Reader profile: James

February 14th 2024

James is a reader I met in Korea last year. A friend of our host Sam Ahn, he joined us for dinner on the last night with Assisi. James has been a customer of various bespoke tailors for about 10 years, but has largely settled down to using Sartoria...

Reader profile: James

Match in comments:
I think it was a seasonal Italian bunch, like a Loro Piana, so the same ones won't necessarily be available anymore I'm afraid. That kind of taupe-coloured cashmere isn't too had to find though...

StyleFebruary 14th 2024

The Guide to Tweed: Bunches

December 6th 2023

In our voluminous Guide to Cloth series , we’ve already done an article on tweed. But that was about the history, the style and a little about the types. There was no mention of bunches. Today’s article takes on that introduction, fleshes...

The Guide to Tweed: Bunches

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That’s a big help as I love the Fox Tweed Dark green POW check and the some of the dark blue choices in same POW check. Nicely saturated with various colors mixed in the design. Best, Robert...

ClothDecember 6th 2023

On baseball caps – and logos in general

September 18th 2023

Baseball caps are, in many ways, the lazy option for headwear. They’re ubiquitous, they’re cheap and they go with everything. I completely understand those that fight the good fight for brimmed hats, and feel it necessary to attack ball ...

On baseball caps – and logos in general

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Caps are ubiquitous, but they work. The real sartorial mishap is in two of these photos: the turned up, quarter zip sweater. The uniform of the purgatory that is "Casual Friday"....

HatsSeptember 18th 2023

Should you buy a copy? What’s the harm?

September 13th 2023

A few weeks ago, a reader asked my opinion on a pair of suede boots that were clearly a copy of the popular Open Walk from Loro Piana . That soft, unlaced chukka has become so widespread in a few short years that some don’t even recognise them...

Should you buy a copy? What’s the harm?

Match in comments:
Well I'd argue there's another point on top of this one to make. Quality. Recently, my wife needed a pair of new shoes. She previously had both a pair of Clark's, and a pair of "More expansive brand" (to respect anonymit...

September 13th 2023

The guide to hopsack (and mesh, mock leno and bas...

July 7th 2023

Hopsack and similar materials are a good choice for summer blazers - sharp jackets usually made in smart colours, such as navy. The materials don’t vary that much, even if the weaves themselves are different. A mesh in a classic menswear dark...

The guide to hopsack (and mesh, mock leno and bas...

Match in comments:
I just received my jacket made with the same cloth. It's early days, but it's probably my favourite one to-date. I was a bit concerned that I'd made the wrong choice and that the colour would be too light, but as you say...

ClothJuly 7th 2023

A guide to wool/silk/linen: Mixes, colours, bunches

May 10th 2023

My Brioni jacket in a cream beige wool/silk/linen Wool/silk/linen blends have been a favourite for summer jackets for many years, although in the UK they only started to be offered about 10 years ago. More recently, English mills have also started ...

A guide to wool/silk/linen: Mixes, colours, bunches

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I wouldn't think the weight would be a problem JP, it could work well for a suit...

ClothMay 10th 2023

To whisper with your clothes – or why I’m f...

March 13th 2023

By Andreas Weinas This headline might be one of the more confusing ones to have appeared on Permanent Style, but bear with me. Simon reached out to me at the beginning of the year, asking if I wanted to do a piece on PS about something I found parti...

To whisper with your clothes – or why I’m f...

Match in comments:
It's a nuanced question, it would require a full post at some point if it's worth discussing...

Style - WatchesMarch 13th 2023

A guide to brands of unstructured jacket

February 7th 2022

By Manish Puri Whilst soft tailoring is hardly a new concept, there’s something about unstructured tailoring that feels particularly in sync with modern life: it’s indisputably more casual, reframes imperfections as characteristics, is l...

A guide to brands of unstructured jacket

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Manish/ Simon, I don’t suppose you’ve ever tried the Sunspel unstructured blazer? At £350, it seems to me pretty cheap compared to where the majority of their products sit in terms of pricing (although I’m no expe...

