That looks great @ichaice! Have to say, I like a good Ulster style collar over peak lapels (no offense to Billy Reid). And you nailed the rest of the look! 👏
Post update today: Bond inpired Holiday Party style!
This has sort of become a semi-annual tradition, using the general style and character of each Bond to create some fun party looks. As you can see, Part 1 covers Connery, Lazenby and Moore. Dalton, Brosnan and Craig are coming tomorrow. Although for Craig's Bond I may change the outfit this year ...
Can I just say I’ve seen hockerty mentioned a few times on your site and I can’t recommend them?
I don’t want to rant or drag their names in the mud but when I had experiences with them the fit was off and the fabric looks vastly different in person than it did on their site. Plus their customer service then refused to be helpful and just closed the ticket after I tried to get any help.
I’m far from the only one though, looking online their customer service has treated several people terribly. I’d just advise people to take their money elsewhere, spend a bit more and go to baron boutique. Their team is wonderful to back up the quality of their product
@Timeyswirls Thanks for the feedback! As you guys know, I don't really have a chance to try out or test everything I share on the site. As frequently as possible I do check out online reviews and I use Trustpilot and other services to learn about companies before I include them. But I don't always get it right. So the real life experience of others matters a lot to me (it's one of the reasons I also try and give credit to others for finds or recommendations). It can be tricky trying to find "good-to-great" matches for some things (for example, almost no one seems to be doing a velvet collared chesterfield coat right now), so sometimes my options are limited or I need to go pretty deep into the weeds to get something that looks half-way decent from an obscure brand no one has heard off.
And the other thing I need to consider when I'm doing the graphics for those flatlays or 4-Ways-To-Wear-It posts is the product photos from the brand websites. Most of them use photos with models wearing the coat, pants, sweater, whatever, And for the flat-lays I prefer to just use a photo of the product alone. My tech skills are good enough to edit out a background. But nowhere near good enough to edit out an entire human body without everything looking weird 😂
That's honestly why I sometimes use a particular brand's piece in a graphic but also try to include other recommendations. I guess I should also mention that I have absolutely no relationship with Hockerty. So they weren't sponsoring the post or paying for advertising or anything like that. They simply had a couple of pieces that came close to what I wanted and I could easily use the images from their website in the flatlay graphic.
Anyway, thanks again for sharing the observations! And I'll definitely limit the use of Hockerty in the future.
I'm leaving this afternoon for 5 days to spend some quality time with the family and do some skiing. So in case I'm not able to check in until the 27th, I just want to wish everyone a very cheerful holidays, a merry Christmas, a joyous Kwanzaa, a happy Hanukkah, and/or great strength for Festivus. All the best, my friends!
Thanks for all your posts John. Your website and enthusiasm goes from strength to strength and I'm looking forward to your new articles and findings in 2023. All the very best for a peaceful and safe Christmas, with your family.
Gentleman and ladies, thank you for accepting me! Question, do we have any suggestions for a quality white dress shirt with a high thread count that won't break the bank? I hope this is the correct category to post this and thanks again.
I would suggest Charles Tyrwhitt for that, do the multibuy deal and get 3-4 shirts for $99, probably the best bang for your buck white dress shirts. I’m not sure about the thread count but they are more substantial and look better than any other dress shirts I’ve bought at near that price point
Happy New Year, everyone! Off to late start thanks to some unexpected travel last week. But I'm all set to get 2023 rolling!
To catch up:
@Bond44 That looks spot on! Any chance I could use the photo for an upcoming post? Credit to you for the finds and photo, of course!
@dlgump I agree with @Timeyswirls about Tyrwhitt. Really good value for the money. If you're in the U.S., you can also check out Spier & Mackay. They have a wide selection of collar styles in different fabrics and are also excellent quality for $68.00 US.
In other news, the first post of 2023 is now live! I review the Buffalo Jackson Legacy Leather Jacket. Although it's not a direct alternative for any famous leather jackets (like the Menlo or Indy Jacket), it does have a great vintage style
I need to update that post (it's on the "to do" list). The price for the Magnoli is definitely affordable. But I remembered there was a long wait time to get it made and I just checked Indy's site again and it's up to 7 months now.
