The Fashion Thread... personal tastes, musings, and recommendations

[Richdog]

Well I just did a massive reorganisation and clearout of my wardrobe... it's amazing how much crap (whether ill-fitting, badly designed or just unnecessary) I had collected over the years and I now have 3 binbags to give to some local charity shop. So much wasted money on things I barely wore, ugh.

In the current sales I bought the following items:

------------------------------

Men's Colour-Block Eco Leather 'Velo' Trainers https://www.paulsmith.com/uk/men-s-colour-block-eco-leather-velo-trainers

These are amazing, if a little pricey even at the sale price, Italian-made trainers. Not only do they look very characterful in design, but the calf leather used is of extremely high quality and very supple; it's like wearing slippers. I am usually a UK size 10 but I needed to get an 11 in these. I liked the first pair so much I bought another pair as a backup for when the first pair die (and I bought hr last size 11, sorry guys).

------------------------------

Lacoste Men's Double-Breasted Wool Blend Pea Coat https://www.lacoste.com/gb/lacoste/men/clothing/jackets-coats/men's-double-breasted-wool-blend-pea-coat/BH7903-00.html?color=031

This is a really high quality pea coat in black wool and will last years. The fit is slim but not tight and the workmanship is very high. Yes, it's not cheap, but I can see this lasting a long, long time as my other wool jackets from Tommy and Ted Baker have also done.

------------------------------

I am also now really getting into leather boots and bought a nice pair of chestnut brown brogue wingtrips, but I may make a separate post on this as I have really now started to go down a rabbit hole of research on that topic.

 

[Richdog]

@Richdog - May not be your taste but it could be...check out Red Wing boots. I have a pair and they truly are a boot for life.

Thanks for the recommendation they look sweet dude, the only hitch is that I really want UK or European handmade boots, not USA or Asia.

The companies I am looking at so far are:

Joseph Cheaney & Sons (UK) https://www.cheaney.co.uk/men-c48/boots-c100

Carmina (Spanish) https://www.carminashoemaker.com/mens-boots

Crockett & Jones (UK) https://eu.crockettandjones.com/collections/mens-boots-collection

Trickers (UK) https://www.trickers.com/uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=boot

 

[Richdog]

All noted. My terminology is off - I do mean flat front, just w/the crease down the middle from the lower thigh/knee downwards as they look a bit smarter (although perhaps unnecessary; I have a load of All Saints slim taper ones with a bit of stretch in office safe greys/beiges already). It’s mainly just the shirts tbh but the 4 for £120 or whatever it is at CT should cover it.

Shoes-wise I was indeed thinking more biz-cas styles so yes Chukkas were on the list, Chelsea boots, maybe monks, probably some penny or beef-roll loafers for summer. Rubber sole though as I’ll be walking some of the commute and I’ll wear through leather soles quickly, and I dislike the lack of grip.

Hi Som. Consider investing in some shoes that are goodyear welted as they will last literally years of use with the ability to be resoled at any decent cobblers. Cheaney are a good starting point and have tons of styles https://www.cheaney.co.uk/men-c48/boots-c100

They also have an outlet section with cut-price articles https://www.cheaney.co.uk/outlet-c89

Good ranking list of most main British shoe brands here https://www.lovablebrogue.com/post/the-definitive-ranking-of-british-shoe-brands

 

[Richdog]

@Somnambulist Warning, when you start buying more expensive shoes it can get a bit addictive and, err, expensive

Yeah you are right; I recently refreshed all of my footwear as I was just buying fashion brands and also in too small sizes. I started with a pair of Thursday Captains, which then progressed to two pairs of Grant Stones, which then progressed to a pair of Crockett & Jones.

Sizing of GYW (Goodyear Welted) shoes has been a nightmare but I have now mostly got it dialled in and finally understand that it's normal for GYW shoes to be a little roomy with some extra space at the toe (an inch or so can be normal) as they are designed to be worn with thicker socks.

