Tried the C&J Harvard in brown grain yesterday on Jermyn Street. Might just be me but I thought the quality had slipped radically from the C&J I used to know. I’ll save for the Alden version instead, it’s a slightly nicer shape anyway. I’ve half a dozen madras shirts, one more would be nice. Trousers are always on my hit-list, I’d like to get into my FOB Bedford cords before I commit to anything else. Maybe some pocket t’s could be an interesting addition, if I can lose enough weight so they don’t look entirely stupid.

Like most of us I've got enough of everything, but the warmer months always make me think I need 1 or 2 new summer shirts just to brighten up my wardrobe and at the stage of life I'm at I'm taking more holidays so they get worn, I could also do with brightening up my shorts collection, OK on the bermuda shorts as I bought 2 pairs of RL last summer, ( madras & seersucker), and as always on the lookout for lightweight chinos that fit, the pocket t's (white & grey), I bought from Uniqlo recently will get some good wear, wish they had some better colours available, No JS madras for me,

Alvey - I found myself on Jermyn Street (mostly because I needed a new shaving brush and have always used Trumper for that sort of thing..) and went into one of the C&J stores there. Their snuff suede version was ok but the grain were very disappointing - on the display model there was loose stitching around the toe box, the leather colour for a cm below the strap was a different colour to the rest of the shoe and there were what I call furries - IE loose threads that hang out all over the shop. That’s on a display model! I looked at a pair of bass elsewhere out of bone idle curiosity and they were better made in my ever so humble!

^You can't go wrong with Floris No.89 and Elite. Now that Penhaligon's has gone insanely expensive or unisex and perfume based in the more cost effective ranges.

Discarding the now decadently half-a-grand for a shirt T&A, New & Lingwood makes a lot of sense.

Floris 89 did not make me like James Bond, not did the nylon watch straps though they were cheap at least.

The cheese shop is more my type of thing.

Dulouz,

Condolences on the death of your father.

I’d like to repeat Kingy’s sentiment and offer my condolences also. It’s amazing how evocative smells can be, Badedas bath gelee sends me back into a tub with my father circa me being three or four years old. He was a Creed Selection Vert man though, so that’s something I may not ever smell again.

I'm regretting not buying the Chico madras from JS. I've had some bad news financially though (nothing major, just a blip), so most frivolous(!) purchases are ruled out for the next few weeks at least until I get on a more even keel again and I suspect they'll be sold out by then. I've plenty of summer stuff to keep me going though, I can't complain too much, recent purchases beyond the two Madras were a couple of Lacoste polos in the sale, navy and dark green respectively. I also discovered a couple of John Smedley polos in storage that I'd forgotten about, that's always nice, new clothes without having to buy them.
Delighted also with the two pairs of Levi's 511 cords I picked up for nothing, in off-white, they're thin enough to probably be worn well into the summer beyond the non-spring we're having here in Ireland.

Other things that are currently tempting me are the camp-collar Gitman/Kahala collaborations (the blue in particular) and a couple of similar shirts that les Flaneurs in Rennes have done with Indian clothing brand Kardo.

I’ve found a couple of Gitmans on a US site, blue strip 1/2 sleeve b/d, and a camp collard jacquered blue check, both s/s 2022,you won’t find these anywhere else, sale prices are ok’ish, but add shipping, UK vat/duty and terrible exchange rate makes them expensive, So, I’m weighing up whether to make a cheeky offer ..... don’t ask don’t get.... if I could get them all in for £ 150 each I’d be happy !

Lots of good madras shirt options about at the moment. From RL to Drakes, J.Simons and beyond.

Having to cancel my early holiday this year again. Missus won't be pleased, but I need to tell her in the next day or two. Tough, testing times at work that just go on and on.

I'll be mixing polos and madras when the weather heats up. If I go to any concerts or festivals, it'll be Buzz Rickson's t-shirts with various chore jackets.

Uniqlo Chino Shorts , 100% cotton regular fit, ( £24.90), I bought a pair in Penang in January, but be careful with the colours, the green looks a bit iffy to me, I bought navy but they are a really dark navy almost black, the off-white is sort of see-through, the beige is a good colour and of course an Ivy staple !

Thanks both.  Staxfan I'll have a look - was put off by the drawstring on website.

Alveysinger will check out BB.  Patch madras a bit much for me but I'm a big fan of the RL madras shorts, have four pairs all bought cheap NWT on eBay.  Also rock with polo shirt and CVOs.