Jonathan Cusick cartoon
February 10th 2015Well-known British caricaturist Jonathan Cusick recently sent me this cartoon, done as part of a series on men’s fashion (others linked to below). It’s not the most flattering I’ve had, but I suppose a caricature isn&a...
Jonathan Cusick cartoon
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It looks good Simon. It's a good job he didn't draw you with the bottom button of your jacket done up. If he'd done that then I think you'd probably have had to take legal action against him for deformation of character....
How to dress like Bruce Boyer 2: Q&A
February 6th 2015Following the almost embarrassingly positive response to last week’s post on Bruce Boyer (embarrassing for Bruce that is, not me), here are his answers to your questions. 1 – Are your suits, jackets and shirts mostly bespoke...
How to dress like Bruce Boyer 2: Q&A
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"Urbane and literary": That's our man, Professor Boyer!...
Personal style: How to dress like Bruce Boyer
January 28th 2015Bruce Boyer is my style icon, my favourite writer and, I’m honoured to say, a reader. We recently had a conversation – following the coverage of Pitti on Permanent Style – about experimentation, classic dress and perso...
Personal style: How to dress like Bruce Boyer
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I can ask Bruce if you can provide me with an image?...
A green cotton suit?
January 12th 2015In my review of Spanish tailor Reillo’s cotton suit last week, there proved to be only room to analyse the fit and make. Yet a reader rightly pointed out that green cotton-gabardine is hardly an everyday cloth option. I’ll expla...
A green cotton suit?
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It would have both those advantages, yes. And I'd imagine it would be suited to the kind of person that liked the look and line of hopsack, but didn't live somewhere particularly hot...
Reillo, Madrid: Bespoke cotton suit
January 5th 2015This suit is from Jose Maria Reilo, the second of the three Spanish tailors I commissioned from in 2014. The make is good, although there are one or two issues with the fit that I’ll come to in a moment. The suit is green cotton gabardine &nd...
Reillo, Madrid: Bespoke cotton suit
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Simon thanks for the clarification. Actually are details that I look, important to define the class and the authentic craftsmanship. On the other hand I am aware that they are details that do not affect the line, the cut...
Black tie for New Year’s Eve
December 31st 2014Dress way the hell up, as our American cousins might say. New Year’s Eve is a special event, and it deserves a special effort where our clothes are concerned. That doesn’t have to be black tie, as above, but wear a jacket at the...
Black tie for New Year’s Eve
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Alliow me to note that the BOUTONNIÈRE is not a ceramic flower, but a porcelain or bone china flower, and thus more delicate. It breaks in a second. I broke dozens already. That is what I like about them: you have to ta...
When we write about… E Tautz
December 3rd 2014In our last post in this series on new London shops, we looked at how readers – with a natural affinity for fit and materials – could analyse the casual wear offered by Private White VC. In this post we shall do the same for E Tautz, but ...
When we write about… E Tautz
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No not pure bespoke, but I guess my point was I can read about latest "fast fashion" brand on GQ or whatever I guess. Of course, the articles on Smedley and tie-makers etc I see as very valuable. But to the other 'J' :) ...
Harris tweed jacket and jeans
November 21st 2014Walking along the River Tweed, wearing tweed that (is it just me?) is rather reminiscent of the colours of the landscape. Of course, it’s Harris tweed and we’re in the Borders, but it seems fitting nonetheless. Cloth suited to i...
Harris tweed jacket and jeans
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Grey might have a blue cast but it would be fine with this jacket, it's such a neutral. A blue shirt itself would also be fine, which kind of proves the point. If in doubt, add some other warmer brown things, eg a reddis...
Gaziano & Girling guests
October 2nd 2014By request, some of the lovely lovely people at the Gaziano & Girling evening last week. Not that many ties around, but some stunning Chittleborough & Morgan tailoring. Above, Michael Browne in his navy seersucker. Francis of C...
The eternal style of the shawl-collar cardigan
September 29th 2014If you don’t own a shawl-collar cardigan, it’s the one sweater you should invest in this winter. No other knitwear is more versatile: its collar makes it the only style that works with T-shirts, shirts or polos, for everyone. Some m...
The eternal style of the shawl-collar cardigan
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I have two of the shawl collared cardigans from Drake’s and a William Lockie labelled one that I bought from Richard Gelding (Baltzar). Although they look identical, they’re not in reality. The Lockie one seems to be...
Clothes for a wedding
August 29th 2014The simplicity of classic wedding attire – in colour, in pattern, in tone – is a reflection of respect for the importance of the event. Business attire, once-upon-a-time, was similarly restrained; but while I can see the argume...
Casual, summer, office attire
August 22nd 2014Following a request on last week’s Finagon post – the cardigan we created with John Smedley – here are some details on the rest of the outfit, above. One reader drew attention to the shirt collar, a button-down made by Satriano Cinq...
Casual, summer, office attire
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I don't, no. It can be nice, but not with the kind of smarter tailoring I usually feature...
