Spring/Summer Top 10: Chores, shirts and sweats
April 30th 20211. Drake’s bright-red suede chore jacket £1195 I’ve been asked a few times over the years about these suede chore jackets from Drake’s. Personally I tend to prefer blouson styles, and chore coats in cottons, particularly vint...
Spring/Summer Top 10: Chores, shirts and sweats
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Thanks for the reply! Yeah, then it's not what I am looking for unfortunately. The search continues!...
Massura made-to-measure jacket: Review
April 28th 2021Massura is a German tailoring outfit run by Moritz Kossytorz, based in Munich but using a tailoring workshop in Naples. The style and make of the tailoring is not much different to other Neapolitan tailors, but I think Massura is worth highlighting...
Massura made-to-measure jacket: Review
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There was a follow-up article here - did you see that Christopher?...
The Adret store: Full-blown beauty
April 16th 2021This is the first of three articles celebrating menswear stores in London, following our call to arms earlier in the week urging readers to support the shops they love. We’re starting with Adret, the achingly beautiful shop opened by Adam and ...
The Adret store: Full-blown beauty
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I haven't talked to Adam in detail about it, but I think the point largely is that there is little public presence - eg a web shop or social media. A private client just means one that has visited the shop (perhaps my ap...
The heritage brands of John Simons: Vetra, Dehen,...
February 5th 2021Last week, I wrote something of an homage to John Simons , the retailer that did so much to bring the Ivy League Look to the UK - and in the process, changed it into something more British and working class. John championed heritage brands long bef...
The heritage brands of John Simons: Vetra, Dehen,...
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Thanks Lindsay, yes we mentioned that in a more recent post, the Spring Top 10. Thanks for adding it here though...
WW Chan bespoke tweed jacket: Review
December 16th 2020Sometimes a jacket really impresses you from the off - the try-on, the fitting, everything just beautifully done from the start. It doesn't happen very often, and it doesn't necessarily make a difference to the finished garment; but it's a very goo...
WW Chan bespoke tweed jacket: Review
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I wouldn't usually do it, but here it's much more about the colour and pattern than it is the material. It looks more like a casual chambray than a linen...
How great things age: Nicoletta’s 50-year-old jacket
November 30th 2020In the coming months I will be writing more posts again in our ‘How great things age’ series , which aims to illustrate the beauty of quality clothing over time. Basically, it’s an antidote to the new clothing that it’s much ...
How great things age: Nicoletta’s 50-year-old jacket
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I had two Hackett travel suits for work. One gray and one navy They were never fastened at work due to the eqpt we carried underneath but the lining rubbed through Ron my right side where a particular piece of kit sat. I...
Collar and armhole: How bespoke craft enhances fit
October 26th 2020In recent weeks we’ve done more coverage of top-end made-to-measure – the likes of Orazio Luciano and Jean-Manuel Moreau, Anglo-Italian and The Armoury. Some of these approach bespoke in terms of the handwork involved, in particular hand...
Collar and armhole: How bespoke craft enhances fit
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That's good to know. Thank you, Simon....
The formal tieless jacket – with Steven Hit...
September 28th 2020How smart can you be without a suit or tie? Formality in tailoring is often discussed in terms of these two things. And it is true that wearing a suit rather than a jacket, and a tie rather than an open-necked shirt, will usually be smarter. But i...
The formal tieless jacket – with Steven Hit...
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Look at the bunches from harrison's, W Bill...
If you only had five jackets: A capsule collection
September 21st 2020Grey corduroy jacket worn under a tweed overcoat This latest article in our Wardrobe Building series is on sports jackets, odd jackets, or just jackets. Whatever you want to call them. It’s an area with little understanding. I loved the exchan...
If you only had five jackets: A capsule collection
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Sure. It has some canvas in the lapels and a small strip in the chest, but otherwise has no padding or structure. The large hopsack is also quite jersey-like and soft. I wouldn't say it was super casual being navy and do...
Anglo-Italian made-to-measure jacket: Review
September 16th 2020I know a lot of readers have been waiting for this review of Anglo-Italian, so I’ll go straight into summarising my thoughts. All of them have, as per usual, already been discussed openly with the brand (Jake). My made-to-measure Anglo-Italia...
Anglo-Italian made-to-measure jacket: Review
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Yes you certainly would Fred. I need about 2.4m but it depends on height, girth and the style (eg DB). It's really best to ask the tailor if possible...
The guide to jacket pockets
July 27th 2020As ever in the lovely, international, interactive community that is Permanent Style, this article was spurred by a reader. He asked about the appropriate configuration of jacket pockets on a suit he was ordering, and I realised we hadn’t covere...
The guide to jacket pockets
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Yes, I think flaps work with their style as they're kind of playing with the smart and casual overlap. Mostly tailors will want to order cloth for you, so it's a supplier they know, and they'll know how much cloth. The a...
Shibumi bespoke checked jacket – Review
July 24th 2020This bespoke jacket was made by Shibumi, the Italian/Japanese company better known for ties and accessories. Over the past couple of years, founder Benedikt Fries has been working with a small Florentine tailor to offer this bespoke tailoring servi...
Shibumi bespoke checked jacket – Review
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Quite a bit I think. Liverano is a little harder, but this works OK I think and particularly in something like a tweed - see my Vittorio Salino jacket for example...
The complete capsule: Prices, budgets and timelines
July 13th 2020Our ‘complete capsule’ article last month went down particularly well with readers. Setting out a concentrated, versatile wardrobe, I think it provided both a good starting point for new readers and a way for older ones to realise gaps in...
