**UPDATE: The answers to the quiz are now listed at the bottom of this post. Don't peek if you want to try it out yourself first! The winner of the competition was Mathias Olsen. Well done to him.**

This is a spot of fun for Christmas Day. It should test your historical knowledge, your technical knowledge, and (most importantly, of course) your PS knowledge. 

It goes without saying that all of the answers are on the internet, somewhere. But looking each one up on Google, and then assiduously filling them in, is hardly much fun - let alone in the spirit of the thing. So rattle through it and see how much you know.

Answers on a postcard (actually, email is probably better) to [email protected]. The best responses will be put into a hat, and a winner drawn, with the prize a signed dedicated copy of Bespoke Style. 

I’ve deliberately picked questions that are fairly hard - on the edge of my own knowledge mostly. So don’t feel bad if you don’t know many of them. That’s when the learning starts!

Have fun. 

Round 1: Shoes

1. What last is the Alden LHS (above) most commonly made on?
2. What is an aiglet?
3. Is the Arca an oxford or a derby?
4. What is a ‘full grain’ leather?
5. What is the Spanish (and original) name for espadrilles?

Round 2: Dates

Give the founding years of the following companies. Aim to be within five years. Ten is just about acceptable.

1. Anderson & Sheppard
2. Saman Amel
3. John Smedley
4. Drake’s
5. Selfridge’s

Round 3: Countries of origin

1. Which cities are ‘jeans’ and ‘denim’ meant to be named after? 
2. Where is Duffel?
3. Paisley originated in one country, was imported in textiles from another, and named after a town in one more. Name all three. 
4. Relate one of the (at least two) potentially apocryphal stories of why the panama hat is called the panama hat. Even though it comes from Ecuador. 
5. The ‘blucher’ shoe was named after a general from which country? (Hint: Germany did not exist)

Round 4: Numbers

1. Is 25oz a more appropriate weight for a shirt, a jacket or a coat?
2. Which is thicker (all other things being equal), 30-gauge or 24-gauge knitwear?
3. What does the ‘super’ number in tailoring refer to?
4. Japanese size 25 shoes are equivalent to what US size?
5. What does ‘2x2’ refer to in woven cloth?

Round 5: People

1. Which 1930s movie star was best known for being equally comfortable in Western clothing and Hollywood glamour? 
2. Which brand of boots did Gianni Agnelli famously wear with a suit?
3. What did Fred Astaire occasionally wear instead of a belt?
4. What colour were Beau Brummell’s breeches (mostly)? 
5. Which US President was known for wearing contrast-collar shirts?

Round 6: Menswear trivia

1. Name three books by Alan Flusser, two by Bruce Boyer and one by Yoshimi Hasegawa
2. Are jackets trending towards looser or tighter, longer or shorter?
3. Who are the two founders of The Armoury?
4. Which two hot menswear streets in London both begin with the letter ‘C’?
5. Which colour (or non-colour) is enjoying a renaissance among menswear wearers/writers/people?

Round 7: The sprezz test

If you’re trying too hard to look like you’re not trying too hard, what do you do with:

1. A shirt collar under a roll neck
2. The buckles of a double-monk shoe
3. An overcoat
4. The points of a shirt collar, under a jacket
5. The buttoning of a double-breasted jacket

Round 8: How loyal a reader are you? (The self-indulgent section)

1. Which tailor made two jackets to compare, one MTM and one bespoke, in the same cloth?
2. Complete the post title: “I am not a XX”
3. Where was the image above taken?
4. What does the craftsman Sasuke make? 
5. What was the subject of the first Symposium?

Round 9: Style

1. Name two black-tie sins
2. Put the following fabrics in order of formality: cavalry twill, denim, wool gabardine, tweed, flannel
3. Which trouser colour is best at softening bright colours?
4. Which shirt colour does the same?
5. What is a wedding tie?

Round 10: Brand names

Which brands make the following products:

1. The Shannon boot
2. The Noa coat
3. The Hundred Series suit
4. The Arran scarf
5. The Isy sweater

How many did you get on your first try? How many did you friends/acquaintances/Instagram connections get? Is this your dream pub quiz - where you know the answers and no one else does?

Here's hoping it raised both a smile and an occasional furrowed brow.

Merry Christmas everyone.

