How a hat should fit (with Stephen Temkin fedora)
February 7th 2018Every man thinks hats don't suit him. Yet every man, of every shape and size, used to wear a hat - and they looked good. Conclusion: men don't know how to pick a hat. I know I've run through that before, but it bears repeating in the name of re-pop...
How a hat should fit (with Stephen Temkin fedora)
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I’m similar - I rarely wear them when travelling for those reasons...
Introducing: The Permanent Style watch cap
January 10th 2018As promised last year, the Permanent Style watch cap is finally available - it’s on the PS store, price £69 plus VAT, in navy or grey. It’s a collaboration I’ve been building to for a long time. As far back as 2014, I bought ...
Introducing: The Permanent Style watch cap
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Hello Simon. Yes I’m in touch with Lucas (PS Team). God willing it should work out perfectly. Thank you Simon & Lucas (PS Team) as always!...
High/low dressing
December 6th 2017The biggest potential pitfall with tailored dressing is looking fussy. Fussy is not sexy; it is not attractive. It is closely related to appearing ‘affected’ or ‘mannered’. Looking relaxed in clothing, on the other hand, is v...
High/low dressing
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Thank you. Perhaps something like a denim shirt with tailoring, or loafers with workwear chinos...
Pale summer colours (in vintage linen)
July 17th 2017This is a nice exercise in combining summery, pale colours. The challenge is being light and pale overall, while retaining enough contrast between shirt, jacket and trousers - both in colour and texture. The starting point is the jacket, made for m...
Pale summer colours (in vintage linen)
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thank you, much appreciated!...
Stòffa: Beautiful, refined, made-to-measure (and ...
March 15th 2017Last week, Agyesh Madan of Stòffa visited London for the first time, in a trunk show alongside Marcus Malmborg (Swedish agent for Eidos made-to-measure, among other things). Eidos is more of a known entity, and we will cover the service more ...
Stòffa: Beautiful, refined, made-to-measure (and ...
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I can't remember seeing that shade in person. If it is any lighter than that, it wouldn't look great with grey trousers, which is a bit of a limitation. In the image it does just about, but also with particular things el...
The Armoury: Do you know about the trousers?
March 1st 2017For many reasons - personal, business, product, sheer beauty of execution - I’ve long been a fan of The Armoury. They were therefore one brand I was particularly excited to get into our Savile Row pop-up shop. However, the things I wanted to f...
The Armoury: Do you know about the trousers?
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Yes, should be fine. No worries - any relevant post is good. Basically, it's nice to post questions somewhere wear another reader might have the same question in their mind...
How sartorial principles can apply to casual clot...
December 19th 2016This outfit, which was shot for the recent cover story of Plaza Uomo magazine, is probably one of the most casual ever featured on Permanent Style. Much like the first image of our popular ‘ Which office are you?’ post, it is the informa...
How sartorial principles can apply to casual clot...
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No, I have that milk colour and it's rather different - no melange and paler...
Cover story in Plaza Uomo
December 16th 2016These things always seem to come in bunches. First Esquire named me in a top 10 and now Plaza Uomo have published their latest edition, with a profile of me as the cover story. Plaza is a Swedish fashion magazine, and Plaza Uomo has an English ver...
Cover story in Plaza Uomo
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Hi Neil, Has your copy come through yet?...
The cap
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I am a 60cm, Jan, with what's called an 'extra long oval' shape. Detail on that here. With this cap, it happened come up a little large, so I was better with a 59. But no, there's nothing wrong with sizing up on a hat - ...
Stephen Temkin of Leon Drexler custom hats, Toronto
November 16th 2016For a home studio and workshop, Stephen Temkin's set up is pretty cool. He lives in a large house in downtown Toronto, Canada. The work is largely done in the basement (where the ironing and larger equipment is) and the third floor (trimmings, sewi...
Stephen Temkin of Leon Drexler custom hats, Toronto
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It is sewable by hand....slowly and carefully. Most hatters use a sewing machine as it is much less painstaking and the result more uniform....
A pale-grey jacket with green corduroy
November 14th 2016This outfit was used in a piece written recently for Drake's regarding corduroy. The piece mentions some of the associations that corduroy often carries, and ways to avoid them; basically, keeping the colours dark and the fit contemporary. But you...
A pale-grey jacket with green corduroy
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Yes, it probably would, and wouldn't wear them together today - see article here on outfits I'd wear differently...
How to dress pale colours for summer
July 27th 2016A reader recently commented that the site could do with some more practical pieces about putting clothes together – rather than commissioning them. I am deeply appreciative of such feedback. I do try to keep a balance between the...
How to dress pale colours for summer
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I’ve never tried cotton whipcord to be honest, so hard to say, only wool...
