Stride Out #2
Once upon a time I would have to prioritise what to buy, and as said elsewhere, the available funds would go in to the big hit items.
Shoes - always my black hole to shovel money down.
Jackets - easily found when you know where to look.
Neckties - full price or otherwise, a great way to change how everything else looks.
Elements to go by the wayside would be shirts and…
Trousers.
Or Strides depending where you are in the world. I’d consistently spend the least I could on the look I wanted, which has been grey for an awful long time. Thing is, when something is put together to look something it isn’t, it also doesn’t feel like it should. The fact that the majority are wearing similar only marginally made me feel better. I still knew though.
It’s all about the cloth; a pair of ‘wool’ trousers will pill quickly, wear in the inner thigh sharpish and balloon at the knees before you uncross your legs. The very definition of ‘False economy’ as opposed to…
‘Buy once buy well’. If you take a classic autumn/winter weight grey flannel by Fox Brothers as the gold standard, you could buy a pair online from Kit Blake for around GB£500. As wonderful as these are be mindful - any internet purchase, be that strides, shirts or socks runs the vanity sizing risk and the travails of the dreaded returns process. Hence a ‘I needed to lose weight anyway, they’ll be fine’ approach only to see them forever languishing in the wardrobe… Always, but always ask the vendor ‘laid flat, what is the waist measurement’? If you get a referral to their size chart then click elsewhere, simple.
We could of course go Made-to-Measure which may be a similar costing, or Bespoke which will up the ante considerably depending on which tailor you go with.
The reality for me - a pair of trousers in the right cloth, high-waisted, full cut, side adjusters, double pleats and two inch cuffs is the right way to go. Bought once and bought well, in grey flannel and another pair in a grey fresco for that all year, whatever the weather, blank canvas look. We call that the Cleaver Block. Once you’ve nailed that you can spread your wings; cricket flannels, herringbone tweed, Irish donegal, cotton, linen, seersucker and we’ve not mentioned colour yet.
Oh and by the way we know a place where the Cleaver Block is exclusively available. Just saying, shamelessly.
Best,
Nigel