Not necesarrily a deal but just a question regarding Magnoli's shipping times... is it really 3-5 weeks to reach the USA on the lower priced standard shipping option? Anyone in the USA have any experience on shipping times?
Skfyall Barbour X To Ki To alternative. The color is more olive than hunter green in person. I had a great experience dealing with this merchant just FYI.
Hi all! Crazy August and September: travel, work, getting the kid back to school, soccer, swimming, etc. Felt like I going in 10 different directions all at the same time. Anyway, now that we've all been blown away by the incredibly awesome 60th anniversary offerings from those illustrious official Bond brands (🙄) I thought it was a good time to revisit some oldies but goodies (plus I have a LOT of catching up to do!). So here are 5 post updates: 4 on shawl collar cardigans and the NTTD commando sweater:
Hi! Not this time around. I know Daniel made a couple of tweaks to fit in V2, but overall I was relatively happy with the quality and the cut for the price of the first version. It really just came down to the color and the work it would take to correct it. If he's fixed the color, I don't think there's much more I could add to my initial review. Cheers!
I totally understand. I'm just hoping for more pictures of the color of the new one... I have a feeling it may be a shade or two too light; even so, the blazer seems to get pretty darn close to SA!
Good morning! I've updated the post on Bond leather jackets with fresh alternatives and added two new options: the TND PTS coat and the DAD nubuck blazer (there's actually a very cool and VERY expensive alternative for that one!)
Thanks! I always try to include some of Indy's pieces in the appropriate posts (for example, I included the links for his Morocco, CR and SF jackets in the latest post on leather jackets). And he definitely does some pieces no one else does (the SP Morocco polo and knit tie and the CR Venice polo, for example) and I always try to feature those more prominently. I certainly tend to give Daniel and Royale Filmwear more attention, mainly because I find his prices to be more accessible for most people when it comes to the jackets. Again just as an example, Dan's Solden jacket is $239 and Indy's is $495.00. Obviously part of that difference in price is the fact that Indy does a lot of his stuff MTM, so you can (hopefully) get a perfect fit from Magnoli. And for some people it will be worth it. But I think most folks like the convenience and shorter wait times that come from just having regular sizes in stock. Hope that clarifies!
For a reasonable Budget Bond alternative for the Matera Jacket. Looks like they ship to Canada too. Hit me up if there are any questions or if anyone needs a proxy buyer from the States. Heck of a deal for just under $30 USD!
Some of those pictures are outdated, the collar is substantial just like the first picture. The color is heathered and on the darker side of correct I’d say, it matches the pictures pretty well. Here it is with and without flash
The main sticking point that made me go with this as opposed to the J Crew one in the post is the number of buttons. This is basically the only cardigan I found with correct details that has six buttons, even the $1000 inspired by McQueen option has five.
After replacing the buttons with Dill #1099 leather buttons I think it’ll look bang on. Since it’s just missing the button under the collar and the contrasting knit on the collar I think this is probably the best option available.
I've also decided to take the bullet for anyone else interested and purchased these
After hearing that the Sanders chukka and other boots with a crepe sole break down so quickly I decided to never spend over $100 usd on a boot like them. These boots look accurate enough and have a “faux crepe” sole, which might be lower quality but might actually hold up better. I should receive them in two days, after wearing them around I’ll report on how well they hold up.
@Timeyswirls I did include that Line of Trade cardigan in charcoal in the post on Craig's Prada cardigan. Looks really sharp in the ink as well! Also, great find on those Cisco boots. I have a review of the actual Huttons coming very soon.
Post update for a Friday: new options for the NTTD Graham jacket
Just a quick heads up: J.Crew is having a big sale right now and there are some decent Bond alternatives in the mix at some good discounts: with the code SALELOVE
CR PTS Navy Linen Suit:
Slim Fit Hemp Cotton Suit Jacket in Dark Harbor ($149.99 - 70% = $44.99
So you can get the whole suit for about $72 (normally $356). It also comes in grey for a CR Bahamas Arrival alternative. But it has the non-screen accurate patch pockets.
Also a couple of options for Connery's FRWL gingham shirt he wear with Sylvia Trench. Not exact matches but they would definitely do in a pinch ($25 to $50) :
I look forward to your review of the Hutton's, John. In Bullitt it looks like the crepe soles of the boots were black all the way through rater than the natural color with black edging we get today. Have you found any chukkas with all-black soles in your searches?
