Harvie & Hudson: a Made to Measure Suit and Shirt

Harvie & Hudson are a Jermyn Street shirt makers and tailors who, after three generations, are still family-owned. Richard Harvie, the MD, is proud of their traditional but very contemporary approach to men's style. The store changes markedly from season to season, from bright linens and cottons on spring/summer to rich autumn/winter tweeds and knitwear as the weather turns colder. There is something about the style and design on the clothing that makes it stand out, offering something both for the man who prefers to blend in and the more extrovert.

Made to Measure from Harvie & Hudson

I tested Harvie & Hudson's made to measure tailoring and shirtmaking services recently. The customer is measured in store by an expert cutter and the shirts are made in London. The process is detailed and changes are made to the cut and fit after the first fitting if alterations are needed. I selected a fine cotton stripe (below), but the range of Italian and British shirting cloths is wide. I wanted a rather vintage look to the shirt and achieved this with an uneven pale blue and red stripe in a relaxed fit which can be worn with knitwear and jeans or a suit and tie.

Trying on the new shirt, fresh from the shirtmakers

For the two-piece suit (below) I selected a Teviot tweed from Lovat Mill in Scotland. The tweed is rich in colour, with autumnal tans and browns highlighted by greens, sky blue and lavender overchecks and accents. I asked for a single-breasted two button jacket of fairly traditional cut, with  trousers cut slightly on the slim side and a moderately deep turn-up. Both shirt and suit fitted well at the first fitting and I felt that no further changes were needed. The suit is a pleasure to wear and the colour and cut of the tweed attract many compliments. There have been no shortcuts with the quality of the buttons and tailoring.

The Teviot Tweed from Lovat Mill, Scotland

To see the range of styles, colours and cloths available both off-the-peg and made to measure visit Harvie & Hudson in Jermyn Street, London or go online here. If you live in the USA and fancy and some genuine British tailoring heritage and style, Harvie & Hudson visit several cities around the country. Further information can be obtained through their website.

This is a collaboration with Harvie & Hudson

Thomas Pink Shirts: Getting Down to Business by Dressing to Impress

How to wear your shirts for work, business and travel? How to impress colleagues and business contacts? Here I've worked with Thomas Pink and Nick Maroudias, photographer, to give you some ideas, selecting shirts from their large range of business shirts.

The chairman, MD or director. Stripes all round, with fine cotton British-made shirt

We make an assessment about people we meet for the first time within a split second of first seeing them. This is well-known, yet we so often see poorly-fitting suits, cheap shirts, horrible shoes and mismatching ties that do the wearer no favours at all. If we fail to make a good impression immediately, we are at a disadvantage in our work, our play and our friendships. Place yourself in the position of the businessman wanting to close a deal or the date looking for a mate. Given the choice, how will they choose between the scruff and the dapper?

It's no accident that the word 'smart' means dapper in the UK and clever in the US. Being well-dressed and well-groomed suggests (not always accurately it has to be said) intelligence, reliability and competence. It also shows respect for others and, just as important, self-respect. A tie isn't always needed, but is a safe option as, whether at work or travelling, giving a good impression is vital.

Business executive - a good quality shirt with classic tie and pocket square to lift the look

Thomas Pink's business shirts vary in price from £45 to £225, offering a choice of styles and price points for men at every stage of the business ladder. The idea is that you can buy an affordable shirt for your first interview and job and then move up the range as you progress through your career. The shirts come in a wide choice of colours, fit, patterns, collar styles and cloths. Well-cut and designed, they give you the ideal framework for a stylish business outfit.

Business smart doesn't require a suit and black shoes - a less formal look

You could lose the tie, but look the part when you travel; comfortable but dapper

The seven collections vary from the affordable and robust through to British-made shirts of exquisitely fine Italian-made cotton, offering the successful businessman a high quality accompaniment to his bespoke or made-to-measure suit and hand-made shoes.

As part of this, they've launched The Business Bundle which offers four shirts from their Stirling and Travel ranges for £200. Individual shirts in these two collections cost between £69 and £89, so the bundle offers good value to those starting out and those wanting a pile of shirts to take abroad on business.

See Thomas Pink Shirts for their large range of shirts for business and casual wear.

This feature was sponsored by Thomas Pink.

Turnbull & Asser: a visit to their English shirt factory

A trip to Gloucester to see the Turnbull & Asser shirt factory last month added to my growing list of visits to great British menswear manufacturing centres. Founded in 1885, Turnbull & Asser quickly established itself as a leading tailor and shirtmaker and today holds an enviable place in the history and tradition of British menswear. With a Royal Warrant granted to HRH The Prince of Wales (who occasionally turns up to make his own shirts, see image below) and shops in central London and New York, the brand goes from strength to strength.

A visit to their factory shows why they do so well. The picture above of Prince Charles, who has worn their shirts for years, is proudly displayed in reception. Next to that is a wall of photos of long-serving employees. This loyalty reflects the care that Turnbull & Asser takes of those whose skills are so essential to what they do. Without the studied attention to detail, so obvious as I looked round and spoke to people working there, the shirts would be very ordinary. The skills of the machinists, the pride and attention given to steps such as sewing on buttons (Turnbull & Asser's process means they almost never fall off) means that they produce shirts that are among the best you can find, whether you buy off the peg or bespoke.

Images taken on my Turnbull & Asser factory tour - remarkable skills and care

The level of individual attention is remarkable. You can specify everything from shapes of collars and cuffs, stitching colour, buttons, cut and fit. It's no wonder customers keep coming back. The quality of the cloths is clear, soft, silky cotton makes these a pleasure to own and wear. And if your shirts wears out in years to come, it can be repaired as pieces of the cloth are carefully stored for future repairs.

Cutting collars and cuffs

Shirt account for some 60% of sales, with knitwear, pyjamas and underwear (also made at the Gloucester factory) and tailoring account for most of the balance. I was recently in touch with their Designer, Dean Gomilsek-Cole, in connection with a piece I was writing for The Rake and his design vision for the company promises much for this very British company. He is aware of the great competitiveness of this market and sees the need to offer quality and style that are unrivalled.

To find out more about Turnbull & Asser, see their website here.

[Note: Turnbull & Asser paid most of my fare to Worcester. Otherwise this post is unsponsored; my comments on the shirts are from observation, not ownership or wearing.]