Yeah shoe horns of real buffalo horns are very expensive. I cannot recall how much they cost, but it was too much for me to justify buying one. One horn only yields one shoe horn because the shoe horn is cut from the tip of the horn.

I was there just now and ended up buying a few bars of artisanal soaps as gifts. I bought French lavender stuff for the girls but for myself I bought a chunk of soap that looked like it was cut from a big bar then roughly stamped with a mediaval-looking insignia. It's made of olive oil with 16% bay leaf oil (WTF?) and comes from an old soap-making town in Syria.

I saw a white linen shirt there. The buttons were MOPs and very, very different from normal buttons. It had this complex and very appealing shape. Each and every one was a star.

And each one was hand sewn with a proper shank. Unbelievable in a RTW product. This shop has taste.

Then there was this ridiculously heavy jacket of a blackish wool. It had the colour of horseshit mixed with a bit of straw. I looked inside and a label announced "Fox Flannels. Made in England." The underside of the gorge had each a button. Inside the jacket was two buttons which secured a kidney-shaped piece of wool. You flipped the collar and lapels to cover your chest and fastened them with this kidney-shaped piece of wool.

I went to job shop #1 and bought brown Cupro and light Cupro and went to an upscdale retailer and bought brown Guetermann silk thread and thick (#40) mercerised cotton thread for sewing on shirt buttons. I also bought a bunch of other stuff but they are not even remotely related to clothes.

This post has been edited by kotmj: Sep 30 2010, 03:50 AM

I live in fear of the day I might have to come here again in January/February. I have all sorts of nightmares of cycling 30 minutes to some stupid off-campus lecture hall at 6:30 a.m. with mountains of snow everywhere at -20 degrees Celcius.

Hence the overcoat project in the pipeline. And the tweed jacket project for which I know exactly what sort of tweed (brown herringbone) and for which I've bought the lining (brown Cupro) and buttonhole thread. But these are truly expensive projects and lets hope they won't be necessary.

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Added on October 1, 2010, 3:58 amBTW I felt fresco for the first time yesterday at the job shop. It says FRESCO MADE IN ENGLAND on the selvedge, but no brand. I assume it was made by Minnis who I believe has the rights to the name Fresco.

It certainly was very sheer. But it was rough like coarse sandpaper. It's going to be tough dropping a few grands on a suit made of what amounts to sackcloth.

This post has been edited by kotmj: Oct 1 2010, 03:58 AM

There is currently a major cloth f***fest going on at SF.

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=199490

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Added on October 2, 2010, 4:56 amI've been wearing FCDB daily since the day I received it 3 weeks ago. It works very well. I have observed people taking off their synthetic Jack Wolfskin jackets when they sit down, especially when eating. I have never felt that necessary with a suit because there is little excess fabric to encumber motion. A tailored jacket is the best jacket out there to keep one warm. All these synthetic Jack Wolfkin stuff represent a deculturization of society. They are also absurdly expensive.

FCDB I always wear as an odd jacket. Even though the trousers are most comfortable, wearing a navy 2 pc is simply overkill most of the time. To further casualize it, I wear a gaudy ascot instead of a necktie. Brown shoes instead of black.

Except today. I actually wore it as a suit today. I was to meet with a most scurrilous duo in their 40s who work in HQ. One was a psychologist. They saw themselves as makers of barons. Their job was to make expats out of innocent employees by sending them out into the wide world.

I dressed like it was a job interview (even though I have long been hired), which is to say I pulled out all the plugs. Woolen navy repp tie (perfect for the season). Pink stripe shirt (the only fresh shirt I had). FCDB as a suit. White linen PS. Black captoe oxfords. It's not often I get to dress like this.

The conversation went on for almost 2 hours, and towards the end, when they have relaxed, one of them remarked, "When I started working I thought I made a lot of money. Compared to being a student it was a ransom they were paying me each month. Until I went out to shop in the city. I never suspected suits could be so expensive. Or good shoes for that matter." When he was saying "suits" his eyes wandered between my lapels. When he was saying "good shoes", his eyes glanced down at mine. Hmmm. Was he trying to hint at something?

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Added on October 2, 2010, 5:05 amImagine going to a convention or something where everybody is dressed in black, charcoal or navy. And then you see this guy:



What a breath of fresh air!

This post has been edited by kotmj: Oct 2 2010, 05:05 AM

Pooh, 50% of the cloths were sold by the time I got the pics in my email. It's done very poorly, this whole business, with no description whatsoever of the cloths. But then they are the cheapest I've seen being offered.

Hahaha, somebody who follows this thread PMed me asking where in the UK job shop #1 is located.

All those camouflage methods (UDM-land, Fatherland, etc.) actually worked.

