Review: Indochino Suits

Given that fit is more important than anything in men’s style (at least according to me), an online service that can provide you with bespoke clothes – even made to measure – has to be a good idea.

Not everyone has a high-quality tailor around the corner, and so access to bespoke is limited. Perhaps more importantly, the lack of tailors at the lower end of the price scale has moved bespoke out of the range of most men.

Indochino aims to correct both of these problems, by providing bespoke tailoring at reasonable prices over the internet. The suits range from around $250 to $400, which is cheaper than you can get made to measure pretty much anywhere, and shipping is free. Suits are shipped within two weeks and can be altered for $25.

I was invited by Indochino to try out its service and agreed to give it a go. The first thing I noticed was that it offers three different ways to get your measurements. You can measure yourself with a tape measure, measure a suit that fits you well or take instructions to a tailor and ask him to measure you.

This is an improvement on the offerings of most online suit or shirt stores, many of which invite you just to measure yourself – I’ve tried that and it can be tricky. So I went for the second option, to see if this was a viable alternative that might work online. It certainly makes more sense, and seems to offer less room for error.

There are quite professional videos demonstrating how to take the measurements, and the number asked for is impressive. However, the instructions are not necessarily clear. You are asked to lay your jacket flat. But does that mean with the side seams at the edges? Or with the jacket buttoned? Or should their be no overlap of the front panels?

These little points make a big difference – buttoning the jacket reduces your waist measurement by at least an inch, and so it is unlikely to fit. After watching the video several times, and trying to make out how the tailor had his jacket laid, I decided the jacket was buttoned.

Which was the right decision, for when the jacket arrived the waist fit perfectly, as did the arms and the waist of the trousers.

Unfortunately, that was all. The jacket was too small across the chest and the shoulders, and the collar stood away from my neck by about an inch. The trousers were also too short, almost comically so, not even touching my shoes.

Now the length of trousers is easy to alter – I can do that myself. But as I have written in previous posts, the neck is the hardest thing to change and the shoulders the second hardest. It will be expensive to correct and take time.

I have to say I wasn’t that impressed with the quality of the material either, despite it being the most expensive in the range ($400). There were signs of quality elsewhere – the jacket was canvassed, not fused. And it came with a free tie, tie bar and cufflinks.

But I’m afraid it was a disappointment. A service that sells itself on a great fit needs to get that right and it was wrong in many ways. Perhaps I should have gone for the tailor-measured option, for this route obviously didn’t work for me.

Bookmark, Share or Email this article   •  Leave a Comment

Return to Old Briefcases

On a recent excursion to the shops, accompanied by a friend, we found ourselves in the luggage section of a large and famous department store rather by accident. We had wanted to find quite another department but such is the labyrinthine layout of this gargantuan store, we had turned in a wrong direction somewhere and had ended up in an area of brass locks, leather tags and superfluous straps; surely, we needed nothing here. “Hold on” my companion muttered “I need something for the office, something like a briefcase.” Now I should mention that of my acquaintances, this particular friend happens to be one of the more traditional. Picture cutaway French collars, formally patterned ties, double breasted suits and substantial overcoats and you will be well acquainted with his wardrobe.

Due to my knowledge of his traditional taste, I imagined that he would make a beeline for the classic briefcases; stiff brown leather with plenty of brass. He picked up a canvas bag with a shoulder strap, to my immediate surprise, and asked me what I thought. I admonished him and asked rather acerbically when he was planning on re-attending primary school. The issue is not that I have a problem with such an item as a product but that a sensible, suit wearing solicitor of his education and aforementioned classical taste should consider such a strange bag. For one thing, a bag with a strap is an absolute devil on one’s suit; even after a short time the wear of weight on a shoulder shows and it pulls the jacket away from its position on the torso, distorting the construction. It’s even worse when the top button is fastened and the weight pulls at the centre of the suit.

The other problem with these ‘postman’ bags is that they actually make more difficult what they are intended to make easy (transporting documents, laptops and stationery). The fidgeting one must go through for the ‘comfortable’ position, the way the bag knocks at the thigh. Placing the weight of work on the shoulder sounds like a sensible solution but it can cause other problems; these bags and suits were simply not destined for each other. I remember young chaps at school whose suits evidenced ‘shoulder fatigue’; resulting, over time, in the suit shoulder pulling away from the neck, exposing an inch or two of shirt shoulder.

