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ANDY'S GIFT GUIDE

Andy's Recommendations
 Analysis of products may be the result of my own purchase, items given to me, personal opinion, or an advertising fee paid.

 

Smarter.com is an online shopping engine whose goal is to help online shoppers save the most money.  This website makes shopping for men's clothing simple and affordable. Here you can compare prices on the best men's vests of top men’s apparel brands as well as other steals, including the men’s coats and jackets to have your wardrobe embellished. 

 Choose smarter, shop smarter.

 


Alfred Sargent Shoes!

I had the pleasure of meeting Chay Cooper of Alfred Sargent shoes at this year's Collection of Sartoiral Excellence.
But before we met I had the excitment of ordering a pair of shoes from him which I just received!

They are these incredibly beautiful Chestnut Burnished Calf Handgrade wholecuts with brogueing, Oak bark fiddleback sole, hand painted V shape,Bevel sole edge, Leather stiffeners, hand lasted.
The retail around $1200 depending on the rate of exchange of course.
They arrived in a beautiful storage box (which acts like a drawer) with extra laces, some Saphir (yes Saphri!!) polish and a shoe horn!

And note my name in the inside! 

Alfred Sargent shoes are available exclusively at Leffot New York and direct via Chay! e-mail him at: mto@alfred-sargent.co.uk
Tell Chay that you are from AskAndy!

http://www.alfredsargent.co.uk

 

Cedarville Store | Fine Cedar Essentials for Men's Fashion
Specials for Ask Andy Members from CEDARVILLE



Remember www.CedarvilleStore.com has all you need for shoe care and closet storage. 
Plus at www.ShoeFootandBody.com they have everything you need for foot care!

 




High quality custom tailored clothing, for not much more
than off the rack. Tell  Vijay, Andy sent you!

I just ordered two sport jackets and trousers to go with them from www.CustomMen.com  Stay tuned and I'll let you know how they turn out!!  -- Andy

Got the two sport jackets and they're perfect!  Both jackets are light weight wool and linen blends by Marzoni and the trousers were tropical wool by Zegna and Dormeuil.  The Olive jacket has dark olive trousers and the blue jacket has navy.  Since I couldn't be personally measured, I sent Vijay one of my best fitting suits.

The CustomMen jackets actually fit better across the back than the original suit!!  I don't know how they did that so I asked!  Vijay said his father heads up the Hong Kong tailoring division and he thought that the back shoulder area should be modified to give me more comfort!

Blue jacket with navy trouser.

These are not the pants that came from CustomMen. 
I paired some tan trousers for a more summer look. 
How about that lining!!


And this is my third sport jacket from CustomMen (the one on the left - in my right hand). 
A beautiful herringbone tweed in deep green with blue tones.


All WH Taylor shirts are constructed to the highest standards and contain many special features.  These features include fabric designs that are matched exactly at all points to provide flowing seamless lines. 

The removable collar stiffeners keep your collar flat and smooth, whilst the two piece yolk comes together at an angle to create perfectly smooth lines across your shoulders.  The two piece collar is cut so it allows the joining edge between the band and the top elliptical to provide a ‘spring’ when sewn together, which gives the collar a natural tendency to turn and stay down. 

Only the finest two fold cotton poplin fabrics are used in our shirts, complimented by real pearl buttons for their translucent elegance. 

Our shirts are constructed using fine stitching (20 stitches to the inch as standard), which achieves strong and elegant seams.  To provide extra luxury single needle stitching is used, albeit costly, it produces a very fine but strong seam.  The gauntlet consists of two pieces of fabric that prevents gaping therefore removing the use of a small button in the gauntlet, which would be a cheaper option. 

The cuffs are rounded to prevent catching on the edge of your jacket.  To provide movement across your hips the lowest button hole is stitched horizontal.  All buttons are sewn using crossed lockstitches, which prevents them from becoming loose.  A butterfly gusset on our regular fit shirts provides added strength and contours the back tail of the shirt.




Here's a post about the shirt I ordered from them:

http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1071138#post1071138

L.S. Men's Clothing
 

High Quality Custom Made & In Stock Clothing at Discount Prices.
 

