With so many options, choosing your pocket style can be a daunting task when commissioning bespoke clothing. So, in the interest of minimising any potential pocket-related anxiety, we’ve drawn up an overview of the three most popular pocket styles and their variants.

FLAP POCKETS
The flapped pocket — where a pocket is cut into the interior of the garment and covered by a simple flap — is by far the most common pocket for both suits and jackets.

Straight, flapped pockets are often seen as the default setting for a jacket, also being the template for most ready-to-wear garments. Straight, flapped pockets are the best choice for when you’re not wishing to draw extra attention to a jacket, being well-suited for business wear.

Flapped pockets can also be set at an angle, being more commonly known as slanted pockets. The slant angle starts at a moderate 15% but can be increased to 20% – 25% for a more dramatic, right angle-like appearance.

Slanted pockets have an equestrian heritage, with their angled position making access easier when riding. Opting for slanted pockets can add further country appeal to a tweed jacket or make a worsted suit look sleeker by virtue of their dramatic angles.

Lastly, a smaller ticket pocket – so named because city businessmen taking the train to the country on weekends would use them to stash their train tickets – can be added above one of the flapped pockets. Typically set above the right pocket, they can be also set on the opposite side to accommodate the left handed. Either way, a ticket pocket can differentiate a jacket from a suit jacket or simply add extra interest to the latter.

When a jacket has slanted flapped pockets with a ticket pocket, it’s typically referred to as a Hacking Jacket. This pocket style has deep roots in English equestrian tradition, and instantly gives a suit or casual jacket a more rustic image.

JETTED POCKETS
Like flapped pockets, jetted pockets are cut into the interior of a jacket. However, they lack a flap, leaving only the appearance of a subtle slit on the body of the jacket. As with flapped pockets, jetted pockets can also be slanted and joined by a ticket pocket.

Being the most formal style of pocket, jetted pockets are a must on dinner jackets or smoking jackets. They’re less commonly seen on suit or casual jackets, in part because a well-made flapped pocket can be converted to a jetted pocket by simply tucking the flap into its interior. Cad & The Dandy’s flapped pockets are easily tucked, offering the versatility of a jetted look whenever the wearer should choose.

PATCH POCKETS
The last of the three major pocket styles, patch pockets are also the simplest. Rather than constructing a pocket inside the jacket, patch pockets are made by adding an extra patch of fabric to the jacket’s exterior, building the pocket on the outside.

In keeping with their simple construction – and larger visual presence — patch pockets are the most casual pocket style. This makes them a great choice for jackets and suits made from more casual fabrics, particularly lightweight linens and cottons.

Patch pockets can be left open at the top, or secured with a flap, creating what’s called a patch-flap pocket — a staple of American Ivy Style. Patch pockets can’t be slanted, but they can be curved with the top resembling the hull of a small boat – a classically Neapolitan approach.

The surface area of a patch pocket also allows for pleats. This could take the form of box pleats, created by layering additional fabric above the pocket, or an inverted pleat that creates a small opening on the pocket itself. Both add further interest to the patch pocket and can be topped by flaps.

The country cousin to the patch pocket is known as a cartridge or bellows pocket. Typically reserved for hunting jackets it is similar to the patch, being built up with extra fabric until it becomes a three-dimensional pouch capable of holding more items, which traditionally meant extra rounds of ammunition for your duck or pheasant hunt.

Whether you know your way around a rifle or not, a cartridge pocket can be a useful way to add more country appeal to a tweed jacket, or simply to carry a few tomatoes home from the local farmer’s market.

Cad & The Dandy bespoke jackets start at £1090, suits start at £1400. For more information, email savilerow@cadandthedandy.co.uk, call +44 (0)20 7434 4344 or book a consultation online.

Written for Cad & The Dandy by Eric Twardzik, a Boston-based writer focused on food, drink and classic men’s style. His work has featured on Vice.com, Robb Report, InsideHook and Ivy-Style.com, among many others.

MORE
‘You’ Season 4 – Costume Design
Cad & The Dandy Whisky
What is Pitti? – our Guide to Florence and the people that attend Pitti Uomo

The post Bespoke Engineering: Jacket Pockets appeared first on Cad & The Dandy.

ABOUT YOU – STYLING

According to The Guardian the latest season of ‘You’ is ‘a guaranteed rollercoaster in a tweed jacket’. While the drama belongs to Netflix, the tweed (among other things) is Cad & The Dandy’s.

If you are unfamiliar with the series, ‘You’ is a psychological thriller starring Penn Badgely as Joe Goldberg whose obsessive tendencies often culminate in murder. In Season 4 Joe has relocated to London and is masquerading as Jonathan Moore; Professor of Literature and high society member. For Joe, a new identity comes with a new wardrobe and in Spring 2022 Cad & The Dandy were asked to create a more mature, refined, and English look for the character.

CREATING THE JOE LOOK – READY TO WEAR

The micro houndstooth jacket seen on campus throughout Season 4 was a perfect match for the character. The design is classically English style, made in a heritage Marling & Evans check fabric giving the appearance of tweed. In actuality the material is a mix of wool, silk, and linen that refines the jacket to a modern standard, perfect for the young academic Joe is pretending to be. Our Head of Ready to Wear paired the jacket with a cashmere sleeveless cardigan in navy and oatmeal to complete the look.