“Look” I said to my companion “these are far better for you; you spend too much on suits to have them ruined by a postbag.” We were inspecting a collection of classic Mulberry briefcases with simple push locks. I motioned approvingly and yet, to my dismay, but not surprise, my companion opened one and, chuckling heartily, pulled out a tissue-wrapped shoulder strap – detachable and adjustable. Moving on we discovered the more classic examples; bridle leather cases with solid brass fittings and a key lock. Attaché cases with wonderful suede linings and combination locks. It was a relief to discover that no one had attempted to attach a shoulder strap to these well designed and long-lasting items.

It was when my companion stood in the full length mirror, straight and tall with the briefcase in his grasp, I realised another thing about these magnificent strap-free traditional cases of high quality: they look ever so much finer than all the alternatives.

Bookmark, Share or Email this article   •  Leave a Comment

Brand Review: Aspinal of London

Historic brands can be mightily deceptive. Early trading dates might stand proud above doorways; photographs of a visiting member of the Rat Pack may adorn the walls inside; but counters seem more like museum display cabinets and each product is accompanied by rather long-winded explanations of ‘heritage’ and ‘continuity’. I adore history and admire firms with great heritage, but I fear a good many lose sight of the reason for their success. Some will quietly inform you that they’ve been serving members of the same families for generations. However the constant reductions, gift-shop atmosphere of their flagship stores and increasingly disillusioned staff indicate that serious custom is dwindling: the great laurels on which they rest have begun to wither.

Aspinal of London is almost the exact opposite of such firms. To begin with, Aspinal’s is remarkably young. They have no photographs of an Edwardian shop opening, signatures of appreciation from George V or amusing anecdotes concerning Hollywood patrons. Their focus is entirely on the products. There is no attempt to craft false heritage but the quality of the products and the particular style of the brand deceive you into thinking, quite innocently, that it has been around since sepia. The smart Aspinal shield is stamped onto shining metal clasps, leather tags and printed silk. Famous amongst young ladies of my acquaintance for their leather bound social diaries and calendars, Aspinal’s does not have the pedigree or the warrants that the stationer Smythson possesses, but then it has aspirations and ideas beyond goatskin handbag fillers.

Fabulous Malacca umbrellas with interesting canopies (pinstripe and polka dot), delicious crocodile effect leather briefcases with smooth suede linings, Art Deco style mother of pearl cufflinks and colonial style canvas reporter bags with leather trim reveal that the man behind the brand knows a thing or two about design and product quality. Despite the fact that it has been around for less than a decade, Aspinal is one of those companies you feel that has always been there, in the background – like one of those fabulous Florentine paper shops that have been in business since the Renaissance. The selection of ties and bow ties are not all to my taste pattern wise, but they are of a high quality silk and, for their market, are reasonably priced. In fact, everything Aspinal produce is reasonably priced for the quality of manufacture and finish (nearly everything sold is actually manufactured and not merely designed in the UK). A cabin bag for £725 may sound expensive but when you consider that it is made from calf leather and real hide, elegantly lined in red grosgrain and finished with solid brass closure fittings and that an equivalent from Vuitton, manufactured with monogram ‘canvas’, and not leather, costs between £1150 and £1500, you realise that with Aspinal you are not paying for a name at all but simply an excellent product. How refreshing.

Bookmark, Share or Email this article   •  Leave a Comment

Ah, the Esquire Big Black Book

Ok, so it’s time to balance things up. In a previous post I reviewed a style programme only available in the UK. Now it’s time for a magazine you can only get in the US.

Last year I chanced across the Esquire Big Black Book while in New York on business. I couldn’t believe my luck – this was actually how a style magazine should look, with analytical features, practical advice and photo shoots where you can actually see the clothes.

This year my luck was even greater. I was only changing planes in New York on my way back from Buenos Aires, and stumbled onto this year’s edition. Note to self: try and be in the US in October. In October. In October.

