Solito summer jacket: Style breakdown
December 24th 2018The next area we move onto in our Style Breakdown series is Naples – which might have more high-end bespoke tailors than anywhere else in the world. Neapolitan tailoring is known for its soft jackets, with light shoulder padding and chest c...
Solito summer jacket: Style breakdown
Match in comments:
Not enough cloth... I've changed a lot!...
Ciro Zizolfi bespoke tweed jacket: Review
December 10th 2018Now and again, a bespoke commission is almost seamless. At every fitting, you like the look of the jacket and almost nothing seems to be needed on the fit. Just as importantly, the tailor delivers what they say they will: the jacket is always ready ...
Ciro Zizolfi bespoke tweed jacket: Review
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Thanks!...
Liverano & Liverano purple jacket: Style Brea...
November 26th 2018Following our last piece of bespoke tailoring to be analysed in this series – Ferdinando Caraceni in Milan – we now turn to the most famous of the Florentine tailors: Liverano & Liverano. Liverano has received such attenti...
Liverano & Liverano purple jacket: Style Brea...
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I didn't request it specifically, but at the fitting it looked a little short so we pushed it down a bit. Bear in mind people vary in their proportions as well as height, so I might just have a longer torso than you...
Bespoke v Made-to-Measure: Eduardo de Simone jackets
November 14th 2018When Eduardo de Simone and I met at his factory last year, we spent a long time talking about the advantages and disadvantages of bespoke and made-to-measure (MTM) tailoring. As a result of them, Eduardo proposed an experiment. He offered to make me...
Bespoke v Made-to-Measure: Eduardo de Simone jackets
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I think the TD9 is great, but I wouldn't say it's that similar to this one - this is rather warmer and lighter. I'm afraid I haven't seen anything else like it, but please do let me know what you find!...
Ferdinando Caraceni herringbone suit: Style break...
October 26th 2018Following on from French bespoke style with Camps de Luca, we now arrive in Milan with Ferdinando Caraceni. Milanese tailoring has quite a distinct style, with light structure overall but a strong shoulder. So while tailors from Milan will talk about...
Ferdinando Caraceni herringbone suit: Style break...
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It's OK in the winter, but you do have to layer it well under a coat, and a scarf, hat etc...
Charcoal donegal-tweed jacket – from Steven...
October 8th 2018Charcoal is a surprisingly useful colour in an odd jacket. Great with muted tones of tan, green or brown, it's also dark enough to go with lighter grey flannels. And charcoal is my favourite colour to wear with cream trousers. It tends to tone down ...
Charcoal donegal-tweed jacket – from Steven...
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I think the first two sound like good places to start, though greys and dark browns might be easier. I'm suggesting over the top of them you can wear not a blazer but a coat or something more casual, or indeed nothing at...
The guide to cashmere and precious fibres
October 1st 2018Luxury fibres like cashmere or vicuna can make lovely, indulgent cloths for sports jackets. Having mostly stuck to linen, tweed or related mixes in recent years, I recently commissioned a jacket in 100% cashmere (from Eduardo de Simone) and it’...
The guide to cashmere and precious fibres
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I don't I'm afraid. I would worry about durability a little too, but obviously it depends how much cashmere is in there too...
The rules and how to break them 8: Button a DB
August 22nd 2018This is the latest in a nice series of posts called ‘ The Rules and How to Break Them‘. Like the other Guides we have put together recently, it now has its own homepage, here. You can navigate to that page by clicking on the &...
The rules and how to break them 8: Button a DB
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No it's normal - if unbuttoned, the DB sides will naturally still overlap each other, as that's the balance of the jacket. Try using your hands in your trouser pockets perhaps...
Huntsman tweed jacket: Style breakdown
July 27th 2018When people talk about an English military cut – the kind of thing that will make you feel like a soldier, stand up straight and give you an air of authority – this is what they mean. Although other Savile Row houses, such as Dege...
Huntsman tweed jacket: Style breakdown
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They do, you're right. Whether to alter them or not depends on how you feel about the style at that length, but from the sound of it you don't like them as they are. Shortening jackets is a very difficult thing, as you b...
Popular at the pop-up: Hollywood tops, linen shir...
July 25th 2018Given the heat at the moment in London, it shouldn’t be surprising that linen is the most attractive thing in the pop-up up shop, which has been going wonderfully so far. Edward Sexton’s Hollywood-top trousers (above) have been particula...
Popular at the pop-up: Hollywood tops, linen shir...
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No, the A&S will be better, but that's clear from the price too. And the difference will be mostly in the fineness of the linen, so it depends whether that matters to you...
Double-breasted cotton jacket and striped shirt
July 9th 2018When I first had this cotton jacket made, I noted that it was a tricky one to work into an outfit. The vintage cotton cloth ( more details here) is rather rough and casual, yet the cut and style are quite smart. Having it as a double-breasted jacket...
Double-breasted cotton jacket and striped shirt
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Yes it does...
Summer checked jacket – at the Dalcuore Rak...
June 29th 2018If there’s one thing I have a (very relative) lack of, it’s summer sports jackets - casual pieces for warm days, using the linen/wool/silk mixes the Italians are so good at. So it was nice to have this jacket from Dalcuore made up in tim...
Summer checked jacket – at the Dalcuore Rak...
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I'd say cream to pale beige. Not a bright or strong colour. I don't know on that bunch I'm afraid...
Anderson & Sheppard two-button jacket: Style ...