SHOP THE JACKET
VIEW KNITWEAR
EXPLORE THE FULL READY TO WEAR COLLECTION

CREATING THE JOE LOOK – BESPOKE

As events take a darker turn, so do the outfits. Cad & the Dandy created a bespoke charcoal grey safari jacket for Joe / Jonathan to wear among the Oxford elite. The soft shoulders and drawstring waist creates a more relaxed style than the blazer, elevated by using Drago Italian wool – a particularly soft but dense and hard wearing fabric. Perfect for Sundry House, the private member’s club Joe / Jonathan visits.

BROWSE READY TO WEAR JACKETS
BOOK A BESPOKE CONSULTATION

MORE
Cad & The Dandy Whisky
What is Pitti? – our Guide to Florence and the people that attend Pitti Uomo
Smoking Jacket or Tuxedo? Discerning the Difference

The post ‘You’ Season 4 – Costume Design appeared first on Cad & The Dandy.

Located in London’s Notting Hill, The Ledbury is one of the city’s destination eateries, founded in 2005 by Australian chef Brett Graham. Winning himself two Michelin stars and a serious foodie following, tables are in high demand, and best reserved a few months ahead.

With service being one of the things that sets The Ledbury apart, we were set the task of dressing staff to maintain a clean, crisp appearance through busy shifts, in varying temperatures, with spillages being par for the course. Mixing a muted and tonal visual approach with a durable and high performance fabric, we also wanted to complement the redesign of the space and the pace of restaurant life.

Each member of the team was measured individually for bespoke suits and shirts – a process that took 12 weeks, creating paper patterns for all. We developed a dark charcoal fresco suit, with a dark brown lining and brown horn buttons, paired with off-white cotton poplin shirts and dark green wool ties. All the colours were picked from the restaurant’s interior, inspired by the British countryside.

The fresco cloth, supplied by Huddersfield Fine Worsted, was chosen for its durability and anti-crease qualities, resulting in suits that looks as sharp at the end of a long shift as they did at the beginning, whilst regulating body temperature and surviving those inevitable occasional spills.

With all involved delighted at the end result, the entire collaborative process has been a truly successful meeting of minds, with joint values in craftsmanship and quality to the fore.

To speak to us about our bespoke corporate wear services, email savilerow@cadandthedandy.co.uk

MORE
Hop to It: The Airy Appeal of Hopsack
Bespoke Garment Wear & Care
Bespoke Engineering – Part I: Casual Shirt Collars


The post The Ledbury appeared first on Cad & The Dandy.

But you may have noticed that not all linen receives equal billing: Irish linen is held in high esteem, particularly for tailoring. To solve the question of why linen spun on the Emerald Isle should prove so enticing, we’ve picked the brain of Brad Herzlich, who serves as a Business Development Strategist for the renowned global fabric merchant Huddersfield Fine Worsteds.

“Irish linen is favoured as the premier linen for both shirting and tailored clothing,” Herzlich says. “Linen for tailored clothing is usually heavier, drier, and more structured than shirting linen, which is woven to be soft against the skin.”

As Herzlich explains, it’s no accident that Irish linen embodies these qualities.

“These attributes are considered at every step of the process: the selection of raw flax, the spinning of the yarn, the weaving of the cloth, and the finishing process,” he continues. “Traditionally, Irish linen is woven into full-bodied cloth from robust yarn, making it usually a bit heavier and with a firmer handle. The resulting density is loved by tailors, as it helps create garments that hold their shape and provide excellent drape.”

Ireland’s textile mills didn’t learn these lesson overnight. The island has a long history with cultivating, spinning, and weaving the flax-based fabric, dating back to the 11th century. But as Herzlich states, it wasn’t until the 1600s that the Irish linen industry really came into its own, thanks to the technological advances provided by French immigrants who brought industrial know-how and more advanced machinery with them.

By the 19th century Ireland had become the largest producer of linen in the world, with the majority of its mills located in Northern Ireland. But like many traditional industries, the Irish linen business was gutted by the emergence of the global marketplace and competition with cheaper labour.

Comparatively few commercial linen weavers remain in Ireland today, but those that do carry on the best of the industry’s traditions, often relying on heritage looms to produce their fabric. Irish flax cultivation has also grown scarce, with raw materials often imported from France, but spun and woven in the traditional Irish style.

Speaking of style, Herzlich also has thoughts on how the fabric may be best worn.

“Irish linen’s breathability and creasing make it best styled for nonchalant and casual seasonal wear. While the cloth may invoke imagery of suits worn in Havana or the Riviera, it is as appropriate in more relaxed safari jackets and overshirts.”

To be clear, Herzlich doesn’t rule out the suit, but feels that linen is best utilised in tailoring with a softer and more contemporary bent.

“Garments benefitting from the cloth’s full-bodied structure are less dependent on internal canvassing or padding, making it an ideal candidate for super soft, unstructured tailoring. For best results, give patch pockets a try, and don’t forget to leave the jacket unlined to make the most of Irish linen’s exceptional breathability.”

