How to wear a shawl or stole

February 12th 2024

A shawl (or stole) can be a really practical thing to wear. Simply hung round the neck, it’s a lovely layer of warmth down the front of the body and on the back of the neck. And when looped or tied, it’s also effective protection against...

How to wear a shawl or stole

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Perhaps smaller sizes might work - I'd worry lighter fabrics might not wrap so well, though perhaps if you're a woman that look works more easily...

Hanks and scarvesFebruary 12th 2024

Layering up for travel: Shawls, cardigans and vests

January 29th 2024

It was effing freezing in Paris two weeks ago: officially minus five, felt like minus ten. I know that’s not extreme if you live in Sweden or North Dakota, but it’s not the kind of weather you’re used to in London, I can tell you. ...

Layering up for travel: Shawls, cardigans and vests

Match in comments:
Hello Simon - thanks for pointing out the seam on the back of the A&S shawl cardigan in merino+cashmere. Bit of a shame. It seems their pure cashmere version doesn't have it, nor does your Indulgent version, nor the ...

Hanks and scarvesJanuary 29th 2024

Christmas Gift List 2023: Do not read!

December 8th 2023

Permanent Style reader, this is not for you. This is intended for your wife/husband/partner/child/dog, in an attempt to help source a Christmas present for someone who, let’s face it, is very fussy in general but particularly about clothing. ...

Christmas Gift List 2023: Do not read!

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I'd go off the shoes primarily, and I think both suede or leather would be fine, I don't think leather would be too smart...

Belts and wallets - Black tieDecember 8th 2023

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...

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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

An Hermes silk scarf with all navy

January 30th 2023

Long-term readers will be familiar with my passion for Hermes silk scarves, which I’ve often bought over the years as a treat, and of which I now have a small collection (nine of them, since you ask). I’ve found particular enjoyment thi...

An Hermes silk scarf with all navy

Match in comments:
The other benefit of a square (100 x 100 especially) scarf is that you can use the Japanese art of Furoshiki (there are even courses on it) meaning you can make your scarf useful when required. A prime example is taking ...

Hanks and scarvesJanuary 30th 2023

New colours in the Arran scarf and PS watch caps

September 9th 2022

The popular PS Watch Caps and exclusive Arran scarves from Begg & Co - introduced last year - have just been restocked on the PS Shop, with two additional colours. It was a real struggle last year to get things in on time, with delays not ju...

New colours in the Arran scarf and PS watch caps

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You may well have done, we did sample one. But no, we're not making those for this Autumn/Winter I'm afraid...

Hanks and scarves - HatsSeptember 9th 2022

Coming up on the PS Shop this Autumn/Winter

August 31st 2022

At the beginning of each season recently (spring/summer, autumn/winter) we've been sending out summaries of upcoming products to PS Shop customers. These go to anyone on a waiting list for a product, and anyone that has signed up to marketing emails...

Coming up on the PS Shop this Autumn/Winter

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Great! thanks....

Coats - Hanks and scarvesAugust 31st 2022

Dominique Lelys and Artumes: Taking on the spirit...

June 20th 2022

By Tony Sylvester Roughly three years ago I wrote a piece for the Drake’s in-house magazine Common Thread. Given a free rein on any subject I wanted to talk about, I’d started ruminating on the similarities between French and English sty...

Dominique Lelys and Artumes: Taking on the spirit...

Match in comments:
I know these post were from a few years back but I simply must try to get some info . I came across a Artumes & co jacket ,I didn’t know a thing about it but I liked it and knew it was a mans jacket . It’s three ...

Hanks and scarves - JacketsJune 20th 2022

Anatomica, Paris: The clothes and the history

March 23rd 2022

Anatomica is one of my favourite shops in Paris. It’s unique, with a range of menswear that’s often exclusive to them - whether under their brand or others’ - and always centred around quality. In fact it has such a reputation - of...

Anatomica, Paris: The clothes and the history

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No problem, and sorry about that Alex...

Casual clothing - Hanks and scarvesMarch 23rd 2022

Introducing: The PS Arran scarf

September 27th 2021

My favourite ever scarf is the Arran model from Begg. Over the years you will have seen me wear it with everything, from a Western hat to a baseball cap, a polo coat to a tweed jacket (examples at those links). Outside of some lightweight ones and ...

Introducing: The PS Arran scarf

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In that case I'd say clay grey, navy, then perhaps charcoal and natural...

Hanks and scarvesSeptember 27th 2021

The craft and eccentricity of 45R

April 19th 2021

The 45R store in London is a little jewel on Brook Street, just round the corner from Fenwick’s, next to the far more imposing Issey Miyake. I can imagine Permanent Style readers being drawn in by the indigo textures on display in the window,...

The craft and eccentricity of 45R

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This is absolutely true....

Denim - Hanks and scarvesApril 19th 2021

The complete capsule: Prices, budgets and timelines

July 13th 2020

  Our ‘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

Match in comments:
Hi Jacob, I guess you won't be noticed of my message but if you do see it, I would be interested to know how it went. What cloth did you choose? Was the first fit good? Has it lasted well? Always interesting to learn fro...

Coats - Hanks and scarvesJuly 13th 2020

Why I rarely wear a pocket square today (and what...

April 29th 2020

The pocket square, or handkerchief, is an interesting indicator of how dapper clothing has trended in the past 15 years. Broadly speaking, the late 1990s were all about business casual and the dotcom boom. Silicon Valley was not concerned with dres...