It's a serviceable first suit but not excellent. Shoulder treatment not that successful, the back is not clean, lapels too narrow. I find the shoulders a touch too narrow. Also, I find the cloth uncharismatic. The trousers seem better than most I've seen. You'll look great to almost everyone, I'm just pointing out the finer aspects. I know this is an ALT: It goes to show that quite a lot depends on the bespeaker.

Like me and lots of people including whoopee, you have a dropped right shoulder. Notice whoopee's shoulders.

How cold is cold?

I hate long johns. Heavy, light grey flannel trousers work better. Mine are windproof and ceaselessly warm. Also try corduroy trousers.

A tweed jacket with a matching waistcoat would fit climate like that. Tweed can be bought rather inexpensively from the weaver.

I like kneok's DB. The sleeves need more tapering, the button stance needs lowering, the waistline should be lowered and inch or two, but otherwise it is palpably obvious it is bespoke. The armholes could be higher. The lapels are like mine, not pointing at heaven but instead they point at the shoulder ledge -- I much prefer them this way. So did Scholte, BTW, the DBs he cut for the Duke all had lapels like this.

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Added on October 11, 2010, 10:10 pmI'd need to be given a very long, very nice, very luxurious bj to want to answer this.

This post has been edited by kotmj: Oct 11 2010, 10:10 PM

I wrote a sticky with 2 recommended tailors.

And: The only thing worse than looking like a Malaysian apek is looking like a Viet apek.

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Added on October 11, 2010, 10:38 pmI heard Viet haircuts are cheaper too.

This post has been edited by kotmj: Oct 11 2010, 10:38 PM

Man, you dress like Phua Chu Kang.

I would wear a blazer or a sportscoat with light-coloured wool pants and black captoe oxfords. No tie, with pocket square.

This post has been edited by kotmj: Oct 13 2010, 11:04 PM

Anyone watched Wall Street?

The DB on the bad guy in his final scene (at the prosecutor's office) is incredible.

The suits on the young guy (main character) are too tight for my tastes.

Also, the shirts Micheal Douglas wears after he started his business in London are very Acorn. In fact, one of them is on sale right now (-50%) at Acorn.

Right now the Tan Sri occupies two mannequins at MBT. One is ready for collection and one is waiting for a fitting.

The one awaiting collection is a tan plaid with RJW horn buttons and a shocking pink lining. Patch pockets. 3" lapels. Looks great.

The other jacket is a linen-wool mix in an indefinite black/grey with odd stripes.

Standard spec or did you bring in pics/specification lists?

Chan used to charge some RM4K for CMT when they were still offering it.

This post has been edited by kotmj: Oct 18 2010, 10:59 PM

That is a great price and a no-brainer if one is in HK.

I also get the impression they have a formidable selection of vintage cloths one can choose from.

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Added on October 19, 2010, 9:11 pmWhy Savile Row is completely out of touch...

http://www.savilerowbespoke.com/fieldday/

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Added on October 19, 2010, 9:28 pmThe villain's DB...


This post has been edited by kotmj: Oct 19 2010, 09:28 PM

For me, tailoring should be local, affordable and personal.

I do not see getting a garment, even a suit, as a one-off thing. I have so many things made that it is like going to the hairdresser. It would be most inconvenient if the hairdresser was someplace I have to fly to for the singular purpose of having my hair cut. Once you start using a tailor, it becomes impossible to go back to RTW, even on shirts.

I would try to find a local tailor if I were you.

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Added on October 21, 2010, 10:34 amIt's tough getting hold of a camera. My Motorola Razr died.

This post has been edited by kotmj: Oct 21 2010, 10:34 AM

Manufactum

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Added on October 29, 2010, 10:53 pmWhat do you mean by "next" Saturday. Tomorrow or next week?

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Added on October 29, 2010, 10:56 pm+Oct 27 2010, 04:02 PM-->Don't read too much GQ else you'll end up like ...

This post has been edited by kotmj: Oct 29 2010, 10:56 PM

There is a Fabric Market in Shanghai. Many, many cloth shops and tailors. Cashmeres abound, as do Super 150s for small change. There may be Lora Piana, Scabel, Holand & Sherry and such to be found.

Tried to find an outfit for the coming company annual dinner. Jackets from suits #1 and #2 totally do not fit anymore. Deltoids sticking out and very tight across the back. So awkward.

Beige linen jacket still fits.

I am liking FCDB more and more.

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Added on October 30, 2010, 11:08 pmThe Chinese are totally inundating the market with the most sumptuous cashmeres ... stock up on them before they sell out.

This post has been edited by kotmj: Oct 30 2010, 11:08 PM