In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, the British government proposed a mini-budget that included a round of tax cuts a few weeks ago. Immediately following the announcement, the already battered pound sterling—having fallen as a result of Brexit and then the pandemic— fell further against the US dollar. At one point, the pound-dollar exchange rate fell to 1.03, just shy of parity.

A lot has happened since then. Prime Minister Liz Truss has reversed the tax cuts, fired Chancellor Kwarteng, and now faces dismissal from her own party. There’s so much going on that Wikipedia organized the 2022 UK government crisis by month. The Daily Star has a live stream of whether the Prime Minister will outlast a head of lettuce.

The GBP/USD exchange rate was around 1.05 when I started writing this post, and multiple financial institutions predicted parity by the end of the year. It is now 1.12, and no one knows what the future holds. In any case, there has never been a better time to buy something from the United Kingdom. For years, the GBP/USD exchange rate hovered around 1.45. The current exchange rate essentially means that if you buy something from the UK, you will automatically save 20-25%.

Here are some great places to visit if you want to take advantage of the favorable exchange rate. Please keep in mind that we have only included shops that accept pound sterling. Many stores have long globalized their businesses to the point where their operations are denominated in local currencies (if you’re a US customer, this means you’ll end up paying in US dollars, rendering the exchange rate irrelevant). This guide is organized by General Shops, a category I call “Gentlemen Clothiers,” and bespoke tailoring and shoemaking operations.

(photos: The Bureau Belfast and The Real McCoys)

The General Shops

The Bureau Belfast: Casualwear and tailoring are often described as opposites. Casualwear is said to be about passing trends, whereas tailoring is about timeless style. To escape the endless churning of the fashion machine, we’re told to retreat to navy blazers and grey flannel trousers. But you don’t have to look far to find examples of interesting casualwear styles that endure. Just check out The Bureau Belfast, which opened on a small Northern Ireland backstreet during a turbulent period known as The Troubles. “[W]e had to replace our shop front on a few occasions due to bombs going off in the surrounding area,” founder Michael Hamilton recalls of those early years. Despite their early difficulties, The Bureau Belfast has survived every political and economic crisis thrown at them over the last 33 years, all the while selling the same clothes. They specialize in durable workwear styles from forward-thinking brands such as Engineered Garments, Visvim, and Yuketen. They were among the first shops to work with Nepenthes in 2002, long before the name became a wink and a nod to the menswear cognoscenti on the internet. If you’re into offbeat Japanese workwear, heritage footwear, and vintage sportswear, this should be your first stop.

Kafka: Much like The Bureau Belfast, Kafka is a three-decade-old business that specializes in off-beat workwear. Brothers Russell and David Cameron founded this Aberdeen business in 1990 and are still heavily involved in the day-to-day operations. The bearded model you see in Kafka’s lookbooks and online product images? That’s David (his brother Russell is the photographer). They also carry some of our favorite brands, such as Engineered Garments, East Harbour Surplus, Sage de Cret, Sassafras, and the various companies under the Meg Company umbrella (e.g. Monitaly, Yuketen, Epperson Mountaineering, etc). Don’t forget to check out their sale section. Since Kafka’s aesthetic has stayed so consistent over the years, even older seasons’ items look current.

The Real McCoys: Go back a little in menswear history, and you’ll find a story about vintage workwear and Americana obsessives in Japan, who scoured second-hand shops and flea markets for things such as original horsehide A-2 bombers and Levi’s dry denim jeans. At some point, this obsession became so big in Japan that some aficionados decided to repro the clothes—down to the very last detail, such as getting historically correct tanned leather or the right trims for outerwear. The Real McCoys is the M.I.T. research lab of this community. They’re famous for their meticulous attention to detail, historical accuracy, and massive collection of mid-century designs. Come here for things such as stout sweats, workwear flannels, retro-styled rugbys, and all things denim and horsehide.

Lewis and Eastman Leather: If you like The Real McCoys, you’ll also want to check out these two shops for heavy-duty leather jackets. They sell the kinds of things that American servicemen and motorcyclists would have worn in the immediate post-war years. Customers of these stores often wear their clothes in historically accurate ways, such as pairing a D-pocket double-rider with wider-legged denim. However, some of Lewis’ most famous customers include The Ramones and CDG’s Rei Kawakubo, proving that you can remix these styles in more contemporary ways.

(photos: Daniel Day-Lewis wearing Flamborough Marine on the cover of W Magazine, Yarmouth Oilskins, and The Vintage Showroom)

Flamborough Marine: Did you know that there are two types of fisherman knits? There’s the classic Aran, which is stocked in towering piles at prep shops, and then the lesser-known guernsey. Traditionally worn by fishermen dotted around the North Sea, guernseys are characterized by their dropped shoulder seams, high neck, and distinctive cabling (often made in a finer pattern than the Aran). In my estimation, Flamborough Marine produces the best ones. These are fully bespoke and handknitted by grandmas located around Yorkshire. Daniel Day-Lewis wore a Flamborough Marine guernsey on the cover of W Magazine, and Rajiv Surendra is a vocal fan. I bought one a few years ago and find the style goes especially well with workwear, such as trucker jackets, field jackets, and bombers. Warning: these are NOT soft. They feel more like brillo pads than pillows, and since each sweater is hand-knitted, you can expect the fit to be a little wonkier than machine-made versions. But these sweaters are tremendously warm in the wintertime, and I love the story and craft that goes into each knit. Prepare to wear these over long-sleeved t-shirts (to minimize itchiness); you may also want to tie a cotton bandana around the neck if you’re sensitive to wool.

Yarmouth Oilskins: This is the kind of stuff you’d wear with those Flamborough Marine guernseys. Yarmouth Oilskins has been producing workwear-styled garments in the tiny seaside town of Great Yarmouth for over 120 years. It is a 7th-generation family-owned company with its own factory, where they manufacture protective maritime clothing. Like many factories today, they’ve also developed their own in-house label to sell directly to consumers. Designer Sophie Miller relies on the company’s archival paper patterns and traditional sewing techniques to produce coastal workwear aimed at the casual consumer. I dig their collection of weatherproof oilskin outerwear, which will keep you dry in damp weather.

The Vintage Showroom: For many years, Roy Luckett and Doug Gunn’s Vintage Showroom in London was only known to menswear industry insiders and hardcore vintage collectors. Designers have been known to come to their appointment-only showroom to rummage through the collection of rare garments, so they could get “inspiration” for new collections (much of their collection has since been digitized, so you can also check out these designs online for a fee). In 2012, the pair also published a book—which later won an award and had a follow-up edition. It’s one of the few menswear “picture books” worth buying since so many of the images here aren’t just the same recycled photos of Steve McQueen and Cary Grant you can find online. More excitingly, The Vintage Showroom recently opened an online shop (mostly for slightly less rare, but still cool, vintage finds). Beware: the prices aren’t cheap. But the garments are amazing. I love the 1950s Hercules hunting jacket, 1960s Eddie Bauer Sun-Down label down jacket, naval-issued sweater, WW2 British brushstroke field pants (Nigel Caborn has made something similar), and the hodgepodge of jewelry and curios.

Equus Leather: Equus Leather is one of the few workshops left in the world still producing leather goods using a traditional technique known as saddle stitching. That’s when a leather worker pricks holes into a piece of leather, typically with an awl, and then passes two needles through from either side using a sweeping motion that sort of looks like a bird repeatedly stretching its wings. Like most traditional English leather goods shops, such as Swaine Adeney Brigg and Ettinger, Equus Leather relies on bridle leather. That’s a stiffer, harder-wearing material historically used to make horse bridle reins (hence the name). Equus Leather turns this robust material into belts, wallets, and bags, including a beautiful envelope-styled folio they designed in collaboration with Permanent Style. I wear their bridle leather belts with things such as tailored chinos. (For my taste, I prefer finer calfskin belts with dressier trousers such as flannels, and then more casual belts with jeans. But Equus’ bridle belts nicely straddle the line between these two worlds, which makes them ideal for smart-casual ensembles.)

(photos: Anglo Italian, Malloch’s, and Colhay’s)

Anglo Italian: Jake Grantham, a clothier who began his career at The Armoury, opened Anglo Italian a few years ago in London’s Marylebone, a small residential district known for its Georgian townhouses. As Mayfair rents have soared, areas such as Marylebone have boomed with high-end businesses (this is where you’ll find Trunk Clothier and Monocle’s offices). At Anglo Italian, you’ll find the softer, more approachable classic menswear styles that look so good and natural on guys such as Jake—men between their mid-20s to late-40s who love the look of tailored clothing but want clothes to fit naturally into their casual lifestyles. Anglo Italian sells soft-shouldered suits and sport coats with the verve of Italian style but the sharp-pressed image of British propriety, sporty shirts such as chambray button-downs and long-sleeve polos, and unimpeachable shoes. Most of all, I love how Anglo Italian always gets the colors right. Their olives and browns come in colder hues, which makes them easier to team with the greys and blues that dominate most men’s wardrobes. In their selection of custom-woven fabrics, you can find some very unique warm weather jacketings. Most Italian spring/summer fabrics are too modern; their British equivalents often outright weird. Anglo Italian’s spring/summer jacketings have the quiet sophistication of classic British tweeds but are rendered in lightweight Italian weaves, making them easy to wear with grey tropical wool trousers. I’m currently having this made into a sport coat.

Dicks of Edinburgh: In terms of sheer business size, Dick’s of Edinburgh is dwarfed by much larger British retailers, such as End, Kafka, and Oi Polloi. But in 2020, this relatively unknown shop won Permanent Style’s Retailer of the Year award for their commitment to customer service and stock of high-quality goods. Dick’s carries Shetland knitwear in a rainbow spectrum of colors, rubberized cotton outerwear from Mackintosh (including the field coats), and goose-down puffer jackets from Crescent Down Works. Along with the regular run of established names, they also carry unexpected items such as Manifattura Ceccarelli parkas, Magicfelt house slippers, and Amiaclava tote bags. Moonstar makes some of my favorite sneakers for this time of year. Their All Weather Boots are visually distinctive, pair well with jeans, and have a rubberized bottom that protects your feet from splashy puddles. They’re slightly difficult to find outside of Japan, but Dick’s carries them in every color.

Colhay’s and Malloch’s: If you were into menswear before the internet, you might associate Scottish knitwear with those fusty trad shops that stock them in piles, usually placed in old wooden cupboards located somewhere between the big tweeds and Argyle socks. Scottish knitwear still carries some of that old-fashioned reputation today. However, in recent years, a couple of brands have done wonders in burnishing this image. Colhay’s and Malloch’s use some of the best mills in Scotland—and, by extension, the world—but their designs and presentations attract a younger audience. Colhay’s primarily focuses on noble fibers such as cashmere and cashmere blends (even their lambswool is graded as superfine). Their sweaters fit trimmer than what you’ll find at trad shops, but they’re made to the same high standards. I’m particularly impressed by their chunky cashmere turtlenecks and shawl collar cardigans (the cashmere cardigans confer a level of comfort I’ve never felt before). By contrast, Malloch’s is mostly focused on Shetlands and lambswool sweaters. To be sure, it’s not hard to find Shetlands nowadays—even J. Crew stocks them. But Malloch’s come in appealingly dusty colors. This Shetland is pink, but not too pink, which makes it unexpected without being overwhelmingly preppy.

