Waiting in anticipation for a pair of navy slim chinos from Community Clothing, ordered Wednesday, delivery tomorrow, my seemingly permanent weight loss has made virtually all my trousers too big, can cover up in winter with sweaters and coats but not so in summer, so ordered my ‘new’ size 32?? , see what they’re like and if good will order more, will report back in due course!

AFS - TBH it’s surprised me as I haven’t been on a diet or cut down on the booze , I eat well and healthy and don’t overdo the booze very often these days, but since I fully retired almost 2 years ago ( coinciding with Covid), I’ve exercised a bit more, don’t sit in the car for 2 hours a day, and don’t sit behind a desk for 5-6 hours a day, ( this was semi retired work hours), and I do a pilates class once a week, weirdly I think the pilates helps, but I’ll hold onto the 34 ins trousers in case it all goes wrong !

Stax, I still recall with a smile John Simons fitting me for a Keydge jacket at Russell Street with the words, 'Sir has a bit of a tummy'.  Sir wasn't really aware of it then but, by heaven, he has since.  I've more or less followed Yuca's (blunt) dietary advice, giving up both alcohol and soft drinks and taking a good deal more exercise.  It's possible that, come the summer, I might be able to comfortably button my jackets!

Especially the Corbin: 3/2 roll, soft shoulder, undarted, flap pockets.

Robbie- re chinos, definitely get back to you, I’m optimistic about them, 100% cotton, no stretchy stuff, regarding exercise I’m conscious of not overdoing it to avoid injury, I exercise 4-5 days a week but limit my running to 5k, usually in the gym as less stress on my ageing limbs & joints, BTW - no sightings of the Chinese Lady at the gym for a week or so, but I stay optimistic, haha

If only.....

A few bits this week, it is annual top up clothes week in sales. Got a Gloverall 'Moss jacket' in charcoal. Wife liked it so much she told me to get it in other colours too while cheap. What a result! Very nice, unlined, made in UK.  Good for casual wear in all seasons apart from summer. https://www.gloverall.com/collections/mens-traditional-jackets

Also more Peter Christian drill jeans. Lands End are doing some nice shirts - plain colour flannel BDs (soften a lot after first wash), brushed cotton navy check OCBD, great light blue wide stripe cotton BD. Discounts make these a gimme. Recent shirts gone up in quality and now without any plastic or metal clips in the packing, which I approve of. Very decent quality, gone back up IMHO and collars now back up to a full three finger roll.  Id love to pay £100+ for shirts but I just cannot bring myself to anymore. Did that and still have them for premium work wear, but I'm not going to wear them casually.

The Oxblood gibson shoes in sale made in Portugal arrived and are made in Italy. Wonderful quality, danite sole and end of range so hugely reduced.

That's about me done again for a while.

Last edited by An Unseen Scene (2022-02-05 05:35:25)

Another charity shop circuit throws up a DB Baggies grey/blue check and Gant winter twill blue/red.

Failsworth Irish Linen newsboy from TKMaxx at £13

A pair of off white straight cut, high enough rise, good quality, responsibly sourced jeans at a steal from a well known Spanish high street retailer. That I wont name for fear of incurring purist’s wrath.

Robbie - Community Clothing chinos arrived today , they are repacked for return on Monday I'm afraid, first impression of the cloth was it was too smooth, ( slinky ?) to touch, I believe on their website they say they don't wash them anymore in factory, so maybe they'd feel different after a couple of washes, the 32 fitted well in the waist but was too 'neat' round my backside, only one back pocket which I was aware of but no button, small detail but detail non the less, perhaps the loose fit would be better for me but TBH I didn't like the material albeit 100% cotton, I'm not good at returning things but I ask myself would I have bought them in a shop and no I wouldn't , so they will be returned, the workmanship on them looks very good and they might suit others but (unfortunately) not for me, if I'd liked them I would have ordered 2-3 more pairs, Regarding the Chinese Lady I'm sure if she realised I'd been admiring her physique she'd no doubt think I was a soppy lecherous old git, which I probably am, haha

I've been binging:
2 pair of Loake Bedale Boots (Brown Calf and Brown Waxed Suede)
1 pair of Trickers Keswick

‘A card to tell me some bloody fool has underpaid the postage by £2.’

Get the seller to cough up, or the the parcel will be winging its way back to them and you will be applying to eBay for a refund.

Here I am trying my best to 'reclaim Russell' and Woof has to drag its good name back into the primeval swamp.

An old, 100 per cent cotton, Swingster Destinations jacket.  It's not unlike a King Louie but is padded.  An incredible £3.50 on the Bay.  I thought it would be Korean made, like my Baracuta trench-coat and sole item of 'English Squire' (picked up at 'Wild' in Nottingham last autumn), but the label says 'Made In Hong Kong'.  So, like my prized Saks Fifth Avenue sports sweater.