JacketsFebruary 7th 2022

Behind the scenes at the Loro Piana factory

February 8th 2021

When we were talking about Loro Piana on a recent post, a reader inquired about the manufacture and what I knew about it. I thought it would be interesting, therefore, to publish in full this chapter from The Finest Menswear in the World , my book f...

Behind the scenes at the Loro Piana factory

Match in comments:
Nothing's manufactured in Mongolia, that's where the cashmere is sourced from. As with everyone - except Loro Piana are pretty much the only one to do the sourcing themselves...

KnitwearFebruary 8th 2021

The height of knitwear: why necklines matter

December 18th 2020

A couple of weeks ago we talked about necklines on knitwear - as part of the article on mock necks . I thought it would be interesting to take a closer look at this, in particular the effect of different heights of crewneck. Just as with the colla...

The height of knitwear: why necklines matter

Match in comments:
Cheers John...

KnitwearDecember 18th 2020

Casual chic: The art of looking smart without a suit

July 22nd 2020

Connolly I often find there's a lot of anxiety among readers, and consultancy clients, about how to dress smartly without tailoring. It is, of course, a topic we've addressed many times. But today I'd like to emphasise a point that’s often mi...

Casual chic: The art of looking smart without a suit

Match in comments:
I do both Tamesh, sometimes mixing it up and sometimes wearing much more similar pieces together...

Casual clothingJuly 22nd 2020

The best cloths of Spring/Summer 2020 – fea...

March 16th 2020

The headline news in this season’s round-up is the launch of Anglo-Italian cloth . That’s right, the shop that does MTM tailoring is also selling cloth that customers can take elsewhere to have made. The move was spurred, according to ...

The best cloths of Spring/Summer 2020 – fea...

Match in comments:
Probably not Dennis to be honest, the reception of them generally wasn't that great, and 90% of the questions I get are about classic cloths rather than seasonal ones, or new unusual bunches. There's probably a better ar...

ClothMarch 16th 2020

Interview with Michel Barnes – and L’...

December 2nd 2019

I think L'Étiquette is the best menswear magazine in the world at the moment. The main reason is its ability to cover bespoke tailoring and high-street casual - Caraceni and Converse - in a way that feels both easy and relevant. This applies ...

Interview with Michel Barnes – and L’...

Match in comments:
Hi. If someone wants to flaneur, let him flaneur away. I agree that Mr. Barnes is ever seeking his perfect imperfection. All power to him. Everyone has to have their passion or quest. Mine is finding the perfect thifted ...

StyleDecember 2nd 2019

The weekend capsule wardrobe

November 13th 2019

  A weekend wardrobe can be a particular challenge for guys that care about their clothes. It should be relaxed and easy – not requiring much thought, and a nice change from the working week – yet cover a wide array of activities...

The weekend capsule wardrobe

Match in comments:
No I think that sounds right Dan, and pleased the advice helped...

StyleNovember 13th 2019

The best cloths of Autumn/Winter 2019

October 21st 2019

This series started as a way to highlight cloths from the hyper-seasonal collections - usually Italian - that came and went within a few months. The impulse was that readers often saw something I had had made, and asked what the cloth was - but by ...

The best cloths of Autumn/Winter 2019

Match in comments:
The suit or tailoring is whether we like it or not on a decline. Many corporate offices no longer require a suit or even a blazer / jacket unless you are meeting clients. On the street suits and blazer / jackets are rare...

ClothOctober 21st 2019

The best cloths of Spring/Summer 2019

March 22nd 2019

This is the latest instalment in our series highlighting my favourite new seasonal cloths - providing a heads-up to readers on those that will mostly only be around for six months. It’s interesting to see how the ranges develop. While Cacciopp...

The best cloths of Spring/Summer 2019

Match in comments:
I do understand. No worries. Thanks again Lindsay...