(photos: Community Clothing and All Blues Company)

All Blues Company: This Leeds-based menswear boutique is like a time machine; it instantly transports you back to 2010, when it was possible to buy high-quality menswear for less than the price of college tuition. Mano Dridi, the affable director behind the store, once told me that he was inspired by the legendary NYC shop Hickoree’s. Back then, heritage-styled shops scoured the country for forgotten American brands and manufacturers. They then sold those goods to nostalgic city dwellers looking for long-lasting value. Of course, the market has dramatically changed since then. Clothing has gotten either much cheaper or more expensive, and the heritage market has been overshadowed by streetwear and high fashion. So it’s impressive that a store such as All Blues Company can still sell workwear, Americana, and heritage-styled goods at mid-tier prices. Dridi tells me that he’s able to do so because he visits countries such as South Korea, where he works with firms such as Frizmworks, Bellief, and Coldwarm (to my knowledge, they were the first to carry these brands in the Western European market). These synthetic-filled, water-resistant Coldwarm parkas come with a bunch of cool details, such as an adjustable hood, four outer pockets, and a storm flap, yet they only cost £145. The tweed Bellief Balmacaans are only £199. The store also has an in-house label for things such as jungle jackets (£139) and 60/40 mountain parkas (£225), which are stylishly modeled on their Instagram.

Albam: The simple, unpretentious clothes at this London store were more of a rarity when Albam first opened its doors in 2006. They sell things such as the slippery smocks, Shaker knits, and unbranded sneakers you may have seen in some archival BBC documentary about life in London for middle-class teenagers in the 1960s. The styles are classic and enduring, hint at nostalgia, and come in slightly trimmer fits than their originals. It’s not terribly hard to find clothes like this nowadays—fashion has a way of making bleeding-edge styles more common—although Albam still does them better than most. I like their attention to detail: using Riri zippers instead of the more common YKK, putting side-entry pockets on overshirts to make them feel more like outerwear, and reducing the number of seams on knitwear. Check the outlet section for especially good deals, such as the Scottish fisherman sweaters (£99) and carpenter pants (£45).

Community Clothing: Patrick Grant, head of Savile Row firm Norton & Sons and judge on The Great British Sewing Bee, is passionate about British manufacturing. He also understands a fundamental problem with producing clothes in Britain. In the traditional fashion calendar system, clothes are produced for two seasonal collections, broken up by spring/summer and fall/winter. That means that factories are supremely busy for two periods of the year and then have long lulls in between. To help fill this gap, Patrick Grant started Community Clothing, which manufactures and sells classic clothing at what essentially amounts to wholesale prices. The aim is not to make a massive profit or produce dramatically different collections each season, but to keep workers employed and machines humming with timeless gear that carries over from year-to-year. Community Clothing sells things such as British Millerain field jackets (£179), four-ply lambswool turtlenecks (£90), and workwear chinos (£75). If you browse the “odds and ends” section, you can also find discounted things such as camo field jackets (£99) and stout sweats (£29).

ArkAir: This is the civilian wing of an old English company, Arktis, which has been providing standard-issue military wear to special forces since 1985. Over the years, they’ve sold to the French Foreign Legion, US Special Forces, Royal Marines, and elite units in Australia. If we’re to believe marketing materials, a customer in Kosovo once ordered a jacket from them whilst under sniper fire. Their civilian ArkAir line isn’t meant for warfare, but they have the same robust construction and military style. The line mostly focuses on fishtail parkas and field jackets, often made in blocky camo patterns, but it has a more contemporary feel than what you might pull out of a military surplus depot. Prices are surprisingly good (relative to what’s out there nowadays, anyway). On their site now, you can find weatherproofed smocks (£152), stowaway anoraks (£76), and cotton-poly ripstop cargo pants (£92). The company has also done collabs with street-cred brands such as Palace, Études, and 18 East, although most of those items have long sold out.

(photos: Begg and John Simons)

John Simons: John Simons is often described as the patron saint of English Ivy for how he introduced traditional American clothes to English shores. For the last sixty years, he’s been a steadfast evangelist of things such as J. Keydge natural shouldered jackets, Florsheim Imperial brogues, Bass penny loafers, button-down shirts, and other things Ivy. And in doing so, he’s also made a big impact on British tastes. For the last three generations, mods, suedeheads, and skinheads (a term for a section of working-class youths before the name became associated with racists) have gone to John Simons to look street-smart and well-heeled. It’s said that this is where Baracuta’s G-9 model got its name, the Harrington. Jason Jules, who many will recognize as the handsome model for Drake’s, is such a big fan of John Simons that he produced a documentary about them.

Begg: In the last few years, Begg has transformed from a Scottish heritage company with tremendous manufacturing experience to a modern luxury brand with forward-looking designers. On the downside, this means that Begg’s cosmically expanding prices have put them out of reach of many (and they were already expensive before). On the upside, if you can afford to pay what they ask, I don’t think you’ll find a better scarf in the world. Begg’s design team always gets everything just right—the colors hit the perfect shades and hues, and the patterns always feel fresh without losing that traditional quality that makes Scottish designs so pleasing. I adore their oversized Kishorn scarves, which are made from gossamer cashmere yarns, so finely knitted together that Begg had to specially modify their machines so these yarns wouldn’t snap. The Kishorn scarves are generously sized—about five feet in length and two feet in width—which allows them to create interesting folds when hung around your neck. At the same time, the material is so thin that nothing ever feels bulky. I prefer the lightweight Kishorns over the washed Kishorns (the washing process fuzzes up the hand, and I prefer the smoother, more lustrous feel of the original cashmere). The Wispy collection is also worth a look. It’s impossible to rationalize Begg’s prices, but between owning four $100 scarves and owning one $400 Begg in a staple color, I would rather have the latter.

Ruth Mastenbroek’s Oxford: Britain has such a rich fragrance scene, I can’t possibly cover everything adequately. So I just want to highlight one of my favorites, which doesn’t show up often on people’s radars. Ruth Mastenbroek’s Oxford is inspired by the perfumer’s time as a chemistry student at Oxford University, where she first discovered the French cigarette brand Gitanes. In her words, the memory of those cigarettes came to represent chicness and sophistication, otherworldliness, and the moment as a young person when you realize you can make your own choices. I think it conveys the feeling of being in an old university library—the ones with impossibly high ceilings and long halls, where the sound of even the slightest cough seems to reverberate through the rooms. The scent opens with a blast of clary sage and basil, which reminds me of dusty books; the heart has vanilla, vetiver, and amber that recall the scent of leather armchairs and massive wooden tables. There’s a chocolate note here that I like better than Chanel’s Coromandel, as well as a sweet oud that feels like MFK’s Oud Satin Mood (all the sweetness of oud without the stink). Salty pine notes mixed with jasmine and rosemary keep things feeling fresh, and will remind you of the scent of greenery just outside of a study hall. I would never recommend blind buying a fragrance, but if you can find a sample of this, it’s worth a sniff.

Arterton: In some ways, William Wong’s Arterton reminds me of Kirby Allison. Both are passion projects founded by tailoring enthusiasts who seek to sell upgraded wardrobe accessories to other tailoring enthusiasts. Except, rather than starting with hangers, as Kirby Alison did, Wong began with the garment bag. Arterton’s garment bags tick all the right checkboxes: they’re made from pure cotton, protect your clothes from moths, and have enough space for three coats (I prefer the non-waxed City version over the waxed Signature design). Additionally, Wong has upgraded his design to include an attachable leather handle, which will convert the garment bag into a suit carrier. Anyone who has had to schlep a few coats by their hangers knows how painful it is to have those hooks dig into your fingers. By attaching those leather straps, you can distribute the weight of those carriers and make your journey more comfortable. Additionally, Arterton sells things such as luxury garment brushes and hangers from the Japanese brand Nakata, Fox umbrellas, and hand-welted shoes from Yearn.

(photos: S.E.H. Kelly and H.N. White)

S.E.H. Kelly: No company embodies the anti-fashion ethos more than S.E.H. Kelly, a micro-sized brand run by just two people—Sara E. H. Kelly, after which the company is named, and her partner Paul Vincent. Their collections are small, with just a few designs and some basics to accompany them. There are some mid-weight, medium-wale corduroy shirts, including some pullovers in unusual collars, as well as subtly pleated trousers with buckle-back and side-tab details. The stars of the collection tend to be in the outerwear section, where you’ll find trench coats made from stealth-quality Ventile cotton, as well as raglan-sleeved Balmacaans constructed from the loveliest Donegal tweeds. Their collection mostly stays the same from year to year, with a new design dropping once in a blue moon. “When Sara and I started the company, we wanted to do this on an ‘as-and-when’ basis,” says Paul. “Meaning, as we develop new patterns and when we find interesting cloths.” Everything is made in Britain, from the fabrics to the trims to the garments themselves. The thing I love about S.E.H. Kelly is how everything looks so sleepy. The fabrics, while originally intended for work purposes, seem like they’re comfortable enough for a little dozing. The company relies on a narrow color palette—earthy browns, slate grays, and the occasional navy—but they get the tones just right. And while there’s an appreciable level of detail for the clothing enthusiast, they’re often hidden from view, so the clothes remain incognito. Don’t bother looking for stockists. Outside of a couple of retailers in Japan, S.E.H. doesn’t do wholesale, which keeps with their slow-fashion ethos.

Oi Polloi: For the past two decades, Oi Polloi has specialized in a magpie, working-class aesthetic synonymous with the city where they’re based, Manchester. They stock Fred Perry polos, Stone Island outerwear, Clarks shoes, and old-school sneakers. Although much of what they sell is associated with football-crazed youths in England, anyone in the world can get something from here because the styles are so classic. I love their Paraboot shoes, stout Champion reverse weave sweats, and lightweight anoraks. They also carry East Asian brands such as Engineered Garments, Snow Peak, Uniform Bridge, and Eastlogue.

Goodhood: There are lots of great British shops that mostly focus on high fashion or streetwear, which fall a little outside of what we normally talk about at Put This On (I have to limit this list, somehow). But one worth mentioning is Goodhood, which is an influential fashion boutique based in East London’s Shoreditch. Goodhood’s influence can be felt around the world (for a time, there was even a copycat Goodhood in Indonesia with the same layout and branding). Some of the things you see here end up getting picked up elsewhere, suggesting that store buyers are often looking at Goodhood’s brand list. Goodhood carries many of the labels we talk about at PTO, such as Engineered Garments, Norse Projects, and Beams Plus, along with leading streetwear labels like Brain Dead, Cav Empt, and Wacko Maria. I especially like their selection of sneakers, which includes a couple of cool ACGs and some unique Van Vaults.