I haven't looked in a while at alternatives for the Playboys/Sanders. But I do remember there being some that used a black, harder rubber outsole instead of the natural crepe (maybe it was Delicious Junction?). What I can say from experience with Clarks, Astorflex, etc. is that the natural crepe rubber soles definitely get dirty quickly and darken up substantially. I'm sure others have had the same experience.
The ones @Timeyswirls shared above have the black rubber foxing with the natural colored sole. I think once those get some wear on the streets, they'll look more like what McQueen wore.
As for the Huttons, I'll go into much more detail in the review, but 3 main things I found interesting:
The foxing and the outsole are much lighter in color than I expected. But Hutton shared some photos with me of boots that have had some wear and the color definitely gets a lot darker (not black, but a deeper brown), looking much more like what we see in plenty of photos of McQueen wearing chukkas in real life.
In that famous photo of McQueen in Bullitt with his feet up on the desk, I'm honestly not sure what to make of those chukkas. They definitely look like they have black foxing and black outsole. The outsole also looks smoother with more of a pronounced heel. I'd be very hard pressed to say that the Huttons that I'm holding in my hand would ever get dark enough to look like that. But maybe it's a result of shadows in the photo or something else. Or maybe he did wear Sanders for Bullitt, but favored Huttons in real life. I'll need to dig deeper into that.
As for the boots themselves, they're really nice. The suede is top quality, about a medium thickness and soft with a great nape. The only thing I'd say I'm disappointed with is the footbed. It's cheap, thin foam with zero arch support. But it's easy to pull out and replace with something better (which I normally have to do with shoes and boots anyway). The fit is definitely on the small size!! I'm a 43 in almost everything, but sized up to a 44 in the Huttons. The fit is snug but comfortable.
Alright, I don't want to give everything away! 😂 More to come soon! And PM if you have any direct questions about them.
Happy Sunday! I'm working on some reviews and a couple of bigger posts, so today's post is just an update on alternatives for the QoS STA Prest jeans. But there are some solid new options out there.
@canoe2 Delicious Junction had the black edging only. The pair I purchased ran very small and had the edging poorly applied. It was glued askew to the sole. I cannot recommend those boots.
Comments
Yes, it looks much more like something Bond would wear.
https://suitsupply.com/de-de/men/coats/bomberjacke-navy/J935.html?link=1&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ET-22-078WK37DE&utm_campaign=navymonochrome&email-uid=D02279944&email-signedcode=c227e63e888dfcd58fb9f9d73f352a78
Not super low-budget alternative for the Mr. White jacket.
"- That is something to be afraid of."
Uniqlo will be releasing this Single Collar Short Blouson for $80.. looks like a decent alternate to the Y3 Haiti Jacket.
Budget alternative to the GE Monte Carlo jumper
Joules cotton blend cable crew neck jumper. £59.95 at Marks & Spencer
Budget alternative to SP Morocco polo shirt.
The collar isn't quite a plunging as the TF one but then most of us probably don't have chests like DC.
£25 at Marks & Spencer
Not necesarrily a deal but just a question regarding Magnoli's shipping times... is it really 3-5 weeks to reach the USA on the lower priced standard shipping option? Anyone in the USA have any experience on shipping times?
It's been a while but I think that's accurate.
Made a new thread for this, but just want to raise more awareness: Morocco blazer version 2 is coming soon from Royale Filmwear.
And if you want a VERY frugal Morocco tie, this one is $13 on Amazon with Prime shipping:
And per the Iconic Alternatives post, a $23 pair of chinos that should do the trick, also with Prime:
OR perhaps the Johnston & Murphy taupe chinos, if you want to spend a little more $$$ ($100 at Zappo's)
Skfyall Barbour X To Ki To alternative. The color is more olive than hunter green in person. I had a great experience dealing with this merchant just FYI.
Casual Cotton Blazer – Max Clayton
Thanks for the tip! Want to grab a few ties and polos via Amazon, was just curious if it usually takes the upper end of the waiting time.