The BBB is not high fashion. Granted, the watches range from $3,000 to $20,000, but then I was never in the market for that kind of watch anyway. More important is that the ethos of the BBB is value for money. As fashion director Nick Sullivan says: “It is not about how to spend your money. It is about how not to waste it.”

So we have a few good investments, among them a mohair tuxedo, a good umbrella and a three-piece suit. Each is expensive (the silver-handled umbrella costs $2,000) but that is inevitable. The point they make is still valid: with menswear it is simple and rewarding to invest in good pieces, pieces that will stand the test of time and feel better with use.

Then there’s decent interviews with actual designers – Tom Ford, Stefano Pilati and Ferrucio Pozzoni – rather than movie stars or musicians; and well-researched features, again related to style – on how to refurnish old clothes and the return of the briefcase.

(My favourite quote from Pilati: “Let’s not talk about the suit becoming fashionable again. To me, the suit has never been fashionable. A suit is a suit and you need it for certain occasions. If you are a fashionable man and you want to wear your suit with a pair of sneakers and a t-shirt, then that’s a different story.”)

But the best part of the BBB, the reason I will keep each year’s edition alongside the Flusser books, is The Information – the practical guide printed on tinted paper at the back of the magazine. Want to know how to wash cashmere? Or what to do with a leather jacket that gets soaked in the rain? The Information will tell you.

Why aren’t all magazines like this?

Bookmark, Share or Email this article   •  Leave a Comment

Autumn Scents

It was through gothic arches and a carpet of leaves I strode; past withered branches, long handled brooms and mossy stone. The autumn scent of a distant pyre was lively in the early evening air; the ‘glorious death’ had come. It wasn’t until I had scrambled my house key from my pocket, stomped my way across the threshold and unwrapped my silk scarf from my neck that I fully appreciated the fragrance I had chosen for this particularly autumnal day. There were notes of fresh leek soup, ripe berries, spiced orange, cognac and the slightest hint of a burning match. I felt completely in tune with Nature’s turn. My next move was to ‘hibernate’ all those fragrances I had reserved or considered for their similarity to a summer’s day; too flimsy are they for this time of year. It is too late in the year to puff grapefruit and lemon. This is a time that calls for spice, leather, amber and nutmeg, berries, cumin and cardamom.

The other consideration is not to purchase a fragrance that everyone else wears or, in other words, one that you might buy, rather desperately, before entering the departure lounges at the airport. Fragrances are frivolous and entirely unnecessary (if one washes correctly) but that does not mean that a fragrance should be purchased willy nilly without consideration of personality or statement. If you go to the trouble of scenting yourself, go to the trouble of doing it properly. Heavy marketing, assistants trained in aggressive attack and a shiny box do not a fragrance make.

Endymion by Penhaligon’s

This marvellous concoction from Penhaligon’s, named after an astronomer from Greek mythology who was in love with Selene, a lunar deity, is full of sage and lavender at first, and then coffee, vetiver and nutmeg power through. It’s a particularly oriental scent with an abundance of spice and a pleasant leather finish. It also happens to be far less popular than the lighter, citrus based Blenheim Bouquet which, while excellent, is more redolent of summer days spent lounging in the orchard.

Le Nomade by Parfums D’Orsay

From the perfumery founded by the Comte D’Orsay, Le Nomade is a wistful, vetiver scent that has interesting top notes, redolent of the East (coriander, cardamom) and incense touches of bergamot, hints of majestic cedar. It is an extremely cosy fragrance that speaks of the luxurious amber glow of an autumn fire, the spiced wine of a cold November evening and the trails of incense that linger in the colonnades of a foreign city.

Eucris by Geo F Trumper

Eucris is an old formula. It was created in 1912 and, according to those in the know, has changed very little since this time. A hardy but enigmatic brew, top notes of blackcurrant and cumin with a satisfying base of a warm wood, the whiff of Eucris is distinctive. Jasmine offers a feminine, dandyish touch to a particularly aristocratic creation that is appropriate at all times, day or night.

Bookmark, Share or Email this article   •  Leave a Comment