HN White: Harry over at HN White started his business by making classic menswear accessories, such as three-fold neckties made from rich 36oz Macclesfield silks, chalky ancient madder, Italian grenadines, slubby Shuntung silks, and printed wool challis (among my favorite fall/winter neckwear materials). Over the years, he has expanded his range to include classic scarves, pocket squares, and a line of Scottish knitwear. The sweaters are made from traditional yarns: Geelong lambswool, Shetland, and of course, cashmere. Budget-conscious readers may notice that the brushed Shetlands are slightly less expensive than the well-known American supplier.

Trickers, Gaziano & Girling, and Norman Walsh: Most British shoemakers, including those in Northampton, have long globalized their online operations so that their stores are denominated in your local currency. However, Trickers, Gaziano & Girling, and Walsh continue to sell items online in the British pound, allowing you to take advantage of the favorable exchange rate. Trickers is known for its rugged, country-style footwear, such as heavy boots and brogues, which look great with a pair of cords. In contrast, Gaziano & Girling sells sleeker, more refined styles typically worn with worsted suits. For made-in-England sneakers, check out Norman Walsh. Their retro styles pair well with Rugged Ivy outfits, like 60/40 mountain parkas worn with five-pocket cords and Shetland knits.

eBay UK: Lastly, don’t forget to check the UK side of eBay. You can often find great deals there for storied brands such as Barbour, Crockett & Jones, Drake’s, and the like.

(photo: The Office)

The Gentlemen Clothiers

You are a gentleman. A flaneur. A man of style, not fashion. Your eyes glaze over the fleeting styles in this post, as you prefer timeless classics that show your class and sophistication. If something doesn’t have a two-inch layer of dust over it, you are unmoved. You take a puff from your tobacco pipe and adjust your monocle and deerstalker cap. What is in store for you? Let’s talk about a class of British retailers I’d characterize as the “gentlemen clothiers.”

Hilditch & Key: St. James’s of London was the home of many British aristocrats during the 17th century, which is why you can find so many exclusive gentlemen’s clubs and bespoke shirtmakers here today. Among them is Hilditch & Key, whose Parisian outpost once carried fanciful scarves that inspired Micheal Drake, co-founder of Drake’s of London. At Hilditch & Key’s London headquarters, you can find tattersall shirts, colorful cords, and long nighttime pajamas that will make you look like Sleepytime Bear. Recently, I bought a pair of pale yellow socks here based on Bruce Boyer’s recommendation. For some reason, it’s hard to find over-the-calf yellow socks that don’t look like spilled highlighter fluid. Hilditch & Key has that “soft banana color” that looks great between stone-colored trousers and brown shoes.

Budd and Emma Willis: Two other legendary shirtmakers located in London’s St. James’s area. These companies sell bespoke and ready-to-wear shirts, along with the things that custom shirtmakers typically produce with their shirtmaking machines: pajamas, boxer shorts, and dressing gowns. Budd has sumptuous dressing gowns made from Fox Brothers’ flannel, while Emma Willis carries printed wools and breezy linens.

Cordings: The most famous British supplier of country-style clothes. Eric Clapton bought this shop in 2003 because he loved how these clothes reminded him of his youth. As a young boy growing up in the English countryside, he used to visit London and admire the tweedy three-piece suits, colorful cords, and pheasant-decorated neckties displayed in Cordings’ shop window. For Clapton, the clothes represented home and aspiration (much like how Ralph Lauren does the same for Americans). I love Cordings’ clothes because they come in a traditional cut and can be easily worked into a number of wardrobes. Their chunky shawl collar cardigans go well with chinos, jeans, or five-pocket cords in the fall/winter months and can substitute for a tailored jacket if you’re hosting holiday parties. Their raglan-sleeve Balmacaans can be teamed with chunky sweaters and smart or casual trousers for an easy but stylish ensemble. This belted raincoat would look amazing with a spotted scarf and this blanket striped bag. Since Cordings spends a minimal amount of money on marketing, their products are commonly a little more affordable than what you’ll find at other shops without sacrificing quality.

(photos: Dick Carroll at The Armoury holding a Fox umbrella and pages from an old Chapman catalog)

Purdey and Holland & Holland: These two stores are REI for people who got their money the old-fashioned way: through inheritance. Purdey and Holland & Holland are two of the world’s most prestigious gunmakers. Their clients include members of the British royal family and people who commission bespoke shooting tweeds for a weekend at Scottish estates. Everything is exorbitantly priced here. For the pleasure of owning one of their rifles, you can expect to pay upwards of £100,000 (prices can roughly double if you want the photographic engravings). As you might expect, the clothes are priced accordingly. Holland & Holland’s online store is small, with only a few leather accessories and stag-themed cufflinks (for readers outside of London, you can find more of their goods on eBay). On the other hand, Purdey has chunky eight-gauge knits built for brisk Scottish weather, unique country boots that go up to your calf, and tweedy field coats made with handwarmer pockets, storm cuffs, and storage spaces for gun cartridges. Most readers will probably never go hunting on a Scottish estate, but many of these styles can be worn in the city with things such as cords, jeans, and flannels if you want to look like an old-school British gentleman.

Chapman and Brady Bags: If you like traditional clothing or classic-adjacent brands like Nigel Cabourn, you’ll love Chapman and Brady. They are the British equivalents of Filson, specializing in tough canvas carriers trimmed with vegetable-tanned leather. Many of the styles featured here were originally created for sportsmen. But even if you don’t hunt for anything other than eBay bargains, a country-style bag can be repurposed for city life. A fishing tackle pocket can be used to store laptop chargers; spacious game compartments can hold a laptop, some books, and an emergency sweater. I like Chapman’s Airborne Overnighter for the one “personal item” you can carry onto a plane, and any of Brady’s sporting bags for schlepping treasures back from a flea market. Imagine using one of these with a waxed cotton Barbour or an Engineered Garments Bedford jacket.

Fox Umbrellas and James Smith & Sons: Classic menswear is frequently sold on the premise that things were better made in the past, and that the modern world has been compromised by trendy designs and low-cost manufacturing. However, the umbrella is just one (of many) examples of how this isn’t always the case. In terms of functionality, modern umbrellas are undeniably superior. Their telescopic handles make storage and transport easier, and some are equipped with storm flaps to keep the canopy from inverting during a strong gust of wind. Davek umbrellas are even guaranteed for life. Unfortunately, modern umbrellas aren’t particularly attractive. Check out Fox Umbrellas and James Smith if you value aesthetics as much as I do and are willing to compromise on some of these modern design upgrades. Their umbrellas are frequently made of a single, strong stick of wood and have classically patterned canopies. I hate that I’m so vain, but I will suffer through carrying these massive canes whenever I wear a suit because I believe they look better with classic outfits.

Stewart Christie: Stewart Christie holds the prestigious title of being the oldest Scottish tailoring house still in operation. Like many custom tailors today, they’ve long incorporated a ready-to-wear range that allows them to scale their business. This range includes an in-house label and reputable third-party brands such as Chrysalis, Magee, and Dents.

Walker Slater: Although I don’t have any experience with Walker Slater’s goods, some of their products online look promising. In the outerwear section here, you can find belted topcoats, Balmacaans, and tweedy field coats at prices starting around £395. Try to get measurements before buying. It’s often safer (and better) to get these styles in a slightly larger fit than the slim fits that many men have been accustomed to wearing in the last twenty years.

Lock & Co, Bates, Christys: Traditional men’s hats. I have Lock’s rollable Rambler and think it looks good with brands such as RRL.

Trumpers and Taylors of Old Bond St: Traditional men’s grooming products, including shaving creams, badger hair brushes, talcum powders, soaps, and fragrances. I find these companies typically sell fragrances in cologne concentrations, so they’re next to skin scents by the time you walk out the door. Good for conservative offices.

(photo: Aleks Cvetkovic wearing a bespoke sport coat by Fred Nieddu)

Bespoke Tailors and Shoemakers

Finally, a quick word about bespoke tailoring and shoemaking. In the last seventy-five years, the bespoke trade has withered. What was once a thriving trade centered around global cities like London, New York, and Paris has largely devolved into a few straggling independent houses surrounded by larger operations that have transformed themselves into luxury ready-to-wear operations. To the extent that bespoke is still available at these large firms today, the quality is frequently poor, or the service is clearly designed to give a halo to an overpriced RTW range.

Nonetheless, there are some incredible makers out there, many of whom are based in the United Kingdom. These companies visit the United States up to four times per year to meet with clients in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, and Chicago. If you live near one of these trunk shows and are already paying a high price for ready-to-wear items, bespoke may be worth considering. The cost of a bespoke will only go up from here.

I should warn you that I think bespoke is frequently oversold. Most people can fit into ready-to-wear with some hunting and knowledge, and you can find excellent RTW tailoring today at shops such as No Man Walks Alone and The Armoury. Additionally, bespoke is rarely the smooth, flawless process that people expect; things can go south for any number of reasons. Perhaps you picked a lousy fabric, didn’t communicate well, or deviated too far from a maker’s house style. Perhaps you’re not working with a good maker (and there are A LOT of bad makers out there). Sometimes you communicate well, and the maker is skilled, but you two are just a poor match. If you go into this, adjust your expectations.

(photos: Nicholas Templeman and the shoes he has made for me)

I can’t give detailed thoughts on every British maker (most of whom I have not tried). But I can list them and encourage you to do your research before spending money. Before commissioning anything, figure out the company’s house style and see if it’s right for you. Bespoke commissions are always more successful if you stick to the company’s house style (don’t go into Huntsman asking for an Anderson & Sheppard suit, just as you wouldn’t go into an Italian restaurant and order Chinese food). Don’t think about these companies in terms of labels; think of them in terms of makers. Identify the cutter or lastmaker who will be in charge of your pattern or last, and see if you can track down customers who have worked with that craftsperson. Everything boils down to the craftsperson who will be making your commission (the label on the product means next to nothing). If you can find people who have worked with that craftsperson, privately ask them if they share their thoughts about their experiences. Clients are often more honest through direct messages than in public forums.

Bespoke can be a difficult, at times even torturous process. But I have to say, when things go well, nothing is better. My bespoke commissions are the most treasured items in my wardrobe and will stay with me for life. If you’re thinking about getting something, now is the time, as the favorable exchange rate will not be around forever.

Some bespoke tailors who visit the United States: Anderson & Sheppard, Huntsman, Henry Poole, Richard Anderson, Steed, Steven Hitchcock, Redmayne, Dege & Skinner, Fred Nieddu, Edward Sexton, Cad & The Dandy, Budd, Whitcomb & Shaftesbury, and Kent & Haste. If you’re interested in a British bespoke tailoring house, reach out to them. There’s a good chance they visit the United States.

Some bespoke shoemakers who visit the United States: Catella, Gaziano & Girling, and John Lobb. A special recommendation here for Nicholas Templeman, who used to be one of the lastmakers at John Lobb of London. Of all the bespoke makers I’ve worked with over the years, whether tailors or shoemakers, Nicholas has been the best. Bespoke is often characterized as being the pinnacle of craft, service, attention to detail, and honesty in workmanship and business. Reality rarely lives up to this standard, but in my experience with Nicholas, it has been true.