"The best kept secret in men's fashion"  --  Well maybe not any more.  L.S. Men's Clothing is a family run operation, in business for over 45 years, discounting higher end American-made merchandise. The L.S. family prides itself on the personalized attention they offer to each and every client.  Our AskAndy Members have been raving about his custom suits for some time now!
 
"Izzy" offers classic suits, sports jackets, slacks, rainwear, overcoats, tuxedos and neckwear - all at 40% - 60% below the prices charged by Madison Avenue retailers for their quality merchandise.

At L.S. Men's Clothing you will find famous names such as H. Freeman, Corbin, Southwick, Individual Shirts and other well known names - all manufactured in the USA. In addition to a large "IN-STORE" selection, we provide manufacturers' "IN-STOCK" programs and "MADE-TO-MEASURE" services. We also carry Made-to-Measure shirts, and signature Trafalgar Braces. Alterations are performed on the premises.

49 West 45th Street 3rd floor.
between 5th & 6th Avenues.
New York City, NY 10036
 212.575.0933

http://www.lsmensclothing.com

Minutes from Rockefeller Center, all major midtown hotels and Grand Central Station

Hours: Sun:10-4, Mon-Thurs: 9-6:30, Fri: 9-3, Sat: Closed

Tell Izzy you came from AskAndy

 

 

One of the great joys of the 6th Annual Collection of Sartorial Excellence this year was getting to talk to Perry Ercolino, the famous bespoke footwear maker.

He’s a great gentlemen with a passion for the highest quality footwear. On his website, http://www.perryercolino.com there is this quote:

“I craft the finest bespoke and custom shoes, one pair at a time, using the best leathers and time honored shoemaking methods. The result is a shoe that endures with timeless harmony and style. I invite you to share my passion for fine custom shoes. No personal luxury provides such sublime elegance and comfort like a pair of handmade shoes.”
I couldn’t resist and ordered a pair of shoes from a new line Perry is developing a made-to-order program. It’s really “Be-Measured”!! since it’s half hand-made and half machine-made, but of course less expensive than the bespoke line.

Now he's introducing a made-to-measure line called “Be-Measured”!! (since it’s half hand-made and half machine-made, but of course less expensive than the bespoke line).
As a special introduction Perry Ercolino will offer AskAndy Members a pair of cedar trees and free shoe polish with the shoes. Just tell him you’re from AskAndy when you order!

http://www.perryercolino.com

 


Look at these great Tommy John undershirts from their new Second Skin Collection.  A functional luxury collection of both underwear (tops and bottoms) and outerwear (casual tops).   They are incredibly lightweight and extremely soft.  They claim they have the "ultimate undershirt."  I have to agree as Tommy John has the softest and most functional undershirt I have ever worn!  No more tucking your undershirts into your underwear and EFG (excess fabric gut) appearance is eliminated.

It includes Tailored StretchT technology offering a one of a kind fit technology, which keeps the shirt tucked in regardless of how much you move.

They fit men of all sizes, regardless of body shape, to solve the age old problem of undershirts not staying tucked in.  It performs like an undershirt should; doesn't bunch up, doesn't ride up, and hugs the body very nicely to ensure it stays tucked in all day.  You'll forget your even wearing an undershirt.

 

This is one of the most innovative ideas I've seen in a long time and it is one of the best sellers in many major department stores already. 

 

 Please use coupon code “askandy” for 10% off !

http://www.tommyjohnwear.com/

 


 

Click here for Quality Handmade Mens Gifts

The Aspinal range of mens gifts offers a collection of exquisite leather gifts for husband, father, boyfriend or son. The men's leather gift range includes leather wallets, leather briefcases, business and office accessories, leather diaries, leather journals, leather photo albums, mens leather belts and many more perfect gift ideas for him - that will last forever. For that extra personal touch almost all our men's gifts can be personalized and of course exquisitely gift wrapped and boxed in Aspinal's signature gift presentation and sent with your hand written message on our Aspinal signature gift card. If you need help please don't hesitate to call our Customer toll free help line.

