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 real...
The complete capsule: Prices, budgets and timelines
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Well, my first decision would be about style, as those would be quite different if the Steed is more English and sharper. That would always be the most important thing. Then, I'd go for bespoke when I could if the execut...
Introducing: The (brown) reversible Valstarino
June 8th 2020*Update: Although a couple of sizes have sold out, several customers have bought two jackets in order to compare sizes, and will be returning one. So if your size is sold out, do email [email protected] to receive an alert when it comes bac...
Introducing: The (brown) reversible Valstarino
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Hi Varun I’m afraid this model is no longer sold. Have a look at our updated jacket here: https://www.permanentstyle.com/2023/02/introducing-the-new-reversible-suede-bomber.html Our best advice is to measure a jacket y...
Benson & Clegg bespoke – and George VI...
April 27th 2020Benson & Clegg is not a button shop. I didn’t realise until I went in, earlier this year, quite how much it has gained that reputation. It's partly a result of their own good promotion over the years, but perhaps more significantly be...
Benson & Clegg bespoke – and George VI...
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Interesting to see non-flapped pockets on these old DB overcoats...
Grey and lilac: Ralph Lauren style, in Cifonelli
February 26th 2020I’ve been looking at a lot of old Ralph Lauren imagery in recent months. Because of the 50th anniversary, but also because of the Ivy Style talk we did in New York , where everyone admitted some kind of debt to Ralph, and reading In His Own Fa...
Grey and lilac: Ralph Lauren style, in Cifonelli
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I'm afraid I don't know Dan, sorry...
What makes quality in machine-made clothing?
February 21st 2020Best investment product: Private White VC Runners up: Alden, Edward Green What makes one machine-made product better than another? At Permanent Style, the fact we cover mostly smart clothing, and mostly high-end, means handwork is often a...
What makes quality in machine-made clothing?
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Hi Simon, Thank you very much. I was trying to find that. Joel...
The style of a belted wrap coat – with Whit...
January 27th 2020Just before Christmas, I took my belted coat into Whitcomb & Shaftesbury to have it converted into a normal overcoat. As detailed on my original article, this was always a possibility. I began the experiment of a bespoke wrap coat with the...
The style of a belted wrap coat – with Whit...
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I would certainly he hesitant about playing with the proportions too much, MK, at least until you've worn it a fair bit. Also, if it's a straight cut like that, don't ever just taper the waist. If you want it more shaped...
Wearing black
January 22nd 2020Over the past year, I’ve gradually been wearing more black. Readers will have seen that in the recommendation of this Berg & Berg black shirt , for example, and these black cords . It's been particularly pronounced with shoes though, a...
Wearing black
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To be honest I'm not sure Charlie - I've never worn that style of jacket in anything other than blue denim and I think it might be a bit much for me if I did...
Michael Browne bespoke coat: Review
January 8th 2020Permanent Style prides itself on honest reviews of clothing. Please be reassured that this policy continues in this piece on Michael Browne. Despite the fact that there are basically no negative points. There's just hardly anything bad to say (othe...
Michael Browne bespoke coat: Review
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Hey Charlie, I think you make good points. Whether it was worth it for me, well I absolutely adore it and it's one of my favourite pieces of tailoring. I wouldn't say I've got a huge amount of wear out of it, but I can a...
Pinnas & Needles alterations
January 6th 2020Over the past six months I’ve used the Soho workshop Pinnas & Needles for several alterations - from the simple to the complex - and feel I can now fully recommend them. Being able to satisfyingly alter clothing, so it sorts out a pro...
Pinnas & Needles alterations
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Costly and not always possible. It needs to be done by an actual knitting factory, unlike tailoring or shirts that can be done by anybody with a sewing machine...
Removable fur lining – from Yves Salomon
December 27th 2019This fur lining for my vintage field jacket - originally mentioned in January - has finally seen some active wear in recent weeks, as the temperature has dropped. It was cut, made and fixed into the jacket by fur specialists Yves Salomon, using sec...
Removable fur lining – from Yves Salomon
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Hey Carl, I would have it in a thinner fur if it were for this type of jacket - more like the mink we used here. I get more use out of that second one, because it fits into a raincoat and our donegals. Have a read of tha...
Michael Browne: Building the perfect tailor
November 11th 2019Michael Browne is one of the most talented and creative tailors I’ve known in my time writing PS. He is also one of the nicest. We talked for years about whether and how he would set up on his own, and when he finally did - and moved into the...
Michael Browne: Building the perfect tailor
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Hi VAL, I would certainly put Camps de Luca at the top in that category, yes. Others in Milan and Rome such as the branches of Caraceni also belong in that category, perhaps more so than Liverano. I wouldn't say there is...
A vintage shopping story: M47 Parka
October 14th 2019This week is vintage week. You didn't know that, but it is. We're starting today with an article on a vintage piece of mine; we continue on Wednesday with the advice of three experts on buying vintage; and we finish on Friday with an interview about...