 

[Richdog]

Didn't realise that leather jackets can't be dry cleaned normally, gott to be sent away to be done by a specialist, and it is not cheap at all

Came back smelling like new leather though and in a fancy suit bag which may come in handy at some point - Jacket still holding up 8-9 years on!


Cafe Racer from Soul Revolver.

I bought my first good quality leather jacket a few months ago, a cafe racer made from horse leather. brand is Simmons Billt. https://simmonsbilt.com/#

It's a tobacco brown colour and built like a tank (1.2-1.3mm leather), yet it has moulded to my form beautifully. I absolutely love it and was wearing it a ton until recently when it got too warm to do so.

 

[Richdog]

I just cannot get on board with leather jackets. They either make young people look old, or make old people look like they're trying to be young

That is a very subjective view and seems to be largely based on stereotypes and/or insecurity. There is a leather jacket out there for everyone, it's just a matter of finding the right one that suits and fits you well, and this often (but not always of course) involves a lot of research then buying something of better quality than your average high street fashion brand.

They are considered a classic piece of wardrobe for a reason. Go to some stores and try on a ton of different styles, you may be surprised.

 

[Richdog]

I'd agree on that - I've a selection of them, some of them I was too lazy to return, some suit me others, and it can be just slight difference to style or tone, just don't work with my features at all. TBH in hindsight though I'd probably not have bought any of them and doubt I'll buy another in future.

Sounds like you made a slew of badly researched and/or impulse purchases... and as for being 'too lazy' to return multiple jackets presumably costing a total hundreds of pounds... wtf?

 

[Richdog]

Yeah I went through a phase of it in my mid 20s (when I had a lot more disposable income as well) - at 40 I don't really wear them any more.

Ironically most guys seem to wear leather jackets more as they age! Plus man 40 isn't old, especially if you have kept yourself in good health and good shape.

 

[Richdog]

I don't really do any clubbing, etc. like I used to in my mid 20s which is where the leather jackets came in.

Interesting, I have never associated a leather jacket with clubbing. I just love mine because I think it looks awesome and it makes me feel good!

 

[Richdog]

I am about to order a pair of Crown Northamptons as my first pair of luxury white minimal sneakers/trainers.
Do a search on Youtube and you will find several videos about them. https://crownnorthampton.com/collections/luxury-handmade-sneakers

They are certainly not 'cheap' but also they are not more expensive than mass produced stuff like Common Projects and the older I get the more I am buying fewer but far higher quality things that last years and the fact these are all handmade in the UK is something I am more than willing to pay for. I just hope they end up being a good fit.

 

[Richdog]

I think i would be terrified to wear them outside due to how minimal they are - any small stain would show up. Guess they can be cleaned though.

At least with "mass produced", there is are extra details around the trainer to "hide" minor marks plus a small logo.

As you say you can of course clean them and I don't think they need to be babied and stressed over... just wear them sensibly and then clean/maintain them as needed. Any minimal white sneaker suffers the same problem with marks and scuffs and they generally do not have details or logos to hide things... that's why the the category is known as 'minimal'.

 

[Richdog]

Of course and this is veeeery minimal.

With a small logo or actually different combos texture, it attracts eyes to that rather than a small scuff or mark.

Anyways, thats me and personal preference - all like different things.

Do share feedback and pictures. Great to see close ups of the quality.

All true chap! I will indeed post photos when I eventually get them, I read the waiting time is up to 2 months at the moment.

Vey nice indeed. Last year I bought some minimalist trainers from Herring and love them. Pehaps not quite up to the cost and presumably the quality of Crown, but I can certainly tell there is a huge difference in build and material quality between these and my white Adidas Stan Smith's.

Herring Split leather rubber-soled trainers in white calf from Herring Shoes

Herring Split is made with a supple full grain premium leather on a cup sole by the Carlos Santos factory in Portugal. They specialise in very fine, handmade shoes so you can be assured that these are a special product. With a nod to retro styling with th

www.herringshoes.co.uk

Very nice and sleek, are they super comfortable? Until now the only minimalist sneakers I have had are converse so it will be an interesting step up from there!

