Grey Fox's new suit

I've been reporting on the progress of my three piece tweed suit from Susannah Hall tailors. Today I went for the final fitting - here's the result. A few tiny tweaks yet to be done, but I will be wearing it at Best of Britannia at the end of this week. I will be there on Friday all day and Saturday morning and I hope to meet many friends while there (I will be at Susannah Hall's stand for some of the time).

The quality of the cut and tweed (from Hunter's Tweed) is obvious. It feels very comfortable to wear, I felt immediately at home in it. The checks meet precisely and the details, such as beautiful horn buttons, add to the overall look of the suit. Contact Susannah Hall with tailoring queries.

See Hunter's Tweed for information on their range of estate and other tweeds. Here's Best of Britannia.

I'm grateful to Susannah for doing a bulk deal for me and my three identical twin brothers; we're pictured admiring our suits below.

For my reports on the making of the suit see here.

Spoke chinos - a good fit and made in Hoxton, England

None of us is the same size and few clothing manufacturers pay much more than lip service to this fact. I recently ordered a pair of chinos (British-made, note) from Spoke whose unique selling point is the effort they make to cater for different sizes.

They do this by asking for details of not only your size, but also your build - and they'll send you a tape measure of you need one. The sizes progress in increments of 1 inch between 30" and 36", so there is generally a size and fit for all.

Mine are navy blue and are a comfortable, slim, but not too slim, cut. The fabric is a soft Italian fabric which comes in a variety of colours. Best of all, they're stitched together in Hoxton, London - so these are genuine British-made trousers - all for £79.

 See Spoke's website for more information.

With thanks to Spoke for providing a pair of trousers for use in this review

Desirable Objects 5 - my Fox Hunt Menswear bespoke pullover

My favourite sleeveless pullover is from Fox Hunt Menswear, who make bespoke knitwear of astonishing quality. Using archive patterns, these jumpers somehow combine modernity with the reassuring familiarity of the type of pullovers my grandfather used to wear. Being bespoke, mine fits perfectly. All are hand-knitted (no machines) in Britain.

I'll let the images speak for themselves. To find out more, visit Fox Hunt's website. Don't be put off by the young models, these look great on men of any age - and I know that Julija, Fox Hunt's talented founder and designer, is on the lookout for older models for her next shoot.

Grey Fox in his favourite pullover

For more in the Grey Fox Desirable Objects series please click here.

Recreating the Look - Gianni Agnelli

The purpose of this occasional Recreating the Look series is not to guarantee that you will look like those featured. Style is much more than a shirt, suit and tie. The longer I blog, the more I realise that style is a state of mind - a confidence, comfort and self-assurance - that communicates itself through your dress, carriage and attitude. With some that comes naturally; with others it takes years. So, read this post, but I can't guarantee you'll look as good as Gianni Agnelli, once head of the Fiat empire.

In all these shots he wears simple tweeds, shirts and ties. All are marked by a classic monochrome simplicity, the quality of the cut  - and the panache with which Agnelli wears them. This demonstrates to me that it's unnecessary to overindulge in pattern, colour or fashion to be stylish. Below I have selected some clothes which are my interpretation of Agnelli's style. What do you think?

At the bottom of this post I've added an image showing how I have recreated the look using clothes from Marks & Spencer. 

See another from my Recreating the Look series here.

Paul Smith

Marwood pocket square

Hackett

Thom Browne

Margaret Howell

John Lobb

Finally, below Grey Fox tries the look - all clothes from Marks & Spencer - Moon tweed Sartorial jacket, Heritage grey wool tie and Sartorial 2-fold cotton shirt - total cost around £170.

Images of clothes above from Mr Porter - bottom image Grey Fox, others unknown.

Boutonnière London - floral buttonholes for men of style

There was a time when no self-respecting gentleman would be seen without a flower in his buttonhole. Now usually confined to weddings, I'd love to see this charming habit revived for daily use. Unfortunately, I'm told by Chris Harrap, founder of Boutonnière London, that few florists now have the skills to wire and prepare a flower for buttonhole use.

Contemplating the absence of floral boutonnières in Savile Row one day, Chris came up with the idea of creating something that would enable us to use the redundant buttonholes in our jacket lapels again for purposes other than Remembrance Day poppies.

Chris takes up the story,

In 2013, after much research, design and dedication, we finally completed our collection of finely crafted porcelain Boutonnieres. Handmade in Italy by a family business of artisans, using Capidomonte porcelain, this fine yet surprisingly strong material allows for intricate detailing of each individual petal. Each flower is then mated to a unique clasp, made [ed. in Sheffield] to our registered design, the shape of which not only ensures a sound grip on the suit without piercing (and therefore potentially damaging the fabric), but also remains hidden beneath the flower itself when in situ and affords ample space for the owner to add personalised engraving on the reverse of the clasp.