Sources for fabrics: Some tailors will give you a discounted price if you supply your own fabric (what’s called the CMT price). Check with the tailor you’re interested in before purchasing fabric. Most men need 4 meters for a suit, 2.5 meters for a sport coat, and 1.5 meters for trousers. You can buy British fabrics through Huddersfield Fine Worsted, The Merchant Fox, Dugdale, Standeveen, Brisbane Moss, Schofield & Smith, Acorn, Dashing Tweeds, Harrisons of Edinburgh, and Anglo Italian.

For more suggestions on how to take advantage of the current exchange rate, check our guide on shops that accept the Euro. 

The post Where To Shop To Take Advantage Of The Exchange Rate appeared first on Put This On.

Many years ago, a Savile Row cutter told me about how, when he started at Anderson & Sheppard, the basement was packed with unfinished suits. People felt more free to order whatever they wanted back then, he says, because tailoring houses didn’t require deposits. Plus, he added, the exchange rate was much more favorable for Americans. People would come in, feeling flush with cash thanks to the favorable exchange rate, order a bunch of stuff, and then change their minds once the economic winds blew the other way, leaving Anderson & Sheppard holding the bag.

Today, we’re in a similar situation (although tailors now smartly require deposits). There has never been a better time to shop internationally. A strained European economy, combined with investors putting their money into the US dollar as a safe haven in uncertain economic times, means the US dollar has more purchasing power. For years, I’ve been used to GBP/USD and EUR/USD exchange rates of 1.5 and 1.15, respectively. Today’s exchange rates are around 1.19 and 1, representing a 15-20% savings if you shop abroad.

So I thought I’d compile a list of European stores to check out. Since the US dollar is within a hair width of pairity to the euro for the first time in 20 years, this post will focus on shops that trade in euros. A future post will round up shops that use the British pound.

Some quick words of caution: shop wisely. If you can order the same item from a domestic store, consider doing so. It’s much easier to return something to a US address if things don’t work out, and even a small saving abroad may not be worth the headache. Also, keep in mind that credit cards and Paypal charge fees when converting currencies, so not everything is a clear savings. Finally, most orders under $800 will be free of taxes and duties, but packages over that amount may incur fees. When importing certain items, such as eyewear, paperwork is also sometimes required.

Broadway & Sons: David Asseraf started Broadway & Sons in the early 1980s, after having gained some experience as a vintage dealer specializing in t-shirts, Levis 501s, collegiate sweatshirts, and Army-issued sneakers. His store still sells those things today. But as his two sons, Nathaniel and Noam, have joined the family business, the company has also added vintage American sportswear. So alongside things such as beautifully faded Carhartt work pants and US military clothing from the Second World War, you can find 90s-era NBA sweatshirts and coach jackets. The company’s Instagram is endlessly inspiring and full of ideas on how to style these vintage goods. Come here if you like military surplus, mid-century denim, workwear, and sportswear.

Casatlantic: This relatively new line was founded by Nathaniel Asseraf, who works at his family’s vintage shop, Broadway & Sons. Their bread-and-butter is in slightly fuller-cut trousers, often made from cotton. The pants are modeled after vintage military pants that Asseraf has come across in his line of work, but have been tweaked in small ways to make them look a little more modern. In the last few months, they’ve also introduced retro-styled knitwear and eyewear. Everything here looks so great.

Brut: During Paris Fashion Week, which happens twice a year, some designers will sneak off from the shows to shop at Brut. They come here to rummage through the mountains of French workwear, WWII militaria, and Ivy clothing, which they use as inspiration for future collections. If you like vintage-inspired workwear, some of your favorite designers probably shop here. I like the store for its selection of patched-up French workwear and French pilot bags. They also have two in-house collections, Brut Collection and Rework. Both feature fresh takes on old styles: summer shirts made from upcycled “escape maps,” ranch jackets made from 1930s linen bedding, and tons of cool pants.

Barbanera: You know how Spaghetti Western refers to Sergio Leone’s Italian take on the classic American Western film? Barbanera is sort of the clothing version of that. Although the company started with relatively conservative, classic English shoes, they’ve since moved to this Italian take on Westernwear. The styles are rugged, but sexy, and they fit a bit trim (triple-check sizing before buying). I like their denim jackets, side- and back-zip cowboy boots (called the Cash and Cormac), and Western denim shirts.

(pictured above: Broadway & Sons, Brut, and Casatlantic)

Berg & Berg: I’ve always felt that Berg & Berg represents one of the better values in menswear. The clothes are aimed at a slightly younger demographic, but the styles aren’t so twisted that they’re unrecognizable. Berg & Berg’s clothes are current without being trendy, classic without being fusty. They’re well-made without relying on artisanal gimmicks. Most of their products are produced in European factories, often ones based in Italy, and don’t skimp in terms of materials. Over the years, I’ve purchased Vachetta folios from them, as well as silk ties and polo shirts. I’m impressed with how well they’ve aged, both in terms of construction quality and design. At the moment, I like their long-sleeved polos and belts with crescent-shaped buckles. Their tailoring also looks interesting. In the fall/winter months, they typically offer well-priced overcoats.

Besnard: When I first started writing about tailored clothing a little over ten years ago, it was genuinely hard to recommend anything under a thousand dollars. Suits and sport coats under that price point were often just not very good, not just in terms of construction but also design. Since then, a ton of new tailoring companies have come online to make things more competitive. Besnard’s tailoring ticks all of the right boxes: made in Italy, fully canvassed, and features a handmade collar, armholes, and buttonholes. Importantly, the silhouettes are trimmish, but still flattering. The chests fit a bit fuller; the shoulder line ever-so-slightly extended. It’s a refreshingly classic look compared to the overly tight Italian jackets that dominate the more affordable side of this market. The company also sells trimmish, high-rise trousers finished with a single pleat, Neapolitan-made button-down shirts with a full collar roll, and classic accessories. Worth a look if you like stylish, classic tailoring but at a slightly more affordable price.

Michael Jondral: Michael Jondral feels like a fun playhouse for guys who read about tailoring at Parisian Gentleman and The Rake. They’re a tailored menswear shop that leans heavily towards Italian style. Here, you can find soft-shouldered suits and sport coats from Cesare Attolini and Orazio Luciano, fine gauge knitwear from Fedeli, and dress shirts from Finamore. Like any reputable shop that specializes in Continental style, they also have a smattering of the right British names: William Lockie, Edward Green, James Lock, etc. I’ve always liked how they style their mannequins and think they have great taste in fabrics.

Husbands Paris: The relatively new Parisian label Husbands combines a lot that’s cool in menswear at the moment—a revival of 1970s glamour, freer mixing between tailoring and casualwear, and the use of side-zip boots. The tailoring here has defined shoulders, wide lapels, and a dropped buttoning point, giving the wearer strong, architectural lines. They even have suit models with slightly flared trousers (something I’ve become increasingly open to over the years). I love how Husbands’ tailoring is chic and sexy, and shows how structured tailoring doesn’t have to be just for boardrooms.

Beige Habilleur: It’s not easy to create a classic menswear shop that focuses on casualwear, but in a way that doesn’t spill over into the vanilla blandness of business casual. Beige does it exceptionally well. They have an appreciation for classic style without being wedded to it. Here, you can find basics from brands such as John Smedley, Arpenteur, and Moonstar sitting alongside hard-to-find labels such as Haversack and Camoshita. The styles are youthful, but not overly trendy. They’re classic without being boring. If you like the aesthetic of the French menswear magazine L’Étiquette, this shop is worth checking out.

(pictured above: Berg & Berg, Besnard, and Beige)

Rubinacci: HELLLLOOOOO EVERYONE! Rubinacci is best known for their bespoke tailoring, but they also have a small selection of ready-to-wear. I like their pocket squares and ceramic ashtrays.

EG Cappelli: This Neapolitan tiemaker has a small shop located across the courtyard from Sartoria Formosa in Naples, Italy. They were a darling of the bespoke menswear world about ten years ago, and I still think they make wonderful ties. The owner, Patrizio, is very charming and has good taste in fabrics. Nearly everything here is produced bespoke, so you can specify the width, length, interlining, etc.

Shibumi: Another reputable tiemaker. They do both ready-to-wear and bespoke, and they offer a very tasteful selection of fabrics.

Mes Chaussettes Rouges: Fancy socks for fancy men.

La Portegna: A nice line of Spanish-made accessories, bags, and shoes aimed around the idea of travel, although you can also use most of these products while out and about in your hometown. I like their foldable travel slippers for hotel stays.

Mario Talarico: This small shop is located in the Spanish Quarter of Naples, Italy, where two men — an uncle and nephew, both charmingly named Mario Talarico — produce handmade, single-stick umbrellas. Practically speaking, there’s no functional advantage to a single-stick umbrella, but they look cool and feel sturdy. A handful of shops produce umbrellas like this. I like Talarico the best mostly because of their charming operation.

Dusita: Makers of my favorite perfume, Issara. Unfortunately doesn’t last that long, but for the time it lingers, you feel like you’re smelling honey in a barnyard full of hay.

Indult: Makers of the best vanilla-based perfume, Tihota. Cosigned by Woman of Good Taste, Rachel Syme.

Abdes Salaam Attar: A tremendous perfumer that uses all-natural ingredients. The New York Times has a wonderful story about the company. I like and wear Tabac, Milano Caffe, and Cuoio dei Dolci. Note, since these are natural perfumes, they don’t last as long. However, the scents are unique and intoxicating. To the degree that perfumes can be described with gender, the listed scents here are more “masculine” than Issara and Tihota.

Fabric: Men who use bespoke tailors often supply their own cloth. Doing so can sometimes save you some money, and it allows you to sit on the fabric for a while, which can give you some perspective on whether you actually want to have something made into a garment (not always easy when you’re just flipping through swatch books). If you decide to buy your own fabric, check out Drapers, Caccioppoli, Lafayette Saltiel Drapiers, Maison Hellard, TESSin, and Rubinacci (Draper’s Ascot four-ply fabrics are really nice for pants). Most men need 4 meters for a suit, 2.5 meters for a sport coat, and 1.5 meters for a pair of trousers. However, it’s always best to check with your tailor first, as a lot depends on the details.

(pictured above: Lafayette Saltiel Drapiers, EG Cappelli, and Rubinacci)

Skoaktiebolaget: I’ve always been hesitant to recommend overseas shops for footwear. Unlike clothing, footwear can’t be altered, and shipping something heavy like a pair of boots can get expensive quickly if you need to make a return. However, the Swedish shop Skoaktiebolaget built its business on selling high-end shoes to footwear obsessives overseas. And they’ve been very good at it. They offer a ton of service and are very good at nailing down sizing based on what’s already in your wardrobe. They also carry hard-to-find lines, such as Enzo Bonafe, and their own in-house label Lof & Tung (a uniquely good value).