Words to live by, particularly when the mercury rises.

Cad & The Dandy bespoke linen two piece suits start at £2000, trousers from £860 and shirts from £230. For more information, email savilerow@cadandthedandy.co.uk, call +44 (0)20 7434 4344 or book a bespoke consultation in London, New York, Stockholm, or at one of our regular US trunk shows.

Our full ready to wear collection, including linen shirts, trousers, jackets and suits can all be found on our website.

Written for Cad & The Dandy by Eric Twardzik, a Boston-based writer focused on food, drink and classic men’s style. His work has appeared on Vice.com, Robb Report, InsideHook, Ivy-Style.com and more.

MORE
Concours on Savile Row
Art at The Penthouse: Jean-Michel Basquiat by Richard Corman
Team Talk – Steve Knorsch

The post Linen to be Lived In: The Joys of Irish Linen appeared first on Cad & The Dandy.

Today is one of those brilliantly, bright spring days that calls for strategic layering. What are you wearing?

Steve: My most recent commission, a bespoke 3-piece houndstooth suit. Having been on my wish list for a very long time, 2022 felt like the year to make it happen. It features a two-button, single breasted peak lapel jacket with 4 1/2” lapels, straight pockets and a ticket pocket. High-waisted trousers with a single inward facing pleat that I like to wear with suspenders, a 2’ inch waistband and turn-ups. The waistcoat is a six button single breasted style.

Coming out of a two year pandemic, this suit represented something of a reawakening, coinciding with our recent relocation to The Penthouse – a larger space in our original location, on W.57th Street. Breathtakingly grand, it reinforced the desire to dress up again and really look the part. Already a firm favourite in my regular closet rotation, proof that great things come to those who wait!

What inspires your personal style?

Steve: For me, inspiration comes in many forms. For my houndstooth suit it was a photo of myself as a toddler, wearing houndstooth trousers, and one of my favorite paintings “Le Cercle de la Rue Royale”, an 1868 group portrait by James Tissot, with two of the subjects wearing houndstooth trousers. Digging further into the cloth’s heritage, I was surprised to find that the oldest known occurrence of the houndstooth pattern is in the form of a cloak (The Gerum Cloak), found in a Swedish peat bog, dating back to 360-100 BC.

Coming from Belgium, we call the houndstooth pattern ‘pied-de-poule’. French for ‘hens-foot’, this is the shape you see in the cloth’s design. Close up it is very noticeable but from afar it’s surprising how muted the pattern becomes to the point that it almost looks like a solid grey suit.

What’s your general approach for putting together an outfit?

Steve: I always dress for the occasion. For work it’s a mix of suits and separates, incorporating a variety of ties and accessories to capitalise on individuality and flair. If I’m going out to a dinner straight after, then I’ll put together a look that will seamlessly cross over from daytime to nighttime.

However, a big consideration here in NY is the weather. Being so changeable, layering often plays a big part. When the temperature drops into the minuses, I’ll start with long-johns and end with heavy overcoat. I think winter is the best season to go for it sartorially, with the variations that three piece suits and layering offer, compared with the milder seasons, when jackets tend to come off and less is more.

Have you noticed a change in men’s dress codes since Covid?

Steve: We had one lockdown here in New York followed by a fairly informal summer. Then what felt like a shift back to formality after Labour Day (first Monday of September). The tie wasn’t there but guys went back to rocking the suits. Pocket squares with no ties was the trend I really noticed. A simple, crisp white silk or linen pocket square in lieu of a tie seemed to signal ‘back to work’.

Does the approach to suit wearing differ between London and New York?

Steve: I’d say there’s a split here between the expat community, who still dress conservatively – Oxford cap toe shoes, two and three piece suits – and the less formal American prep school of dress. It’s the footwear that gives it away. Roughly 75% of my customers wear loafers with their classic suits in navy, medium grey and the occasional glen check.

As well as being MD of Cad & The Dandy in New York, you also curate @thesnobreport on Instagram, which has a cult following. How did this come about?

Steve: I spent 23 years in a sales and marketing roles at corporate firms in Belgium. Being client facing I had to wear a shirt, suit and tie, and always enjoyed dressing the part. Friends, and colleagues would often ask my advice on dressing – do I need a pattern on this suit? what kind of suit is appropriate for this occasion?, etc. which coincided with a time when menswear was coming into its own on social media. I started dabbling with content creation which eventually lead to Instagram and finding a like-minded community, which continues to inspire me.

How did you start working in menswear?

Steve: In 2016 I left the corporate world, took a sabbatical and relocated to the US – a year to discover what I wanted to do. I was in New York and needed a suit for an event so I did a tour of Manhattan’s tailors. I ended up commissioning from P Johnson, and made some good friends there.

This lead to an offer to apprentice and learn the basics of tailoring. I’d always had a passion for both suits and customer relations. I was able to get off ‘the big corporate wheel’, while maintaining one-on-one relationships with customers, which was an aspect of my previous job I had always enjoyed.

A few years later I met James and Ian, founders of Cad and The Dandy, and the rest, as they say, is history……

Have you always loved dressing up?