A vintage shopping story: M47 Parka
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Thanks M. I find it too bulky, myself, if all buttoned and zipped up. But just buttoning the top couple, and leaving the rest open to move around (and therefore not zipped, as you say) is a great look....
Introducing: The Donegal Overcoat
October 2nd 2019This is the Donegal Overcoat. Yarn from Donegal, woven in Lancashire and manufactured in Manchester. As an idea, it had its origins in the observation that I wore my brown raglan coat ( shown here) more often than any other last winter. Despite the...
Introducing: The Donegal Overcoat
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Thank you And, and useful feedback...
A Pitti diary: The experience, the brands, the pa...
June 19th 2019Pitti is a long trade show: four full days, when most are usually three. As a result, by Friday everyone is exhausted, with selling, talking, and late dinners. Although it does depend on why you’re there. Most people fall into one of three gro...
A Pitti diary: The experience, the brands, the pa...
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Thanks. De Bonne Facture are lovely - not always my kind of style, but they make great pieces...
Strong colour in accessories
February 1st 2019The tangerine orange looks nice against the brown tweed, doesn’t it? This combination, worn up to see Joshua Ellis recently, spurred a few thoughts on colour. Here they are. First, I don’t wear many strong colours just because I find tha...
Strong colour in accessories
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Thanks Daniel. Mine was more of a shawl-scarf, and I don't think they do it anymore I'm afraid....
Yves Salomon: re-using, remodelling fur
January 18th 2019Following our discussion before Christmas about waste in the clothing industry, I was interested to learn about the remodelling and re-use of fur at Yves Salomon. Yves Salomon is one of the best fur workshops in the world. Based in Paris, it makes c...
Yves Salomon: re-using, remodelling fur
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Impressed that you had this done for under 300Eur. I was inspired by this post and went to a furrier in NYC to have a mink liner made for a gabardine coat. Cost: $1200 including the second-hand mink and labor....
Belted polo coat, from Whitcomb & Shaftesbury
January 16th 2019So this was an interesting experiment. My idea was to make my first overcoat with Whitcomb & Shaftesbury as a belted wrap coat. So no buttons on the front, just a belt. A jigger button inside to keep the inside layer fastened, but none on th...
The guide to overcoating cloths
December 17th 2018When selecting a cloth for an overcoat, what should you look for? This might seem like a pretty easy question: you want warmth. That’s what an overcoat is for. But how much warmth, and where it comes from, are not straightforward. As...
The guide to overcoating cloths
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Yes I think so, on both counts...
Introducing: The PS Bridge Coat
October 31st 2018* For updates and stock please see the shop page* Of all the things I’ve developed or helped develop over the past few years, the PS Trench Coat was one of the most satisfying. That was partly because it seemed to fill a particular ...
Introducing: The PS Bridge Coat
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Have you ever pressed/ironed them? All smart trousers need that, and often cord more than others, as they do tend to bag out at the knee...
No Man Walks Alone A/W: Frank Leder, Monitaly, So...
October 29th 2018It’s been over a year since I last had the chance to browse the stock at No Man Walks Alone and write one of these pieces, for which I blame a lack of travel to New York. It is possible to select a few favourites online, of course, particularl...
No Man Walks Alone A/W: Frank Leder, Monitaly, So...
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'No man walks alone' - possibly not the best brand name during the current Covid 19 outbreak. We are all walking alone now! They will need to rebrand....
The duffle coat
March 9th 2018It was freezing in London last week. Temperatures below zero consistently; more snow than we’ve had in a decade. Of course, it’s nothing compared to the US east coast - or Scandinavia - but it was rather a shock. I had an odd feeling on ...
The duffle coat
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I'm six foot, so only a little bigger. I do know what you mean, it's hard to get the sizing right because it's so straight, but you do want it a little big...
How great things age: Gieves & Hawkes bespok...
February 21st 2018This post could come under the ‘How great things age’ or the ‘Reflections on bespoke’ heading. Whatever the category, readers have asked frequently about this pea coat , how it has held up and – more speci...
How great things age: Gieves & Hawkes bespok...
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It wasn't, except to the extent that I've always liked this kind of graphic decoration. And yes, I think we do refine things in that way. Always making little mistakes, but getting better over time. The journey is the jo...
Suit-carrier holdalls and Trench coats back in stock
January 30th 2018Two of the best collaborations we did last year are back in stock this week. The Suit-Carrier Holdall (below), which combines a suit carrier and a holdall into a single lightweight bag, is available again on the Bennett Winch website. The Holdall w...
Suit-carrier holdalls and Trench coats back in stock
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Worth checking with Bennett Winch if that's OK...
Liverano & Liverano ulster coat: Review
January 5th 2018I’ve wanted a Liverano ulster coat for a long time. Ever since I first saw one on Ethan Newton I think, and subsequently reinforced by seeing versions on Jeff Hilliard (now at Mr Porter) and others. Liverano is very expensive, however, and it ...
Liverano & Liverano ulster coat: Review
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I'm afraid it's in storage at the moment and I can't check Sean. Do feel free to ask again in the Autumn and I'll measure them for you...
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!...