TLB Mallorca: In the last ten years, a ton of new companies have offered increasingly more affordable Goodyear welted shoes (some successfully, some not). TLB Mallorca is one of the few that have tried to fill out the mid-tier of this market. The shoes are roughly around 350 euros, but they offer nice details uncommon at this price point, such as tight waists, close-cut heels, and stiffeners made from leather, rather than the more common Celeastic (leather stiffeners will be easier to repair).

Saint Crispins: Saint Crispin’s handmade shoes are dearly expensive, but they’re a unique value in that they sit somewhere between the worlds of ready-to-wear and bespoke. The company has a pret-a-porter program that allows you to change their standard lasts by adding or subtracting materials in certain places (this isn’t the same as building a whole new last, although you’d be surprised how many bespoke shoe companies do little more than add or subtract material from a pre-made last). The styles here tend to be very sharp and sleek—the sort of thing you want to keep to tailoring. But the designs are beautiful, and the customization program allows for nearly endless possibilities. If you get something custom-made, I recommend paying the surcharge for the fitting shoes. Saint Crispin’s shoes are designed to fit very close to the foot, so there’s little room for error.

Vass: For a while, getting your first pair of Vass shoes was something of a rite of passage for guys obsessed with fine footwear and classic tailoring. After all, they wrote the book on handmade shoes. These shoes are handmade in Budapest—a step above Goodyear welting in terms of construction quality—and they typically feature slightly chunkier silhouettes with high side walls. I think they look best with heavy flannel trousers and tweeds.

(pictured above: Lof & Tung at Skoaktiebolaget, TLB Mallorca, and Saint Crispins)

Pommella: Some years ago, my friend Gianluca Migliarotti partnered with former Rubianacci trouser cutter Lino Pommella to start a bespoke tailoring company. They specialize in pants—beautifully cut, slim trousers made with all of the Neapolitan hand-tailoring flourishes. I used them for bespoke trousers once and was very impressed with the work. The company has since also launched a small line of ready-made trousers that are produced in Italy to the same standard as their bespoke work. Although these are ready-made, they leave a lot of material in the inlays, which allows you greater freedom when getting these altered (more than most ready-made pants). Gianluca has a great eye for details and fabrics, and I like his choices for things such as the cotton-cashmere moleskin trousers and heavy cotton chinos.

Heimat: Heimat’s sweaters are made at a family-owned mill based in Germany. The company offers classic, rugged styles, such as U-boat rollnecks and merino deck sweaters made from heavy, thick yarn. The sweaters are designed to fit very snug at first, but they soften up and stretch out after a few wears (company founder Christian Hofmann compares them to raw denim jeans). I like how these knits look like they’d last forever, and are the kinds of things that will genuinely keep you comfortable on cold winter nights.

Kit Blake: Kit Blake is for people who don’t want their trousers to fade into the back of an outfit. These high rise, double-pleated trousers are finished with a slightly taller waistband. They have a dash of Old Hollywood sensibility and can add some flavor to a summer outfit when it’s too hot for outerwear. I like how André Larnyoh wears them on Instagram.

Atelier de L’Armee: Really cool bags that fit in well with a workwear wardrobe. I have one of their Flight Pack backpacks, which is their flagship model. If you’re often on the run and short on time, the long straps can get kind of fiddly. However, if you’re OK with taking the extra 15 seconds or so to strap things up, this design looks great with brands such as Nigel Cabourn, Battenwear, and anything inspired by the great outdoors. The rolltop design also allows you to collapse or expand this as needed, so you can carry more stuff.

De Bonne Facture: Simple, but beautifully made clothes with a strong focus on ethical production. These are the types of clothes that often get passed over online because they’re not as wild and crazy, but they’re the things you actually reach for on a daily basis because they work in outfits and feel comfortable. In the fall/winter months, they do their “Grandad coat”—modeled after a coat once owned by someone’s grandfather—in heavy woolens. The thing looks tremendous. Take a look at their lookbooks to appreciate how these clothes can look when they come together.

(pictured above: Pomella and Heimat)

Cultizm: This is something like the European version of San Francisco’s now-defunct Unionmade (RIP). They mostly specialize in workwear, but they also have a smattering of contemporary clothing, such as Lemaire, De Bonne Facture, and Auralee. I love their selection of workwear from brands such as Kaptain Sunshine, Engineered Garments, Ten C, Eastlogue, and the like. Honestly, the selection of brands here is too great to meaningfully cover — you should just check their brand list.

Frans Boone: Another great European shop for heritage-style casualwear. Again, here you can find brands such as Alden, Drake’s, Gitman Vintage, Rocky Mountain Featherbed, Velva Sheen, and RRL. They also have a perpetually running 50% off clearance section with old stock from previous seasons.

Graduate Store: One of those European shops you may have stumbled into while visiting Europe. They’re mostly aimed at a younger demographic, so the goods tend to be a little more streetwear and mass-market. You have brands such as Pendleton, Stan Ray, Orslow, Stussy, and YMC. One of the upsides to shops such as Graduate Store is that the gear tends to be a bit more affordable.

Soto Berlin: Much more aimed at streetwear and sportswear, with a heavy emphasis on Nike.

Holiday: A popular Parisian casualwear brand that makes you look like you vacation in cool places.

Glamood: A discount site similar to Yoox, but with a tighter selection and a stronger focus on designer clothing. I used to come here for Margiela.

(pictured above: Cultizm and Frans Boone)

The post Where To Shop To Take Advantage Of The Exchange Rate appeared first on Put This On.

I also saw a menswear shop with a painted store window that read: “Standard & Strange.” Like the other thumbnail-sized businesses on this pathway, Standard & Strange was housed in a unit that used to be a municipal horse stable. In another era, Oakland used this space to “park” their horses and carriages before turning them into long-term storage units and eventually boutiques. This history explains why the area is hidden, tucked away from the main road, and accessible only through a side street (or the backdoor of a contemporary pizzeria). It was never meant to attract passerby, which is why it’s surprising that so many independent businesses have been able to thrive here.

In those early days, Standard & Strange had to sell more of the standard than strange. To make rent, they stocked the kind of basics that defined the heritage menswear movement: raw denim Tellason jeans, heavy flannel Taylor Sitch and Rogue Territory shirts, rugged Topo and Mission Workshop bags, and small USA-made accessories, such as Rite in the Rain notebooks. The store was an upgrade from the other menswear options in the area, but not that unusual during the time (or even now).

Top: the new location on Telegraph; bottom: the original location behind Pizzaiolo

Over the years, however, Standard & Strange has really evolved. They’re now headquartered around the corner from their original location. The new spot is larger and has giant windows facing two of Oakland’s main thoroughfares, 51st Street and Telegraph Avenue. You can still find the raw denim jeans, heavy flannel shirts, and work boots that characterize their beginnings (and constitute many men’s wardrobes). But it would be hard to describe anything here as “basic.” They’re among the few, sometimes only, West Coast retailers for hard-to-find labels such as Kapital, Indigofera, Ooe Yofukuten, Papa Nui, and The Real McCoys. They’re also the only US retailer I know of for Bryceland’s, the Tokyo-based shop founded by former Armoury employee Ethan Newton. For years, workwear obsessives online talked about and lusted over Clinch boots, a line of hand-inseamed engineered boots produced by Brass Tokyo. For those based in the US, few could get a pair until Standard & Strange brought them over.

“In the beginning, we couldn’t responsibly afford to both buy into the basics that kept the doors open and dive deep into directional buys,” says Standard & Strange co-founder Jeremy Smith. “We started getting more adventurous pretty early on, but we also didn’t have a large online presence to expose the full depth of our selection. We brought in Kapital and Tender very soon after opening, and played around with some more interesting options from brands such as AXS Folk Technology, Kyle Ng’s brand before starting Brain Dead.”

Last fall, while stores were still pick-up only and many were uncertain about the future of brick-and-mortar retail, Standard & Strange was quietly working on opening a new location. Located on 238 Mulberry Street in New York City, this store’s interior vaguely echos the company’s Oakland headquarters. The space is calming with its white walls, vegetable-tanned leather, blacked steel, and blonde woods. High-touch areas where sales associates are expected to spend a lot of time with customers have leather-topped tables built around cast-iron legs. The doors even have leather-wrapped handles designed to age like the store’s heritage-style goods. “The store feels spacious, welcoming, and it smells like leather,” Smith describes. They did a soft grand opening in November, celebrating the moment by selling an exclusive run of Ooe Yofukuten jeans in-store (now sold out).

This NYC store is Standard & Strange’s third location, following a Santa Fe opening they made in 2019. “Our focus in Oakland is the rocksteady classics: boots, jeans, leather jackets, with some more exciting pieces sprinkled in, reflective of how our clients dress there. Santa Fe is where we get adventurous and weird with brands like Kapital and Bode and Clutch Golf,” says Smith. “New York will be a combination of both, but have a strong focus on having the deepest line-up in rare leather jackets and boots in the city.”

This new Mulberry store lives up to Standard & Strange’s name. “The [company’s] name comes from a book written by a woman called Jane Jacobs titled The Death and Life of Great American Cities,” says co-founder Neil Berrett, who now lives near the NYC location. “She was an urban planner who wrote a lot about how to make cities work. In her book, there’s a chapter where she talks about things that make a neighborhood work well. One of her arguments said that a neighborhood needs standard businesses, like deli, bookstore, things like that. And that they also need strange businesses, like underground art galleries, underground music venues, and many more. You need a balance between the two, and she described it as the standard and the strange.”

“When we choose the NYC location, we asked ourselves questions like ‘why do we want to be here,’ ‘what can we bring to the table,’ ‘how can we contribute to the community,'” Smith adds. “There’s this thesis among real estate brokers in NYC that some streets are ‘shopping streets’ and some are not. This idea made sense ten years ago, but now, as shopping has become experience-driven, you want to have neighbors that are excellent at different things. Our block, and the immediate walking radius, is packed with great food, excellent coffee, a nice grocery store, a cool little gym. This mix makes it a real neighborhood.”

Outside the new location at 238 Mulberry Street, NYC

The new store took a while to build, as the process was hobbled by random supply chain shortages and issues related to the pandemic. To keep store employees and customers safe from COVID, they upgraded the store’s air filtration system. They also tore down a lot of the store’s previous structure and built up new walls. At a time when many are worried about the future of brick-and-mortar, which was already on shaky ground before the pandemic, Smith says that he thinks online simply can’t replace the experience of shopping in person.

“You can stuff brick-and-mortar under marketing, as it’s a great way to acquire customers at the same or lower cost than online, but that sells the entire enterprise short,” he says. “A world where B&M is an accessory to support social media is a very dystopic one to us. Spreadsheets do not account for the human connections made in the real world. Algorithms cannot replace an in-person conversation, a fit consultation, or the experience of touching fabrics and trying things on. If there’s one thing we’ve learned buying for our stores during COVID, buying sight-unseen is incredibly challenging. I have a significantly harder time buying big pieces online that will be the cornerstones of my wardrobe. If you look at the leather jackets we offer, for example, versus all of the options online, it’s tough to draw out the minute differences that add up to a significantly better product.”

