I was browsing the All Blues website and noticed they had a ( new to me) Japanese Ivy brand shirt - ' Keaton Chase', only 2 shirts on offer, ( when I checked availability both were sold out in all sizes), both were l/s popovers, the label was a take on a Brooks label, at £105 they looked good for the money, it'll be interesting to see if they stock any more of this brand, I tried calling AB's but no answer just like when I've called several times recently to enquire about Kamakura shirts, ( I also emailed and didn't receive an answer unlike the prompt response I received when I emailed a year or so ago enquiring about Kamakura shirts), Just wondered if anyone knew anything about Keaton Chase,
I was there last month and admired thsoe shirts, which had just arrived. Fella that runs All Blues definitely has his eye one the ball with new Japanese brands. Best way to contact them might be DM on instagram.
Kamukra unstructured jackets £100 off with additional 10% discount proved too tempting for me and I just took delivery of the herringbone.
Thanks for the info PPT, it seems the Keaton Chase shirts were sold out very quickly, hopefully he'll re-stock soon,
Thanks for the info PPT, it seems the Keaton Chase shirts were sold out very quickly, hopefully he'll re-stock soon,
Hi Stax, there appears to be another Japanese label as well as KC, called DC White, BD popover shirts in plaid though no back button or locker loop. They also do a navy and beige chino.
there appears to be another Japanese label as well as KC, called DC White,
Hi Runninggeez - thanks for the ' head-up', the DCW items could only have been come onto the website in the last few days, I'll take a closer look at them,
I did email AB's again a couple of days ago through the email portal (?) on the website, no reply as yet !
I did email AB's again a couple of days ago through the email portal (?) on the website, no reply as yet !
Hi Stax, not sure if you're on Instagram, but as PPT said they appear to respond quicker. Any queries I've had regarding stock or sizing issues I've contacted them through Ig and they've responded pretty much immediately.
Thanks RG , perhaps I should get into the 2020’s and get onto instagram!
Thanks RG , perhaps I should get into the 2020’s and get onto instagram!
Ha ha, come to the darkside there are plenty of us on there
'there appears to be another Japanese label as well as KC, called DC White, BD popover shirts in plaid though no back button or locker loop. They also do a navy and beige chino.'
Thanks to this thread I gave All Blues a quick skim a few weeks ago, and ended up investing in a couple of items. A DC White madras camp collar shirt: this is my first camp collar shirt so I'm beginner level, but it looks good to me. In truth I've still not worn, yet alone washed it, so I can't comment on shrinkage or bleeding. But I think it will look great with chinos and pennies, and way cooler than a half-sleeve BD due to being tuck out.
The other item was a nice cotton polo shirt by Bellief (sic) however in the flesh it was very short. To a point where I haven't even bothered ordering the next size up to see if that would be a normal length.
When it comes to clothing with an Ivy twist, All Blues have their finger(s) on the pulse.
With regards to Button Downs, there's another brand coming onto the market, Far East Manufacturing. It is a label set up by the chap who owns Resolute Denim. It wouldn't surprise me if All Blues were to pick these up as they already stock Resolute. I've checked FEM's website and there doesn't appear to be a UK stockist. Going by the pictures on Instagram the shirts look good.
If the Japanese can provide the gamut of sizes necessary for Westerners, they could end up kings of the ivy retailers over here. Particularly if they can keep the prices down. From my 2 purchases, I've had a 50% success rate with sizing.
Far East Manufacturing - Frans Boone & some shop ' Balzar' stock FEM shirts, different price point to the various Japanese brands on AB's, around £220 , could only see plain colours , no chest pocket, ( which would probably be a deal breaker for me, apart from the price), but they look very nice, Maybe JS have missed a trick not getting some of these Japanese brands in, they must be better than the modern BD Baggies at £150.....
Hi Stax, I think Frans Boone are taking the piss here, I've looked on their Japanese website and they are 22000Y which equates to £135-140. I've also looked on various Japanese stockist's and they're the same 22000Y. Hopefully if somebody picks these up in the UK they'll be significantly cheaper than Frans Boone. They appear to look like some of my old BB's Makers, minus the chest pocket.
Hi Stax, I think Frans Boone are taking the piss here -
You're probably right RG, FB's prices always seem high, but to be fair the Balzar shop's prices were about the same, and I too looked at some of the JP stockists and see they were a lot cheaper,
it's good to see for us Ivyists some new ( to the UK) manufacturers of Ivy shirts, ( & other items as in the case of Kamakura), at what are reasonable prices for 2024, long may it continue I say ,
Looking very good these Far East Manufacturing OCBDs to be honest, especially the pink ones, but the price tag is just cracy for an off-the-rack shirt. Orslow and Fullcount are offering nice BDs too, even 6 button front plackets and chest pockets too but also about 230 Euros.
but the price tag is just crazy for an off-the-rack shirt.
