Inspiration above propriety
October 30th 2009At the press launch of Sharp Suits by Eric Musgrave a few week ago ( pictures and report here) there was quite a variety of menswear on display. Eric himself was wearing a splendid windowpane-check grey suit and gold tie; host Richard James wore a ch...
Inspiration above propriety
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Guest Comments » 1. I would wager that for most men where I live, San Francisco, they understand that there are suits, suits for funerals and black tie, and that the idea of distinctions between city suits, country suit...
A short talk with Andrea Perrone
October 23rd 2009I’ve been a fan of Brioni co-CEO Andrea Perrone’s personal style ever since issue 2 of The Rake. Perrone was the cover star, part of a feature on Brioni and wearing a checked sportscoat with a dark cardigan, white shirt unbuttoned at the ...
A short talk with Andrea Perrone
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Admittedly this man rocks in a suit, but what does he wear now? Brioni or Boglioli?...
Reader question: Wearing odd jackets
October 16th 2009David: I very much enjoy your blog and find it to be a great source of inspiration in my desire to master the art of permanent style. I was hoping you could help me in the matter of choosing odd jackets. I am starting a new job where most people wear...
Reader question: Wearing odd jackets
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No worries!...
A tour around Milan
October 7th 2009As anyone who has been fortunate enough to visit Milan will tell you, the city is not all fashion. There are several old and new stores worth the visit for those interested in classic menswear. By reputation, the city’s three stand-out establis...
A tour around Milan
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I'm afraid I don't know Turin well enough. Sorry...
Observations from Milan
October 5th 2009Milan has the most consistently, classicly elegant men in the world. This is not necessarily a good thing. Many, in the fashion industry in particular, criticise Milanese men for a conservatism that is dull and impersonal. They all dress the same; th...
Observations from Milan
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The manufacturer is called Fedeli, look them up. I highly recommend the Drakes sweaters too Simon...
Reader question: Working in a bank
September 23rd 2009Sim, Oxford: I was wondering if you could assist me with your experience regarding sartorial issues, the yays or nays, within banking. I have heard from fellow interns that French-cuff shirts and heavy pinstriped suits should never be worn as they de...
Reader question: Working in a bank
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For an upcoming interview I suspect I'll be able to pull off wearing a silk tie and tag huer quite aloof and get by....
Matching purple with Michael Whitby-Grubb
September 19th 2009Some serious colour matching going on here, and whatever your tastes with the shoes and scarf, mid-grey does look great with purple. The gentleman pictured here and captured last week by our roving photographer is Michael Whitby-Grubb, who is launchi...
Matching purple with Michael Whitby-Grubb
Some serious colour matching going on here, and whatever your tastes with the shoes and scarf, mid-grey does look great with purple. The gentleman pictured here and captured last week by our roving photographer is Michae...
Orange and brown on the street
September 15th 2009I do love orange and brown as a colour combination in socks/shoes. In fact, those that have been reading my series on favourite combinations won’t be surprised to know that there is another post lined up in the future arguing that burnt orange ...
Orange and brown on the street
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Do it! Never wear black with that combination, and I presume you're not wearing trainers, so what other colour is there?...
Strong colours done well
September 5th 2009It’s not easy to wear strong colours, whether it be in clothes or footwear. So it’s worth taking notice when someone does it well. This gentleman was spotted by our roving photographer recently, successfully mixing strong red trousers wit...
Strong colours done well
It’s not easy to wear strong colours, whether it be in clothes or footwear. So it’s worth taking notice when someone does it well. This gentleman was spotted by our roving photographer recently, successfully mixing s...
Reader question: Packing for a trip
August 19th 2009Adam: Can you offer some advice on packing for traveling and extended holidays? I will be on a 10-week holiday in western Europe this late summer-fall. I am at a loss as to how many sport coats, shoes etc I should pack. I know that I will be able to ...
Reader question: Packing for a trip
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Evan Rose, (With apologies to all those who read and contribute to Style Forum for mentioning the brand again) these are Lodger desert boots. I promise I'm not trying to flog them to anyone! I just love them and the guys...
Black calf with popish purple
August 18th 2009Colour and its complements have always fascinated me. I think it began in art class. The idea of complementary colours (or contrasting ones, as the same pairs are also described – which has interesting ramifications in itself) I found wondrous....
Black calf with popish purple
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Great combo! Love these!...
Interview: Developing a love for clothes 2
August 13th 2009The second part of an interview with Olly Watkins, adventurer on the choppy seas of style. ( First part here.) What’s your favourite accessory right now? It’s a toss up between the shoes I am wearing, a new pair of brown Derbys from Barke...