For current OTR options, I'm really liking the Cockpit USA Division Commander Tanker Jacket.
Unfortunately, that one only comes in a medium Brown now. But they may be able to do a custom one in a black.
One thing I will note is that both those options do NOT have the buckle straps at the wrist. But the prototype for the Patterson repro I was trying to do had them and I have to honestly say they drove me nuts! The buckle was always catching on my pant pocket when I reached for my keys or wallet or getting hung up on the gear shift in my car. Frankly, I could definitely do without them, even if it does make the jacket less accurate. But YMMV. Cheers!
On the topic of leather jackets, I have a vintage cowhide one that is too wide and too long in the arms. My tailor won't dare touch rough leather, so is there a place that works on leather specifically that way I know they know what they're doing? Leather workshop? Cobbler?
In general, lambskin is usually softer and lighter weight than cow hide, especially if both are full grain (meaning the hide hasn't been split).
I'd definitely ask if the leather from Magnoli (either lamb or cow) is full grain or split grain. That will tell you a lot about the quality right from the start. Also beware of terms like "top grain". Top grain is NOT full grain; it's usually just a slightly higher quality split grain. So it's still thinner and less durable than full grain in either cow or lamb.
But it's not just the type of leather you need to ask about. You also need to check how the leather has been tanned and treated. For example, if it is "corrected", that mean a layer of dye (almost like a paint) has been applied to the surface to hide any flaws in the hide. That stuff won't fade or patina at all and (in my experience) can eventually crack at wear spots. Or if it's aniline leather: aniline is a treatment used on very high quality hides that keeps the natural grain and can patina very well, but requires more care (conditioning). Then you have things like pull-up leathers (like the Buffalo Jackson jacket I reviewed) and veg-tanned leathers. What you want to avoid is any split grain or "top grain" lambskin that's been corrected. That's usually pretty cheap leather.
I'd also ask if the leather will be "pre-distressed". I haven't seen one jacket with a faux-patina that looks right. For me, it's better to get a jacket that looks "new" and then add your own wear over time. I'll add that in my experience, lambskin breaks-in a lot faster than cow hide, but never develops the same level of patina.
A nice compromise might be calf skin. I know Belstaff uses calf skin for many of their jackets (as well as cow and goat). Calf skin is basically a softer, lighter weight cow skin. So not as durable as full-on cow hide, but it patinas better that lamb. Hope that helps and doesn't confuse you even more 😂!
@Chico glad you liked the review! There are two tricky things with tailoring the sleeves on a leather jacket. First, you need a sewing machine heavy and strong enough to stitch the leather. And second, you need a special type of machine that allows you to stitch inside the sleeve; otherwise you need to take the whole sleeve apart, make the cuts and adjustments and then stitch it all back together. That can be very expensive if you want the finished product to look good. Unfortunately, a normal tailor usually won't have the heavy sewing machine for the leather and most cobblers won't have the special machine needed to work inside a jacket sleeve (or they just won't want to deal with it since tailoring isn't their area of expertise). You really do need to go with a specialist to get the job done right, which may mean sending the jacket somewhere. I'd ask a shop near you that sells really nice leather jackets if them have someone they can recommend. Cheers!
I'd also watch out for that "Nappa" or "Napa" leather term. It's basically become meaningless (even when Belstaff uses it), just a catch-all name for any type of soft lamb or sheep leather (usually full grain, but not always). It doesn't really tell you anything about how thick the hide is, how it was tanned or what kind of finishing is added to the surface. Even Mango and H&M have "Nappa" leather jackets. So you still need to really dig into the details to find out what the quality of the leather is.
As far as I know, the Black Patterson used an "Antique washed and waxed calfskin" which was/is proprietary to Belstaff at least during the Malenotti era. There are also two weights for their leather back then; summer and winter. The black Patterson is the summer weight so its a lighter leather, and some of the brown versions, not all, are winter weight.
I haven’t seen this suit in real life and can’t compare the corduroy to the NTTD Massimo Alba. But it seems to pass the “near enuf” test while also being a more flattering cut for most of us. The MA is boxy even on Craig. This one is on sale in any case.