Why I rarely wear a pocket square today (and what...

Match in comments:
I just use pocket squares today to replace the tie which is somewhat not a necessity and many business situations. I always get compliments from the ladies on them and yes, I am over 60 years of age lol...

Hanks and scarves - StyleApril 29th 2020

Adamley hand-screen printing, Macclesfield

January 10th 2020

Let me set the scene. Macclesfield is a small English market town, and it’s a grey day. The bright-green casentino overcoat of Benedikt Fries, as he walks towards us, rather stands out. Photographer Alex Natt and I are watching him approach f...

Adamley hand-screen printing, Macclesfield

Match in comments:
Great article. A breeze of fresh air and a good distraction from day to day screen printing technicalities. As a screen printer, I would like to see a part 2, diving more into the technics used to achieve such beautiful ...

Hanks and scarves - TiesJanuary 10th 2020

The colours and combinations of Hermes

May 15th 2019

The silk and leather headquarters of Hermes are in a pretty nondescript set of white buildings just outside Lyon. Here, there are the 100m and 150m-long silk printing tables that I described in our previous post. There is also a new two-storey build...

The colours and combinations of Hermes

Match in comments:
Thanks. I'm pleased you like those combinations, but I wouldn't really use them on shirts or suits. More in accessories, and particularly scarves and handkerchiefs I think. On 'unoriginal' I'm not sure you can't be very ...

Hanks and scarvesMay 15th 2019

Our Spring/Summer Top 10, 2019

April 24th 2019

Last week the weather in London turned from 12 degrees to 22 in a couple of days. It seems that what passes for the English Spring is finally here. Of course, with most shops and brands Spring/Summer collections arrived in February, and went on sale...

Our Spring/Summer Top 10, 2019

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Appreciate simon...

Bags - Casual clothingApril 24th 2019

Hermes silk printing, Lyon: Factory visit

March 20th 2019

I’ve been buying and wearing Hermes silk scarves for several years. (Indeed, a nice thing about the seasonal collections is, with a little work, you can date them all precisely). So it was a personal pleasure to visit the silk printing atelier...

Hermes silk printing, Lyon: Factory visit

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I don't know Carl, but I doubt you can tell that much from a stamp, it wouldn't be a hard thing to fake...

Hanks and scarvesMarch 20th 2019

Strong colour in accessories

February 1st 2019

The 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....

Coats - Hanks and scarvesFebruary 1st 2019

Japanese boro cloth: Sri Threads, Brooklyn

January 28th 2019

To what extent can rags be beautiful? Is there even a point at which fetishising the clothes of the poor– how threadbare they are, how re-worn and re-hashed – can be disrespectful? Twenty years ago, when Stephen Szczepanek began importin...

Japanese boro cloth: Sri Threads, Brooklyn

Match in comments:
Re: Underwear made from flour bags. My dad grew up in London in the 1930s and wore pyjamas made from flour sacks. He shared a bed with his brother, too - they slept facing different ends. Cold water tap in the stairwell ...

Hanks and scarvesJanuary 28th 2019

Christmas gift list 2018

November 30th 2018

  It’s that time of year again. The TV adverts that started a month ago should have been a warning. Below is my Christmas gift list for 2019. It is not a comprehensive list of the best menswear gifts right now. It’s certainly no...

Christmas gift list 2018

Match in comments:
Good point, no in a medium now. Though that is partially preference and partially me getting a bit bigger. I take medium now...

Belts and wallets - Hanks and scarvesNovember 30th 2018

The PS square scarf: available again

November 23rd 2018

The small, fine cashmere scarf I designed three years ago with Begg & Co - intended to be worn on cold days tucked into knitwear - is available again. It's on the PS Shop now, in grey, navy and green. I've reproduced some of the description ...

The PS square scarf: available again

Match in comments:
No, sorry Daniel...

Hanks and scarvesNovember 23rd 2018

No Man Walks Alone A/W: Frank Leder, Monitaly, So...

October 29th 2018

It’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...

Match in comments:
'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....

Casual clothing - CoatsOctober 29th 2018

Video: How to wear a pocket handkerchief

June 6th 2018

This was a nice opportunity to do a practical video, and express a forthright opinion. Videos on folding pocket squares and handkerchiefs are normally so terrible. Guys in black suits using fiddly folds to wear yellow-satin hanks. Hopefully this off...

Video: How to wear a pocket handkerchief

Match in comments:
Hi Nik, is there a chance to get one of these white linen pocket squares? Best regards, Jens...

Hanks and scarves - VideoJune 6th 2018

Our Spring/Summer Top 10, 2018

May 2nd 2018

Last week a friend in the industry asked me what aspect of writing Permanent Style I like the most. It is always, easily, discovering a new tailor, cloth or product that is different and inspiring. That journey from discovering something new, to see...

Our Spring/Summer Top 10, 2018

Match in comments:
I see. Thanks so much Simon!...

Bags - Casual clothingMay 2nd 2018

High/low dressing

December 6th 2017

The biggest potential pitfall with tailored dressing is looking fussy. Fussy is not sexy; it is not attractive. It is closely related to appearing ‘affected’ or ‘mannered’. Looking relaxed in clothing, on the other hand, is v...

High/low dressing

Match in comments:
It did indeed, thanks Simon...

Hanks and scarves - HatsDecember 6th 2017