Visit us at www.aspinaloflondon.com

Aspinal of London
Aspinal House
Longfield, Midhurst Road
Fernhurst, Surrey
GU27 3HA, United Kingdom
Call Toll Free 1-888-325-3302
International +44 1428 648 180

Aspinal of London (UK)

If you're looking for a place to find affordable cufflinks, fine men's accessories and quality neckties, then you need to take a look at LinkYourShirt.com. LinkYourShirt.com is an online retailer that has been in business for over 3 years with a selection of over 3000 pairs of cufflinks and 1000 neckties - pretty impressive to say the least.

Everything from designer ties to sterling silver cufflinks and even groomsmen gifts, LinkYourShirt is just one of those stores that you'll be visiting over and over again. So go ahead and give them a try!

Shop At LinkYourShirt.com

LinkYourShirt.com
5120 Rue Domville
Saint-Hubert, Qc J3Y1Y3
1-800-270-1627

 

I got some socks from http://www.Viccel.com and they are a great value.  Mercerized Pima Cotton in a very thin sock.  They have reinforced heels, and toes plus you should see the colors!  The prices are very reasonable too.

Made from 100% mercerized cotton, which has a stronger fabric structure and will not shrink or lose its shape.

Sweat is a strong solvent for dyes in socks, but Viccel uses  Indantherene dyes, which do not disolve in sweat and these socks keep their original color.  Also Indantherene dyes are resistant to light, washing, and chloride.

Your black socks will stay black no matter how many times they are washed. 

What's made them so popular with the AskAndy readers (besides the price) is that the owner has brought out new lines and changes that we have suggested! True customer service!


http://eshop.viccel.com

OR

http://www.viccel.us


Tell them you came from AskAndy! 

 

       209 Avro House,
Havelock Terrace, London SW8 4AS,
Toll free 1866 434 6937, fax 011 44 20 7498 3800
or by e-mail sales@smartturnout.com

REMEMBER to mention "AskAndy" and get 15% off your order at Smart Turnout!

 

 

Just got two shirts from Moniker! 

First the shirts from Moniker are really fantastic, great details, but before I get into those details I've got to tell you what fun (yes fun!) shopping on the Moniker site is.  They have an interactive system and you build your very own shirt.  You can "drag" just the features you want for your shirt.  And the choices of features are seemingly unending!  Plus you'll be very pleased with the unbelievable price for the quality of fabric and artisan skill that goes into making your custom shirt.

I got these two fabrics:

One of the choices is the different fabric inside the cuffs, which you can almost see on the blue herringbone (middle photo).  Each shirt has 7 buttons down the front (including the collar button) and the bottom button goes into a horizontal button hole with a different color stitching!!  Each shirt comes with an extra set of collar stays, and here's a neat touch - a small square of the shirt fabric.  You can take that in with you to buy a necktie!

Moniker's stated goal on every shirt, for every customer, is to give the best value available.  And they do that with quality fabrics, proven work-personship, and a willingness to spend time and money on details that others can't or won't match.  

it's important for Ask Andy Members whenever they place an order on the Moniker site, should follow that order up with an email to "pimp@monikerwear.com", and use that email to tell Kristin the special touches they want us to put on your shirt.

I thought there was every option imaginable on the website, but when I placed my order Kristin, pimp@monikerwear.com contacted me and had more option suggestions!!  They have so many great options that it's just not practical to put all the options onto the website. One of Kristin's suggestions was to add the different fabric inside the cuffs of the blue herringbone.


 

 

Create and customize your own dress shirt online through the use of our web based design technology. Our innovative and intuitive tools allow you to choose from a variety of premium fabrics and styles. Once your preferences have been inputted, you’ll be able to see a digital model of your actual shirt.

Each of our tailored dress shirts is fit to your body through a series of custom measurements. Every piece of each shirt is hand-cut and individually matched to our patterns to ensure proportion and symmetry.

Within 3 weeks, your order will be delivered to your door -- anywhere in the US or Canada. Free shipping is included within the price of every dress shirt we offer. The end product will be a perfectly fit shirt that will look and feel better than any other in your wardrobe.

We’re convinced that once you experience the quality and fit of our product, you’ll find it difficult to go back to traditional ‘off the rack’ dress ware.