Boutonnière - Italian porcelain and Sheffield stainless steel

Chris kindly lent me one for the launch party of Rose Callahan's book, I am Dandy: The Return of the Elegant Gentleman, an event idea for this product. There it was much admired. It is a thing of real delicacy and beauty, as the photos show. Others are fast discovering these beautiful objects and Chris has additionally been working to produce red roses for a major sports team and poppies for Remembrance Day. 

These are objects of great craftsmanship and beauty. To find out more, visit The Boutonnière London website.

I am Dandy: The Return of the Elegant Gentleman - a must for your bookshelf

Earlier this week the British launch of Rose Callahan's new book, I am Dandy: The Return of the Elegant Gentleman was held at Gieves and Hawkes, No.1 Savile Row.

I've written about Rose before (see my previous post here) and met her earlier this year in London. Based in New York , she has for a while been documenting the dandy, the man who exceeds in taste and sartorial style. This book collects some of her best images with a vibrant and thoughtful commentary written by Nathaniel Adams.

This is more than street style photography, which tends (with some marked exceptions) to record style and clothing while ignoring the personalities of the subjects. Here Rose sensitively and skilfully brings out the character of her sitters, while displaying the exceptional quality and sumptuousness of what they're wearing.

Rose Callahan - image Grey Fox

She is clearly fascinated by these gentlemen and, more widely, by the meaning and definition of the word dandy. I remember discussing with her whether the word carries subtly different meanings here and in her native US - I think we decided that it did - but in whatever country he is, the dandy has to have courage. Some dress quietly for public display, preserving their more eccentric dress for private or internet display; others feel able to live their lives as dandies. Nathaniel Adam's text nicely complements the images, telling us more about the characters shown in Rose's images.

This is a book to read through, then revisit regularly. It's not the type of book that is bought and then languishes on the shelf. Like dandies themselves, it demands to be looked at and admired. I recommend it to anyone interested in elegance.

Even if you don't dress so boldly, you will learn a lot from the quality of the clothes and the dandy's eye for detail will inform your own search for style, however conservative or flamboyant. I'm learning much from this wonderful book - it's a masterpiece of writing and photography.

Available from all good bookshops and online at Waterstones and others.

Oh, and the Gieves & Hawkes launch party was excellent - although it was easy to feel under-dressed.

Some of the dandies featured in the book gather at the party - Grey Fox image from Instagram. Rose and Nathaniel at back L & R

The history of the three-piece suit - a video by The Museum of London

The History of the Three Piece Suit (and how it was created in London). A video by Curator of Fashion at The Museum of London, Timothy Long.

British Menswear - Grey Fox in British Airway's First Life magazine

I was delighted when British Airways asked me to write a piece on the revival British menswear for their First Life magazine. The September/October Fashion Issue is now available.

To read it you will either have to grab a copy when you next fly BA first class, or download a copy from iTunes here. The design of the publication is outstanding and it looks superb on an iPad.

[See Grey Fox's list of suppliers of British-made menswear and accessories here].

Orange - Grey Fox unpeels THE colour for Autumn

Men are now more willing to use colour in their wardrobes, whether in bright blocks or, more discretely, by showing small splashes in socks, ties or pocket squares. Orange, formerly the colour of choice of oil rig and railway workers and health and safety inspectors, is now available in a wide selection of hues for us all to enjoy and is seen in many of this autumn/winter menswear collections.

Sweater Musto - socks Marko John's. What do you think? (With apologies to that wonderful and talented stylist Sarah Gilfillan of Sartoria Lab who bears no responsibility for this post at all).

Sweater Musto - socks Marko John's
Image Grey Fox

Older men in fashion advertising

I've been updating my Pinterest board where I'm collecting images of older men in fashion advertising.

Why do I do that? Because they're a rare sight and we need to persuade the myopic menswear industry that they'll get access to a large and very affluent customer demographic if they advertise to men over 40. Men of that age group can lose confidence as they see high street shops selling largely to younger men. A little encouragement, in the form of advertising acknowledging that a) older men exist, and b) they can be stylish too, will encourage them to buy.

I'd be grateful if you'd pay my Pinterest board a visit and, if you know any more (like this example by Hackett), please let me know.

The Tailor's art - Ken Austin of Benson & Clegg bastes a sleeve

Ken Austin, owner of Benson & Clegg, has more than 40 years in the trade as tailor and cutter and is a Master tailor. Here he bastes the sleeve of a bespoke morning coat, stitching it in temporarily to check its position before finishing it off.

