The Armoury: Do you know about the trousers?
For 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 feature weren’t perhaps the most obvious.
Yes, there are some Frank Clegg bags (totes and garment carriers that use a hardy and waterproof sun-umbrella canvas alongside the leather).
Yes, there are the instantly recognisable Armoury lapel chains (in a variety of designs and finishes).
And yes, there is an actual Ortus folio case - in deep-brown calf with green stitching.
But I wanted to get in the trousers. More specifically, the chinos and the jeans.
I picked up a pair of Armoury chinos in New York over a year ago, and they have quickly become my favourite casual trousers.
Made in Hong Kong from a sturdy cotton twill, they wear in beautifully (akin to denim) and are now incredibly comfortable.
They have a high rise and a relatively wide leg - for me, to wear with knitwear and trainers therefore, not a jacket and dress shoes.
And they are in the shop in tan, green and navy.
The jeans are a little more complicated. Also made in Hong Kong, from Japanese denim, there are two styles: the ‘bar tack’ and ‘sixties’ styles.
The former (shown above) is a once-washed denim, has a straight leg, and sits just above the hips. Named after the crossed bar tacks on the top corners of its back pockets, it is perhaps a more conventional modern jean.
It also comes in a white denim.
The ‘sixties’ style is more unusual, and more me. It is made in a raw denim and has a high rise - which is much more useful with tailoring - and a slightly wider leg.
That leg, though, is still relatively narrow and it’s the jean I would pick to wear with a soft-shouldered jacket.
Which segues into… the range of soft to very-soft navy jackets in the store that, frankly, would fit the lifestyle of any man, no matter how formal or casual.
There are three Drake’s jackets - a navy hopsack jacket, a navy tweed jacket and a navy jersey - and then the Armoury Teba jacket, which is the most casual of the lot (above - and known as 'The City Hunter').
A full range, from smart to sweater.
The City Hunter, by the way, is a real upgrade on a normal Teba jacket, blending the style with Japanese fabric and construction.
The wool/cashmere mix has a luxurious feel with ample stretch from the jersey knit. And it uses a 'seamless' technique to join parts (such as the shoulder) where the body presses against the garment, removing any extra thickness that would normally be created by the seam.
These are the last few the Armoury has, but more are coming (in the navy and an olive colour) in May. I'd also recommend sizing down - I wear a 46 (size 36 chest) in it.
Photography: Jamie Ferguson @jkf_man
Hi Simon
What are the trouser prices (and do you have any photos of the chinos?)
And please can you have a link displaying your hours?
Chinos are 210, denim is 295. No photos of chinos yet but we can take some.
Details are on the original shop post, but yes we should put them on every post. It’s Tuesday to Saturday, 10 to 6, and to 7pm on Thursdays
Im looking for a great pair of Raw Denim that I can break in and mould to me, used to love PRPS which are now very difficult to find and these look great. I went to the website but there was no information there…? where can I buy outside of London HKG and NY
Those tebas are beautiful, how much are they?
£600, including European shipping of you want one sent
Simon
do you know what the weight of these teba jackets were? Or what weight a cloth needs to be if I were to commission? Would 10 oz be too little?
No, sorry, but I’d certainly go for something heavier than 10oz. More like 13oz and up (unless you want a summery, safari-jacket-like one)
Great thanks. Would 11/12 be ok for summery? sorry for posting here btw, always difficult to know where!
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
Do you know who makes drakes jackets? Or is it a trade secret
Belvest. Used to be Caruso
Hi there – this whole shop idea is great – sadly being in Australia will just have to make do with these posts. I was wondering if you could expand on/clarify this comment: “They have a high rise and a relatively wide leg – for me, to wear with knitwear and trainers therefore, not a jacket and dress shoes.”
The width of the leg is more than most dress trousers (certainly mine), which makes them look more casual, and means I wouldn’t wear them with other smarter pieces of clothing
Seeking clarification on the Drake’s jackets: The hopsack one you are carrying, is that the one Drake’s call the “Basketweave”? And the lovely thick textured one in the last photo, behind the brown glen check, is that the tweed?
Yes and yes
Have you compared their washed cashmere in navy with the other three?
No, not directly
I bought a pair of the chinos last month in HK, and they are perfect. They also work well with rugged boots. Haven’t tried it yet but could imagine they might work well with a neapolitanean tweed jacket…
I haven’t washed mine yet and are a bit scared about that. How do you wash yours? And did you experience any shrinkage?
I washed them at 30 and hung to dry. No shrinkage, and nice softening of the cotton.
Hi Simon. How much are the lapel chains?
They’re all £300 – in silver, gold plated or rose-gold plated
Hi Simon, how would the Armoury chinos compare with those of Incotex? Same price point I believe as well.
Similar quality, but big difference in style.
The Armoury ones are cut higher in the rise and wider in the leg. Incotex are slim, even the classic cut, and a regular rise at best.
The Armoury cotton is rawer, designed to be worn in and age well. Incotex (like most chinos) are garment washed, designed to look like they’re worn right from the start.
Overall, Incotex ones are also (partly as a result of these points) dressier.
Simon, could you please quantify the difference between this higher rise and a regular one? And how wide are the legs? I could not find this information on the Armoury site. And do you adjust the lenght of your trousers to the width or all the same lenghtwise?
Hi Martin, I’ll get Richard in the shop to supply this, and publish here.
I roll up these casual trousers, so length not a concern, but you can had them altered at Drake’s easily. I have mine pretty much all the same length.
Simon
Hi Martin,
Sorry this is a bit late, but the measurements are:
60s style: Rise 26.5cm, Circumference of leg opening 43cm
Bar tack: Rise 23cm, Circumference of leg opening 40cm
Hi Simon, do you take your regular size in the chinos? Since they run full, The Armoury suggest taking a size down as a possible alternative to your regular size.
Yes, i take a size down
Hi!
Do you keep a selection of shoes (samples) from Stefano Bemer at the store? And if so, is it possible to order?
No, it was only available during their trunk show I’m afraid.
That´s too bad. However, I am visiting London next weekend and will be visiting the store. Are you going to be there on Friday or Saturday during the opening hours?
Also, do you stock the peacoat from Drakes?
On Saturday, yes.
I can check on the peacoat – I don’t believe we currently have it in.
We have just sent down a few sizes, so feel free to pop in any time to try them.
Hi Simon,
I’m interested by the Franck Clegg tote bag above and I unfortunately can’t find it on their website. Would it be possible to tell how much is it and if it would be possible to have it sent in the EU?
Thanks you very much!
It is £700, and yes it can be shipped anywhere in the EU, for free
Are you also carrying the brown Drake’s glen check jacket (seen in the photo above)? How would you wear it?
We were carrying that, yes, but the pop-up shop had its last day on Saturday.
The jacket is very versatile and can be worn in lots of ways – with grey flannels, with jeans, with cream chinos…