Interview: Developing a love for clothes 2
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Der Mr. Crompton, My question is: can you offer some advice on traveling and packing for traveling and extended holidays? I will be on a 10 week holiday in Western Europe this late summer-fall. I am at a loss as to how m...
Interview: Developing a love for clothes
August 8th 2009My colleague Olly Watkins has become more and more interested in traditional menswear and permanent style in recent years. His journey, and the lessons he has learnt along the way, provide interesting perspective for new devotees to permanent style. ...
Interview: Developing a love for clothes
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really loving this site.. only found it last night, and already i've ordered some Gammarelli socks, and had my burgundy cords taken up at my local tailor. Its an addictive game this!! In the process myself of building a ...
How to wear brown shoes
July 29th 2009I am surprised how frequently the questions I am asked centre around one object of clothing: brown shoes. This is because men’s certainty about the alternative (black shoes) creates a spectrum of worries as to how, when and where they should be...
How to wear brown shoes
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Oh good! Lovely to hear Peter...
What is too “matchy-matchy”?
July 28th 2009Everyone knows that matching your tie to your handkerchief shows a lack of style, even more obviously a lack of imagination. Personally, I don’t even like matching a tie to my socks – still seems ever so slightly affected. So I’ve c...
What is too “matchy-matchy”?
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Today I matched my socks to the blue hands of my white faced watch, probably only me and the people who really examine my watch who notice it, but it feels good :)...
Trousers for bright shoes
July 22nd 2009Summer brings many things bright and unusual, one of which is shoes. They may be a normal colour but in suede, they may be a pale leather or they may be in adventurous and contrasting hues. I’ve had two questions in the past week asking about w...
Trousers for bright shoes
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Frequently asked questions
July 20th 2009“I’ve got a question for you – how do you gauge which patterns work well together across the tie, shirt and jacket?” “I’ve written about that before, it’s all about the density of the pattern.” “W...
Frequently asked questions
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CP, thanks for the comment. Could you please email me personally about this? [email protected] Thanks...
Chocolate brown with canary yellow
July 16th 2009It’s rather a shame that leather shoes are so often worn with suits. For nothing complements the patina of a well-polished leather more than strong colour. Grey and blue wools are all very elegant, and there are mutually beneficial combinations...
Chocolate brown with canary yellow
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No problem Edouard. I do like that colour combination, if you wear bright coloured socks as part of your style. But I don't really today, preferring something more subtle and tonal. It's tempting to play with strong colo...
Your pocket handkerchief is a collar
July 13th 2009One question I often get asked is how to pick out the colour of your pocket handkerchief. Well, I’ve written before ( here) about harmonising in colours rather than matching – essentially picking out a second colour other than your tie&rs...
Your pocket handkerchief is a collar
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From Russia with Love I believe...
Sporty, monochrome wedding
July 8th 2009Here’s a thought on wedding attire. It’s not really traditional and it doesn’t really fit with the rules. In that sense I suppose it is a way to break the rules. Anyway. I’ve written before how the default attire at a wedding ...
Sporty, monochrome wedding
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Reader question: Planning the week
July 5th 2009John, Los Angeles: Many of my colleagues laugh when I tell them I often pick out five days worth of clothes on Sunday evening. But I find that taking the time to select outfits for the week on Sunday and actually hanging them in the closet makes my m...
Reader question: Planning the week
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Thanks for the insight Simon. I am familiar with IFLR as I am a corporate finance lawyer. You have a very interesting sideline going here....
Get the basics right – it makes a big diffe...
July 1st 2009I am aware that as my interest in fine men’s clothes progresses, and my education improves, the subjects on which I write can become more esoteric, even academic. Witness recent posts on the Blake construction of shoes and the minutiae of darts...
Get the basics right – it makes a big diffe...
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Thanks Jeremy, nice idea...
The handkerchief is an anchor
June 29th 2009Bright colours often need reining in. Or perhaps anchoring is the right metaphor. Left on its own, a bright jacket (for example) can dominate an outfit and seem to float above it, rather than harmonising. It strikes the viewer as an individual item r...
The handkerchief is an anchor
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The White suit works the rest no...
Keep your jacket on
June 15th 2009Takizawa Shigeru makes beautiful suits and jackets. But while the style details of his tailoring stood out to me in a recent communication (particularly his emphasis on a very slim edge to the top of a jacket’s waist pocket), it was the philoso...
Keep your jacket on
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I'm afraid I personally think that's both antiquated and sexist, but it's just a personal view....
Interview: Patrick Grant, Norton & Sons
June 12th 2009A perennial topic on this site, and indeed other style fora, is how customers interact with their tailors when they have their first suit made. The customer thinks he knows what he wants but he can’t quite express it – at least not in the...
Interview: Patrick Grant, Norton & Sons
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This is great!! I look forward to reading more of the same!...