The London Lounge

As a wearer of bespoke clothing, you've invested a significant amount of time, effort and money to create garments that have the perfect line for your body. What happens to that line when pockets get stuffed with all the detrius of modern life so many of us seem to carry? Pens, billfolds, keys, pocketsquares (the ones that get used), coins, cell phones, PDAs, glasses, cigar cases, flasks, etc. Where does it all go?

Are the garments cut with your gear in mind?

Does the heavier cloth many LL members prefer hide it better?

Do gentlemen simply sacrifice utility in the name of elegance, rendering pockets vestigal?

There is always the briefcase, I suppose, but it's already overstuffed with work, and it isn't as portable as it seems. I know many of our Continental friends carry an eminently practical hand bag, but the the damning phrase "Nice murse!" (man purse) keeps many from exploring that option in this part of the world.

Where do you put the stuff with bespoke?

As a general rule you cannot tote around all manner of things in your pockets and expect to look elegant.

An extreme example is Prince Charles. He has no back pockets in his trousers. He carries no money or credit cards or cell phones. He probably carries a pen, a comb, and an hankerchief.

Now, on a practical level for the rest of us who must carry a cell phone, pens, a wallet, ID cards, and other stuff.

I recommend a re-assessment as to what you need to carry on your person rather than in a top coat or brief case. For example, if my change purse gets too bulky, I place it my overcoat. I would re-assess what you need to carry in your wallet. Use the thinest wallet that you can buy. Try to think in terms of carrying less and not more. Get rid of infrequently used credit cards. Carry store credit cards only when you visit the store. There is no reason to walk around with all of your credit cards at all times. Don't stuff your pockets with a combination calendar and phone book and petty cash journal. That stuff belongs in your brief case. There is no reason why you need to have your cell phone on you while working in the office. Leave it on your desk.

Also, don't become a walking file cabinet like my wife. She keeps every receipt and snipet of paper in her purse, and she must purge it every month.

After a re-assessment, you should have your tailor acommodate your special needs. E.g., I use reading glasses, and I use the pen pocket on the left side to hold them. I use the card pocket to keep my business cards sans a wallet.

If you have a very special need, such as a concealed gun under your armpit, then that is a much different issue.