I like a Blazer dressed down these days and a Herringbone jacket dressed up... I think.

I feel inane.
I'm going away.

There are other options -- my tailor used the buttons from Rutgers Prep school in NJ, which although brass-backed are primarily black.

Hi

I look forward to ordering, fitting and finally receivend (the finished) bespoke garments. Once I have them I wear them like any other garment. I treat my clothes with respect but I do not make myself a slave to their value. I also wear them a lot when I feel like it. No use in saving them for special occasions. My wardrobe is smaller than many people would expect but well planned. I have everything for every season and every occasion.

I do my writing from home and at my desk I wear casual clothes. I am not the type to wear suit and tie or sportsjacket at home nor do I pretend to be. I am not the type to sit at home in a silk dressing gown. I live today and not in the 1920s although I respect everyone who prefers a very classic type of homewear. It is not for me though.

I wear my tailored clothes when I meet editors, do interviews or hold courses or lectures. My audience always has very high expectations that is why I feel best in my Savile Row clothes. Over the last years I have found good matches of suits, shirt, tie, shoe and pockethandkerchief that I use almost all of the time. As most of my audiences see me only once in a while or even never again or at least years later no one knows that I wear a certain suit always in the same season. If someone followed me for one year he'd probably be bored to death. I myself don't mind because my appreciation of garment doesn't change with the frequency of me wearing it. It makes my life (and packing) easier when I grab the same items always.

I guess I would have a different attitude towards my clothes if had to work in an office everyday again. You usually feel obliged to entertain and impress your colleagues which I don't have to do on a daily basis. Due to my constant professional contact with clothes I have somehow lost the enthusiasm for shopping. When you know where most of the stuff comes from you lose some illusions and if you know wholesale prices you hardly shop in shops anymore either (I get most of the accessories, shoes etc. directly from the suppliers). This is a pity but even in foreign countries I tend to look at the things from a professional viewpoint. Nevertheless ordering bespoke clothes is still great fun.

If I had the time and the money I would probably order a suit every third or fourth month from different tailors  so just for the fun of the fittings. One thing I have learned from experience is this: If you try a new tailor and the first suit is exactly what you wanted or even better then don't order more. The first suit that John Coggin made for me was perfect and I kept on ordering without regret but still I believe that you lose some of the fun with every new  garment you order. Maybe this theory may seem strange I but I always liked the thought of having a wardrobe where each suit is from a different tailor.

What do you think?

I agree with Mr.Roetzel on the idea of trying different tailors for bespoke experiences. I mentioned in this forum about a very knowledgeable Japanese colleague who had a very very good Japanese tailor but still tried different tailors from all over the world. I once asked him why and his reply was why go to the same hooker, even if she can satisfy you in every way, when there're so many choices out there.

I myself never commissioned more than 3 orders from any given tailor. Even then they're totally different types of things such as 2 buttons single breasted suit, 3 buttons tweed jacket, double breasted suit, morning suit or overcoat etc.

Good book, I wish more books were as well illustrated.
Maybe BR will drop in here again, soon.

*****

Does anyone identify what brand of shoes are used as the "Wildsmith loafer" on the page on suede shoes? (They are not Edward Greens, that much I am certain.) The proportions look just right to my eye, but I have not seen anything the same recently when searching around.

TV

^ My mistake, those are apparently the "Salisbury" model. So we still don't know which ones Roetzel photographed for his book.

Last edited by Bishop of Briggs (2009-05-04 14:03:04)