The guide to casual shirt fabrics

September 23rd 2018

As work environments become increasingly casual, men are more in need of less formal shirts – usually worn without a tie, often with flannels or chinos. It’s fairly easy to see which styles of shirt are more casual. A French or doub...

The guide to casual shirt fabrics

Match in comments:
I think hard in most cottons, but can still look good. At the least, it's nowhere near as versatile as you'd expect, given it's navy...

ShirtsSeptember 23rd 2018

Bespoke pyjamas – at Burgos, Madrid

September 7th 2018

I don’t wear pyjamas to sleep in. I’ve always found them too constricting, and prefer underwear. However, ever since I had children (mine are now 10 and 7) I’ve put on pyjamas when I get up. With kids you’re more likely to be...

Bespoke pyjamas – at Burgos, Madrid

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Nope......

ShirtsSeptember 7th 2018

If you only had five shirts: A capsule collection

August 31st 2018

Readers have asked for a while for this post: something recommending a core, versatile shirt collection. The idea of suggesting such ‘capsule’ collections is that they help a newcomer build a wardrobe, prioritising the things that will gi...

If you only had five shirts: A capsule collection

Match in comments:
Oh good, nice to hear. On the Rubato, maybe try having the body slimmer. It's quite an easy alteration to do...

ShirtsAugust 31st 2018

The quality of 100 Hands shirts

August 15th 2018

Back in April I wrote my first post on shirtmaker 100 Hands, having visited their factory in Amritsar, India. I argued that the important point to address first was that making in India involves no necessary compromise on labour conditions, skill or...

The quality of 100 Hands shirts

Match in comments:
As someone from India and quite familiar with the industry here, when you talks about wages without talking several other economic factors one missed the point. Wages in India is going to be much lower than the UK or Net...

ShirtsAugust 15th 2018

Introducing: The lightweight Friday Polo

August 6th 2018

Lovely as our Friday Polos are, they're not really built for Summer. The classic Friday Polo uses a luxurious piqué cotton from Caccioppoli which, while noticeably nicer than other polo cottons, is relatively thick and best suited to the othe...

Introducing: The lightweight Friday Polo

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Yes, certainly too light for winter, and it might be for fall as well, depending on how cold it gets where you are....

Shirts - August 6th 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

Short-sleeved Friday Polos available

June 22nd 2018

A new batch of the short-sleeved version of the Friday Polo came in yesterday - in navy and light grey. They are available on the shop site now, though only 50 in each colour so worth grabbing quickly. It's been hard trying to decide which variation...

Short-sleeved Friday Polos available

Match in comments:
Hi Simon, What weight would you recommend for a summer polo? Thanks very much...

ShirtsJune 22nd 2018

Indigo, navy and natural: A summer combination

June 11th 2018

I’ve always liked indigo in tailoring, and find navy a good partner for it. The deep indigo of this linen shirt from D’Avino, for example, is significantly quietened by the navy blazer over the top, and makes that top half a story...

Indigo, navy and natural: A summer combination

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Because it gets dirty easily...

Glasses and jewellery - ShirtsJune 11th 2018

Hopsack and linen trousers – in humid Hong ...

May 21st 2018

It 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:
I think that can be fine - the danger comes more when the linens are pretty similar in texture and weight...

Belts and wallets - JacketsMay 21st 2018

The guide to business shirt fabrics

May 16th 2018

[This is part of a series that aims to produce a comprehensive guide to shirt fabrics, from the simplest points to the most technical. So far we have introduced the basics of selecting shirt fabric, and gone into depth on weaves and designs. Here, ...

The guide to business shirt fabrics

Match in comments:
If you're getting away from the suit, there are certainly lots of ways to do it, as you can have more patterns in the jackets or shirts, there's top and bottom to play with and harmonise...

ShirtsMay 16th 2018

Introducing: PS Oxford fabric

May 9th 2018

I’ve always found that an oxford shirt fills a very specific gap in my wardrobe. Smart enough for almost any sports jacket - from cashmere to corduroy - it is also the perfect partner for jeans. It might bridge formal and casual perhaps better...

Introducing: PS Oxford fabric

Match in comments:
That should take care of it Matt, yes...

ShirtsMay 9th 2018

Point collars – at Budd

May 7th 2018

My shirt collars over the years have generally been one of two styles: spread or button-down. Both can work with or without a tie (and have been tweaked consistently to make that easier) but I generally prefer the spread with a tie, the button-down ...

Point collars – at Budd

Match in comments:
I'm afraid not John, it's not something I've experienced. It sounds like there's probably no easy fix though, which means you need to replace the shirt or live with it. As to alternatives, though, it's certainly possible...

ShirtsMay 7th 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:
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...

Bags - Casual clothingMay 2nd 2018

Friday Polos back in stock – with new Olive

April 26th 2018

The much-loved Friday Polos, which I design and produce with shirtmaker Luca Avitabile in Naples, are back in stock . Thank you to everyone that has been waiting so patiently. As per usual, we have produced them in four colours. However, as I know t...

