When to wear a tie: Personality and opportunity

February 19th 2024

At Pitti Uomo back in January I took the opportunity to wear mostly tailoring and ties - the two outfits shown above and below. And it felt great. I know there are traditionalists who see me as the antithesis of this, as I’m rarely pictured w...

When to wear a tie: Personality and opportunity

Match in comments:
Isn't it all about the context? If you have spent the day in court or in meetings, there is nothing unbecoming about having a drink at the end of the day in a navy suit and white shirt without the tie. It's an odd look i...

TiesFebruary 19th 2024

Reader profile: Sebastian

November 24th 2023

Sebastian has an interesting story - a clothing story with distinct phases. He’s a long-term reader (just over 10 years) and has worn many different styles, many different brands. But he's another PS reader in essence - always a little similar...

Reader profile: Sebastian

Match in comments:
Most classic menswear brands will not offer discounts and often don't go on sale...

Coats - JacketsNovember 24th 2023

Reader profile: Ian

August 14th 2023

Ian is retired, and got into luxury menswear late in life. But he always had an interest in clothes, from his early days in Ivy clothing to the forties and fifties influences that came with learning jive dancing. It could be easy to see him as bein...

Reader profile: Ian

Match in comments:
Amazing! I bet Ian must have loved that. Thanks for letting me know...

Shirts - ShoesAugust 14th 2023

My bespoke bow tie, from La Bowtique

February 21st 2022

Back in December we covered the various styles of bow tie , from batwing to butterfly. Learning about the traditions and conventions helped me clarify which style I prefer for myself, and today I’ll be covering which one I had made, and why. ...

My bespoke bow tie, from La Bowtique

Match in comments:
Good to know. Many thanks Lindsay...

Black tie - TiesFebruary 21st 2022

The styles of bow tie – and why they matter

December 20th 2021

I rarely wear a bow tie. Certainly never casually, and the number of black tie excuses has dwindled since I left my job in legal journalism. Back then there were several award ceremonies a year - we even threw four ourselves - but those have gone a...

The styles of bow tie – and why they matter

Match in comments:
Thanks for that Lindsay...

Black tie - TiesDecember 20th 2021

40 Colori made-to-measure knitwear and tie: Review

October 5th 2020

I’m pleased to say that the jumper and tie I had made by 40 Colori turned just as consistently and professionally as everything else I had experienced from the shop. The cashmere crewneck fits well, with the measurements being exactly what we...

40 Colori made-to-measure knitwear and tie: Review

Match in comments:
Yes Yes Yes For that quality level, no. You can get hand-framed which is a level up from someone like Dalmo, but what you're getting is still very good....

Knitwear - TiesOctober 5th 2020

40 Colori: Italian made-to-order, London

August 21st 2020

A reader recently recommended to me the made-to-measure knitwear at 40 Colori, a shop on Lamb’s Conduit Street in London. He has trouble getting knitwear to fit, being rather tall, and 40 Colori did a good job of making a piece to order for h...

40 Colori: Italian made-to-order, London

Match in comments:
Hello Peter, Thanks for your question! Our knitwear (whether merino wool or other compositions) is knitted either with our 12 or 8 gauge machines and is available in a number of styles and textures. If you have any furth...

Knitwear - TiesAugust 21st 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

White tie and blue shirt: Sunny formal in Sartori...

November 7th 2018

Wearing a white tie with a blue shirt is something that makes perfect sense in Naples. To a certain extent, wearing sugary-pink jackets and lapis-blue tailoring makes sense too. It's just sunny so much of the time, even in winter - and that sun is s...

White tie and blue shirt: Sunny formal in Sartori...

Match in comments:
No I haven't, sorry Greg...

Style - SuitsNovember 7th 2018

The summer tie

August 17th 2018

I don’t tend to wear brightly coloured ties. Too often they’re brash and loud, where a dark simple tie would be more tasteful. The only time I’ve regularly worn them is in unusual colours like lime green, rather than primary red...

The summer tie

Match in comments:
This might seem hilarious, but on grounds of comfort, I’ve actually worn a bow tie to a fine restaurant in Belgium which was way more comfortable. 1. Less weight… I sometimes notice that a tie can be like a heavy wei...

Style - TiesAugust 17th 2018

Where and why I shop: Wei Koh, The Rake

July 30th 2018

Next year I will publish a travel guide to the best men's stores around the world, with Thames & Hudson. Alongside the city chapters there will be interviews with well-travelled people in the menswear industry, highlighting their tips and in...

Where and why I shop: Wei Koh, The Rake

Match in comments:
Tatton Baird is a fantastic hat shop and we're very lucky to have them in my home state of Utah. What isn't widely known however is that their master hatter was trained by a gentleman named James Whittington who ran his ...

Casual clothing - DenimJuly 30th 2018

Popular at the pop-up: Hollywood tops, linen shir...

July 25th 2018

Given 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...

Match in comments:
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...

Casual clothing - ClothJuly 25th 2018

Shibumi ties, Burgos shirts and tebas – in ...

December 15th 2017

I’ve noticed in the past year that a lot of my favourite ties are from Shibumi. They’re always on the end of the rail; they always get picked up first. Yet I haven’t written about them for quite a while. Having Benedikt (below) in ...

Shibumi ties, Burgos shirts and tebas – in ...

Match in comments:
I always order shorter ties made to measure, which are not offered by many tiemakers. Shibumi offers them. But they are terribly slow with delivery. I ordered ties at the beginning of March and, after reminding them, rec...