June 25th 2018This is the third in our Finest Tailors series breaking down the styles of the world’s finest tailors. Following on from Richard Anderson and Henry Poole, we now turn to Anderson & Sheppard. Now, Anderson & Sheppard is justly fa...
Anderson & Sheppard two-button jacket: Style ...
Match in comments:
I don't think I'd go through them all again and measure to be honest, sorry. I don't own some anymore either! But in general that's correct, yes...
The Tailor Styles series
May 24th 2018The reviews of bespoke suits I’ve written over the years haven’t always been the same. Some included more on the experience (particularly when it was bad); some focused on the fit; others were more about style or make. Their length and ...
The Tailor Styles series
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The back neck (the measurement on the back between the two places the shoulder seams meet the collar) varies a little, yes, though perhaps not enough to be a big enough factor for tailors to think they should mention it....
Hopsack and linen trousers – in humid Hong ...
May 21st 2018It was really lovely being back in Hong Kong last week, after a few years away. The talk we Lorenzo Cifonelli and I did at Attire House worked well - more a conversation than an interview, with Lorenzo asking me questions about other tailors, and th...
Hopsack and linen trousers – in humid Hong ...
Match in comments:
Ideal would be a little less strong in colour, but it will work...
Unexpected texture and colour – Denim and l...
March 19th 2018I think it’s telling that the thing that makes me happiest about this outfit is the oatmeal-linen shirt, a piece made bespoke by D’Avino. I’ve been doing this for a while - trying to combine pieces of classic menswear in ways that ...
Unexpected texture and colour – Denim and l...
Match in comments:
Thank Mike, but please refrain from talking to other commenters like that. Cheers...
B&Tailor jacket via Robin Pettersson: Review
February 9th 2018I had this tweed jacket made by South Korean house B&Tailor over the past 18 months, using Robin Petterson - a Swede who does their fittings in London and at home in Stockholm. Unfortunately, although the end result isn’t too bad (just...
B&Tailor jacket via Robin Pettersson: Review
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This oatmeal tweed with a black roper? I'm not sure to be honest, that would create quite a lot of contrast between shirt and jacket. Is it a combination you've seen work elsewhere?...
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...
Reflections on bespoke: Stoffa, Richard James, Ca...
January 1st 2018One thing readers asked for in our 'We are 10' post was more reflections on bespoke pieces. When covering bespoke, I tend to write both an initial piece giving the background and approach of the maker, and then a fuller review when the piece is read...
Reflections on bespoke: Stoffa, Richard James, Ca...
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I never did a full piece on it I'm afraid. But those trousers were in heavy Pardessus cloth that Holland & Sherry no longer sells, made by Elia Caliendo. The shirt is in Everyday Denim made by Luca Avitabile, and the sho...
Begg, J. Girdwood and The Rake (Chapal, Sciamat, ...
December 1st 2017First off, I need to mention that the J.Girdwood website is finally up and active. Anyone that has been into the first or second pop-ups will have seen James (above) and his J.Girdwood range of products. They include some Permanent Style favourites...
Begg, J. Girdwood and The Rake (Chapal, Sciamat, ...
Match in comments:
Perhaps a mid or pale brown? Also stronger colours like oranges and reds, if that's your style...
The Drake’s x Permanent Style outfit
November 20th 2017Drake's was one of the first menswear brands that really inspired me, back in the days when I'd sit in Michael Drake's study going through old decorative art books, dissecting patterns. Drake's managed to combine craft and style, deep tradition and ...
The Drake’s x Permanent Style outfit
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It's here John...
Sartoria Formosa – bespoke-made RTW and MTM...
September 25th 2017Sartoria Formosa - led by Gennaro, above - is similar in some ways to the likes of Dalcuore or Ambrosi, in that it is a traditionally bespoke Naples house that has expanded into ready-to-wear in recent years. Five years ago it did no RTW or made to ...
Sartoria Formosa – bespoke-made RTW and MTM...
Match in comments:
Oh good, I'm pleased that comes across. And yes, that does sound like it's not right (and probably hard to make big enough to be right...)...
Bespoke commissions – What I should and sho...
September 20th 2017Thank you everyone that responded to my ‘You are the interviewer’ post a couple of weeks ago. The number of variety of questions was staggering, and I will try to answer as many as I can over the coming weeks. It may take time, but I wou...
Bespoke commissions – What I should and sho...
Match in comments:
For a cream linen suit? No, not at all. Jacket or trousers, yes, but the suit should not be regarded as a staple. For DBs, absolutely...
Saman Amel – Classic tailoring with a moder...
September 6th 2017Good trunk shows pick good locations. Not necessarily fancy, but convenient and in a space that shows the product in a good light. This is particularly true with ready-made or made-to-measure brands, where customers are more likely to compare them t...
Saman Amel – Classic tailoring with a moder...
Match in comments:
Hi Dave, If you can, I would try on a Ring Jacket piece at the Armoury, then go see Saman Amel and see what they have, and see which style appeals instinctively. Both offer great products - and it sounds like you won't c...
Sartoria Melina – bespoke Neapolitan leather
September 4th 2017As regular readers will know, I am a big fan of leather and suede outerwear - whether from the superfine Seraphin, historic Chapal or uber-modern Stoffa. I have tried, used and love them all. When it comes to tailored jackets, however, I want to sti...
Sartoria Melina – bespoke Neapolitan leather
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I'd say they're pretty similar, really all aiming at the top available...