Friday Polos back in stock – with new Olive

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Yes we have had occasionally had this, though more usually on those that wear it quite tight across the chest. The looseness and softness of the fabric is the main cause, but we are making the buttonholes slightly smalle...

ShirtsApril 26th 2018

100 Hands shirts: Made in Amritsar, India

April 23rd 2018

100 Hands makes perhaps the finest shirts in the world. They certainly have as much handwork as any shirt I've seen, executed with greater fineness and consistency. But the most significant thing for many people will be that they are made in India. ...

100 Hands shirts: Made in Amritsar, India

Match in comments:
Something quite in line with the kind of casual chic we talk about, and summer version as discussed re Riviera here. Plus shorts for something a little more rugged was required. See also the summer casual capsule here...

ShirtsApril 23rd 2018

Holiday snaps 2018: Eidos, Aspesi, Doek, Drake...

April 20th 2018

  Travelling to India on holiday this Easter gave me a reason to get the hot-weather clothing out early. It was unseasonably hot even for there, with the temperature pushing 40 degrees. We took the opportunity to visit the 100 Hands factory ...

Holiday snaps 2018: Eidos, Aspesi, Doek, Drake...

Match in comments:
Article coming on that tomorrow! Good timing......

Glasses and jewellery - ShirtsApril 20th 2018

The guide to shirting weaves and designs

April 11th 2018

In this next article in our series on shirtings, we describe and define the different types of fabric (oxford, chambray, denim) with both text descriptions and illustrations. They are set out in groups by the part of the process that largely define...

The guide to shirting weaves and designs

Match in comments:
Yes you're generally right, though they might be small effects, particularly the 1 ply. Sounds like it's worth a try for one shirt...

ShirtsApril 11th 2018

Unexpected texture and colour – Denim and l...

March 19th 2018

I 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...

Jackets - ShirtsMarch 19th 2018

Five paradigms of casual clothing: Which do you w...

February 28th 2018

Although casual clothing is far more susceptible to fashions than tailored clothing, it is possible to organize it into certain groups, or paradigms. These groups, such as preppy clothing or workwear, often have their roots in particular parts of th...

Five paradigms of casual clothing: Which do you w...

Match in comments:
They can absolutely be stylish Ayush, yes. There are many types of style, and ones such as workwear can be lovely. If you want to be a little more elegant or smart though, you can be one step up from others and perhaps n...

Casual clothing - DenimFebruary 28th 2018

How to pick shirt fabric

February 19th 2018

This is the first in an occasional series on shirtings, following a similar model to our Guide to Cloth on tailoring fabrics. As with that, we start with the basics here and will then burrow ever deeper in the coming months… Picking cloth f...

How to pick shirt fabric

Match in comments:
Nice, great point Alec...

ShirtsFebruary 19th 2018

The Shirtmakers Symposium – The video debate

January 18th 2018

Below you can find the full video of our Shirtmakers Symposium in Florence. It's a little basic, but thankfully the sound worked well and it's audible throughout. Silvio Albini makes a lovely introduction at the start, then each shirtmaker introduce...

The Shirtmakers Symposium – The video debate

Match in comments:
Awesome article Simon. Very informative. Your photography is perfect and this type of content is hard to find. You are right i found it interesting because of the video. Nice crowd and very well explained everything i al...

Shirts - VideoJanuary 18th 2018

Technical details at the Shirtmakers Symposium

January 17th 2018

[The votes and nominations for the Permanent Style awards closed today, by the way. Thank you for all your comments and emails. The winners will be announced next week.] At the Shirtmakers Symposium in Florence last week we had a display of five shi...

Technical details at the Shirtmakers Symposium

Match in comments:
Interesting Thanks again....

ShirtsJanuary 17th 2018

The Shirtmakers Symposium – The speakers

January 15th 2018

Left to right: Simon Crompton, Justin Chang, Jack Sepetjian, Darren Tiernan, Silvio Albini, Luca Avitabile, Paolo Maffeis. The Shirtmakers Symposium last Wednesday went so well: great location, great speakers, great discussion. We decided this time ...

The Shirtmakers Symposium – The speakers

Match in comments:
I just felt the northern and southern Italian had more distinct styles, and wanted to be as international as possible so bring in Asia and the US. Would have liked to include a dozen other makers......

ShirtsJanuary 15th 2018

A casual capsule: The Valstarino jacket three ways

December 21st 2017

The blouson in general, but particularly in brown and especially in brown suede, has to be one of the most versatile pieces in a man's wardrobe. The shape is short and neat enough to work well with smarter clothing; suede suggests a more dressy look...

A casual capsule: The Valstarino jacket three ways

Match in comments:
I'm afraid not, sorry, I've never had that. My first thing would be to hang it somewhere to air, perhaps even outside for a few hours. As a last resort I would also approach a specialist leather cleaner...

Casual clothing - DenimDecember 21st 2017