Hi all! Crazy August and September: travel, work, getting the kid back to school, soccer, swimming, etc. Felt like I going in 10 different directions all at the same time. Anyway, now that we've all been blown away by the incredibly awesome 60th anniversary offerings from those illustrious official Bond brands (🙄) I thought it was a good time to revisit some oldies but goodies (plus I have a LOT of catching up to do!). So here are 5 post updates: 4 on shawl collar cardigans and the NTTD commando sweater:
Lots more to come this month and now that things have settled down on the homefront, I'll be catching up with missed messages, comments, etc.
Cheers!
John
Welcome back, John.
"Keeping British end up, sir." - RM "This never happened to the other fellow." - JL "I must be dreaming." SC
Happy Sunday, gang! A non-Bond post today, but it has plenty of style icon connections:
Cheers!
John
@canoe2 Welcome back! Was wondering if you'll be doing a review on the new Morocco Blazer?
Hi! Not this time around. I know Daniel made a couple of tweaks to fit in V2, but overall I was relatively happy with the quality and the cut for the price of the first version. It really just came down to the color and the work it would take to correct it. If he's fixed the color, I don't think there's much more I could add to my initial review. Cheers!
I totally understand. I'm just hoping for more pictures of the color of the new one... I have a feeling it may be a shade or two too light; even so, the blazer seems to get pretty darn close to SA!
Good morning! I've updated the post on Bond leather jackets with fresh alternatives and added two new options: the TND PTS coat and the DAD nubuck blazer (there's actually a very cool and VERY expensive alternative for that one!)
Cheers!
John
Thanks! I always try to include some of Indy's pieces in the appropriate posts (for example, I included the links for his Morocco, CR and SF jackets in the latest post on leather jackets). And he definitely does some pieces no one else does (the SP Morocco polo and knit tie and the CR Venice polo, for example) and I always try to feature those more prominently. I certainly tend to give Daniel and Royale Filmwear more attention, mainly because I find his prices to be more accessible for most people when it comes to the jackets. Again just as an example, Dan's Solden jacket is $239 and Indy's is $495.00. Obviously part of that difference in price is the fact that Indy does a lot of his stuff MTM, so you can (hopefully) get a perfect fit from Magnoli. And for some people it will be worth it. But I think most folks like the convenience and shorter wait times that come from just having regular sizes in stock. Hope that clarifies!
John
For a reasonable Budget Bond alternative for the Matera Jacket. Looks like they ship to Canada too. Hit me up if there are any questions or if anyone needs a proxy buyer from the States. Heck of a deal for just under $30 USD!
https://www.menswearhouse.com/p/joseph-abboud-modern-fit-linen-shirt-jacket-navy-6KWU6KWV01?itemId=700964472
"Keeping British end up, sir." - RM "This never happened to the other fellow." - JL "I must be dreaming." SC
Seeing the Steve McQueen cardigan post updated sent me down a rabbit hole. May I humbly suggest this as an alternative?
https://www.bespokepost.com/store/line-of-trade-the-dockside-shawl-cardigan
Some of those pictures are outdated, the collar is substantial just like the first picture. The color is heathered and on the darker side of correct I’d say, it matches the pictures pretty well. Here it is with and without flash
The main sticking point that made me go with this as opposed to the J Crew one in the post is the number of buttons. This is basically the only cardigan I found with correct details that has six buttons, even the $1000 inspired by McQueen option has five.
After replacing the buttons with Dill #1099 leather buttons I think it’ll look bang on. Since it’s just missing the button under the collar and the contrasting knit on the collar I think this is probably the best option available.
I've also decided to take the bullet for anyone else interested and purchased these
https://www.atomretro.com/product_info.cfm?product_id=40675&d=madcap-england-cisco-mod-suede-chukka-boots-brown
After hearing that the Sanders chukka and other boots with a crepe sole break down so quickly I decided to never spend over $100 usd on a boot like them. These boots look accurate enough and have a “faux crepe” sole, which might be lower quality but might actually hold up better. I should receive them in two days, after wearing them around I’ll report on how well they hold up.
@Timeyswirls I did include that Line of Trade cardigan in charcoal in the post on Craig's Prada cardigan. Looks really sharp in the ink as well! Also, great find on those Cisco boots. I have a review of the actual Huttons coming very soon.