Steve: Yes, from a young age. Both my parents loved dressing up too, for work and for events. I learned from them that when it rained there was proper attire for that. If it was snowing, there was another ‘dress code’. I became interested in these rules, reading lots of books and articles about them, eventually realising there’s more to clothes than ‘fashion’. Style and menswear evolve while fashion is cyclical. In your 20s, you discover your style, by your 30s you’ve hopefully figured it out. You know the rules and how to break them occasionally.

Were there any style mistakes along the way?

Steve: I went through a bold period when I started really getting into menswear – loud red pinstripes, purple overchecks. It was fun and I don’t regret it, but I learnt that the boldness can be tiring.

The switch from ready-to-wear to bespoke was definitely a learning curve, appreciating that there are more subtle way to express yourself, mostly through your choice of accessories. A beautiful navy suit will last you 10-15 years and is a good investment, but it’s in the accessories that you can really make a statement of style – striped shirt, pop up collar, a statement tie, bold socks. Others notice these subtle details and you get to have fun with the choices, without being stuck with an experimental suit you’ll grow tired of.

Who are your menswear style icons?

Steve: Oh that’s easy – Steve McQueen and Prince Michael of Kent. From morning to night, even in denim and a T shirt, they look impeccable. They always dress the part. They know the rules of dressing properly and they consistently get it right. Their clothes are fitted properly with styles that are very much their own. They wear their clothes, their clothes don’t wear them.

What advice would you give to someone looking to get into the world of menswear?

Steve: Open your eyes. There are so many visual stimuli out there. Start noticing people who’s style you admire and look at the choices, colours and fit as well as the things you are naturally drawn to. Don’t be afraid to get it wrong. And don’t be afraid to ask questions! There are so many interesting people in the menswear sphere, many of whom are happy to engage and converse about these things.

What’s your next bespoke commission?

Steve: Our cloth books are full of inspiration, with new seasonal arrivals being the most exciting. For the summer I’m looking at a solid seersucker suit, as opposed to the traditional striped or chequered kind. I’d also love a herringbone suit. The fact that the inside of the cloth is a different colour to the outside of the cloth gives me endless satisfaction. An unstructured buggy lined suit, that you can flash the inside of, looks beautiful. I’d go for something like this avocado green on the outside with a blue thread running through the inside.

In terms of construction, I like a structured shoulder with a little bit of roping – most guys need the help of structure! Towards spring/summer, a thinner shoulder and no roping gives quite a leisurely feel to a suit – easy to wear with a crew neck and sneakers. With seersucker, for example, I’ll go completely unstructured. That’ll be my ‘high summer in New York’ look.

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. We’ll look forward to seeing you at the new showroom very soon!

Book a bespoke consultation with Steve in New York, online, via email nyc@cadandthedandy.com, call 917-400-4804.

MORE
Client Profile: Daniel Falcón
Client Profile: Eric Twardzik
Bringing Up Bamboo: Embracing an Earth-Friendly Fabric

The post Team Talk – Steve Knorsch appeared first on Cad & The Dandy.

C&D: How would you describe your background as an artist?
DF: I have enjoyed the arts and working with my hands since I was a kid. In my early teens I picked up my father’s film camera and was taught to work with pastels. However, I would say most of my learning came from the art books I would ask for at Christmas and studying their compositions. Working with my hands and staying tactile has always been key to bringing to those ideas that are constantly lingering in my head to fruition.

C&D: What mediums do you work in?
DF: At the moment, painting. However, I have worked in and experimented a bit with mixed media, pastels, photography, and woodcarving. The medium will continue to change as I find myself working on new projects. I always look for the medium that will best execute the concept for the work or project I am working on at the moment.

C&D: What are some of your key inspirations?
DF: My inspiration derives from many sources, as much I`d like to pin it down to just a few things. Some of which would be collectable objects, vintage print, historical references or pervious work as a reference of how it has evolved. However, the common elements most of those sources provide are a particular feeling, aesthetic and composition.

C&D: How does your interest in menswear intersect with your art?
DF: I have worked for various tailoring and menswear brands, specialising in made-to-measure. The practice of choosing fabric, details, taking measurements and fitting a garment with proportions in mind can sit side by side with composing a work.   

C&D: How did you go about the task of adapting your artwork to a suit lining?
DF: I wanted to tell a story yet keep it simple in balance to the bamboo fabric that already had a pattern. In this case, I tried to conjure a scene in which the person wearing the jacket could be found—caught between the abstraction of jazz and the details that make the attire.

C&D: What has it been like to see your artwork in wearable form?
DF: I have done shirts in the past with either imagery I`ve designed or painted and then had screen printed. However, as with working in different mediums, there is a different feeling and aesthetic that comes from having your work on a cotton shirt to having it on silk inside a bespoke garment. It’s definitely satisfying to see my work in a luxurious, handmade garment.

C&D: How would you describe your own style?
DF: I would say rustic and elegant. I love the outdoors and enjoy going camping as much as I can get around to, yet, I also naturally like to get dressed up. Given the opposites, I like to wear tailored garments in combination with more practical or worn-in garments or accessories.