Shirts sold in department stores are typically bulk produced in factories and employ mass market production technologies. In comparison, each of our shirts is hand crafted by a trained and skilled artisan tailor. Our tailors typically have 10 – 15 years of experience producing bespoke men’s clothing. Prior to selection, these tailors are put through a vigorous validation and quality process.

You can expect something truly special from a fitted Deo Veritas shirt:

High thread count Italian cotton from Tessitura Monti  Smooth, breathable, and comfortable – requires very little ironing

18 - 22 stitches per inch  High stitch count achieves clean, strong seams.

Single needle stitching  A traditional (as well as costly) method that produces sylish and durable seams.

Four piece, split yoke Ensures a tailored fit across the slope of the shoulders

Four piece collars Four piece assembly guarantees a secure, durable construction

Cross-stitched buttons Each button is cross-stitched into the shirt to ensure that they are secure and firm

Hand sewn, mother of pearl buttons 144 stitches per button hole

Spare buttons Each shirt comes with spare buttons.

Removable Collar Stays Collar stays keep your collar crisp and lengthen its life.

 

 

I just got my shirt and it's really great.  I liked it so much (and don't recommend this), but the day I got it, I pressed it and wore it that night!!
 
Planet - Thin Red Twill Check
100% Italian Cotton by Tessitura Monti
2 Ply - 80 Thread Count
Twill Weave
Medium Weight
Price
$72.00 US

The number of options you get to choose on their internet site are fantastic and fun.  Shopping is actually easy.  The quality of the fabrics and craftsmanship of the shirts is great, and they are readily available to discuss options.


 

Tell them you came from Ask Andy!
http://www.deoveritas.com

Matt Deckard, Forum Member, and as you know, a connoisseur of vintage clothing has turned that vast knowledge into Matt Deckard Apparel.

He’s designing for me a fantastic sport jacket.  We took a standard Norfolk Jacket and Matt went from there. He’s really great about knowing what Classic design elements will work.  

We picked a great fabric for the sport jacket and then Matt got to work, discussing details of every aspect of the jacket – throat flap, button bellows pockets, bi-swing back and no vents!!
 
Matt's goal is for the jacket to give me that bold adventurous look of
the stars of the 30's and 40's. 

Contact Matt at:   
 info@mattdeckard.com
626-278-8495


 Tell him you came from Ask Andy!!  The jacket came out perfectly!!!

And some comments photos from my showing off the jacket in New York City
at the 6th Annual Collection of Sartorial Excellence!:

http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=102884

PHOTOS HERE:  http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/FrontPGArticles/
MattDeckardDesigns.html
 

 

Established in January 1995 and located at № 12 Savile Row, Steed gained a reputation as one of Savile Row’s finest tailors, offering clients a soft understated elegance.

Edwin DeBoise, whose father was in the trade and so is his brother, trained at the London College of Fashion and then worked under the legendary cutter Edward Sexton (Tommy Nutter), followed by seven years at Anderson & Sheppard before founding Steed.

January 2002 was Steed’s eighth year in business and one which also saw Edwin taking full control of the company after an amicable split with his then business partner Thomas Mahon (of English Cut) with whom he started the company back in 1995.

Recently in September 2008, Edwin’s eldest son Matthew, joined the company and is currently learning the trade, under his father. 

Edwin’s schedule includes at least 4 visits to the USA each year in order to cater for his expanding overseas client base. More details can be found on Steed’s web site www.steed.co.uk & Blog www.steeds-view.blogspot.com

Steed’s reputation has resulted in features for such publications as GQ and American Express Departures Magazine.

To complement our Savile Row Bespoke Suit, Steed also offers a Semi-Bespoke Service (MTM)

Our semi-bespoke suits are cut and constructed to your specific measurements and requirements allowing you to select the style, fabric and personal details.

These suits are tailored using many of the traditional Savile Row methods usually associated with bespoke suits and take about 6 to 7 weeks to make.

The cut is crucial in creating an elegant suit that will leave an impression and our cut has been developed to create a flattering appearance, whilst still adhering to the general principles of Savile Row and to reflect our soft, draped bespoke suits.

As well as suits we make Tail, Morning & Overcoats. prices start from £775 for a two-piece suit.