Shirts - TiesDecember 15th 2017

Edward Sexton ready-to-wear: Hollywood-top trouse...

December 8th 2017

It’s been so fun swapping in brands every week or two during the pop-up shop. A lot of work, but fun: it feels like a different place, a slightly different atmosphere, every weekend. On Wednesday this week we exchanged The Armoury for Drop93 -...

Edward Sexton ready-to-wear: Hollywood-top trouse...

Match in comments:
I'm afraid I don't know much about the make of the RTW jackets, sorry David....

Knitwear - ShirtsDecember 8th 2017

The Drake’s x Permanent Style outfit

November 20th 2017

Drake'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

Match in comments:
Not really, no...

Jackets - ShirtsNovember 20th 2017

Bigi ties – Milan workshop

May 8th 2017

Bigi is in many ways what Drake's used to be before the expansion of its retail and collection: a small brand and a top-line tie manufacturer making for the world's top stores. A third generation company, it has a workshop in the south of Milan run ...

Bigi ties – Milan workshop

Match in comments:
No, 8cm should be fine given that...

TiesMay 8th 2017

The vintage feel of Tie Your Tie (and Sevenfold, ...

April 13th 2017

Talking with Kenji Kaga of Sevenfold (and Tie Your Tie) recently threw up some interesting questions around what makes a tie appear vintage. Kenji is heavily influenced by 1940s-1950s styles, as is evident in his tailoring. But he freely admits that...

The vintage feel of Tie Your Tie (and Sevenfold, ...

Match in comments:
It isn't, you're right, and with Tie Your Tie it's kind of the point that they don't look neat and straight. I would just hang them and let the shape drop back in a little, but not try and make them too sharp...

TiesApril 13th 2017

Brand round-up: R. Culturi, Mes Chaussettes Rouge...

March 20th 2017

1 R. Culturi There are many brands launching ties or handkerchiefs online these days, given it’s an easy area to try and express something new - and the lack of sizing makes it relatively easy to sell online. One that was shown to me recently ...

Brand round-up: R. Culturi, Mes Chaussettes Rouge...

Match in comments:
I owe MCR an apology - they replied very quickly to my complaint and reassured me that although my password was shown in the email, the email itself was encrypted. So all-in-all a good response....

Hanks and scarves - Socks and underwearMarch 20th 2017

Double-breasted flannel suit – with pink an...

December 26th 2016

I know I've written about green and pink a few times before. I could find one old post with a little flower illustration, but there must be more. Perhaps it's the fog of Christmas food and wine clouding my mind. In any case, it bears repeating that...

Double-breasted flannel suit – with pink an...

Match in comments:
May I ask the cloth used in this commission?...

Hanks and scarves - StyleDecember 26th 2016

Brand round-up: Alexander Kraft, Loic et Gil, Chr...

November 25th 2016

The next in our regular installment of small brands doing interesting things looks at some ties, handkerchiefs and knitwear. Viola Milano x Alexander Kraft First up is a collaboration between Alexander Kraft and online accessories company Viola Mila...

Brand round-up: Alexander Kraft, Loic et Gil, Chr...

Match in comments:
Despite the marketing spiel, the mark-up is ridiculous. The proliferation of online-only tie brands such as Viola Milano is a testament to the very healthy, attainable margins. A fawning i-gentry does help too. Also, and...

Hanks and scarves - TiesNovember 25th 2016

Ethan Newton’s Tokyo store – Brycelan...

November 4th 2016

I was quite intrigued to see Ethan Newton’s Bryceland's store in Tokyo when we visited a few weeks ago. In particular, how he is presenting his view on tailoring and how that mixes with the more casual americana side. The tailoring is essentia...

Ethan Newton’s Tokyo store – Brycelan...

Match in comments:
A vintage backpack, and a collaboration Brycelands did years ago with Frank Clegg, using some vintage cloth....

Bags - Casual clothingNovember 4th 2016

Manning & Manning suit – with an Itali...

August 5th 2016

The Italian Background: an awkward but persistently useful phrase I coined back in 2008 to describe the tendency of Italians to wear blue shirts and navy ties under strongly coloured suits. Rather than the English alternative - bright shirts and tie...

Manning & Manning suit – with an Itali...

Match in comments:
Yes, I would probably use Crispaire if I was to do it again....

TiesAugust 5th 2016

Drakes made-to-order ties

May 16th 2016

A few week ago, Drake's asked me to try out their made-to-order tie service, which has been given a new digital home on the website. The prime question is, of course, do you really need a MTO tie? It didn't even feature on my list last year of the ...

Drakes made-to-order ties

Match in comments:
I'm afraid you are mistaken... Sorry...

TiesMay 16th 2016

If you only had five ties – a capsule colle...

October 26th 2015

Readers often ask for ‘capsule collections’ of types of clothes – shoes, suits, ties etc. There are many reasons such a list is useful. It can point to the ‘essentials’: those things that provide t...

If you only had five ties – a capsule colle...

Match in comments:
Thanks a million, Simon. I’ll give that a go. All the best, Mark...

TiesOctober 26th 2015

How smart is my tie?

September 25th 2015

A few weeks a reader asked for a post on what makes a tie more or less formal, smart or not. It’s a very relevant question. Few men today wear ties, but when they do, they rarely want them to be as smart as the traditional foulards and Maccl...

How smart is my tie?

Match in comments:
They do, but it's really not that thick, I think it ties a nice knot. A three fold with no lining will create a very small, tight knot. I would always want a lining, just varying its thickness with how thick the silk was...

TiesSeptember 25th 2015