C&D: What details did you choose for your bamboo jacket, and why?
DF: I decided on a wide notch lapel, pleated patch pockets and amber-coloured buttons. Given the qualities and versatility of the fabric, I wanted to pair it with details that would make it practical and easy to wear. Whether it be with a pair of tailored woollen or cotton trousers, a tie or no tie.

C&D: What has been your impression of bamboo?
DF: The bamboo collection is quite interesting and definitely sets the tone in its own category, with characteristics that make it feel and visually appear like silk. It’s a contemporary fabric that takes the essence of existing luxurious fabrics without losing practicality and wearability.

Cad & The Dandy bespoke bamboo sport jackets start at £1200 with 2 piece suits starting at £1600. For more information, email savilerow@cadandthedandy.co.uk, call +44 (0)20 7434 4344 or book a bespoke consultation online.

Photography by Rose Callahan.

MORE
Bringing Up Bamboo: Embracing an Earth-Friendly Fabric
Client Profile: Eric Twardzik
Chart a Course for the Peacoat

The post 
Client Profile: Daniel Falcón appeared first on Cad & The Dandy.

C&D: Where did your interest in men’s style come from?
I have been interested in clothing and style as far back as I can remember. As a young boy, that took the form of an interest in toy soldiers. I particularly loved the redcoat uniforms from The Revolutionary War. I loved getting dressed up and would refuse to get back into play clothes later. My mother recalls me insisting that I go to the playground in the seersucker suit I’d worn for my first school photos.

C&D: How did you come to write about men’s style?
My college years coincided with that “#menswear” era of Tumblr accounts and blogs like Ivy-Style and A Continuous Lean. At the same time, I was introduced to the works of Alan Flusser and Bruce Boyer, which provided something of a syllabus in classic menswear. In short, I wrote for anyone that would have me, starting with unpaid blog posts or work for brands in exchange for neckties and shoes. But all that early work gave me a platform and provided clips I could share when I was connected to editors at paying publications. Getting paid to write about my chief obsession makes me feel like the luckiest guy in the world. That being said, I’ll still write for clothing, because that’s just too much fun.

C&D: What inspires you?
I’m a history lover, so I enjoy delving into the (often disputed) origins of fabrics, types of garments, or style movements. But I’m also drawn to the human-interest side of things, too. if there’s a story behind why someone dresses the way they do or decided to establish a brand, I want to hear it.

C&D: What topics do you prefer to cover?
I suppose I’d say “classic menswear” in the broadest sense of the word. Everything from bespoke Savile Row suits to military surplus-inspired chinos. I like things with a past and a story, that have become so commonplace that we no longer think of their origins and wear them organically. And yet, I’m always kicking myself to avoid the trap of focusing too narrowly on my own comfort zone. If I did, I’d be writing about nothing but OCBDs and Barbour jackets. I try and keep an open mind so I can discover new stories, and perhaps learn something new about my own sense of style in the process.

C&D: How would you describe your own style?
Classic and casual, with a lot of texture. I love shaggy Shetlands, hearty tweeds, and wide-wale corduroy in autumn or winter; and nubby seersucker, crisp cotton and rich suede in summer. Tailoring is a passion of mine, but because my work never actually entails getting dressed up, I like to explore more casual fabrics and details.

C&D: What details did you choose for your bamboo jacket, and why?
In keeping with my love of all things Ivy I insisted on a 3/2 roll but embraced hacking pockets and a slightly roped shoulder in deference to Cad’s status as a Savile Row maker. You might call it Anglo-American, which is another good way to describe my style. But perhaps my favourite feature is the jacket’s silk lining, which features motifs drawn from the artwork of my friend Daniel Falcón.

C&D: What has been your impression of bamboo?
I didn’t know quite what to expect, but I’ve really enjoyed its silky softness and dry hand, and the way it drapes quite beautifully despite being a lightweight fabric. It’s something elegant for the summer months, though I’ve also worn in it comfortably in late autumn.

Cad & The Dandy bespoke bamboo sport jackets start at £1200 with 2 piece suits starting at £1600. For more information, email savilerow@cadandthedandy.co.uk, call +44 (0)20 7434 4344 or book a bespoke consultation online.

Photography by Rose Callahan.

MORE
Bringing Up Bamboo: Embracing an Earth-Friendly Fabric
Client Profile: Daniel Falcón
Chart a Course for the Peacoat

The post Client Profile: Eric Twardzik appeared first on Cad & The Dandy.

Yes, that bamboo: the one that belongs to the grass family of plants and can grow up to 910mm in a single day. Well, there’s reason to rejoice in its unsurpassable growth rate, as bamboo happens to make a wonderful fabric for tailoring.

This wasn’t always the case. While bamboo was first utilised as a textile in the 19th century, it didn’t gain traction until the early 2000s, when it was used to make bedding, shirting, and commercial fabrics. However, these early bamboo textiles didn’t quite take to the tailor’s needle. While rich in technical benefits and supremely soft, they proved limp and unstructured and not at all suited to making a suit.

This changed in the mid-aughts when the renowned fabric wholesaler Huddersfield Fine Worsteds began experimenting with its Italian weaving partners to build a better bamboo cloth. After re-working their processing, weaving, and finishing recipes, they managed to create a bamboo cloth that takes to the needle like a fine worsted wool.