I was just about to post about that one! Great alternative. I've seen it in store and the corduroy is actually quite nice for the price. I think it's a little more structured than the NTTD suit. But it's not super stiff. Fits a little snug.
A reader asked me to update the post on the TGWTDT Moncler Jacket. And I was actually surprised to find there are lots of great deals out there that have the right look. No real perfect matches. But as @Cheverian would say, they're "near enuf" 😁
By the way, if anyone is looking for alternatives for the Drake's boots from Matera, Burrows and Hare has the Astorflex Dukeflex in Chestnut available in sizes 41 to 45 for $166, which is a great price. I have a pair in Snuff and they are really excellent boots. And, as far as I know, Astorflex actually makes the boots for Drake's, albeit with some modifications.
Comments
Great find ichaice. The street your in looks great as well.
That looks great @ichaice! Have to say, I like a good Ulster style collar over peak lapels (no offense to Billy Reid). And you nailed the rest of the look! 👏
Post update today: Bond inpired Holiday Party style!
This has sort of become a semi-annual tradition, using the general style and character of each Bond to create some fun party looks. As you can see, Part 1 covers Connery, Lazenby and Moore. Dalton, Brosnan and Craig are coming tomorrow. Although for Craig's Bond I may change the outfit this year ...
Perhaps this ...
Or this ...
Too soon? 😁
Cheers!
John
Thanks chaps 🍸
Can I just say I’ve seen hockerty mentioned a few times on your site and I can’t recommend them?
I don’t want to rant or drag their names in the mud but when I had experiences with them the fit was off and the fabric looks vastly different in person than it did on their site. Plus their customer service then refused to be helpful and just closed the ticket after I tried to get any help.
I’m far from the only one though, looking online their customer service has treated several people terribly. I’d just advise people to take their money elsewhere, spend a bit more and go to baron boutique. Their team is wonderful to back up the quality of their product
Hmm, for some reason I can't post the comment I originally wrote. This is a test
Nevermind, working now. See below
@Timeyswirls Thanks for the feedback! As you guys know, I don't really have a chance to try out or test everything I share on the site. As frequently as possible I do check out online reviews and I use Trustpilot and other services to learn about companies before I include them. But I don't always get it right. So the real life experience of others matters a lot to me (it's one of the reasons I also try and give credit to others for finds or recommendations). It can be tricky trying to find "good-to-great" matches for some things (for example, almost no one seems to be doing a velvet collared chesterfield coat right now), so sometimes my options are limited or I need to go pretty deep into the weeds to get something that looks half-way decent from an obscure brand no one has heard off.
And the other thing I need to consider when I'm doing the graphics for those flatlays or 4-Ways-To-Wear-It posts is the product photos from the brand websites. Most of them use photos with models wearing the coat, pants, sweater, whatever, And for the flat-lays I prefer to just use a photo of the product alone. My tech skills are good enough to edit out a background. But nowhere near good enough to edit out an entire human body without everything looking weird 😂
That's honestly why I sometimes use a particular brand's piece in a graphic but also try to include other recommendations. I guess I should also mention that I have absolutely no relationship with Hockerty. So they weren't sponsoring the post or paying for advertising or anything like that. They simply had a couple of pieces that came close to what I wanted and I could easily use the images from their website in the flatlay graphic.
Anyway, thanks again for sharing the observations! And I'll definitely limit the use of Hockerty in the future.
Cheers!
John
Part 2 of the James Bond Holiday Style Guide is now live. This one covers Dalton, Brosnan and Craig inspired looks.
I'm leaving this afternoon for 5 days to spend some quality time with the family and do some skiing. So in case I'm not able to check in until the 27th, I just want to wish everyone a very cheerful holidays, a merry Christmas, a joyous Kwanzaa, a happy Hanukkah, and/or great strength for Festivus. All the best, my friends!
John
Thanks for all your posts John. Your website and enthusiasm goes from strength to strength and I'm looking forward to your new articles and findings in 2023. All the very best for a peaceful and safe Christmas, with your family.
Been OOO for a while, but came home to this.