Smith adds: “Predicting the future of brick-and-mortar in such wild times is a challenge, but it looks bright regardless of the ongoing unprecedented chaos we’re living through. For niche and specialty retailers, having a physical place to build community and one-on-one relationships is more important than ever. For mass-market retailers, as the cost of digital goes up, the cost of running a brick-and-mortar makes more sense in comparison. We love brick and mortar retail, we believe in it, and we’re hell-bent on having fun and making it successful.”

Readers who live in or near the Bay Area, Santa Fe, or New York City can visit Standard & Strange at one of their locations. I find that the stock online doesn’t always reflect their stock in-store, so it’s worth stopping by every now and again to see what’s in. 

The post The Best Menswear Shop In Oakland Expands appeared first on Put This On.

18 East’s shop at 146 Elizabeth St, New York.

Men don’t often like to admit we enjoy shopping. Our reluctance is one of the reasons many men’s stores soft pedal the idea — shops are designed to be a good hang, or are modeled on clubs or art galleries. Sales associates offer you drinks; maybe the store is also a restaurant! Anything to let men believe they’re doing something other than browsing, considering, and buying. At least when it comes to clothes — we’ll shop for a car avidly for years.

But holy shit do I miss shopping — and I bet you do, too. In the 9 or so months since COVID forced us to cut out inessential away-from-home activity, I haven’t missed restaurants as much as I thought I would (yes, I order takeout; I miss food that I can’t make and I really miss not doing the dishes). I miss movie theaters a little, but I didn’t go to the movies for over a year when my kids were little and I survived. I miss live music, although mostly I feel bad for the bands/artists who have lost their main source of income. Really, I can cope without these things on my end. But I worry for the present and future of the people and places that provided them to me.

I was already doing most of my clothes purchasing online before the pandemic, and I’ve certainly continued to shop online. Online shopping has rendered accessible clothes and styles that used to be obscure or limited, and I’m a sucker for the obscure and limited — it wasn’t THAT long ago that you pretty much couldn’t buy Doc Martens in America, and that the convenient way of buying things you couldn’t get locally was to mail order them. As in, fill out a form, write a check, and put it in a stamped envelope and trust that someday you’d get what you saw in a single photo in a catalog, and that it would fit.

Pre-e-commerce ordering.

But I greatly underestimated how much in-person shopping mattered to me. What I wouldn’t give to nod at a sales associate and tell them I’m just looking today. What I wouldn’t give to discover that a J. Crew sweater just doesn’t in fact look good on me in M, L, or XL. What I wouldn’t give to feel the material on some cashmere-blend suits at a Polo store and then buy a $40 dad cap.

Looking back on the year before the pandemic, I realize that most of the things I bought that I’ve really incorporated into everyday wear? I bought them on one day, a free day I had in New York, when I lived a legit shopping montage. I hit a bunch of stores that aren’t as accessible online.

At 18 East, I went in looking for a cardigan/jacket and came out with brick corduroy pants. At Noah, I determined a leopard cord double-breasted blazer was awesome, but not for me — they also had some hair on hide Paraboots that I still covet (and never saw online). At the Nepenthes store, I handled Engineered Garments pieces I never saw online before or since.

I also checked out Dover Street Market and Opening Ceremony (which had already announced its stores were closing). I actually wish I’d done MORE shopping — I didn’t make it to the Armoury, and missed what would turn out to be my last chance to stop in at Kamakura or Brooks Brothers’ flagship. In DC, where I live, I used to be able to drop in to Sid Mashburn, or J. Press, or Maketto (which is, in fact, a store, coffee shop, bakery, and terrific restaurant). Whenever I traveled for work, I made a point to do some advance research and stop in at the recommended local shops.

Places like Dover Street Market present shopping experiences that can’t really be replicated online.

And I miss vintage shopping most of all. I’ve made several trips to Goodwill this fall, to donate — like many, being at home with all my stuff for months has made it painfully clear just how much stuff I have that I don’t need. And each time I want to go in and just do a quick flip through the racks, but my personal risk analysis won’t let me. (No judgment implied on people who feel they can shop safely, but I’m not there, myself.) The thrill of finding a perfect pair of old Levis and frantically checking to see if they’re your size? Irreplaceable. Through Instagram, I’ve continued to shop from my go-to vintage sellers, but nothing can replace rummaging through bins of perfectly beta-up military surplus and flannel shirts (like at Dr. K’s, shown below). Oh; the rummaging!

Dr. K at his vintage hideaway in DC.

So on the long list of post-pandemic to-dos, doing some casual browsing at my favorite stores is near the top. Maybe not above seeing my family. Maybe. But I can’t wait to have a beer with friends, I can’t wait to get kicked in the head at a Pup show, and I can’t wait to serendipitously stumble on a great find at a great store. Something I didn’t plan to buy, didn’t even know I needed, but fits like it was made for me. Those plans are going to have to keep me going over the next few months.

In the meantime, I’m going to keep shopping when I can afford to at the shops I care about, as the pandemic has closed too many already. Check out Derek’s terrific list of small businesses to support, and catch me furiously browsing in DC or NY as soon as I possibly can.

I can see videos filmed IN the Armoury, but it’s not the same.

The post What It Feels Like To Try Something On: I Miss Shopping appeared first on Put This On.

An insider’s favorite discount chain, Century 21, announced today they are filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and will close all their stores. The stores (and website) will start a going-out-of-business sale as they wind down operations at 13 locations in the Northeast, in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

The New York-based chain has long been a place to find deep discounts on high-end clothes. Whereas you might find some decent off-season Polo at TJ Maxx, shoppers at C21 could find Isaia, Brioni, and other luxury tailoring houses, as well as more contemporary brands like Engineered Garments or Camoshita, likely cleared out from New York’s department stores. C21 was a must-stop for guys visiting New York interested in men’s clothes. With Filene’s Basement and Daffy’s also gone (2011 and 2012, respectively), where’s a guy supposed to buy Italian ties cheap now?

The nearly 60-year-old chain’s flagship store was in lower Manhattan, across from the World Trade Center, and was damaged in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The store rebuilt and opened in 2002. According to Century 21, the problem in 2020 stems from a lack of expected insurance payments during the pandemic. “The decision follows nonpayment by the Company’s insurance providers of approximately $175 million due under policies put in place to protect against losses stemming from business interruption such as that experienced as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

As we try to remain optimistic about the prospects of J. Crew, Brooks Brothers, and other brands and stores that have declared bankruptcy in 2020 retaining some of their identities and reach, it’s sad to see a staple of the NY shopping scene close down altogether.

The post Century 21 In Bankruptcy, Plans To Close Stores appeared first on Put This On.

David Wood is a Portland, Maine, men’s shop.

I recently rewatched the Devil Wears Prada to research who the real villain is (turns out it’s all of us). I re-enjoyed the famous scene in which Meryl Streep, as Anna Wintour-alogue Miranda Priestley, tells new hire Andie about the web of designer choices, jobs, and millions of dollars in business that resulted in her wearing a cerulean sweater. Point being, keeping Andie in her blue sweater, and us in the kind of clothing we like to wear — interesting, classic, with value — depends on a network of retailers, brands, designers, manufacturers, fabric houses, and so on.

The coronavirus-related shopping downturn affects this entire network, including the sorts of small business retailers that we count on to shop locally. A lot of these stores are closed right now. Some shops and brands have found a creative way of banding together to help each other out. Shop for a Shop, an initiative started by shirtmaker Stantt, is pulling brands together to benefit the small retailers they work with.

The gist is that if you buy stuff this week from the Shop for a Shop brands, they’ll send a portion of the sales to the stores they sell through. There’s something in it for the shopper, as well, as brands are offering discounts or free shipping as a bonus. It’s a sort of creative risk-sharing between two levels of retail that could benefit everyone.

I browsed through the collections from the Shop for a Shop lines — here’s a few things to consider.

• Faherty — I like the All Day Shorts — sorta beach techwear from this surf casual line. Made from recycled fabric blended with cotton, they’re swim trunks you can wear off the beach, or shorts you can wear in the pool. I’d take the 7” inseam over the 9”, but it’s nice to have the option. You can get them with belt loops or without. I also like the look of some of their indigo pieces and prints.
• Dapper Classics — I think DC trousers are always a strong value, and even better at 20 percent off. This donegal pair looks great. Their socks are also terrific — in the past, we’ve compared their over-the-calf socks favorably to more expensive brands like Pantherella.
• Trafalgar — If you’re eyeing a black tie rig (like Ryan) or some custom pants, it helps to have some suspenders/braces to hold everything together.

You can find more participating brands on the Shop for a Shop Instagram. Each brand sells through different shops and therefore will share the sales with different retailers, but those that benefit will include

• The Sporting District in San Antonio
• Onward Reserve in Atlanta, Nashville, etc.
• T.J. Bailey’s in North Carolina
• Le Conte in Michigan
• Peter Elliott in New York

Dapper Classics is a sponsor of Put This On but we do not write or publish sponsored posts, or include sponsored content in our editorial posts.

The post Brand Together: Shop For A Shop Shares The Wealth appeared first on Put This On.

Photo of Standard and Strange by Flickr user Lost Albatross, licensed via Creative Commons.

One of the many costs of crisis is attention. The familiar rhythms of focus are interrupted — starting the day with a cup of coffee and a little news, solving the commute crossword, scratching items off the workday to-do list, winding down with a book or movie at the end of the day. Now, homebound by coronavirus, whether we’re working, or working and parenting, or not working at all, time ebbs and flows, perforated with moments of panic, as our idea of what’s on the other side of stasis changes shape and recedes another week, another month.

For most of us, though, the days are spent navigating our semi-paused existence and distracting ourselves from the enormity of the crisis. But even as our attention spans are pounded and kneaded like so much sourdough, people are bingeing Netflix series, getting in shape, learning new skills, cooking, eating, and definitely drinking, and maybe watching Quibi?

One thing we don’t seem to be doing much of is shopping. Makes sense; we literally can’t browse in person. And pandemic has dampened our needs. Vacations are off, and resortwear even more nonessential than usual. Some people are coming to aesthetic epiphanies. As writer John Paul Brammer put it, “Ok so it turns out I was in fact dressing up for other people and not ‘myself.’” The Census Bureau estimated March clothing sales to be down nearly 20 percent, and that was for March.

I talked to some men about how they’ve changed shopping and spending habits during the global shelter in place. I wanted to know not only because it’s a snapshot of where our attention goes in crisis, but a window on how we expect the world to be after. For many of us, planning for and buying clothing, or at least considering buying it, is a comfort. It also occupies time with something that brings at least a little joy. It reminds us of better, more jawnz-friendly occasions, and allows us to consider a world where there will again be occasions, and the right clothes for them.