The complete capsule: Prices, budgets and timelines
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I'd say the Armoury things are a little higher in the budget, you're paying for the shop and service partly. Whether MTO or MTM works for you depends a lot on body fit that it's hard to judge remotely though...
Orazio Luciano made-to-measure jacket: Review
April 22nd 2020[Correction: This piece originally stated that the jacket did not have a hand-padded lapel. It does, and this has now been added below.] This pink corduroy jacket was made for me by Orazio Luciano, over a period of six months. I was measured at Pit...
Orazio Luciano made-to-measure jacket: Review
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No worries Carl...
Thom Sweeney checked jacket: Style breakdown
February 14th 2020Thom 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
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Is it prince William wear Thom Sweeney bespoke suit? Or Richard James?...
The velvet jacket and modern evening wear, in Cif...
December 4th 2019This article concerns two things. First, the pluses and minuses of the Cifonelli 6x1 style, as this is the first jacket I’ve had from them in their well-known cut. And second, the benefits of a velvet jacket without silk facings - and how it...
The velvet jacket and modern evening wear, in Cif...
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It would be a little unusual Hans, and generally I'd recommend wool trousers, but whether it's too showy depends a little on the type of black tie event, how conservative everyone else is. Yes generally you should wear a...
Video: English and Neapolitan jackets compared
November 22nd 2019This groundwork for this video was laid two weeks ago, when we examined the various aspects of the cut of a jacket. It might be worth watching that first, if you haven't already. It showed the most important points of cut and structure, from the siz...
Video: English and Neapolitan jackets compared
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Lovely to hear Henry. Been doing it for too long to stop now! They are particular examples and they are a little different to each other as well. Others do versions too though, I think Poole introduced one a couple of ye...
Video: The cut and parts of a bespoke jacket
November 6th 2019At the prompting of readers, I will be doing some more video pieces over the coming months, looking at different aspects of suit style. These new, slightly shorter films will be a nice accompaniment to the Style Breakdown series - where I measure an...
Video: The cut and parts of a bespoke jacket
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And so I thought too! However their prices are slightly higher now, am afraid....
Steven Hitchcock tweed jacket: Style Breakdown
October 25th 2019Steven Hitchcock is perhaps still best known as the son of John Hitchcock, long the head cutter at Anderson & Sheppard. Steven trained there, and his style is similar to A&S. But it’s not quite the drape cut that A&...
Steven Hitchcock tweed jacket: Style Breakdown
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Thanks so much for the very valuable advice, Simon!...
Earthy, refined colours for summer: Biagio Granat...
July 12th 2019Today is a lovely day in London (the day I write this, that is, July 3, not the day it’s published). Sunny, a light breeze, a few clouds drifting across the sky. It’s twenty-three degrees celcius. The kind of temperature where you can we...
Earthy, refined colours for summer: Biagio Granat...
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I have mine made with a light fusing, either a moderate spread or a button-down. However, whether the collar stands up or not will be just as much down to the cut of it - how high it is made at the front and back, and th...
Ciardi jacket in vintage gun-club tweed, from Laf...
June 10th 2019I was very excited when I received this jacket a month ago. Primarily because of the shoulder. Enzo Ciardi is fast becoming one of my favourite tailors. I like him, I like his roomy Neapolitan style, and everything he's made for me has been good: on...
Ciardi jacket in vintage gun-club tweed, from Laf...
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The English soft drape is always going to be sharper and smarter than Neapolitan, no matter how soft it is. For something casual I'd generally recommend Neapolitan. You can compare them in our Guide to Tailor Styles...
Biagio Granata summer jacket: Review
May 6th 2019Two years ago, young Neapolitan tailor Biagio Granata messaged me to say he was coming to London for the first time, and would like to make me something. I had heard some good things from others, and was interested in trying him and spreading the wo...
Biagio Granata summer jacket: Review
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it's a great looking jacket....
Prologue semi-bespoke summer jacket: Review
April 17th 2019This is the summer jacket that Hong Kong outfit Prologue have been making for me over the past six months. It is finally ready, with two fittings, and I think the result is great. It’s not perfect, but the fit is good and the work solid too. I...
Prologue semi-bespoke summer jacket: Review
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For what it's worth, I can second that. I tried Prologue last year and had a bad experience. Jerry was lovely and the in-store experience was great. Unfortunately, what followed was poor communication over email, several...
The Armoury tailoring: Ring Jacket, Orazio, Liverano
April 8th 2019Given how much readers have liked the posts recently looking at Armoury trousers, and then the Bryceland’s range, I thought a post going through the Armoury’s tailoring would be interesting. If anything this is more needed than the trous...
The Armoury tailoring: Ring Jacket, Orazio, Liverano
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To be honest Darius, if you're going through that kind of change, I would hold off on buying anything that's a real investment. Sorry, I know it's not what you want to hear but it is much more sensible...
Rubinacci donegal jacket: Style breakdown
March 8th 2019In previous installments in this series, we analysed what could be considered the modern Neapolitan style (a Solito jacket) and the traditional one (a Ciardi suit). Next, we look at how different elements of these can be combined in a Neapolitan suit...
Rubinacci donegal jacket: Style breakdown
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I would ask Rubinacci to do it perhaps, yes, but not another tailor I don't think. With Rubinacci I would also be a little cautious as what they produce does seem to vary a bit without necessarily the knowledge there to ...