ClothMarch 22nd 2019

The best cloths of Autumn/Winter 2018

October 19th 2018

This is the second post we've done highlighting our favourite cloths from new seasonal bunches. The first, on Spring/Summer 2018, is here. Unfortunately the bunches come in late in the season, but there's still probably time to use these recommendat...

The best cloths of Autumn/Winter 2018

Match in comments:
Thanks!...

Cloth - October 19th 2018

Filling the gaps: Six pairs of odd trousers

April 18th 2018

If shirts are the items in a man’s wardrobe where he wants most predictability and consistency, then trousers are undoubtedly second. In that spirit, over the past year I have regularly commissioned odd trousers (‘odd’ as in separa...

Filling the gaps: Six pairs of odd trousers

Match in comments:
Well I'd hope it's not a question of fashions. Yes those are still great, though personally I prefer the Ascot bunch from Drapers, probably the four ply...

TrousersApril 18th 2018

The best cloths of Spring/Summer 2018

April 16th 2018

Great as our Guide to Cloth series is, it deliberately doesn’t recommend specific cloths in specific bunches. This is largely because bunches change regularly (sometimes every six months) and if we did, the Guide would quickly be out of date. ...

The best cloths of Spring/Summer 2018

Match in comments:
It depends a lot on the trouser. With high-twist wools, no. With flannel or tailoring cottons, yes quite a lot...

ClothApril 16th 2018

Finest Knitwear available again – in navy a...

October 25th 2017

Our Finest Knitwear, which we created earlier this year, is back in a second batch with a new colour. Alongside the navy fine-merino knitwear - in crewneck and V-neck - there is now also a dark, muted green that I picked for its versatility. Both ar...

Finest Knitwear available again – in navy a...

Match in comments:
How wonderful, thanks for letting me know Michael...

October 25th 2017

Our Autumn knitwear Top 10

October 11th 2017

The survey we did of Spring/Summer pieces in the shops was very popular back in June. This Autumn/Winter, therefore, we thought we’d do two separate ones - the first (today) on winter knitwear, and the second on casual winter coats. As with th...

Our Autumn knitwear Top 10

Match in comments:
Hi Sebastian, Bear in mind that Scott & Charters was unusual in selling direct to retail as a mill, and I think over time they've proven why, as it's a hard model for a factory to do if they don't invest in the retail si...

KnitwearOctober 11th 2017

The cap

November 30th 2016

If styled right, a cap is a wonderfully useful accessory. Not as formal as a fedora, yet not as casual as a beanie, it can bridge a greater range of outfits than any other hat. When the temperature is in single figures, and your lack of hair makes a...

The cap

Match in comments:
No worries Jay, no post is ever too old! It depends a bit on what else you wear, but I guess a dark-grey or mid-grey herringbone perhaps? Something with a little pattern but not too much, in a conservative colour, and pr...

HatsNovember 30th 2016

Your next sports jacket: Oatmeal cashmere from El...

April 13th 2016

This pale, oatmeal-coloured cashmere is my new favourite sports-jacket material. When men are picking colours for sports jackets, their second choice (after the obviousness of navy) is usually grey. Which can be great, in: a rougher, preppy herrin...

Your next sports jacket: Oatmeal cashmere from El...

Match in comments:
I think that could like nice Wes, yes, in the right cut/style of jacket....

Jackets - ShoesApril 13th 2016

Interview: Pier-Luigi Loro Piana

December 23rd 2015

Long-time readers will know how much of a fan I am of Loro Piana. In particular, of their marked commitment to quality compared to other designers – even if that comes with the same big-brand prices. I’ve worn their blousons, gilets...

Interview: Pier-Luigi Loro Piana

Match in comments:
It's always a pleasure...

KnitwearDecember 23rd 2015

Double-breasted checks, and cream trousers

October 30th 2015

A couple of readers commented on the collar of my Anderson & Sheppard suit in our recent video, ‘How to look after your suit’. A&S have always cut a particularly thick collar (1.75 inches at the back for me), an...

Double-breasted checks, and cream trousers

Match in comments:
Thank you, most helpful...

StyleOctober 30th 2015