I had a fascinating morning yesterday talking cutting and tailoring with Ken and his colleagues. Benson & Clegg offer a genuine bespoke service. Unfortunately the definition of bespoke is being undermined by those who offer a 'bespoke' service that is little more than made-to-measure.  I'll talk more about the difference between bespoke and made-to-measure in a future post

For more information on Benson & Clegg see their website or phone +44 (0)20 7491 1454 (and mention Grey Fox).

Hammond & Co - Patrick Grant menswear at Debenhams

Occasionally I feel I might be making some progress with my search for style as an older man. Then I see someone effortlessly exuding style wearing battered basics and my illusion is shattered.

Or I meet Patrick Grant. This master of style always seems to look elegant without being starchy. I know, because I met him a few days ago to see the Hammond & Co collection he's designed for Debenhams.

But, of course, I console myself with the thought that Grant can easily look stylish. He owns a fashion business and no doubt has cutters and tailors to cater to his every whim.

But then Grant tells me that he's been wearing suits costing £299 from his Hammond & Co for Debenhams collection IN PUBLIC and has even had compliments on them from fashion journalists who assumed they were creations from his Savile Row workshops. And you'll be able to see him wearing the same suits in several episodes of the new series of the The Great British Sewing Bee, to be shown soon on BBC.

Grant wears a Hammond & Co suit, made from British cloth

Is it really possible to look that stylish in a reasonably-priced suit? I tried on a Hammond & Co suit jackets and it worked for me. He's right - it is possible to look very stylish (after Patrick has tactfully adjusted my wonky shirt collar) without breaking the bank. The cut, fabric and details look and feel right - rather than cheap and insubstantial compromises.

How have he and Debenhams achieved this? In his presentation Grant used the word 'simple' on many occasions. Every penny has been spent on materials and fabrication. Styles are unapologetically classic - the design team immersed itself in the Savile Row heritage of Hammond & Co before starting the design process.

Maximum attention was given to a reasonable number of products, producing a carefully-thought out capsule collection through which runs noticeable themes of Savile Row-inspired shapes and styles. Colours are generally plain grey, black and navy for town wear, highlighted by splashes of mustard and burgundy. Quality of materials is good - reasonably-priced knitwear is often thin and insubstantial; this is thick and chunky. Suit cloths are silky and flexible.

This is a collection for men of any age. I would have worn most of the clothes without any hesitation, as would a young man in his twenties wanting well-made but affordable British classic styling rather than drainpipe chinos and low waistbands.

This is pure style, rather than ephemeral fashion.

Here are images of my favourites - the best of which, in my view, is the Prince of Wales check double-breasted suit (made from British cloth) worn by Patrick Grant in the picture above. There is more to the collection, which you can find at Debenhams online or at most Debenhams stores.

 

A reader asks - where can I get good quality raw denim jeans?

A reader asks -

Firstly thanks for the blog, I enjoy following it and like to imagine myself in some of the more eccentric wear that is shown in your articles.

Distressed denims - good or bad?

I have a question, I have always liked dark jeans, having in my teenage years purchased 501 shrink to fit jeans by mail order when they had their brief resurgence during the mod revival. As I am now in my early fifties I still enjoy wearing jeans but seem to have an issue with sizing and style, as most jeans seem to be distressed or over elaborated with detail. I tend to fall back on next for jeans due to their short leg availability, but quality always seems to be an issue.

My question is do you have any advice and recommendations for good quality dark denim in sizes which flatter the shorter grey fox.
Regards
Rob

Grey Fox replies -

Hi Rob,

Many thanks for contacting me - you've anticipated a post I've been meaning to write for a while. I agree with you that there's too much artificial distressing. I too prefer natural dark blue 'raw' denim. As you know, that term simply refers to denim that has never been washed. 

The great thing about raw denim is that you can make your jeans your own. Depending on how you wear and wash them, they can become battered, faded and distressed naturally or, if you prefer and manage them right, they will stay reasonably dark in colour and provide more of a 'smart casual' look. The choice is yours. 

If you wear them for several months without washing them properly, they will acquire creases, wear and folds that reflect your use of them, even down to the marks on your pocket where you store your wallet or keys.

Image Hiut Denim

Choice will depend on budget. I avoid cheap jeans, not only for quality reasons, but to ensure that I'm buying something that has been sustainably made and not in a sweatshop somewhere. Look at Marks & Spencer who trade sustainably and have a good selection at fair prices. At the luxury end, you can buy UK-made raw denims from Hiut Denim. These are made in Cardigan in Wales, where an old jeans factory has been re-opened, reviving skills that would otherwise have disappeared.