“The quality achieved is the one still used today,” says Brad Herzlich, who serves as a Business Development Strategist at HFW. “It boasts a full-bodied tailorability and performance while maintaining an ultra-luxury hand-feel and a richness of colour.”

HFW’s bamboo cloth—which is now available in more colours and patterns than ever, thanks to the release of their Bamboo III book—is made from 100% bamboo plant cellulose, which is harvested and milled into a fabric suitable for weaving. Aside from its sumptuous, silky hand and drape, the fabric carries a wide range of technical benefits. It is wrinkle resistant, hypoallergenic, moisture wicking, temperature regulating, odour resistant, antimicrobial, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, biodegradable, and exceptionally breathable thanks to the small airways that naturally exist within the bamboo fibre.

Now that you’ve caught your breath from reading its utilitarian qualities, we can share that it’s as easy on the environment as it is on the eyes. The bamboo plant is an efficient and highly sustainable natural resource, which requires less rainwater, produces little waste, and has a much smaller land footprint than other textile plants like cotton. Even better, bamboo can be cultivated without the use of environmentally harmful insecticides or pesticides.

However, none of that would be worth a thing if it didn’t make for a fine-looking garment, which it does. Bamboo has the ability to hold vibrant and richly saturated colours, and recent books have featured the fabric in everything from conservative checks to muted pastels to intense jewel tones.

This veritable Crayola Box of colour possibilities has made the fabric a favourite for spring and summer jacketing, as has its 9.5oz weight, high degree of breathability and natural moisture-wicking properties. We’ve even seen it used as a year-round option for formal dinner jackets, taking the role that velvet might play in fall/winter and justifying one of bamboo’s more amusing nicknames: “California Cashmere.”

Before signing off, we’d be remiss not to mention that it can serve as a fully vegan alternative to wool. Benedict Cumberbatch, arguably the best-dressed abstainer of animal products on earth, elected to wear a three-piece bamboo suit to the Met Gala in 2019. We can’t predict if a vegan lifestyle or Met Gala appearance lies in your future, but we think there’s room for a fine bamboo garment, nonetheless.

Cad & The Dandy bamboo jackets start at £1200, with 2 piece suits from £1600. For more information, email savilerow@cadandthedandy.co.uk, call +44 (0)20 7434 4344 or book a bespoke consultation online.

Written for Cad & The Dandy by Eric Twardzik, a Boston-based writer focused on food, drink and classic men’s style. His work has appeared on Vice.com, Robb Report, InsideHook, Ivy-Style.com and more.

Photography by Rose Callahan.

MORE
Chart a Course for the Peacoat
Team Talk – Harry Highton
Great Expectations: Embracing the Greatcoat

The post Bringing Up Bamboo: Embracing an Earth-Friendly Fabric appeared first on Cad & The Dandy.

B: Let’s set the scene – we’re seated outside The Service, Savile Row’s favourite coffee shop, on a brisk, bright January afternoon. Talk me through what you’re wearing.

Harry: I’m almost head to toe in Cad & the Dandy Ready-to-Wear, shock horror! With the newly opened flagship Ready to Wear shop, at 7-8 Savile Row, I may have gotten a bit over excited… Mostly about this jacket – a silk, cotton, linen mix from Marling & Evans, in a classic tweed pattern.

This type of mixed cloth makes for the most versatile of tweed jackets, one we refer to as a 3 season jacket, ideal for wear in the UK, from spring through to autumn. I particularly love tweed and think a classic tweed pattern has its place in town, just as much as in the countryside.

For me, the best way to achieve a city tweed look is by pairing your jacket with a flannel trouser, modernised with a denim shirt, keeping things smart with a complementary tie. Remove the tie and pair with jeans for a more relaxed, off duty feel.

B: Do you tend to wear more separates?

Harry: I go for roughly half and half. The suit still has its place in formal business environments, but separates are great to break up the routine.

B: What got you into menswear?

Harry: My grandfather was a very stylish man. He had all his suits made at a tailor called Frank Hall of Market Harborough. He was a farmer and wore a shirt and tie every day and I always wanted to emulate that.

I started to collect vintage clothes when I was about 15, especially military dress, because of the quality and structure of the clothes. Then, when I moved to London, I got a part time job working in shirting. After that, I moved to a tweed specialist, which locked in my love of that cloth. Tweed is underrated. It’s completely and utterly the most versatile category / family of cloths. The everyman of wool cloth.

B: And now you’re a Tailoring Consultant on Savile Row. Is it as exciting as you thought it would be?

Harry: I wouldn’t describe it as ‘exciting’ but it is very rewarding. Savile Row has a hard earned and well deserved reputation for heritage, luxury and quality. London is the global capital of menswear and Savile Row is the epicentre of it all. It’s a little London village, where everyone knows everyone.

The most rewarding thing about this job, for me, is assisting customers to achieve their vision of themselves. For many, a bespoke suit is a once in a lifetime purchase. Helping to create something that is entirely unique to the individual is incredibly rewarding.

