The London Lounge

most London tailors are forced to have the garments made in Hong Kong or China or another Asian country Are we talking bespoke here? My understanding is quite the opposite. Unless the practice has changed in the last 10-15 years, that kind of outsourcing abroad is limited only to a few big houses t...

Dr T wrote:My tailor, Ken Austin of Benson and Clegg has just announced he is retiring early and going in September - Aha

Does he not have a son who is preparing to take over the business ?

Frog in Suit

NJS wrote:FiS - You are knowledgeable! I am sure that it is to give structure and weight; especially on dress coats as, without it, the front would just crumple up.
NJS

NJS,
Thank you. I should take some photographs and post them;it might make things clearer for all of us.

Frog in Suit

FiS - Yes, hang all tweeds out in a leaky barn for a few days before they are actually worn ! NJS :lol: Frog in Suit (who does not have a leaky barn at his disposal :( ) An alternative for you might be to place a nail in a palm tree in the garden and hang them on that for a week or so! 8) NJS No pa...

NJS wrote:FiS - Yes, hang all tweeds out in a leaky barn for a few days before they are actually worn!
NJS

Frog in Suit (who does not have a leaky barn at his disposal )

Noble Savage wrote:Such quilting gives strength to the lining.

...and possibly to the whole back of the coat, given the extra weight. Can someone knowledgeable confirm?
Frog in Suit

Very old morning suits, and frock coats, I have seen, have quilting on the inside. The position does not look like it was just for warmth, but it is as though it gives some shape holding? Does any tailor style use this method or is it archaic? My morning suit (1991, so relatively recent, by Tom Bro...

If I remember correctly, the scene tales place in Gaudy Night and the offending, popping, shirt-front does not belong to Wimsey (unthinkable ! :roll: ) but to a visiting academic (maybe even a foreign one !). The popping sound is involuntary. Frog in Suit It turns out you are right, frog in suit. T...

I am delighted you consider the Wimsey novels to be literature - the official verdict is: detective novels are no good, by definition. I thoroughly enjoyed them. And they certainly had a positive influence on my development as an adolescent, and beyond. Unfortunately, the author apparently had no c...

I gave them SOME credit. If you wish to extend it, there it is... Worn in all situations, particularly with jeans. Must be real tweed, seriously made by an English maker. Never in fashion cut. One vent. (emphasis mine) (and even so, it's still not full quote...) Shall I pass you the salt? :wink: Je...

"Must be real tweed, seriously made by an English maker. Never in fashion cut." Agreed Full quote: "Must be real tweed, seriously made by an English maker. Never in a fashion cut. One vent " (Emphasis mine). Frog in Suit ( in a pedantic mood, but who would not wear a tweed coat with two vents, exce...

There is no good reason for anyone to warn you away from Savile Row, pay no attention. There are some fantastic firms on "the Row", with exceptionally talented cutters and quality workmanship. People complain about the service but I have never had a problem. The advice is always the same - have a w...

and I don't think any London shirtmaker, with the exception of Emma Willis, is worth a try.

I may be butting in uninvited but this seems rather a blanket statement. Any supporting evidence?
Frog in Suit

I can only write about my own experience. I have had four pairs of bespoke shoes made by Foster & Son since 2010 and am pondering the next one (next year). I find bespoke shoes to be better fitting (closer, without being too tight), lighter and much better-looking, in terms of shape (elegance) and l...

I get my bespoke shirts from New & Lingwood. They are made by Sean O’Flynn who cuts them on “his” premises within Jones Chalk & Dawson / Meyer and Mortimer at 6 Sackville Street. New & Lingwood (first at Eton, then London) have been making my shirts since the mid- eighties. I remember dealing direct...