfortunately. There is no inlay in the side seam...
The history of Drake’s
Drake’s was founded in 1977 by three ex-Aquascutum employees: Michael Drake (head of menswear design), Jeremy Hull (export sales director) and Isabel Dickson (export sales administration). “It always helps when you found a business to hav...
The history of Drake’s
Drake’s was founded in 1977 by three ex-Aquascutum employees: Michael Drake (head of menswear design), Jeremy Hull (export sales director) and Isabel Dickson (export sales administration). “It always helps when you f...
Christmas suggestions
If you’re anything like me, Christmas shopping begins in earnest this week. Just long enough ahead to get everything done, but little enough time to inject a little panic into the process. Here are a few suggestions from a few of my favourites....
Christmas suggestions
If you’re anything like me, Christmas shopping begins in earnest this week. Just long enough ahead to get everything done, but little enough time to inject a little panic into the process. Here are a few suggestions fr...
Bespoke shirts at Turnbull & Asser, City branch
I’ve always felt myself very fortunate to have my tailor within walking distance. Few men today, particularly in the US, have that privilege. But my shirtmaker was always a tube ride away; until now. A few weeks ago Turnbull & Asser be...
Bespoke shirts at Turnbull & Asser, City branch
I’ve always felt myself very fortunate to have my tailor within walking distance. Few men today, particularly in the US, have that privilege. But my shirtmaker was always a tube ride away; until now. A few weeks ago Tu...
PEN magazine: Permanent Style big in Japan
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
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 m...
Two ways to get shirts altered: T&A, Emma Wi...
I used to wear bigger watches. Chunky, sporty things with chronometer dials and a leather strap. So when my pattern was first cut at Turnbull & Asser the cuffs were set quite wide – though slightly wider on the left than the right, of ...
Two ways to get shirts altered: T&A, Emma Wi...
I used to wear bigger watches. Chunky, sporty things with chronometer dials and a leather strap. So when my pattern was first cut at Turnbull & Asser the cuffs were set quite wide – though slightly wider on the le...
Feedback on the A Suitable Wardrobe store
I wrote almost a year ago how impressed I was with Will at A Suitable Wardrobe setting up a store, to sell his taste and knowledge of European manufacturers to the blog’s readership. Since then the store has grown and I have purchased many thin...
Feedback on the A Suitable Wardrobe store
I wrote almost a year ago how impressed I was with Will at A Suitable Wardrobe setting up a store, to sell his taste and knowledge of European manufacturers to the blog’s readership. Since then the store has grown and ...
A plain business suit from Timothy Everest
Readers have made the point that my bespoke commissions often seem to be rather outlandish pieces: the Huntsman shooting suit, for example, or the Timothy Everest velvet jacket. Why, at least one has asked, do you not have simple business suits made?...
A plain business suit from Timothy Everest
Readers have made the point that my bespoke commissions often seem to be rather outlandish pieces: the Huntsman shooting suit, for example, or the Timothy Everest velvet jacket. Why, at least one has asked, do you not ha...
Reader question: What do you wear at the weekend?
You spend a lot of time talking about suits and bespoke shoes, but what do you wear at the weekend? I have trouble picturing what you put on to pop out to the newsagent. Here are a few of my favourite things. Two types of chinos: those from Albam, wh...
Reader question: What do you wear at the weekend?
You spend a lot of time talking about suits and bespoke shoes, but what do you wear at the weekend? I have trouble picturing what you put on to pop out to the newsagent. Here are a few of my favourite things. Two types o...
Dressing gowns at Stephen Lachter
A dressing gown is not the most obvious thing to have made. There are some perfectly lovely ready-to-wear gowns from people like Turnbull & Asser (ask about specials there), Drake’s and Charvet. And fit is hardly the biggest concern &n...
Dressing gowns at Stephen Lachter
A dressing gown is not the most obvious thing to have made. There are some perfectly lovely ready-to-wear gowns from people like Turnbull & Asser (ask about specials there), Drake’s and Charvet. And fit is hardly ...
Bespoke blue voile shirt
It was a pleasure having dinner with Will of A Suitable Wardrobe in San Francisco last week, if only for the wonderful food at Kokkari and Eleni, our lovely waitress. But perhaps most sartorially significant was that I picked up two metres of blue vo...
Bespoke blue voile shirt
It was a pleasure having dinner with Will of A Suitable Wardrobe in San Francisco last week, if only for the wonderful food at Kokkari and Eleni, our lovely waitress. But perhaps most sartorially significant was that I p...
Grey and blue – the classic combination
I get a lot of requests for practical advice on suit/shirt/tie combinations, so I’m going to try and drop a few more in regularly over the next few months. This is a shot Andy Barnham took of me recently as stock shot for Stephen Haughton&a...
Grey and blue – the classic combination
I get a lot of requests for practical advice on suit/shirt/tie combinations, so I’m going to try and drop a few more in regularly over the next few months. This is a shot Andy Barnham took of me recently as stock s...
Factory visit: Dent’s gloves
I finally made it down to Dent’s heritage gloves factory in Warminster, and learnt a lot more about the traditional process behind English-made gloves. There were some interesting parallels with several other crafts, including tailoring, shoema...
Factory visit: Dent’s gloves
I finally made it down to Dent’s heritage gloves factory in Warminster, and learnt a lot more about the traditional process behind English-made gloves. There were some interesting parallels with several other crafts, i...
Bespoke glasses at TD Tom Davies
It turns out my neighbour is friends with a guy called Tom Davies, who is the largest maker of bespoke glasses in the world. And Tom’s studio is half a mile from where I grew up (East Sheen, south-west London). So, interested in learnin...
Bespoke glasses at TD Tom Davies
It turns out my neighbour is friends with a guy called Tom Davies, who is the largest maker of bespoke glasses in the world. And Tom’s studio is half a mile from where I grew up (East Sheen, south-west Lond...