The London Lounge

I have the opportunity tomorrow to visit London on business and whilst I am there I wish to pick up a couple of items of attire, although I’m unsure where to get them. Perhaps members of the LL could help?

Firstly, I would like to purchase a pair of good quality gloves. My budget is £100 but if I could find something well within this budget so much the better! The gloves are needed for business wear, and need to help me withstand the icy blasts on a station platform waiting for the 0745 to Bristol, so my thoughts are in the direction of black leather. Should I go for calf leather? My initial idea is to head in the direction of the Burlington Arcade, but I’m guessing the tailors on Jermyn Street may also have something?

Secondly, I would like to get a couple of pocket squares. Is the convention to go for silk, or cotton, or is either fine? These are for wear with single breasted business suits, dark blue and charcoal grey with fine pinstripe respectively. Again, advice on best central London retailer that balances quality with price would be much appreciated.

For gloves you might consider forgetting London, and using Chester Jefferies (reviewed by once on Will's ASW). They do a made-to-order service which is excellent; better quality, better fitting and better priced than London RTW I suspect. The mid-brown capeskin is very pleasing. (http://www.chesterjefferies.co.uk/)

I'd go with Algernon's suggestion, including color (when I was a schoolboy in England -- not that long ago! -- and on this side of the Atlantic, at least, still, a gentleman would be loathe to wear black on his hands). As for pocket squares: Budd recently had a nice, small selection if a bit expensive.

Fortnum and Mason amd Dunhill are worth a look for gloves. There is now a shop in the Burlington Arcade doing gloves alone I believe they are Italian.

Connoly have a selection of squares by Charvet and others at the other end of the price range are Lewin who also have some.