Hackett's new Regent Street store - a chance to visit London's menswear heart

I visited the new Hackett store in Regent Street just before Christmas and liked what I saw. Lots of space, style and a huge choice of menswear for all ages (from childhood) and tastes. Here are a few images of the new store to whet your appetite. Visit the Hackett website for more information.

The Hackett sale is on and a visit to Regent Street will take in much that is outstanding in the London menswear world. A few doors away are J.Crew (who've also opened a new store), Austin Reed, Aquascutum, Brooks Brothers, Duchamp, Liberty and all the delights of Oxford Street, Savile Row and St James's within easy reach. Further out are many smaller high quality offerings, such as Trunk in Chiltern Street, Jigsaw Menswear in Dover Street and St Christopher's Place, Simon Carter in Shepherd Market and many others.

You can't find any summer clothes left in the shops? Try the online sales

Have you noticed how, at this time of year, just as the weather gets unbearably hot, the high street shops fill with knitwear, tweed, overcoats and thick cotton chinos as the autumn/winter collections are shipped in? How daft is that?

If, like me, you've missed the summer sales, which are now over, or couldn't find anything in your size, it seems that you're stuck if you find you need new clothes for that long-awaited summer holiday. Few replacements will be available until February or so (when the opposite happens - you're looking for cold weather clothes just as the shops fill with linen, t-shirts and shorts).

So, I've had a look around at some of the online shops to see what, if anything, is still available for summer wear. Among others, I tried a retailer I haven't looked at for a while, Brook Taverner - not high fashion, but, as I said in a previous post here, they have stylish clothes and accessories, including some British-produced fabrics, tweed in particular. You won't want tweed for summer, of course, but, I found that they still have some attractive summer clothes in stock - and their sale continues at the time of writing.

So, if you're looking to stock up for that August holiday, look for an online sale such as this one. I've picked a few of my favourite summer wear at clearance from the Brook Taverner website - clothes that would go well together and are always suitable for summer. Some are pictured below -

This post has been written by Grey Fox in association with Brook Taverner

Mr Porter sale - Grey Fox picks

The sales have hit the shops and Mr Porter's summer sale is now online with reductions up to 50% or so.

Here are a few Grey Fox picks - see Mr Porter Sale

Richard James Prince of Wales check wool suit £587.50

Richard James wool and linen blend blazer £397.50

Junya Watanabe slimfit blazer £812

Paul Smith navy evening suit (tuxedo) £442.50

Hartford Madras-check shirt £82.50

Folk tuck ribbed knitted pima cotton sweater £75

Mackintosh Dunoon handmade rain coat £390

Gitman vintage Hawaiian print shirt £82.50

Slowear Incotex lightweight chinos £97.50

Thom Browne pocket square £20

Car Shoe suede driving shoes £120

London Undercover umbrella £35

The pick of the online sales

Here are a few items that have caught the eye in this season's sales. I go for classics that will form a quality basis for the wardrobe. Don't delay sales buying, as common sizes sell out very quickly.

Irish-made roll neck - D.S. Dundee

Corduroy trousers - D.S. Dundee

Aquascutum Corby - John Lewis

Paul Costelloe - John Lewis

Michael Bastian blazer from Mr Porter

Slowear Incotex straight-leg wool trousers - Mr Porter

Church's Gorsley pebble-grain brogues - Mr Porter

Paul Smith grey check blazer - Liberty Sale

YMC beanie - Liberty sale

Ralph Lauren Anthony Glen plaid suit - RL sale

Polo Ralph Lauren tartan tie - sale

A middle age man at the sales 2 - sweater by Joe Casely-Hayford

OK, I know I said in my last post about the sales that, like most men, I hate sales. Of course, I went back (to spend a gift voucher) and found this sweater by Joe Casely-Hayford at John Lewis.

I'd been admiring his designs for a while - good classically-inspired items - just what is needed when a man has long long grown out of saggy jeans, trainers and A&F tops!

Initially I thought that it was soft lambswool, but it's made from lovely thick cashmere, not the usual thin stuff one usually sees at the budget end of the cashmere market. The top picture shows its true colour and the bottom the detail of the collar and shoulder.

It is a small size, but, as I've remarked before, I'm finding that either I'm getting smaller as I grow older, or the fashion market is trying to please an ever-increasing sized customer by kidding them that they are a medium when they would once have been a large (or whatever).

Sales shopping - a guide for men

Now's the time for the braver man in search of style to get out to the sales to buy those designer clothes at more affordable prices.  Alternatively, of course, he can stay at home with a turkey sandwich, washing it down with the dregs of that vintage wine from Christmas Day.  

I took the plunge last year and found this tweed jacket at the Ralph Lauren sale in Chelsea at a good discount.  The fit and details are outstanding; good designer clothes are worth snapping up in the sales before they disappear.

Like most men, I hate sales shopping, but this year I shopped locally to buy a few post-Christmas essentials.  It was early and still relatively uncrowded in John Lewis and  Massimo Dutti, where I've found interesting and reasonably-priced clothes in the past.  This approach to sales shopping is recommended; target two or three shops early in the day - they will be packed later.

Anyway, I came away from Massimo Dutti with this wool, cashmere and silk waistcoat, half price. It's actually more of a sleeveless cardigan than a tailored waistcoat as the fit is a bit slouchy, so I will wear it with the bottom button done up.  Although hardly top designer wear it has, like other clothes I've bought from this shop, interesting details in the pockets and buttons so has some of the features of a pricier designer garment. In the picture I'm wearing the waistcoat with the jacket from a vintage Harris Tweed suit.

Good luck at the sales.