Green, shantung, club (tie)
July 16th 2014Dark green is a subtle and versatile tie colour. You’re not surprised I think that, right? After all I sing the praises of green at every opportunity. But broad truths bear repeating. With an outfit like the one above, navy would be the s...
Green, shantung, club (tie)
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They're a little informal for a suit, but in a dark colour perhaps with a slightly more casual suit, like a flannel...
The best shoes for summer
July 2nd 2014When the temperatures rise, one of the most uncomfortable things can be your shoes – particularly when dressing informally. The key to keeping cool is to have light, preferably unlined shoes, and wear them without full socks wherever possible...
The best shoes for summer
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Concerning boat shoes - I think most people view them in the same way they view trainers - that is, they should only be worn for their intended purpose. The are a few problems with this thinking. Firstly, trainers - and ...
Summer: Tan, white and cream
June 30th 2014Summer outfits often involve white somewhere, as it’s nice to reflect the brightness of the weather – particularly if you’re in Italy and the sun is that much more consistent than it is in the UK. Combining more than one white &ndas...
Summer: Tan, white and cream
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Thanks Simon. I was just thinking that articles like this one are truly fantastic. A bit off the beaten path for lots of people and yet so so useful for all of us who love our clothing!...
Tommaso
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They do so for relaxation, as you say, although it will always remove much of the point of a well tailored garment...
Clothes for travel
June 20th 2014Attire for flying out to Florence this week. Polo shirts make great travel items, particularly long-sleeved under jackets. They are comfortable, cool and versatile, and navy is the smartest option. Just make sure the collar is tall enough to not sl...
Clothes for travel
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Both can be great Joshua, it depends on the overall outfit and style you're going for...
Permanent Style on Instagram
June 17th 2014Unusually, I will be at Pitti this week, before going onto Milan. (I normally only go in the winter – unless you’re a buyer there’s little point going more often.) There will be a few images of both trips on Instagram fo...
Permanent Style on Instagram
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I'm enjoying the updates on Instagram. Keep them coming please!...
Cashmere, denim and fresco
June 5th 2014In response to a couple of requests from readers, here is that photograph from the Asprey workrooms in colour. Navy cashmere jacket from Solito. Dark-brown horn buttons that I bought myself from Weldon’s (Italians rarely have matte horn)....
Cashmere, denim and fresco
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Love the denim shirt and looking forward to seeing how it ages. As for interview attire, if it's in the tech industry, you could always go for the "California tuxedo" and pair a navy blue cotton blazer with tan chinos. N...
Jackets from sport and war: article in The Telegraph
May 7th 2014Last month I wrote a couple of articles for the menswear supplement of The Sunday Telegraph, of which the main focus was menswear’s origins in adventure (and adventurers). You can read the main piece here: click on each image to fill the sc...
Jackets from sport and war: article in The Telegraph
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Hello Simon, a very enjoyable article, I especially liked the illustrations. Re. the leather jackets, I think it also worth noting the contribution of WW2 flying jackets (vs. WW1) to the style ouevre. In particular the U...
Building a capsule wardrobe: reader question
May 5th 2014Dear Simon, You have written eloquently before on building a wardrobe aimed, I suspect, at the young city-based professional wanting to start to explore the world of good quality RTW or bespoke tailoring. My question is slightly different. Over the l...
Building a capsule wardrobe: reader question
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Sorry John - I think it's meant to go here...
Checks, denim and balance
April 25th 2014The question I get more than any other – from both readers and friends – is how to wear separate or ‘odd’ jackets. Indeed, what differentiates an odd jacket from a suit jacket in the first place. There are two factors: cloth a...
Checks, denim and balance
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Thanks John. I can't say I agree on either point, but good to hear your view...
Levi’s final bespoke jeans
April 11th 2014I’ve been wearing in my Levi’s bespoke jeans gradually over the past few weeks, and the raw denim is settling in well. For those unfamiliar with raw denim, it is favoured by those passionate about indigo twill for the way it mould...
Levi’s final bespoke jeans
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I do wear the white ones still, but not the others - because of fashion rather than fit, they simply feel too narrow to me now. I would say bespoke would be worth it for me, except the fact that I have now found two RTW ...
Hermes silk scarf with Shetland sweater
April 2nd 2014A silk scarf, tied any way, is a great way to recreate the contrast achieved by a suit and tie and keep the neck warm. The sheen of this Hermes silk scarf contrasts particularly nicely with the deep texture of a Shetland sweater. It can be worn with...
Hermes silk scarf with Shetland sweater
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I generally buy women's ones for silk like this Sohail, so they're all square 90x90...
How to wear a cardigan
March 21st 2014Several readers commented in last week’s post on trousers that they would appreciate something similar on cardigans in such outfits. So here we go. I will largely be talking about sleeveless cardigans (although given we will assume they ar...
How to wear a cardigan
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Without muddying the waters too much for the non British,I would say you could use a jumper for goalposts,but not a cardigan....