For Men
A Jewel In Vienna: Wilhelm Jungmann Und Neffe
A recent trip to Vienna for a Central & Eastern Europe Finance Forum (don’t ask) was enlivened by the discovery of Wilhelm Jungmann und Neffe. A men’s outfitter of the first order, it has been supplying accessories, cloth and tailoring services to central European gentlemen for over 125 years.
I didn’t hold out much hope when [...]
Commonscents
It’s funny the things you suddenly realise you don’t know. As I made clear on Bespokeme this week, I’m on the hunt for new scents, having tired slightly of my current signature. The one thing I have learned is that it’s a whole other world out there, with its blogging enthusiasts as passionate and as [...]
A World Of Imagination Adjusted
One of my joyous memories of childhood is the extent to which I exercised, and was encouraged to employ, my imagination. Imagination was always my friend in solitude, a make-believe sunshine on a rainy day. Unfortunately, my rebellious teenage years corrupted the fantasy and my early twenties were years void of invention. Now, in my [...]
Searching For Quality Pants at Daffy’s, NYC
While in New York on a business trip, I decided to search for the much hyped Incotex and Mabitex pants to add to my business and casual wardrobe. For those unfamiliar with these brands, there is plenty of discussion in these pages as well as the internet fora. The mecca for the aforementioned trousers is [...]
Brand Review: Devonport
Who, where or what, you cry, is Devonport? Until a couple of weeks ago, I hadn’t the foggiest idea either. Google searches for ‘Devonport’ assist little. In fact, when you search for ‘Devonport clothing’ most of the results yielded are connected with New Zealand. So it transpired that I, sat in the smart waffle carpeted, [...]
The Week Ahead: North Sea Clothing
One of the tasks on my agenda this week is to score an interview with Neill Starr, the fellow behind London’s North Sea Clothing and the resurrection of the Submariner Jumper. I discovered this particular item on a recent visit to 14 Earlham Street, a vintage store just off Cambridge Circus, and have had a [...]
Where The Brace Buttons Should Be
I recently received my first braced suit. That is, one designed to be worn with braces, featuring a high waist and fish-tail back.
When I first wore the suit it seemed that the front two pairs of buttons were a little too far round to the side. They were more on my hip than under my [...]
The Nature of Appropriateness
Why is it that some items of clothing have transcended their originators or original purposes and others haven’t – or rather, why are we more squeamish about using them? When does adopting some item of kit become a matter of ‘all the gear, no idea’, or merely an acceptable appreciation of an aesthetic? And at [...]
Bespoke Shoes At Cleverley: Part 2
In the first part of this series, I described the measuring process for having a first pair of bespoke shoes made at GJ Cleverley. The second step, though of course it takes place in the same session, is deciding which material and model of shoe you would like.
Unless a client wants something very extraordinary, the [...]
Spring Things
For the northern hemisphere, this winter has been a singularly long and cold one; snowstorms, biting winds, city shutdowns and days off school. The Bing Crosby fantasy of the ‘magic’ of snowfall wore rather thin in the December blizzards and there were certainly no punters in Starbucks, as they cupped their lattes between their frozen [...]
