The London Lounge

I'm looking to have a gray tweed herringbone suit made some time next year. Is there any cloth at all out there worth going for? Molloy & Sons do beautiful Donegals, of course, but their salt n' pepper herringbone is 610g/m, and I think that a bit more than what I'm looking for. I've been looking at...

Beautiful colour as well as collar. Is it supposed to fall around mid-thigh? I must admit that I don't really understand the appeal of this length. On consideration I might see that it would be easier to wear over non-tailored clothes than a full length coat, but still... What's the reason for your ...

While I have no enthusiasm for the anthroposophic backdrop of biodynamic farming, I do regularly enjoy 'natural wines', some of which happen to have been produced biodynamically. The absence of residual chemicals from the farming and additives from the production of the wine is a cardinal point for ...

I use commercial n-heptane to remove the occasional grease spot from my tailored clothing at home. Works like a charm and it isn't overly harsh on the fibers. However, if there's a reddish residue from the vinegar, it probably won't be enough.

That would be wonderful, Frank!

Currently spending most of my time in academia, I wear roll necks and knitted polos (usually from cashmere) with suits and sport jackets very often during fall and winter and find it to be an excellent solutions for those days when shirt and tie is somehow unbearable. In terms of sticking out, where...

Having said that, I do understand at the same time that tailoring style choices are not simply one of enhancing our figures but also, perhaps much more importantly, of conforming to our personalities and internal landscape. Indeed. I find that advice from other people on specificities such as the n...

I think that he's right that he would want more shirt exposed under his coat which would visually elongate his figure. A 3 button, roll 2.5, would shorten him, IMO, truncate him. Too much cloth up front. ... If someone wants heighth through tailoring, a 3/2.5 is not the answer. Well, to further com...

I've tried Courtot, but not recently. Craftsmansship and fit does not rival Mary's, but I found them very accomodating and pleasant to work with. The results were very decent, and I am quite confident that if I had worked with them a bit longer and had a better idea of what I wanted, I could have ha...

(I believe Mary trained at Lanvin). Not quite, but she was mentored by Pierre Duboin who used to be in charge of things there. I agree with you preference for independent makers. I like to know the face of my maker, as it were (...). It is one of the esoteric and romantic pleasures of bespeaking cl...

Accepting of course that you are happy with the work of your own maker, none of these firms make true bespoke shirts. So, this discussion again, eh? It will be difficult to find a replacement for Mary. She is an outstanding woman and her work is sublime. I have no personal experiences with these ho...

(Light) gray shirts pop up quite frequently in old Apparel Arts/Esquire drawings - along with a host of other colours that are rarely seen today (including green and brown). Although I would be vary of solid gray shirting, I see no reason why patterned gray shirts shouldn't work well with a variety ...

Mazzoleni also makes solid gloves. In Paris, Lavabre Cadet makes some truly exquisite (and expensive) gloves. Their kidskin specimens are a treasure. They used to have an independant store in the galleries of Jardin Royal, but as I understand it they are now the house glove maker of some or another ...

Hm, I was certain that I had posted a reply to this thread and now it has vanished. Queer. Anyhow, with regards to lining: Mine are lined in suede. I assume they have been made like this rather than unlined because with unlined suede you'd have the skin-side of the leather on the inside of the glove...

I have a pair of ivory suede gloves that are immensely versatile. Suede gloved can be dressed up or down in general, however, the ivory colour enhances this quality even further. They go as splendidly with a tweed coat on the weekends as with a navy suit out on the town.