I'm hoping the UK price will be similar to the Japanese.
No matter how good they are, £200 for an OCBD is way too steep. Kamakura Vintage Ivy is my go-to BD these days now I've managed to sort out my size.
I kind of wonder who has that kind of spare cash, to be honest. They look great, no doubt, like a vintage Gant hugger maybe, but that's so much money and after years of buying cheap vintage shirts (and am lucky I don't 'need' any new shirts), it just seems crazy.
Kamakura I have bought one new - long sleeve green madras - which is quite nice, but wouldn't want to stock a whole wardrobe at that cost!
^ Colin,
You were probably ahead of the curve with your vintage purchases. I was online, only yesterday, and found either a load of tat or exceptionally expensive stuff.
Also, don't you find generally now clothing prices have sky-rocketed?
Luckily, before retiring I amassed enough shirts (and indeed clothes/shoes) to last me the rest of my life. I've always rotated and looked after clothes meaning pretty much everything is in decent nick.
Obviously I am still tempted to buy bits and in fact do but it really is bits as the prices have shot up over recent years. Twenty pound increases for every item each season seems the norm everywhere.
It was only a short time ago - or feels a short time ago - that Paraboots were £250 a pair. They are £385 everywhere now. They'll be £400 next year. That said you could argue Paraboots are still value at £385 as I find them pretty indestructible. However, £200+ for an off-the-peg shirt just doesn't represent value for me, however nice it is.
Then again if you have the money then buy one but it does concern me that as long as people pay it then they'll keep incresing the price.
In general, costs may be going up so much that they are having to increase prices but I'm not sure that is the case.
However, the great thing about Ivy and Ivy-influenced styling is that it is a broad church and - in my mind - a white tee, grey sweat, old chinos, Harrington and washed-out CVOs are just as stylish a summer look as a linen sack, shirt, tie, Rancourt loafers etc and maybe the way to go.
I am in the same boat. Loads of clothing and shoes that will see me out. Not all of it is Ivy stuff. Lots of British kit as well, suits and double cuff shirts, silk ties etc. Don't really get a chance to wear them much now.
Colin is right to be concerned about the pricing of stuff. Lands End, Marks and Spencer & Uniqlo used to offer passable quality shirts which were affordable. Not so many options now.
Veblen effect is probably in play too. Costs a lot, therefore it must be good. Buy it and you still end up looking like Simon Crompton, but with less cash in your pocket than you ought to have.
Me too in the same boat ( 3 old men in a boat ?), I had a gradual slide into retirement, 9-10 years working maybe 25 hours per week, but I was still wearing a clean shirt each day to the office so the rotation of shirts/strides carried on, ( 'out-out' shirts then downgraded to the office rotation , probably old working class ways), but since being fully retired the shirts just sit in the wardrobe, there's a log jam ! I've moved on 6-7 on the bay to make some space, as you say Andy there's always the temptation to buy the odd thing, I ease my ' buyers guilt' by using the funds raised by selling on the bay,
Well, I do long for the days of ebay US being able to pick up a shirt for $4.99 and then a fraction more for postage. Those days are gone, although the good stuff is still out there (but needs to warrant the £40+ postage).
Yes, clothes - and everything! - seems to be going up these days. For that reason, I'm always amazed by people having so much cash to spend on new clothes, though I appreciate that's in part having young children and rent to pay!
The ivy look still lives on in the menswear world, I notice, but seems to be more parallels and coincidences increasingly (with the exception of those familiar names and the Japanese ivy influences) - for instance, you can't move for 3/2 lapels on pricey menswear stuff these days, but then again, that seems to be evolving and moving on. I suppose I shouldn't much care anywhere, but it's kind of interesting-ish.
I've also stocked up with retirement rapidly approaching.
After recent trips to the States and finding traditional loafers increasingly hard to come by I decided to stock up.
The term panic buying feels very apt.
Allen Edmunds, who shoes I greatly admire, had closed the local store and stopped doing anything along the lines of Kenwood or Walden. Cole Haan had discontinued the Pinch Penny. Florsheim had redesigned the Brown Berkeley loafer and the local bricks and mortar Bass stockist were no more.
Picked up a brooks makers from the ivy FB group for a pricey £29. Whilst I'm still eyeing up a Kamakura chambray shirt, I just can't help but think old brooks will be a better investment in the long run, at that price.