Review: “Ametora – how Japan saved American style”


I tend to buy most of the books published within the scope covered on this blog, and they tend to follow a quite similar formula along the lines of “plenty of photos, a bare minimum of text, nice layout and a quality feel”. Most of them would be considered more for browsing than actually reading.This weeks book turns the formula…

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How to double your rack capacity for a fiver


Sturdy, reliable, solid and pleasing to the eye. I might be talking about chaps of a certain age, though in this instance I’m talking about clothes hangers. Shapely wooden clothes hangers. The type that will let you hang anything on them, from the flimsiest of cotton shirt to the most stonking parka you can find. And there lies todays topic.…

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Is your body an industry standard size?


If there is one single question that draws guys into web forums about clothes it has to be this one: “I’m looking to buy garment X, is it true to size, or do I size up or down?” This is related to my previous post on why shoe sizes are a mess and why sizing baffles the boffins, though this time I’m looking at…

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My favourites of 2015: The Gloverall “Racing Monty”


So, my next favourite of 2015, what might that be? I’d have to say that Gloverall and their 1951 collection was one of the high points of the Autumn/Winter collection. The combination of vintage auto racing, the mod-styles and the generally classic looks with lots of duffle, tweed and classic cuts really does it for me. I’ve already reviewed my…

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Outerwear: The Monitaly Mountain Parka


As far as business models go, building an appliance that lasts forever is considered a poor idea. From the producers side, that is. From a consumer side it’s a bloody marvellous idea, as it saves us replacing the piece of shit washing machine every few years or so,. Less money, less hassle, and have does anyone even slightly enjoy trying…

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In case you missed them, the best of 2015 #3: Opinions


Further on from the index to all the guides and reviews I wrote in 2015, here is a handy index to what I chose to group as “opinions”. Possibly a spurious description for a motley selection of posts, some verging on the rantings of the unhinged, others merely difficult to file under any other description. A shorter list than the others, but…

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In case you missed them, the best of 2015 #2: Reviews


Further on from the index to all the guides I wrote in 2015, here is a handy index to my reviews of the year. I’ve grouped them in a hopefully logical order, to aid in your thorough perusal of posts. You might like to read the handy indices to 2014 as well, they can be found here and here! The reviews of 2015: Trousers: Wrangler…

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My favourites of 2015: The Tender 470 shirt


It was suggested to me that after another year of looking at, writing about, and, almost as an afterthought, actually wearing clothes, maybe I should give a mention to some of my favourite pieces of the year? Which garments are the ones I liked best, at the end of the day? Did the initial crush turn into a lasting appreciation?…

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In case you missed them, the best of 2015 #1: Guides


Last year I posed a couple of posts summarising all the best pieces I wrote in 2014. Since this was a resounding success and a public service in the true spirit of altruism, surprise surprise, I’m at it again this year! It can be an arduous task reading back through almost 400 posts, so here is an easy to use…

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Review: The Drizzler, a retro classic reimagined by Harry Stedman


The blouson jacket style is one of the true classics of menswear. Also commonly known as the Harrington or the Drizzler, there is some agreement that it dates right back to 1937, when Barracuta launched their G-9 style. A simple, boxy jacket with a shower-proof cotton outer and a tartan cotton lining. A stand-up collar, knitted cuffs, angled front pockets, and that’s about…

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