B: Do you think the pandemic has affected Savile Row’s bespoke houses more disproportionately than the Ready to Wear sector?

Harry: The fact that tailoring is a ‘hands on’ job has obviously made things more complicated on the bespoke side of things. Everyone has had to adapt and some of the tailoring houses have been better at that than others, pushing through to set a more modern tone for the street as a whole.

While online shopping worked in the favour of the Ready to Wear sector, I think there is also definitely a place for off the peg garments on Savile Row. That’s not to say this could ever replace bespoke tailoring, just that it’s entirely possible to make Ready to Wear to the same high standards of bespoke. Quality is key – if you sacrifice on the craftsmanship then you’re not adhering to the principles of Savile Row.

I think ultimately the pandemic gave Savile Row an opportunity to modernise, and whilst bespoke tailoring ultimately comes back to craft, quality and the heritage, with the right approach and outlook, the two sectors can evolve, hand in hand.

B: Who is your style icon?

Harry: Because I have curly hair and glasses, seeing Michael Caine in the original 1966 film, Alfie (and I guess Jude Law in the 2004 remake) definitely struck a chord. He wore his clothes effortlessly.

Hardy Amies once said that a well dressed man “chose his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care and then forgot all about them”… Your clothes are an extension of yourself, they are a second skin, a part of your persona. For example, for black tie, my grandfather never wore a dinner shirt. He’d wear a pale yellow shirt with a faint blue overcheck and he always looked smart and always stood out. It wasn’t any kind of protest or statement, it was just what he wanted to wear.

B: Do you think we still have tailoring rules?

Harry: Yes, and those rules are useful for beginners. But knowing the rules also allows you to break them. If you’re starting out and are not sure where to begin, the rules help avoid making obvious mistakes. However, it’s in the deliberate breaking of rules where true individual style comes out.

The rules that surround tailoring are to do with fit and apply to everyone. They’re not there to restrict you, they’re there to benefit you. For example, the reason for a half break in a trouser is that they lengthen the leg – this unbroken line all the way down the trouser crease only breaks where the trouser grazes the top of the shoe. A rule that exists to flatter the wearer. Other rules – like don’t mix patterns or no brown in town – are definitely outdated.

Cad & The Dandy’s approach to the rules – with the tradition of bespoke at its heart with an eye firmly on the future – is, for me, a true representation of modern ideas being brought onto Savile Row, which is what attracted me to the company.

B: What’s your advice to those who struggle to be inspired when dressing?

Harry: You’ve got to like what you’re wearing because if you don’t like it, you won’t look good. Within your budget, make sure your suit is properly adjusted. Make sure you ask your tailor for their opinion. Don’t be afraid to ask for guidance on colours to compliment your skin tone and styling details to enhance your silhouette.

Investment pieces are key, with cost per wear is also an important factor for some. A plain grey or navy suit will get lots of wear, as suits and separates, so represents a sensible and sustainable way of shopping. Pay more, buy less. You can only wear one suit, one shirt and one tie at a time.

B: What’s on your wish list?

Harry: A bespoke black suit, a true rarity on Savile Row. Very few people wear them, and most people associate them with the shiny, poorly made, Ready to Wear kind, worn by those in the service industry. I happen to think a bespoke black suit is unique – perfect for breaking up into separates.

I was told the other day ‘If you have a black suit, you’ll be the only man on Savile Row with one’ and I thought ‘Excellent! It’ll be a truly bespoke suit’. In terms of outerwear, it has to be the Greatcoat in Prussian Blue herringbone tweed. I also like our classic double breasted navy blue overcoat, but for me, the tweed has more character and individuality – I do love me some tweed.

Book a bespoke consultation with Harry at 13 Savile Row, or for assistance with our Ready to Wear collection, pop in and see him at 7-8 Savile Row.

MORE
Great Expectations: Embracing the Greatcoat
White Tie Dress: The Experts’ Guide
Black Tie Dress: The Experts’ Guide

The post TEAM TALK – HARRY HIGHTON appeared first on Cad & The Dandy.

Many are chaffing at the bit to step out in some real finery again. And for men, Black Tie dress – the tuxedo, dinner jacket, or le smoking if you will – is both the easiest and most attractive outfit a man can wear. Its basic form has a stability and simplicity denied to almost every ensemble worn by men in the last two hundred years. But many are completely at sea about formal wear. It’s something of a, what’s the word I’m looking for, ah yes, paradox. It’s easy, but impossible if you don’t know what you’re doing.

The solution is to understand that the simplicity of the dinner suit exists precisely because there are rules of wear. Whilst rules aren’t much in fashion these days, they can often make things easier, and with the dinner suit an understanding of a few simple rules makes dressing for a formal event a breeze. Trust me on this, the dinner suit and its accessories, is a minimalist outfit which functions to make a man more dignified and handsome. Historically the outfit served merely as a foil to the more colourful dress of women, but I’ll leave the political correctness of that discussion for another time.

In the 21st Century prescription, tradition, and propriety may not be often used in daily vocabulary but formal dress shows them to still be useful. And the fact is there’s a growing longing for some order in our lives. Specifically in the past several years there have been numerous experiments with social choices in matters of dress: casual business, retro, alternative formal, creative black tie, dress optional, and proliferating designer “looks”. It’s something of an irony that men who are capable of running huge conglomerates have no idea what to wear on any particular occasion except going to bed. Don’t get me started.