Supporting Businesses We Care About

One theme was concern for smaller and more personal service-oriented shops and makers. David Coggins, author of Men and Style (he also recently launched the Contender), said “I think it’s an interesting and difficult time, especially for tailors. There was an initial outpouring of support for small beloved companies — just like there was for restaurants. But as the reality of what we’re going through set in then it gets harder for most people to justify buying a silk scarf.”

He’s doing his part for these companies where he can. “I’m friends with people who run these types of companies, J. Mueser and Drake’s, for example, and I pick things from their online stores and share those online.”

Coggins admitted he doesn’t shop a lot in normal times, but said he’s been shopping vintage online. “I am on eBay a lot. I don’t know if that’s a form of escapism or what. I guess I’m looking for the perfect old pair of Crockett & Jones shoes or ancient Polo corduroy jacket (when they were still made in America). During unsettled times I’m more attracted to old things. I find that reassuring.”

Not corduroy, but deadstock!

“The irony of all this is that while it’s a great time to support small stores it’s also a time when you realize just how much shit you have in your closet that you don’t need.”

Taking the Time to Clear Closet Space

C.D. Moorby, designer and co-founder of Commission Studio in London, also ventured that he’s all too aware of the shit in his closet. “Spending time at home is causing me a bit of a wardrobe crisis. I’m working in my bedroom next to my clothing all day, and it’s causing panic. I need to make a deep cull. There’s too much. I realize that I love the thrill of the chase with clothing and that’s never going to stop, so I’m flipping clothes a lot more than I ever did before.”

For true jawnz enthusiasts, isolation hasn’t stopped acquisitions altogether, though it has lowered some spending limits. According to Ben in Hermosa Beach / cotton_dockers, a regular in our #ptoman roundups, “I’ve bought a number of items this quarantine actually. I’ve stayed away from big-ticket purchases (there’s an Evan Kinori jacket I’ve been drooling over) just because this thing is so crazy I’d hate to have things go really nuts and have a $500 bill for a jacket I don’t really need mocking me.

“I’ve only bought from small business I like (No Man Walks Alone, 18east, Canoe Club, this cool little Etsy shop Kinzzza [editor’s note: hot tip]) and I’ve tried to help out places that are trying to do their part (I bought masks from Tony Shirtmakers and Standard Issue Tees [editor’s note: I, too, ordered masks from Standard Issue]). I feel like I’m lucky to be in a good position with a steady paycheck (knock on copious amounts of wood) so I’d like to help where I can, even if it’s not too much in and of itself.”

Considering Post-Isolation Dressing

The last thing I bought pre-isolation was from Sid Mashburn, on a work trip to Atlanta that would have been canceled if it had been only days later. Mashburn has been running a sale, and Ryan Cecil, long-time Put This On illustrator and cartoonist in Los Angeles,  picked up one of the most event-oriented items he could: a tuxedo, along with a shirt, studs, and socks. “The tuxedo was a big purchase. It’s something that I know Sid would never otherwise offer on sale. I’m excited to wear it, and I’ll find occasions — obviously after quarantine is over.

“Right before this all started, I picked up a made to order utility vest from P. Johnson [depicted here]. I’ve worn it almost every day in quarantine — it’s super practical (holds tissues, my mask, hand sanitizer, AND lots of markers) and also, it’s kinda elegant and understated. And it feels a touch more dressed up, for working from home, than just jeans a sweatshirt.”

Ryan is not one to keep up his daily dress code in isolation, though. “I usually wear a jacket and tie to work every day. Not in quarantine. No tie, no shoes with laces. And I haven’t ironed yet. But I do wear a dress shirt every day. I was wearing jeans for the first few weeks but now I’m back to dress pants because they feel nice. And sometimes the jacket. That’s it.

“I feel so, so blessed to have a job now more than ever. I want to support stores and people I like, so I’ll keep buying from them online.”

Alex Delany, the drink editor for Bon Appetit, is also using his shopping dollars to support businesses — in his case, restaurants. “Only big thing is a pair of house slippers from Artemis Design. I’m working from home so having some comfortable footwear for the house has been clutch.

“Otherwise, a few t-shirts here and there — some restaurant merch. I bought a tee from Palizzi Social Club in Philly and a tee from bar part-time in San Francisco.”

Artemis Design’s kilim loafers.

Grayson from Well Worn, Worn Well is also supporting his favorite restaurants this way. “I’ve bought a lot of merch from my favorite local restaurants and bars. I can’t be in there eating/drinking like I normally would, so a t-shirt or hat makes me feel like I’m helping out.

“Otherwise, I’ve actually bought more furniture, art, etc. (given that I’ve been stuck at home), but I also have bought a few things, the latest being a vintage Made in USA Dungaree overshirt from Ralph Lauren and a couple of pairs of Patagonia Baggies. Not getting as much use out of the tailored staples I usually wear has inspired me to get a bit funkier than I’d normally be.”

Buying things other than clothing. Hm.

 

Shopping as Self-Care

Maybe counterintuitively, a big isolation-related shakeup in GQ features writer Cam Wolf‘s life has led to more shopping. “The first part of this I need to mention is that I was supposed to get married in May and was on an extended shopping hiatus because of it. Once that was officially postponed it was like taking the cork off a champagne bottle — I’ve been shopping a lot more than usual. Plenty of I-deserve-this purchases I’ve made to try and soothe the sadness around canceling my wedding (remember: love is the ultimate cop).

“Now that I’ve bummed everyone out, the purchases I’ve made largely fall into two buckets: stuff I’d never wear out and stuff I’d only wear out. I’m buying things either for immediate comfort or for the person I want to dress like once we no longer need to self-isolate.

“In the first category is a pair of slippers that are as revolting they are comfortable (extremely) from this brand Acorn. A necessity when spending 99% of my time inside my apartment.

“The next lot of stuff is more exciting. From Supreme, I bought a pair of black pleated trousers because everyone knows the brand’s best items aren’t the box-logo hoodies but the grown-up pieces. I also took advantage of J. Press’s warehouse sale and got a khaki-colored double-breasted blazer.”

That’s the $1200 question, really. When this is over (if there’s an over, exactly), what will we want to wear? Will we want to shed the sweats or lean into comfort? According to Coggins, “When we’re back out and about I think it will be interesting to see how people dress. I hope they dress well and dress up. Though probably more soberly.”

Says Wolf, “I have this gnawing feeling that once this is all over I’m going to burn my sweats and hoodies and want to really dress up all the time. I put a blazer on inside the house while having dinner the other day just to remember what it feels like. It’s nice.”

The post How We’re Shopping Right Now appeared first on Put This On.

Like my viewing habits and listening habits, my shopping habits have changed a lot in the last few years, largely driven by technology. I cut the cable cord and watch almost all TV via streaming services; I stopped buying mp3s and managing a music library in favor of streaming tunes; and I largely dropped my habit of checking in on store websites for new stock, to see what my favorite spots were stocking week to week. Chalk some of that up to Instagram — now new additions are seamlessly integrated into the eternal scroll.

But a lot has to do with the fact that I don’t buy new clothing nearly as much as I did a couple years ago. I still shop a lot, but more on ebay and Grailed, depop and Poshmark, Styleforum, the Real Real and Vestiaire Collective. To an extent, that’s a full circle, as I bought a lot of clothes on ebay in the mid 2000s, when e-commerce wasn’t all that great yet. The secondhand market is far beyond just ebay, now, though — more marketplaces and more compelling shopping. Better photos, easier to browse, easier to whittle down hundreds of thousands of listings to just the ones I probably want. Expectations from buyers have gotten higher, and the tech has removed a lot of the friction from the shopping experience.

The move of consumers to these models has attracted the attention of traditional retailers. The latest is Nordstrom, which launches its “See You Tomorrow” collection… tomorrow. Nordy’s plans to sell items online and in its NY store at 57th and Broadway, and will also be buying items for resale (and paying you in Nordstrom gift cards). They expect to accept items by mail in the future. It’s not clear what proportion will be mens, but at least there’re men in their marketing photos.

A Washington Post story this week framed Nordstrom’s entry into the resale market with others’:

Elsewhere in the industry, Macy’s and J.C. Penney have partnered with ThredUp to sell secondhand items in department stores across the country, while Madewell is offering used pairs of its jeans for $50 a pop. Neiman Marcus, which last year took a stake in the high-end resale site Fashionphile, collects “preloved” handbags and jewelry at its stores. Even the Kardashians have gotten into the game; they offload their Max Mara jumpsuits, Valentino handbags and other designer apparel on Kardashian Kloset.

Another selling angle is sustainability, although that’s one I find a bit suspect. Sure, buying your clothes at a thrift store may shrink your carbon footprint a bit, but buying secondhand luxury goods from a retailer that’s still a driver of the market? You’re still participating heavily in a market of questionable sustainability. Whatever gets you thru the night.

I’m generally glad to have more options available for resale of decent goods — as any thrifter will tell you, the average Goodwill isn’t the gold mine it was 20 or even 10 years ago. Of course, I’m not looking for the same things in this new secondhand market: it’s mostly luxury or luxury-adjacent items with an established market value rather than inadvertently discarded vintage Levis. I like this new secondhand market especially as a way to try out brands I might buy new, but wouldn’t mind trying a piece at half price or less to see if it vibes with the rest of my wardrobe. If I can see the item and buy it relatively risk free (the Real Real accepts returns, generally; most ebay sellers do not), it’s worth a shot.

It’ll be interesting to see how this market evolves over the next couple of years, and whether it can sustain services like Nordstrom plans to offer.

The post Retailed: Big Chains Are Giving Secondhand A Shot appeared first on Put This On.

The Alden shoe factory.

“Things were better then.” That’s the implicit caption on every archival photo of a menswear icon, traditional or otherwise, on a mood board or Instagram feed (or menswear blog). Nostalgia is a complex and powerful emotion. It can be pleasant — giving us a sense of our past and its shadow on our present. It can also be exploited and poisonous, making us favor an imagined golden era and reject current reality.

Nostalgia is also a powerful tool in consumption; brands like to play on our feelings about our pasts, real or not, to sell us things. Current car models are named after car models our parents owned (I mean isn’t it weird that car models are named anything at all?) and echo the originals’ designs. Watches are marketed as heirlooms. Whiskey always seems to be made just how it’s always been — the right way, right here, in Scotland/Kentucky/my bathtub.

And nothing sets a guy’s tone more sepia than talking about how great something used to be. Something that maybe we coulda gotten in on! We pine for deadstock oxford cloth button downs. Defunct European men’s stores. Spearpoint collars. Reverse weave sweatshirts.

Sometimes we lose these later-celebrated things because of manufacturing evolution that values some things — efficiency, durability — over others that may not even be immediately apparent. I’m sure lining the OCBD collar seemed like a good idea at the time. Sometimes styles go out of vogue and don’t return. Sometimes it’s broad economic trends — Sulka was bought and sold several times and the perception at the time of its 2001 closure was that it lost market share to younger, more personality-associated brands. Days after the New York Times announced Sulka’s last store, in New York, would shutter, writer Ralph Gardner Jr. tried to get in one more time and found the windows papered over:

I walked away, bereft. In fact, the profundity of my disappointment surprised me: It was just a clothing store, after all. And I rarely shopped there. Maybe the starkness of the midday sun had something to do with it, or the fact that the Upper East Side seemed half-deserted the day before Christmas, but I couldn’t help but feel that something irretrievable had been lost-not just clothes, but a gracious way of life, of which Sulka was merely the latest victim.

