How to wear socks with a suit: Reader question
May 17th 2013Colours that go with tan Dear Simon, I’m getting stuck putting an outfit together, and what it comes down to is the socks. I’m wearing a mid-grey worsted wool suit with a sky-blue shirt and regimental tie of burgundy and navy st...
How to wear socks with a suit: Reader question
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Not sure I quite agree with Antonio, but if you're not going to think about them, then yes navy is probably the safest option!...
Crafted: Makers of the exceptional
April 5th 2013Sophie Coryndon’s toolbox for her decorative lacquer pieces These are good times for craft. Hermès is bringing its festival of artisans to London next month; Vacheron Constantin is touring Europe with a series of craft days; and this...
Crafted: Makers of the exceptional
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No, never did. Thanks for the reminder though, I'll get in touch again...
Sartorial synaesthesia
March 18th 2013The sensation a beautiful horn button arouses is akin to the anticipation of taste. I want to eat it, like a wholemeal cookie. I’ll never understand why the Italians prefer corozo.
Why most tailors don’t like clothes
March 11th 2013Quite a lot of tailors and cutters don’t wear jackets, even waistcoats during the day. Certainly if they are hidden away from the eyes of customers, they quickly dress down. Partly this is because such work is difficult to perform all day in an...
Why most tailors don’t like clothes
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Does your definition of gentleman have everything to do with the circumstances of one's birth, I wonder?...
Jacket and trouser colours, Rubinacci
March 1st 2013The second part of the feature that the Spanish version of How to Spend It ran on me and Luca Rubinacci has just come out. In the article, Luca picks out three Rubinacci outfits that display his unique take on colour and texture – reprodu...
Jacket and trouser colours, Rubinacci
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That's true Raj, this is definitely Spring or Summer clothing....
Reader question: How to wear a bow tie
February 14th 2013Normal.dotm 0 0 1 446 2544 Euromoney PLC 21 5 3124 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes;...
Reader question: How to wear a bow tie
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I love bow ties now! Another point worth noting is that there is negligible weight in a bow tie. I wish that I wore one at my nephew's wedding reception as the warm room added to the irritation of my silver tie that I wa...
Dandy pieces in RISD Museum exhibition
February 12th 2013Beginning in April, the Museum of the Rhode Island School of Design in the US will be holding an exhibition of clothing drawn from its archives and borrowed from sources around the world – including our own, inimitable Guy Hills and customers ...
Dandy pieces in RISD Museum exhibition
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Yes, that what I say in the piece. The comment made above is incorrect....
The style of Francesco Maglia
February 6th 2013Wearing strong colours well requires a lot of practice. The key is learning how to balance bright colours with darker, but equally strong tones. A purple handkerchief will stand out against a mid-grey flannel suit, but it will be restrained by a rich...
The style of Francesco Maglia
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Because Heurtault puts more work into the details of how the umbrella canopy is put together, mostly silk shapes or wrapping around the parts where the arms or shaft meet the canopy...
Fuera de Serie video
February 5th 2013That profile piece in Spain’s How to Spend It is now live, along with a little video. Not entirely sure where they got the footage of Anderson & Sheppard though… You can see the story here. In other news, apparently my col...
Fuera de Serie video
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It is, you're right. Missed that one...
Profile piece in How to Spend It, Spain
January 25th 2013The Spanish version of How to Spend It, Fueria de Serie, interviewed me and did a photo shoot when I visited Jose Maria’s Club Aristocrata last year. The piece came out today. Unless your Spanish is a lot better than mine, you won’...
Profile piece in How to Spend It, Spain
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The lead times on things like this are quite long I'm afraid. If Drake's are offering it at Pitti now, it means it will be in the shop this autumn. If you are in doubt about the tie pin, try just using it on woven ties. ...
My note board on Pinterest
January 24th 2013There are many badly dressed people at Pitti. There are also people like Luca Rubinacci, Lino Ieluzzi, Ignatious Joseph and others – one-man brands – that benefitted hugely from being shot by Scott Schuman and need to be there to ...
My note board on Pinterest
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A superb resource, thanks. It fills that gap between you giving advice on clothing here and providing actual inspiration; your captions are very useful too. Permanent Style keeps on getting stronger!...
One more
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Absolutely. And, Umer, wearing a hat for practical reasons, as Simon suggests, is not in the least contrived....
And another
January 11th 2013One more photo from Pitti Uomo this week. Trying to use a shawl (Loro Piana) and hat (Lock) to keep off the rain. Above from Tommy Ton, below from JCR
And another
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The hat is quite interesting. I'm a bit of a fur felt hat fan. Especially with substantial overcoats. Bit of a shame they're not more accepted as daily wear when the weather is appropriate for it....
Papped at Pitti
January 10th 2013My question is, why do they credit Luca in these pictures but not me? Is he more famous or something? Photo above by Tommy Ton at GQ, below by Nam from Grazia. Cashmere/corduroy suit from Anderson & Sheppard, shirt from Satriano Cinque, cash...