The stories of Lock & Co hatters
February 12th 2016Horatio Nelson first walked into Lock & Co hatters in November 1800. He had just returned from the Mediterranean, and came into the St James’s Street store to order a cocked hat and cockade. The two-cornered style – the same...
The stories of Lock & Co hatters
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And so there you have it. That's hilarious. There are some real gems hidden in the archived comments....
Eggert – Icelandic fur
January 6th 2014I have never been a big fan of fur. Not for any ethical reason, but simply because I have rarely found pieces that are subtle enough to appeal to me. The lambskin coat above, before you raise a quizzical eyebrow, does not count as subtle either. But ...
Eggert – Icelandic fur
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Can you recommend anywhere good now for fur accessories Simon?...
Men’s hats for winter
January 3rd 2014A reader recently asked me what hat I wear during the winter. It breaks down into three options: The trilby A ‘proper hat’, as many people seem to refer to it, a trilby or fedora is the default option with tailoring. I have worn Christy&r...
Men’s hats for winter
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I wouldn't really, no, but I can't say I've seen any that look stylish. Also I need something for the top of my head!...
How to buy a quality panama
July 12th 2013A well-made panama hat is an exquisite creation. Crafted from fine, closely woven straw, it is soft, cool and breathable, yet structured enough to hold an elegant shape. It is simple and supple – the result of one of the most delicate skills in...
Final panama hat from Brent Black
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Final panama hat from Brent Black
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I think that would be nice, yes. No need to match the ribbon that closely. If you did want something smarter, then a navy band would be nicer than a black one....
Christys’ hat video
December 28th 2012Following yesterday’s post on my visit to Christys, to see the making of a fedora, here is a video made last year by Christys showing the same process with a little more movement (and a thumping beat).
How a felt hat is made: Christys’ factory visitc
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How a felt hat is made: Christys’ factory visitc
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I ordered a hat from Christys recently , checked the label only to find that the item was.... You've guessed it.... Made in China. Some people may have no problem with that but I'm afraid I'm not one of them. To outsourc...
Christys’ hats, Witney
December 21st 2012Christys is one of a handful of hat makers left in the UK. It supplies Lock & Co and Bates (neither of whom make their own hats) as well as having its own label. For much of its history Christys was the largest hat maker in the UK, with over...
Christys’ hats, Witney
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Hi, i have a Christys Bowler which seems to have a commemorative interior relating to the The Great Exhibition 1851 to 1910. i would love to know its history as its unusual....
How panama hats are made
August 24th 2012Normal.dotm 0 0 1 628 3581 Euromoney PLC 29 7 4397 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false Following on from my post last week on having a hat made by Brent Black, here is a little background on the craft involved in making them. Next week we&...
How panama hats are made
Normal.dotm 0 0 1 628 3581 Euromoney PLC 29 7 4397 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false Following on from my post last week on having a hat made by Brent Black, here is a little background on the craft involved...
Brent Black panama hats
August 17th 2012I completely understand that the amount of money spent on handmade accessories can seem extravagant. Several people made comments along those lines regarding my Alfred Dunhill glasses case a few months ago. But if you have pursued a policy of investi...
Brent Black panama hats
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No problem - it's great to add to old posts. Brent is hugely superior in terms of quality and probably value. But I do find I don't wear his hats much just because the shape doesn't suit my head that well. It's the downs...
A Borsalino from Lock & Co – my second...
November 29th 2011I’ve had my first proper hat – the brown Voyager from Lock & Co written about here – for over a two years now and it’s been worn pretty intensively. Indeed, it could probably do with a re-blocking at some point. That ...
A Borsalino from Lock & Co – my second...
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Dark grey is the best starting point. The next alterative would be a dark brown...
Persian lamb collars and hats
January 3rd 2011With that coat, she should ask him in Esquire, February 1936: “The point is, it isn’t every guy can get a coat with a fur collar, from which we argue that it isn’t every gal can get a guy with a fur collared coat so we w...
Persian lamb collars and hats
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Hmmm! Persian Lamb could work as a lining and collar in an overcoat I'm planning. I looked into American Mink but it seems that it's incredibly difficult to look after (requires refrigeration)....
Of Homburgs, topcoats and fawn gloves
October 22nd 2010Something we predicted a year ago Esquire, March 1935: “In the March issue for 1934, we introduced the black Homburg to this country. We said then that it was an established English tradition, having already enjoyed, at that time, a London ...
Of Homburgs, topcoats and fawn gloves
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Isn't it better - it's certainly much easier - to wear any kind of hat with an overcoat (or raincoat) than with a suit alone? With the coat the look is classical - without it is (to me) plain anachronistic....
