You can thank this man, although others might feel differently...

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1664349,00.html

I was in the new Brooks here in Edinburgh the other day, and I was suprised by how young and cool looking the staff were.  They weren't wearing Black Fleece but the general look was there, lots of functioning cuffs unbuttoned, facial stubble, slimmer ties, slimmer suits.  Being the UK, darts and side vents abound.  There was a Black Fleece suit on display (and on sale for 850 GBP), but no other Black Fleece in the store.  It was less impressive than in photos.  The kid who helped with Made to Measure (£150 for a shirt) was cool and we had a brief conversation about 'golf' i.e 'club' collars.  It was less stodgy and made me want to work there.

I like the idea of reviving the brand, but unless they can find a way to make cool clothes affordable (BF is the only suit line I would really wear, and never at those prices) it could go either way.

I tell ya, Band. those prices bear no relation to the costs in the States. The knitted in Scotland cashmere sweaters are on sale here at 1/2 price, which I think means 75 pounds ($150 dollars) these days. 3 ply cashmere. Other prices are comparable. Try ordering from the States on the internet.

Last edited by Horace (2008-01-16 11:09:14)

^ This is very much to the point.

Ivy is AN American style. Not THE American style.

^ S'what I was thinking of.

That JFK-ish stuff.

^ Just to be devil's advocate: how many suit designs are there, really?

I'm a big fan of the stuff BB gets right--the oxford shirts, the occasional sack (I bought two of the cord jackets Coolidge mentioned), select outerwear, shetland sweaters, cord jeans, etc.

Their chinos don't do it for me, though, and the ties are so damn wide.  Seems crazy Brooks of all places muffs these.