Steed Bespoke Tailors
12 Savile Row
London
W1S 3PQ
+44 (0) 20 7287 7227

www.steed.co.uk  

Steed Bespoke Tailors
7 Junction Street
Carlisle
Cumbria
CA2 5XH
+44 (0) 1228 599 555
www.steeds-view.blogspot.com


I just ordered some shoes from http://www.grapevinehill.com   Excellent selection of shoes at great prices and some reviews about Grapevinehill on the Forums!


 


 The Art Of Tailoring

The World's Largest Supplier of Custom Tailored Dress Shirts, Fabrics & Accessories



Modern Tailor has some great fabric choices and their prices are fantastic!  I ordered the Ivory and Blue Check fabric of 100% cotton for only $39.95!!   Lots of options in an easy to navigate site.  7 button front including the collar button and they offer mother of pearl buttons as options

They update their fabric collection every 15 days. They just launched a line of silk ties, and their cufflink collection offer mother of pearl, silk knots, stainless steel, and more, plus will be adding suits in the near future!
 


 

BOOKSTER1UK   Purveyors of distinctive tweeds and fine quality clothing, vintage and modern. Specialising in unique, hard to find apparel. This extraordinary UK E-bay shop enjoys a worldwide reputation for quality, value and service.

We've been busy expanding. Here's some interesting news for AskAndy members.

We now have a large warehouse here in rural Herefordshire that serious buyers can visit by appointment. So far bookings include visitors from Switzerland and Scandinavia and future visits planned by USA customers when they visit the UK. It  is a veritable 'Aladins Cave' as we only list a fraction of our stock in our eBay store.

No leather couches yet, it is a basic storage facility in an idyllic rural setting, hundreds of tweed jackets and more. There are  lots of other places to visit nearby to make it a great English 'Day Out'.


Bookster Club -- Our growing number of regular customers inspired us to start an exclusive club. Its not your typical loyalty card operation requiring you to collect points, the benefits are , appropriately 'bespoke', and can include shipping discounts, bulk purchase discounts, quality free gifts etc.

Any repeat customer can apply, details on our homepage www.bookster1uk.com

Barbour Jackets -- Through an associate of ours, we are able to offer huge savings on some models of NEW Barbour Wax Cotton Jackets, and a full range of high quality used Barbour Jackets. None of these are listed in our e-bay store, anyone interested should contact us for more information.

Bookster Hacking Jacket embodies all that is best in the way of styling, from the three button front through to the 3 hacking style slant pockets and functional collar tab. Tailored in England and designed to be versatile and suitable for equestrian, formal and casual wear. We’ve used the finest tweed such as Johnstons of Elgin Saxony, and Glenhunt Home Spun.

To launch the Bookster Original range of tweed clothing, we have on offer, at a special introductory price, a selection of exceptional English Craft Tailored Tweed Hacking Jackets.

 Choose from six different cloths, standard sizes currently in stock, short and long lengths, available to order, additional bespoke features to order, matching waistcoats and trousers to order.

New website for the Bookster Jackets and MORE!!!

 http://www.tweed-jacket.com/

We have expanded our range of cloths and added our estate tweed shooting suit. most of our items are to order , with a turnaround of  4-6 weeks, so forward planning is a good idea.
Corduroy trousers are ready to join the range too!

Featuring:

Functional Collar Tab
Single Breasted
Three Button Fastening
3 Hacking Slant Pockets
Breast Pocket
Two inside tweed inset pockets
Deep Single Vent
Floating Canvas Hair Panel
Fully lined with
Co-coordinated Luxury Satin

Got my Bookster Hacking Jacket!!

It's the Lomond (see photo at left) and I think the bottom button is fastened to show all three buttons on the website. What's really odd is that this jacket fits perfectly!! ??? The sleeves are perfect (that never happens) and the area below the neck in the back looks like it was tailored (in Savile Row) just for me. also ??

Now maybe I was lucky, or I'm just the perfect body type for the typical British country estate squire. Any way I'll now have to sell my small beach house (and small lot) and acquire a large country estate in England or Scotland just to properly wear this incredible jacket.

Also got the brown moleskin trousers to wear with it. Can't wait for winter and those chilly 50 degree temps here in So. California, USA!!

No, no moleskin isn't from a mole!!

