Morning dress is an area I’ve always found fascinating, but never have occasion to wear myself. I do want to have some guidance on Permanent Style, however - so when Aleks Cvetkovic told me he was having morning dress made for the first time, I as...

By Aleks Cvetkovic Welcome to the basted fitting for the bespoke morning suit by Whitcomb & Shaftesbury that we referenced in the first instalment of this series. As mentioned previously, the coat is cut in traditional black featherweave worsted...

This great coat from Edward Sexton is probably the most unusual model in this series, which has been looking at the styles of my various bespoke coats, in particular how they are cut and made. Sexton coats tend to have a bit of drama to them anyway,...

y Aleks Cvetkovic Having now been to my first Royal Ascot, it strikes me that the hardest thing to do with morning dress is to get the details right, and in so doing capture a kind of comfortable ‘old school’ elegance without looking like you’r...

When we went to see Nicoletta Caraceni (above) in Milan recently, she had been approached several times by the Italian media to speak about the death of Silvio Berlusconi, who was a customer for much of his life.  She didn’t want to talk on TV, bu...

A friend of mine once told me about regular meetings with Prince Charles (as he then was). Assembled at Clarence House, a team of six would wait in a shockingly cold room, to the extent that anyone who was near a window could see their breath. Charle...

Many of those attending a wedding this summer will feel they should have some sort of summery outfit, a linen suit perhaps, or at least something sporty in pale grey. Those who turn up in their dark blue business suit will probably feel a little unde...

I 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 mornin...

This is the fourth article in our Guide to Suit Style. You can see the full contents so far, and browse between them, on the right-hand side of this post. How many buttons should I have on a single-breasted jacket? Just as hard a...

My tailor, Russell, recently lent me the tailoring book he was passed by his old boss at Kashket’s, the military tailors, when he retired. Dan and Russell still use it for reference on particularly unusual jobs like riding britches or certain coats...

The tailoring that four TV presenters were wearing this weekend - to host the first FA Cup semi-final - were an interesting illustration of what I think men find challenging in tailoring today.  For non-English readers, the FA Cup is the big knockou...

--> Calvo de Mora has a reputation for being a little younger in style that other bespoke tailors in Madrid, such as Reillo and Larrainzar. It lacks Larrainzar’s royal and political client list as well, but is the tailor for the famously well...

Jose Maria Reillo was one of the tailors I visited recently in Madrid. As elsewhere in the city, I was impressed by both the standard of work – which rarely gets any attention – and the innovative attitude.The Reillo style can be seen from the si...

It must be the season for planning weddings. Not only did one of my best friends get engaged (congratulations Henry) I had two questions this week about what to wear as a groom. KL: Mr Crompton, I’m an avid reader of your blog and I’ve loved you...

The Victoria & Albert Museum – London’s best if you are interested in style and decoration – is running an exhibition on the Golden Age of Couture, 1947-1957. The exhibits of vintage Dior, Balenciaga and Balmain gowns are fascinating: the relen...

This is Giovanni Barberis Organista, tailor to the Vitale Barberis Canonico family. The two families are only distantly related (the last two names are both surnames, indicating a split at some point). More importantly, Giovanni’s family have made ...

Permanent Style prides itself on honest reviews of clothing.  Please be reassured that this policy continues in this piece on Michael Browne. Despite the fact that there are basically no negative points. There's just hardly anything bad to say (othe...

 You're more likely to see odd waistcoats being worn badly than well.Because they usually don't fit, and nothing is less forgiving than a waistcoat. Because they are often, bizarrely, worn in bright patterns and colours. And because, essentially, m...

Although as we discussed last week, the fit of a jacket is probably the most important - and flattering - part of tailoring, a waistcoat is in some ways the most satisfying. Of all the tailored garments, it is the one that sits closest to the body, ...

Ferdinando Caraceni is one of the world's best-regarded bespoke tailors, based in Milan. It has been run since his death in 2004 by Ferdinando's daughter, Nicoletta, and they have made me three jackets over the past 10 years. You can see them and oth...

Pitti is a long trade show: four full days, when most are usually three. As a result, by Friday everyone is exhausted, with selling, talking, and late dinners. Although it does depend on why you’re there. Most people fall into one of three groups: ...

Just before Christmas I was in Kilgour, taking a look at a few of the new models the tailor is putting out, both in formal ready to wear and under its newly revitalised Bernard Weatherill brand.During that wander, I got chatting to cutter Del Smith a...

The way Keith tells it, in the late eighties the Royal Household had a decision to make. The livery of the Household and Royal Mews was in pretty poor shape. It had largely been made in 1902 (for the coronation of Edward VII), some had been remade in...

MC: Simon, I’m interested in your thoughts on a waistcoat pairing for my upcoming wedding. My tuxedo is single button, peak lapel (grosgrain). I have flexibility on the shirt style (wing or standard collar) and the waistcoat. Would you recommend a ...

Criticism of what people wear to black-tie events tends to focus on obvious sins: wearing a lounge suit, wearing a coloured tie and wearing a long tie instead of a bow (though this is less objectionable than one may think). These are some of the bigg...