ANSWERS

Round 1: Shoes

1. What last is the Alden LHS most commonly made on? Van
2. What is an aiglet? The metal or plastic part on the end of a shoelace
3. Is the Arca an oxford or a derby? Derby
4. What is a ‘full grain’ leather? One which has not had the top layer of hide taken off
5. What is the Spanish (and original) name for espadrilles? Alpargatas

Round 2: Dates

Give the founding years of the following companies. Aim to be within five years. Ten years is just about acceptable.

1. Anderson & Sheppard 1906
2. Saman Amel 2010
3. John Smedley 1784
4. Drake’s 1977
5. Selfridge’s 1909

Round 3: Countries of origin

1. Which cities are ‘jeans’ and ‘denim’ meant to be named after? Genoa and Nimes
2. Where is Duffel? Belgium
3. Paisley originated in one country, was imported in textiles from another, and named after one more. Name all three. Iran (Persia), India, Scotland
4. Tell one of the (at least two) potentially apocryphal stories of why the panama hat is called the panama hat. Even though it comes from Ecuador. 
   1. It was worn by FDR when visiting the Panama Canal
   2. It was mostly imported from Panama into Europe
5. The ‘blucher’ shoe was named after a general from which country? (Hint: Germany did not exist at the time) Prussia

Round 4: Numbers

1. Is 25oz a more appropriate weight for a shirt, a jacket or a coat? Coat
2. Which is thicker (all other things being equal), 30-gauge knitwear or 24-gauge? 24 
3. What does the ‘super’ number in tailoring refer to? The length of the fibres (not the fineness, that’s microns)
4. Japanese size 25 shoes are equivalent to what US size? 9
5. What does ‘2x2’ refer to in woven cloth? When two yarns in both the warp and the weft pass over and under each other

Round 5: People

1. Which 1930s movie star was best known for being equally comfortable in Western clothing and Hollywood glamour?  Gary Cooper
2. Which brand of boots did Gianni Agnelli famously wear with a suit? Tod’s
3. What did Fred Astaire occasionally wear instead of a belt? A necktie
4. What colour were Beau Brummell’s breeches (mostly)?  Buff 
5. Which US President was known for wearing contrast-collar shirts? Ronald Reagan

Round 6: Menswear trivia

1. Name three books by Alan Flusser, two by Bruce Boyer and one by Yoshimi Hasegawa
   1. Dressing the Man, Style and the Man, Ralph Lauren etc
   2. Elegance, True Style, Gary Cooper etc
   3. Bespoke Style etc
2. Are jackets trending towards looser or tighter? Looser
3. Who are the two founders of The Armoury? Mark Cho and Alan See
4. Which two hot menswear streets in London both begin with the letter ‘C’? Clifford Street and Chiltern Street
5. Which colour (or non-colour) is enjoying a renaissance among menswear wearers/writers/people? Black

Round 7: The sprezz test

If you’re trying too hard to look like you’re not trying too hard, what do you do with:

1. A shirt collar under a roll neck Pop it up
2. The buckles of a double-monk shoe Leave one undone
3. An overcoat Drape it over the shoulders
4. The points of a shirt collar, under a jacket Let one flip up outside of the lapel
5. The buttoning of a double-breasted jacket Leave one button undone, often the jigger button

Round 8: How loyal a reader are you? (The self-indulgent section)

1. Which tailor made two jackets to compare, one MTM and one bespoke, in the same cloth? Eduardo de Simone
2. Complete the post title: “I am not a XX” Gentleman
3. Where was the image above taken? Peebles
4. What does the craftsman Sasuke make?  Scissors and knives
5. What was the subject of the first Symposium? Shoes

Round 9: Style

1. Name two black-tie sins
   1. Not covering the waist
   2. Wearing a coloured bow tie or cummerbund
2. Put the following fabrics in order of formality: cavalry twill, denim, wool gabardine, tweed, flannel Wool gabardine, cavalry twill, flannel, tweed, denim
3. Which colour of trouser is best at softening bright colours? Grey
4. Which colour of shirt does the same? Light blue
5. What is a wedding tie? A black and white tie with a small check or herringbone pattern, appearing grey

Round 10: Brand names

Which brands make the following products:

1. The Shannon boot Edward Green
2. The Noa coat Berg & Berg
3. The Hundred Series suit The Armoury
4. The Arran scarf Begg
5. The Isy sweater Connolly