Papped at Pitti
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It was Loro Piana cord. There is only one bunch, but bear in mind it may have changed in the intervening years...
My top 10 books
November 29th 2012Normal.dotm 0 0 1 564 3217 EMII 26 6 3950 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false Below is a list of my favourite books on menswear, just in time for Christmas, in rough order. There are some noble exclusions, including Eric Musgrave, Bernard ...
My top 10 books
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Good point Albin, perhaps I'll work on an updated article...
What to wear to the gym
November 5th 2012Readers will probably be sick by now of me talking about Orlebar Brown. I have said before, after all, how they make my perfect polo shirt and perfect swimming trunks. But I’m sorry, there’s no other sports brand on the British high stree...
What to wear to the gym
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Well, as with any recommendations like this, you need to think about why the recommendation is made. Cotton doesn't breathe as well as synthetics, or dry as quickly. If you're doing something where you really need high-p...
The odd waistcoat for formal occasions
November 2nd 2012I recently wrote about my favourite evening combination – blue shirt and grey/silver tie with a navy or charcoal suit. This is a rather more dressy combination for formal events and dinners, making use of a waistcoat more usually worn with a mo...
The odd waistcoat for formal occasions
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Look at the 'fishy and polo' post and also th choppin and lodge suit. Same cutter...
Photos from Permanent Style drinks
October 11th 2012Me and Theo, in Cifonelli jacket and Paul Stuart shirtThanks to everyone who came along to drinks a couple of weeks ago at The Armoury trunk show. It was to meet everyone and it looked like the prosecco went down well. A few shots of people below, ...
Photos from Permanent Style drinks
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David, if you read this, can you fill Benmoudi in?...
Norman Vilalta, Luca and El Aristocrata
October 10th 2012As mentioned on Monday, last week I was in Madrid to speak at a meeting of the El Aristocrata gentleman’s club. Speakers below, left to right: tailor Jose Maria Reillo, shoemaker Norman Vilalta, me, Jose Maria ( El Aristocrata) and Luca Rub...
Norman Vilalta, Luca and El Aristocrata
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Bespoke is about the same level in London for value - from G&G, Cleverley etc. Saint Crispin's is a great option, for a modified last but not full bespoke. Have a look at what I've written about them. But they're not in ...
My favourite formal combination
October 5th 2012The most formal suit combination for a modern man is a navy suit, white shirt and silver tie. When that tie is a woven like a Macclesfield, it is a classic wedding combination and much more suitable to being married in than the tuxedos so favoured in...
My favourite formal combination
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No that could look elegant too. And perhaps a white linen handkerchief...
Menswear: Vintage postcards from Tom Phillips
September 18th 2012A beautiful Norfolk jacket When Tom Phillips, the author of Menswear: Vintage People on Photo Postcards, first put together this collection, he expected to see conformity across menswear in the roughly 40 pre-WW2 years it covered. What he got was a c...
Menswear: Vintage postcards from Tom Phillips
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Very cool series of pictures - Will probably be a great book. As you I especially like the collars. Makes you want to back in time - If not for anything else but the style....
Paul Stuart’s wondrous Autumn colours
September 14th 2012Colour and texture: brown, green and tan; suede, wool and fur Normal.dotm 0 0 1 171 977 Euromoney PLC 8 1 1199 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false I love Paul Stuart. Part of it is, as expressed recently in my Arnys interview, the joy of...
Paul Stuart’s wondrous Autumn colours
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I don't, but I'd imagine they are pretty good. Silk knits are simple things compared to woven or printed silks - there are only two or three ways/qualities you can make one...
Interview: Jean Grimbert, Arnys
September 10th 2012In June this year, the LVMH group announced that it would be buying the Arnys menswear store on Rue de Sevres in Paris, and converting it into a branch of Berluti, which it has recently expanded into a full menswear brand. This was a crying shame. Ar...
Interview: Jean Grimbert, Arnys
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What a sad story. There was no place like Arnys on the planet...I will miss them and miss the substance and style they represented. I will also miss Bob...the house mascot....
How my grandfather dressed – the photos
August 31st 20121937 A rather knatty wavy-weave tie and sports jacketYesterday I posted a long interview with my grandfather about what he wore to work and out of work during his career at Barclays Bank. It revealed some interesting points about the dress of the wor...
How my grandfather dressed – the photos
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Simon I would suggest to Superchick (the profile name itself conjures up some vision of horror) moves on to another site. Their manner is aggressive and the comments not appreciated. If he/she wants to abandon suits then...
How my grandfather dressed
August 30th 2012My grandfather, JFN “Bill” Wedge, was born in 1921 and worked his whole life for Barclays Bank, interrupted only by serving as an officer in the Navy during the Second World War. He retired in 1981. During those years he didn’t spen...
How my grandfather dressed
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Thank you Robert, I'm so pleased you liked it that much...