So let’s get to the few basic rules that govern traditional black-tie dress, beginning with the coat. The coat should be styled for simplicity. The most useful cloth for a year-round formal evening suit is a plain-woven wool in either black or midnight blue (the darkest blue). Either single or double-breasted, the evening coat has a ventless back and simple slit side pockets without flaps. Minimalism is the goal, no patterned cloth, a restrained silhouette, without flaps, yokes, throat latches, ticket pockets or other details found on suits and jackets. Occasionally a man may prefer turn-back cuffs on the sleeves, which is considered a bit dandyish, but acceptable.

Lapels, both single and double-breasted, are shaped in either shawl or peaked fashion, never notched. They are covered (“faced” in tailor’s terms) with either smooth or ribbed (grosgrain) silk which is traditionally the same colour as the cloth they are covering, i.e., black or midnight blue.

That’s all there is to the basic dinner jacket. However, there are a few options worth mentioning for those who want to step beyond basic prescription. Velvet smoking jackets, more traditionally worn for at-home parties, are now considered acceptable for almost any formal occasion. Colours range from black and dark blue to bottle green, burgundy, brown, and almost any other colour. Daniel Craig wore pink to the opening of his latest James Bond film. Winter dinner jackets can also be worn in patterned wool challis or tartan. These alternatives are viewed as slightly more casual than basic black or midnight blue, thought of as “country club” dinner jackets.

Warm weather alternatives can be lighter weight fabrics such as silk, linen, high-twist woollens and gabardines, and blended fabrics in brighter colours or pastels, but the most traditional and sophisticated colour remains off-white or cream. A very Palm Beach look.

Formal dress trousers differ from day trousers in three basic ways. The most obvious is the stripe of silk (the same silk used for the coat facings) running down the leg outseam. Tradition calls for braces rather than belt, with pleats or plain front being a matter of preference. Evening trousers are never cuffed.

A variety of waistcoat designs can be found, but all are cut lower than a suit waistcoat with only three or four buttons, are often backless for comfort and usually made in the same cloth as coat and trousers. Embroidered or striped silk, tartan, paisley, or other fancy waistcoats are considered bold, which is not to say wrong.

Waistcoats are another matter of preference, with cummerbunds (from the Hindi word kamarband, meaning a waist sash) sometimes worn instead, in the same fabric as the lapel facings. A quick tip: cummerbunds have pleats open at the top, used to store theatre tickets, loose change, cigar cutters, and other small items that a gentleman wouldn’t carry in his trouser pockets. In the 19th century these trousers were without pockets so as not to spoil the trim line of the leg.

Accessories begin with the formal dress shirt, in either lightweight cotton, linen, or silk, either with a plain or pleated bosom (the larger the man the wider the pleats) and either a wing collar (collar points go behind the bow tie) or simple turn-down. Formal shirts are usually pure white but cream is another popular preference. Three or four buttonholes are traditional, to accompany dress studs which match the cuff links for the turn-back (French) cuffs. The stud-and cuff links set is the only prescribed ornamentation apart from a white chest-pocket handkerchief and flower (boutonniere) for the lapel.

The bow tie is usually of the same fabric as the facings and follows the same rule as for shirt pleats: the larger the man, the larger the tie. Dandies might opt for polka dots, pastels, or even sequins perhaps, but those choices go far beyond the bounds of tradition.

And lastly a word about shoes. Evening footwear is characterised by being lightweight, black, and usually low-cut. Socks are plain black cotton lisle, silk, or lightweight merino wool. Dancing has always been associated with evening entertainment, so footwear should be comfortable: plain black leather or patent leather oxfords, or opera pumps, or velvet slippers with monograms.

All of this is not to say how the clothes should be worn. Many wear their formal kit as though they were Prussian generals on the reviewing stand. So stiff, as we used to say in my old neighbourhood, they couldn’t swing if you hanged them. The trick to wearing any clothes is to wear them like you mean it, with simple, natural grace. Look at the old films of Fred Astaire, the man wore evening dress with effortless comfort, as though wearing pyjamas. That’s style, that’s the way to go.

Bespoke Dinner Suit from £1400 (2pc)
Bespoke Dinner Jacket from £1140
Bespoke Formal Trousers £310

Find out more about our bespoke Formalwear
Book a Formalwear Consultation

Written for Cad & The Dandy by G. Bruce Boyer, a renowned expert on menswear and men’s fashion. The former menswear editor for Town & Country, he has authored, coauthored and contributed to numerous books on style and his feature articles have appeared in Esquire, Forbes, The New York Times, The Rake and Sarto Magazine, among other national and international magazines. Mr. Boyer has also co-curated several fashion exhibitions at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. He lives in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

MORE
Christmas Gift Guide – Our Top Picks
Spencer: Clothing Fit for a King
Don’t Cut the Cord: The Case for Corduroy

The post BLACK TIE DRESS: THE EXPERTS’ GUIDE appeared first on Cad & The Dandy.