How to wear a shawl or stole
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...
Layering up for travel: Shawls, cardigans and vests
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
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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 ...
Christmas Gift List 2023: Do not read!
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...
Spring/Summer Top 10 ’23: Shirts, shorts an...
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...
An Hermes silk scarf with all navy
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
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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 ...
New colours in the Arran scarf and PS watch caps
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...
Coming up on the PS Shop this Autumn/Winter
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....
Dominique Lelys and Artumes: Taking on the spirit...
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...
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Good morning and a great article...
Anatomica, Paris: The clothes and the history
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...
Introducing: The PS Arran scarf
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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Hi Neil, No, actually we haven't had our stock for this year yet, so there will be more coming...
The craft and eccentricity of 45R
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....
The complete capsule: Prices, budgets and timelines
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
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Thank you Richard W....
Why I rarely wear a pocket square today (and what...
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...
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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...
Adamley hand-screen printing, Macclesfield
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
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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 ...
The colours and combinations of Hermes
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
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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 ...
Our Spring/Summer Top 10, 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...
Hermes silk printing, Lyon: Factory visit
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...
Strong colour in accessories
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....
Japanese boro cloth: Sri Threads, Brooklyn
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
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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 ...
Christmas gift list 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
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Good point, no in a medium now. Though that is partially preference and partially me getting a bit bigger. I take medium now...
The PS square scarf: available again
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
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No, sorry Daniel...
No Man Walks Alone A/W: Frank Leder, Monitaly, So...
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...
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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....
Video: How to wear a pocket handkerchief
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
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Hi Nik, is there a chance to get one of these white linen pocket squares? Best regards, Jens...
Our Spring/Summer Top 10, 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
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Hey Gab, They have aged pretty well, yes, though I'd say Aspesi is generally a good Italian brand but not the best quality around. The materials in the polo were good, but there was nothing that special about the make. I...
High/low dressing
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
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Thank you Jack, and all good points...