I am having an OHMSS Christmas today thanks to:
Atomic Retro
And Marks and Spencer
Both now on sale
Merry Christmas everyone
Cheers
Gentleman and ladies, thank you for accepting me! Question, do we have any suggestions for a quality white dress shirt with a high thread count that won't break the bank? I hope this is the correct category to post this and thanks again.
I would suggest Charles Tyrwhitt for that, do the multibuy deal and get 3-4 shirts for $99, probably the best bang for your buck white dress shirts. I’m not sure about the thread count but they are more substantial and look better than any other dress shirts I’ve bought at near that price point
Thank you so much! it's funny, I constantly have those shirts in a cart on their site hut never pull the trigger, I will now. Much appreciated!
https://www.ssense.com/en-us/men/product/rag-and-bone/white-cotton-henley/9778981
SSENSE has the Rag & Bone Henley for $59 for sizes M and greater.
Oh I like that Atom site; that'll be handy for Goodwood- thanks!
Budget alternative for the SP enjoying death shirt
Pure cotton dot print shirt. Fatface on sale at Marks & Spencer down from £49.50 to £35. Available online only.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE
Happy New Year, everyone! Off to late start thanks to some unexpected travel last week. But I'm all set to get 2023 rolling!
To catch up:
@Bond44 That looks spot on! Any chance I could use the photo for an upcoming post? Credit to you for the finds and photo, of course!
@dlgump I agree with @Timeyswirls about Tyrwhitt. Really good value for the money. If you're in the U.S., you can also check out Spier & Mackay. They have a wide selection of collar styles in different fabrics and are also excellent quality for $68.00 US.
@mailedfist Nice find!
In other news, the first post of 2023 is now live! I review the Buffalo Jackson Legacy Leather Jacket. Although it's not a direct alternative for any famous leather jackets (like the Menlo or Indy Jacket), it does have a great vintage style
I talk about the leather, the fit, the construction, etc. and how it measures up against other sub-$500 leather jackets on the market.
Lots more to come, my friends!
John
Budget alternative to SP Npeal teal jumper
Pure extra fine lambswool crew neck jumper. Marks & Spencer £39.50. Turquoise rather than teal but looks pretty close at least from the photo.
I need to update that post (it's on the "to do" list). The price for the Magnoli is definitely affordable. But I remembered there was a long wait time to get it made and I just checked Indy's site again and it's up to 7 months now.
For current OTR options, I'm really liking the Cockpit USA Division Commander Tanker Jacket.
Of course it's expensive ($995) but they make excellent pieces in the U.S. And even though it's brown, it's a really dark brown.
I also like the Aero Long Half Belt for 650 GPB (without VAT)
Unfortunately, that one only comes in a medium Brown now. But they may be able to do a custom one in a black.
One thing I will note is that both those options do NOT have the buckle straps at the wrist. But the prototype for the Patterson repro I was trying to do had them and I have to honestly say they drove me nuts! The buckle was always catching on my pant pocket when I reached for my keys or wallet or getting hung up on the gear shift in my car. Frankly, I could definitely do without them, even if it does make the jacket less accurate. But YMMV. Cheers!
Were you thinking lambskin of goatskin?
Awesome review @canoe2
On the topic of leather jackets, I have a vintage cowhide one that is too wide and too long in the arms. My tailor won't dare touch rough leather, so is there a place that works on leather specifically that way I know they know what they're doing? Leather workshop? Cobbler?
In general, lambskin is usually softer and lighter weight than cow hide, especially if both are full grain (meaning the hide hasn't been split).
I'd definitely ask if the leather from Magnoli (either lamb or cow) is full grain or split grain. That will tell you a lot about the quality right from the start. Also beware of terms like "top grain". Top grain is NOT full grain; it's usually just a slightly higher quality split grain. So it's still thinner and less durable than full grain in either cow or lamb.
