01/05/2013
A sunny, but surprisingly windy, Wednesday and I’m back with another waistcoat in celebration of the now obligatory Waistcoat Wednesday. This weeks cheeky little number is a canvas shop waistcoat from ARN Mercantile, the family business I’ve previously written about in my series of labels to watch. ARN are very passionate about what they do, how it’s done, the materials…
24/04/2013
Quite a special waistcoat this week. One I’ve had for a while, but not really been confident to wear until now. Bought it a size too small by mistake, and only thanks to losing weight I can now get properly into it. A very distinctive waistcoat, courtesy of Nigel Cabourn. Three different colours, in quality Madras checked linen, again based…
06/04/2013
I quite rarely find myself with a pair of trousers that doesn’t require some assistance in not dropping of their own accord. Given how my oldest offspring is now 24, even though I still think of myself as a young buck, I must start considering myself to be an adult, and hence striding around with my trousers hanging halfway off…
03/04/2013
Many thanks to the two readers that have asked about when part two of my much anticipated stroll through my collection of waistcoats would be unleashed! I hadn’t forgotten, merely neglected to follow up. For those that expressed muted appreciation for part one, fear not, here is part two, and for those that were surprised at me not going straight…
28/03/2013
Ventile is a name we’re increasingly often coming across these days. Is it a new innovation, or something that’s been around for over 70 years? Well, as it turns out, it’s the latter. History has it that it was developed in the late 1930s by the British Cotton Industry Research Association in Manchester, or the Shirley Institute, as it was…
15/03/2013
Latest news from the Nigel Cabourn camp is that they are now not only selling via select retailers, but also selling directly through their own website at www.cabourn.com. This is a trend in the industry now, with traditional retail outlets under great pressure from the large online fashion retailers. With Nigel Cabourn clothing being stocked and dropped by a number…
09/03/2013
Update: The Mallory jacket by Nigel Cabourn is now also reviewed in my new Outerwear review! In the third instalment of my series about Icons of menswear I’m revisiting Nigel Cabourn’s work again. The first post dealt with the Cameraman. This time I’ll be looking at the jacket we now know as the Mallory, and we’ll do a some historical…
06/03/2013
To kick of the long anticipated stroll through my collection of fetish-clothing waistcoats, I’ve selected an oddball starter. I know a few of you were expecting me to go for a number in Harris Tweed, but they will keep for now. Today’s waistcoat is by the Australian company Whillas & Gunn, an interesting company that has been operating since 1972,…
05/03/2013
In this episode of “Labels to watch”, we’re looking at another of the tiny UK-based, 2-person companies doing interesting things whilst being under the radar of most folks. ARN Mercantile is the label of Neil and Akimi, the name being made up of their initials combined with that of their son, Robin. The Mercantile comes from the period when Neil…
02/03/2013
Being the creator of an iconic jacket like the Cameraman must fill the designer with pride. Over 10 years it’s been regarded as a jacket to aspire to, a modern classic with a nod to the vintage style. Without a doubt instantly recognisable as a Cabourn Cameraman. So, how can it feel to have designed such a piece and to…