My choice was The Jean Machine (remember that UK jeans chain from the seventies? It has been recently revived by the founder's daughter). I have two pairs of their raw (Japanese) denim jeans and am impressed - lovely denim, beautifully made and well-cut. As usual with good quality raw denim, the fabric is tough as old boots.

Raw denim jeans - image Jean Machine

These jeans are comfortable, though the denim will soften and mould to the wearer with use. I went for the JM2 straight raw - fairly slim so go for more relaxed if you don't want that - but plenty of fits and lengths for all tastes. I like them long and wear them with turn-ups - that's a solution if you like shorter lengths, or simply get them turned up.

I look forward to distressing these naturally over the next few months and will write about this process again in future posts. Please let me know how you get on.

Best wishes

GF

If anyone has any further suggestions of favourite raw denim jeans, please comment at the end of this post.

Susannah Hall Tailors - the unbearable excitement of having a suit made

Earlier this week I went to Susannah Hall Tailor's for a further fascinating and fun fitting for what has now become a tweed suit (rather than just a jacket and waistcoat, as originally planned).

The jacket is unfinished, covered in temporary stitches (basting) and with only one sleeve (Susannah reassured me that the final version would have two). Ultimately the checks will match across the jacket and side of the trousers - and the shoulders will be slightly narrower. I've opted for a classic double-vented two-button style with a bright silk lining. The next fitting with Susannah will show if further adjustments are needed before the suit is finished. The tweed is from Hunter's Tweed, about whom I will say more another time.

Susannah wrote on her Facebook page as follows -

We...had The Grey Fox in for his suit fitting. He had brought in a length of cloth which my tailors in Yorkshire have cut and made into a fitting for both his jacket and waistcoat. We nipped, tucked and chalked and have now sent them back to be finished off. We are also ordering a neat classic cut trouser to complete the look

Photo Susannah Hall Tailors

Indigo - the best of blues

My favourite colour is blue and the best blue is indigo. I love shirts and jeans dyed with this vegetable-based colour. The depth and inkiness of the colour is remarkable. The effect is enhanced by the properties of a vegetable dye - it will fade, through wear, washing and exposure to sunlight. This gives clothes a wonderful lived-in look that is ideal for casual wear. As raw denim and other cotton fabrics soften and flex with wear, they improve in feel as the indigo dye which colours them improves in appearance.

This video is a trailer and therefore frustratingly incomplete. However, it shows something of the colour and its origins.

My thanks to Lewis Thomas of Leith Clothing, whose remarkable Madras cotton shirts are dyed with indigo in Chennai, for drawing my attention to this video. See my post about the shirts here.

BLUE ALCHEMY: Stories of Indigo Trailer from Mary Lance on Vimeo.

What makes good sports and outdoor wear? Grey Fox afloat at Cowes

With the holidays nearly over it's a good time to look back at some highlights. Grey Fox has a fairly watery history, having owned and shared boats, and cruised and raced for many years. A favourite sailing area has always been The Solent, so I was delighted to accept an invitation from Musto to visit Cowes Week to watch some racing and soak up some sun (and hopefully not too much seawater).

Grey Fox in The Baltic last year in his trusty Musto waterproofs

Like anyone who likes outdoor activities, I'm choosy about what I wear for cycling, mountain walking and sailing. There's nothing worse than a day's sporting activities ruined by the weather. From early in my sailing days I bought Musto sailing gear because it proved itself the best in use. I cruised in it and raced in it, getting through several jackets and salopettes over the years. In the photo above I was sailing (if you can call it that, in totally calm conditions) in The Baltic early last year in my old, mismatching, but very serviceable set of Musto oilskins, bought some years ago.

The best sporting and outdoor wear is designed and worn by people who are experts in the sports for which the clothes are made. The best cycling clothes are made by cyclists, the best climbing boots by climbers. Keith Musto was an Olympic sailor who knew the demands of his sport when he came to design clothing for it. That tradition continues. While in Cowes I met some of the Musto people who develop their ranges - sailers, horse riders - experts in the sports catered for by Musto who know what users of their clothing need and expect. See Musto's website for more information.

I'll review some of Musto's products in a later post, but first here are some images I took of a memorable day in beautiful sunshine at Cowes. Unfortunately there was little wind at first, so the fleet of two huge multihulls and six IMOCA 60 monohulls racing in the Artemis Challenge for a share of the £10,000 charity prize fund had a delayed start - so no dramatic spray-soaked pictures, I'm afraid.

The Boss crew suited up, as you'd expect

This boat was made from donated wooden objects (spot the hockey sticks)

A gentleman in Cowes

Grey Fox having a bad hair day

With many thanks to Musto and their team for a great day afloat