But it's not just the type of leather you need to ask about. You also need to check how the leather has been tanned and treated. For example, if it is "corrected", that mean a layer of dye (almost like a paint) has been applied to the surface to hide any flaws in the hide. That stuff won't fade or patina at all and (in my experience) can eventually crack at wear spots. Or if it's aniline leather: aniline is a treatment used on very high quality hides that keeps the natural grain and can patina very well, but requires more care (conditioning). Then you have things like pull-up leathers (like the Buffalo Jackson jacket I reviewed) and veg-tanned leathers. What you want to avoid is any split grain or "top grain" lambskin that's been corrected. That's usually pretty cheap leather.
I'd also ask if the leather will be "pre-distressed". I haven't seen one jacket with a faux-patina that looks right. For me, it's better to get a jacket that looks "new" and then add your own wear over time. I'll add that in my experience, lambskin breaks-in a lot faster than cow hide, but never develops the same level of patina.
A nice compromise might be calf skin. I know Belstaff uses calf skin for many of their jackets (as well as cow and goat). Calf skin is basically a softer, lighter weight cow skin. So not as durable as full-on cow hide, but it patinas better that lamb. Hope that helps and doesn't confuse you even more 😂!
@Chico glad you liked the review! There are two tricky things with tailoring the sleeves on a leather jacket. First, you need a sewing machine heavy and strong enough to stitch the leather. And second, you need a special type of machine that allows you to stitch inside the sleeve; otherwise you need to take the whole sleeve apart, make the cuts and adjustments and then stitch it all back together. That can be very expensive if you want the finished product to look good. Unfortunately, a normal tailor usually won't have the heavy sewing machine for the leather and most cobblers won't have the special machine needed to work inside a jacket sleeve (or they just won't want to deal with it since tailoring isn't their area of expertise). You really do need to go with a specialist to get the job done right, which may mean sending the jacket somewhere. I'd ask a shop near you that sells really nice leather jackets if them have someone they can recommend. Cheers!
John
I'd also watch out for that "Nappa" or "Napa" leather term. It's basically become meaningless (even when Belstaff uses it), just a catch-all name for any type of soft lamb or sheep leather (usually full grain, but not always). It doesn't really tell you anything about how thick the hide is, how it was tanned or what kind of finishing is added to the surface. Even Mango and H&M have "Nappa" leather jackets. So you still need to really dig into the details to find out what the quality of the leather is.
As far as I know, the Black Patterson used an "Antique washed and waxed calfskin" which was/is proprietary to Belstaff at least during the Malenotti era. There are also two weights for their leather back then; summer and winter. The black Patterson is the summer weight so its a lighter leather, and some of the brown versions, not all, are winter weight.
Morning! I've updated the post on Bond's SPECTRE robe with plenty of new alternatives
Please excuse my "Best Option" (you'll know why when you see it). But tell me that it doesn't come damn close! 😁
Cheers!
John
And AJB is back! 🍸️
I published a new/updated post over the weekend on duffle coats:
Cheers, gang!
John
I haven’t seen this suit in real life and can’t compare the corduroy to the NTTD Massimo Alba. But it seems to pass the “near enuf” test while also being a more flattering cut for most of us. The MA is boxy even on Craig. This one is on sale in any case.
https://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=4425900024402&vid=1#pdp-page-content
I was just about to post about that one! Great alternative. I've seen it in store and the corduroy is actually quite nice for the price. I think it's a little more structured than the NTTD suit. But it's not super stiff. Fits a little snug.
A reader asked me to update the post on the TGWTDT Moncler Jacket. And I was actually surprised to find there are lots of great deals out there that have the right look. No real perfect matches. But as @Cheverian would say, they're "near enuf" 😁
Cheers!
John
By the way, if anyone is looking for alternatives for the Drake's boots from Matera, Burrows and Hare has the Astorflex Dukeflex in Chestnut available in sizes 41 to 45 for $166, which is a great price. I have a pair in Snuff and they are really excellent boots. And, as far as I know, Astorflex actually makes the boots for Drake's, albeit with some modifications.
I've seen plenty of Dukeflex in other colors. But the Chestnut color is hard to find, especially if you're in the U.S.
Cheers!
John
Thanks John
just ordered a pair. They look great
thanks Neil
I own a pair and they are very nice and comfortable. I think you would have to have it next to the screen accurate Drake's to notice any difference.