Instant nostalgia.

One of the questions we ask ourselves a lot at Put This On is: what are the things we can get now that we’d miss if they were gone?  How do we shop, or care for our clothes, or dress in ways that may one day seem absurdly indulgent, like the idea of having all your clothes tailor made may seem to us today?

We always try to celebrate the currently awesome, to bring to light and support things we think are cool. It can be harder to pinpoint, in advance, what might be endangered. Who knew Brooks Brothers’ Alden/Edward Green footwear was at risk? Who knew Cone Mills would close?

There’s a lot of menswear-related things — items, brands, stores, concepts — that we just couldn’t imagine being without. The list is long, and that’s encouraging. I dwelled on a few things I think are still awesome right now — I’m not suggesting these are on their way out, just that we shouldn’t take them for granted.

• Core trad stores: J. Press, O’Connell’s, Andover. Derek wrote last year about the pressures these stores face and their strategies to overcome them. I’ve been buying flap pocket oxfords and repp ties at Press for years; hard to imagine not being able to drop in and grab another.

RRL showroom.

• RRL: One of Ralph Lauren’s prestige brands traffics explicitly in nostalgia: primarily for everyday American clothing of the past, primarily in the western, work, and military veins. Since starting in 1993, it’s been as reliable as the workwear it alludes to. Familiar in concept, easy to fit into a modern casual wardrobe, creative but rarely edgy, and well made. Also terrifically expensive. I know I take as a given that I can always get a solid chambray or pair of indigo straight leg jeans from RRL.
• Easy international e-commerce: Years ago it was a real risk to order things internationally; websites (if they existed) were poor, communication was hard, shipping was complicated and prohibitively expensive — many retailers wouldn’t even bother with it. Now I regularly shop from Sweden or Hong Kong, see what I want, order it, and see it in just a few days. My credit card works. I can even return things if I need to.
• Denim-nerd denim: the sort you can buy at Self Edge. That the Japanese market fetishized American denim, and American dudes subsequently fetishized Japan’s take on it, is a story well told. I’ve spend literally days of my life poring over denim threads (on forums, not actual fabric) considering the intricacies of different weaves and dyeing techniques. The fabric, and knowledge of people like Kiya Babzani, is integral to the modern idea of men’s denim.
• American shoe makers: Alden, etc. The 2000s saw a buoying of the American footwear industry, with guys demanding classic designs from Alden and Allen Edmonds, and effectively rebooting dusty moccasin brands like Quoddy. The broader availability of these shoes has been great for us; the higher prices less so. Not to mention Lucchese and New Balance.
• Decent, plain baseball caps. I wear a ballcap nearly every day, and get em from Ebbets, Fairends, Put This On, and others. I used to have to wear whatever they had at Lidz!

There are dozens more niche and broad brands and stores I just assume I’ll always be able to shop from.

What do you think are the classics of today? To add a nostalgic flourish: what will our kids wish they could still buy?

The post Best Of What’s Around: What Clothing Of Today Would We Miss? appeared first on Put This On.

At Put This On, we know quality, interesting clothing is expensive, and since our founding, we’ve endorsed vintage and secondhand as important style resources. Not only for guys just getting into style, who often are on tight budgets and need to try some different styles out before finding what works for their personalities and lives, but for everyone interested in cultivating their style.

In the past, thrift stores were in my regular rotation for this sort of shopping: good stuff, really cheap, the cost coming mostly in time spent browsing. But the vein of rad stuff at true *thrift* stores is far weaker than it was even a decade ago. Some of this is overfishing, as more people know what’s the “good stuff.” It either never makes it to the thrift store or is picked up by collectors/ dealers before a casual thrifter can grab it. Another factor is that thrift store stock represents a snapshot in time of mass-market clothing, going back 15-20 years, and the most recent 15-20 years was just not a terrific time for interesting, quality mass-market clothing. The shittiness of men’s style in the 2000s is one of the reasons sites like Put This On emerged.

My opinion is admittedly a little biased by the same nostalgia cycles that make certain clothing and culture worth revisiting and re-evaluating (and deemed cool in retrospect). That cycle requires stuff to seem lame, and just plain dated, for a while.

Fortunately, of course, a lot of good stuff that may once have languished on the rack at a thrift shop now ends up in the internet’s rummage sale with a search engine: eBay. I still search eBay all the time (in part to help put together our twice weekly eBay roundups) and find a lot of good vintage (so, 20+ years old), as well as recent, secondhand clothing that’s either a bargain or rare. Ebay doesn’t publish changes in the size of its marketplace, but the company’s revenue has increased in all but one year since 2013.

But in the clothing market, at least, eBay has seen more and more competition. Over the last few years, other secondhand and consignment sites have emerged that are worth shopping. Etsy is chock full of handmade tchotckes, but also has a good selection of vintage, and you don’t have to deal with the auction system. Grailed is probably the one I use most, but I also often browse sites such as The Real Real, Vestiaire Collective, Marrkt, and Drop93, as well as the ever-present Styleforum marketplace. I’ve discussed some of these sites before from a seller’s perspective — some are marketplaces that just host your ad, others are consignment services — but let’s be honest, I’m more often shopping than selling.

If You’re Looking for Vintage and the Occasional Crazy Deal…

…your best bets are likely still eBay and Etsy. These markets are very mature with thousands of reputable sellers and new daily listings for interesting stuff. As a buyer, you take on some risk in that most sellers don’t take returns and are not necessarily adept at taking photos or garment measurements. But that’s part of the fun, and the way that these markets most closely resemble the gamble of thrifting. You can still happen upon a blurry listing for a perfect 1960s OCBD for $20.

Ebay is also still likely the best (cheapeast, broadest) online source for secondhand tailoring and more classic, formal men’s clothing, whether it’s Ivy Style jackets or Italian suits. The buyers and sellers for this sort of clothing have been on eBay for over a decade. The long-standing caveat emptors stand: you can’t just search for reputable names; you need to be savvy regarding cuts and conditions to get value. A lot of great brands have made suits with bulky and extended shoulders, or other details that quickly reveal a suits age: low or close-together buttons, lapels that are too narrow or too broad, etc.

eBay and Etsy Tips

If you’re an eBay vet, this is pretty obvious, but set up saved searches for the types of things you’re looking for (or check our roundups!). If you are looking for deals on things there might be competition for, check in often and sort your results by most recent. That way, if a seller lists something with an unnaturally low price, you’re more likely to catch it. And don’t forget to sign up for the eBay Bucks Rewards Program. It’s an easy way to get between 6% t0 20% back on your purchase in the form of eBay store credit (which can be used on future eBay purchases).

If You’re Looking for Recent, Niche Stuff…

…this is where the smaller markets come in.

Grailed

Grailed took the secondary menswear market by storm with an easy-to-use, visual-heavy interface: essentially an endless scroll of user-listed pieces. It’s a competitive market for “hype” items: limited and designer sneakers, and brands such as Supreme, where you may pay over retail but at least get access to items with narrow retail distribution. It’s a solid secondhand market for what I might call the post-Superfuture tier — obscure streetwear brands from Japan (e.g., Wacko Maria and Wtaps), contemporary men’s designers with some name recognition, and “grails” — stuff from defunct brands or past designer collections, such as Nom de Guerre or old Raf Simons. A couple of years ago, the tech was good but the marketplace a little bare, maybe. At this point, there are listings going up, it seems, by the second. There’s not a lot of traffic for tailored or formal men’s clothing, but on the other hand, there can be good deals on the limited stock in that area.

Grailed Tips

Set up saved filters based on your interests. If you’re just browsing, sort by most recent; Grailed’s algorithm may otherwise push popular items. Due to Grailed’s “offer” system, list prices can be a little inflated. In my experience as a buyer and seller, people expect a degree of negotiating.

An exclusive look at my Grailed feed

The Real Real

This consignment site (registration required) has grown quickly since its founding in 2011. A few years ago, I didn’t see much there, but I’ve recently bought secondhand shirts and jackets from Drake’s and a pair of Visvim shoes. TRR specializes in luxury brands — the name intends to convey their confidence in the authenticity of the stock — and they recently told Marketplace their top three brands were Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel. But the stock is broad — you’ll find Gaziano and Girling shoes, a lot of Ralph Lauren, and occasionally Kapital.

One weakness I’ve found in the market is size listing and descriptions. It’s great that the site bothers with taking measurements, but sometimes they don’t seem to add up. I’ve found jackets listed as XL with 42-inch chest measurements, for example. Of course, brands vary in how they size, and in my experiences, TRR’s measurements have been accurate.

Ralph Lauren shoes, Kapital denim, and an Engineered Garments jacket at the Real Real

The Real Real Tips

Like many other sites, it’s easiest to shop the Real Real by keeping a list of brands you know and like, and searching for new items from those brands. Searching for an item by type, such as a blue button front shirt, will usually return too many mediocre results. On the positive side, unlike most eBay and Grailed sellers, TRR accepts returns (unless an item is marked “final sale”).

Marrkt

Marrkt is the consignment arm of Superdenim, and the stock reflects that connection — vintage-influenced, high-quality casualwear from brands such as The Real McCoys, Nigel Cabourn, and Orslow, plus occasional vintage milsurp or work gear. The prices are decent, and the site lists measurements and takes good photos. Since the site is in the UK, shipping can be a bit pricy to the US, and although the site accepts returns, the back and forth shipping cost is a little discouraging. Bonus for UK users though!

Vestiaire Collective

VC lies somewhere between Grailed and The Real Real. The Paris-based site publishes user-generated listings and also accepts items for consignment. The company is more of a middle-man than Grailed or eBay, though. No matter what, you receive the item from VC rather than directly from the sellers. I’ve found the site especially good for European brands that don’t make it onto American secondhand markets as much; for example, JM Weston and Paraboot.

Drop93

The Armoury’s Drop93 came online in 2017 and has become a great source for the kind of menswear you associate with The Armoury — a selection drawing on Italian, American, and British tailoring styles, focusing on used and new old stock. Photos are terrific and extensive, and listings provide measurements and/ or sizing advice. Most used garments include measurements and the prices are good, considering this is a niche market and you don’t often see this stuff on sale. Far more often than these other sites, I’ll find myself planning purchases around Drop93’s stock. You can look for a suit in your size here and return solid results, whereas on sites that list mostly used tailoring, you’re always sort of guessing how much something’s been tailored from the tag size.

Drop93 accepts returns only on new old stock (and only for credit), not pre-owned or vintage items. On the plus side for U.S. shoppers, returns can be shipped to their U.S. address.

A selection of rad new old stock at Drop93

The post Emerging Markets appeared first on Put This On.