 

[Richdog]

The thing I found with low top leather sneakers is that Common Projects really nailed the silhouette.

They may have 'nailed' the silhouette, but this is only because they are narrow as ****. I tried on a pair of UK10 the other day and they were the right length but so narrow it was a literal squeeze. I then tried on a UK11 and it was a 'tolerable' width (still with some pinkie rub) but they were as long as boats. I have a wide-ish foot but am still within the "normal" US D or UK E range so Common Projects really pushed the silhouette at the expense of practicality for many people that don't have slim feet.

 

[Richdog]

I know I'm going to be lambasted for this. But Next seem to be one of the only shops that provide jeans that fit me that don't cost £100s for a pair. Yes I'm a cheapskate but I don't see the point in wearing high end fashion these days (2 kids and being outdoorsy (countryside living) means I invariably end up covered in mud and or food!). I still have large thighs and a slim waste so I have to pick my battles!

Sure Levi's do their athletic fit and there are some brands specifically for more sporty individuals but they cost a lot. For me jeans are just a comfortable standard trouser for day to day wearing.

At work I wear suits or smart casual outfits. I do splash out on nice quality shirts though that's one thing I do like (non iron ones now are getting pretty good albeit I still iron them!).

I refuse to wear tracksuits anywhere other than the gym! And shorts well... There's a couple of months of the year when it's got enough for them!

It just seems that jeans are my "uniform" these days and it only struck me recently! My French family teased me about it last time I saw them...

I also wear walking shoes or boots pretty much everywhere! Oh dear... I really am a disaster!

I know this may be sacrilegious to mention in this thread @Richdog apologies!

Hi FF not sure why you think anything would be lambasted as there is zero prejudice against any store or brand, the thread is for sharing views on any brand or fit or whatever you want to talk about.

 

[Richdog]

It was tongue in cheek

I don't contribute much to the thread but I enjoy reading people's ideas and suggestions.

Ahh ok, understood but just wanted to make it clear that to me there is no snobbery about brands or styles, each to their own! I also used to buy Next jeans when I was in the UK as the fit and quality were good, same with River Island!

Last year I basically got rid of 90% of my jeans as I had bought so many over the years and never threw any out. Nowadays my main two pairs are 1 pair of dark blue and one pair of black jeans from Edwin (slim tapered) which I got for 50% off last time they had a sale.

 

[Richdog]

Wish we had a shoe thread like this.

Throwing it out there to save me returns... When Herring and A Fine Pair of Shoes state xyz model (from Herring and Berwick in this case) fits TTS, is that an accurate claim from those that have purchased goodyear welted footwear from either? I know it can be last dependent but equally I usually see anything welted come with the proviso to go down half a size.

There's nothing stopping you making "The Shoe and Footwear Thread" dude... or do you want me to make one for you?

 

[Richdog]

I'm thinking about getting a pair of Iron Rangers at some point as well as looking at some Blundstone Chelsea boots for particularly cringe weather and wondering if anyone knew of any decent alternatives I could consider?

Thursday Boots have lots of leather and sole options and are generally cheaper and more comfortable than Red Wing although likely less solid and durable https://thursdayboots.com/collections/mens-boots-lace-up

 

[Richdog]

Talk to me about cedar shoe trees.

My gut instinct is I see ones on eBay for £20-25 (sometimes less with multi-buy) and assume they are exactly the same as the more expensive ones on the manufactures sites, just with no branding. Is there really any difference? I’ve seen some people say oh the springs are better yada yada but the cynic in me just thinks companies buy the same Chinese stuff in bulk then slap their name on it and sell it for a mark up.

I bought the Lagn & Messer ones from Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Langer-Messmer-Gentlemen-Including-Shoehorn/dp/B00DSJ0GWC/ref=sr_1_9?crid=952BFV6PKYYQ&keywords=shoe+trees+lang&qid=1667360680&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjI1IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ==&sprefix=shoe+trees+lang,aps,71&sr=8-9