Post update for a Friday: new options for the NTTD Graham jacket
No perfect matches but there are some nice alternatives. If anyone gets a chance to see that Uniqlo one in person, I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Cheers!
John
Just a quick heads up: J.Crew is having a big sale right now and there are some decent Bond alternatives in the mix at some good discounts: with the code SALELOVE
CR PTS Navy Linen Suit:
Slim Fit Hemp Cotton Suit Jacket in Dark Harbor ($149.99 - 70% = $44.99
https://www.jcrew.com/p/mens/categories/clothing/blazers/casual-blazers/slim-fit-suit-jacket-in-stretch-hemp-organic-cotton/BC612?display=sale&fit=Classic&isFromSale=true&color_name=dark-harbor&colorProductCode=BC612
And Trousers ($89.99 -70% = $26,99)
https://www.jcrew.com/p/mens/categories/clothing/pants-and-chinos/other/slim-fit-stretch-hemp-organic-cotton-suit-pant/BC611?display=sale&fit=Classic&isFromSale=true&color_name=dark-harbor&colorProductCode=BC611
So you can get the whole suit for about $72 (normally $356). It also comes in grey for a CR Bahamas Arrival alternative. But it has the non-screen accurate patch pockets.
Also a couple of options for Connery's FRWL gingham shirt he wear with Sylvia Trench. Not exact matches but they would definitely do in a pinch ($25 to $50) :
https://www.jcrew.com/p/mens/categories/clothing/pants-and-chinos/other/slim-fit-stretch-hemp-organic-cotton-suit-pant/BC611?display=sale&fit=Classic&isFromSale=true&color_name=dark-harbor&colorProductCode=BC611
https://www.jcrew.com/m/mens/categories/clothing/shirts/secret-wash/secret-wash-camp-collar-organic-cotton-poplin-shirt/MP835?display=sale&fit=Classic&isFromSale=true&color_name=edwards-gingham-green-w&colorProductCode=BF785
And a kinda-sorta Connery GF Robe ($19.99):
https://www.jcrew.com/p/mens/categories/clothing/pajamas-and-loungewear/robes/cotton-poplin-robe/BJ362?display=sale&fit=Classic&isFromSale=true&color_name=eoe-bold-peri&colorProductCode=BJ362
Cheers!
I look forward to your review of the Hutton's, John. In Bullitt it looks like the crepe soles of the boots were black all the way through rater than the natural color with black edging we get today. Have you found any chukkas with all-black soles in your searches?
I haven't looked in a while at alternatives for the Playboys/Sanders. But I do remember there being some that used a black, harder rubber outsole instead of the natural crepe (maybe it was Delicious Junction?). What I can say from experience with Clarks, Astorflex, etc. is that the natural crepe rubber soles definitely get dirty quickly and darken up substantially. I'm sure others have had the same experience.
The ones @Timeyswirls shared above have the black rubber foxing with the natural colored sole. I think once those get some wear on the streets, they'll look more like what McQueen wore.
As for the Huttons, I'll go into much more detail in the review, but 3 main things I found interesting:
Alright, I don't want to give everything away! 😂 More to come soon! And PM if you have any direct questions about them.
Cheers!
Sorry for another post on this, but I totally forgot that someone on Instagram shared these with me:
$250, but I have a pair of Velasca boots and I've been pretty happy with them. Just another option that's out there.
Happy Sunday! I'm working on some reviews and a couple of bigger posts, so today's post is just an update on alternatives for the QoS STA Prest jeans. But there are some solid new options out there.
Cheers!
John
@canoe2 Delicious Junction had the black edging only. The pair I purchased ran very small and had the edging poorly applied. It was glued askew to the sole. I cannot recommend those boots.
My New Panama Hat - direct from Ecuador and at a very nice price with a pretty close ribbon like the Classic scene on Goldfinger.
Shall we make it a shilling a hole ?
That's a nice ribbon. Prefer it to the one on the Lock & Co 'Stoke'.
Good morning to all from the middle area of Tennessee. Woke up to 37 degrees F which is about 3 degrees Celsius!
Anyone have any recommendations for a navy overcoat like the one in Skyfall when Bond meets Q? One that looks good over a suit. See what i did there?
The IA post of the overcoats I liked but most are sold out or not fabricated anymore. May there be an update soon? @canoe2 👀