Moleskin is an abrasion and tear resistant fabric made of tightly woven long-staple cotton.  It was developed in the 14th century for hunting and fishing attire.  Moleskin’s reputation for toughness was so good it found use as aprons to protect workers from splashes of molten metal in 16th Century English foundries. 

And Bookster uses the finest quality moleskin available.

Thanks Bookster!

-- Andy Gilchrist

And here's some good news Ask Andy members get 5% off the purchase price!! Just use the discount Codeword Clydesdale. 

Just enter CLYDESDALE in the promotional code box and the discount will be automatically applied.

We are ever happy to consult with customers to help ensure they get just what they want. Skype Telephony means we can talk to each other at length if needs be, our Skype ID is  bookster1uk

 

 

This brand new, patent-pending Collar Card is the world's first and only credit card sized collar stay holder, which fits conveniently into the wallet.  The Collar Card is fantastic and unique: a card that contains four “pop out” collar stays for whenever you need (or forget) one!


Innovative and practical, the Collar Card eliminates the all-too-common experience of forgetting collar stays - something every man has experienced and no other product on the market solves.  The individual stays even “snap” back into the card to store neatly for future use.  For clothiers and other businesses, they can be personalized with your logo and information for an unbeatable giveaway item that gets your logo into your clients' wallets! 
 

I obviously think it's a great idea!!!  -- Andy:

 

http://www.collarcard.com/

 


Suits - Shirts - Outerwear - Accessories

Use the Code 'askandy' to get a free dress shirt with any suit purchase.

Bespoke England

Bespoke England  have years of experience in handling English Footwear including London & Northampton’s finest Bootmakers such as John Lobb, Edward Green, Crockett & Jones and more recently, Gaziano Girling.

They also have experience in English Antiques including Leatherwear, Vintage luggage, Jewellery and Bridle wear.  And check out their extensive line of accessories including shoe brushes, shoe trees, shoe horns, etc.

Telephone: +44(0)7501 000 567

Email: info@bespoke-england.co.uk

http://www.bespoke-england.co.uk/

My first Lobb's!!!  I just received these John Lobb Cheltenham one of the Prestige line Loafers in Burnt Orange Calf.  Not only are they exquisite, but they fit perfectly and I got the elegant the shoe trees shown in the photo.

 

-- Andy


 

Welcome to the ADVENT OF TIME collection of solid gold and stainless steel deployant buckles. Each of our wristwatch buckles is individually hand constructed in 18kt. and 14kt. plumb gold. We produce our gold watch buckles in 3 colors, yellow, white and rose.

There are five distinctive gold watch buckle models, each representing a different period of design. Choose a watch buckle that fits your personal style and taste and harmonizes with your watch.

I just received two items from  M & W Traveler   http://mw-traveler.com/ 

The folio in brown:

Executiver Traveler Folio
The folio is fully lined in leather on the inside (this is an area where some manufacturers will skimp).

 The business card holder in brown:

The business card holder is lined with a heavy 10 ounce cotton fabric that is very hard wearing.

They are so beautiful that I wished they made shoes!  Wow what great leather. -- Andy

So what's so great about M & W?

All products are Made in USA and every product is handcrafted (their master craftsman has more than 30 years of experience).

These items are made of full grain, front quarter horsehide.  It’s a very tough leather that lasts forever and looks better and better as it breaks in and ages. 

Horsehide has a rich history of usage in jackets for the military, aviators, and motorcycle enthusiasts.  You can currently find several manufacturers making reproduction jackets, but no one (until now) has taken this leather into the business travel world. 

The business travel world dishes out a lot of abuse (planes, trains, and automobiles!), so we feel that the timing is ripe for products that can take the punishment and look good in the process.

I just got my order of some underwear from Key Largo Underwear for me and my wife!! 

http://www.keylargounderwear.com/

It's great underwear!  Perfectly styled cotton with an extra feature - a wicking layer. If you play golf in Palm Desert in the summer like I do it's not a luxury - it's a necessity!!  Plus the wicking feature is just more comfortable.

The fabric is combed Ring Spun and body is 100% cotton knit in a tradition 1x1 double needle rib knit. 

One of the features I really like is the substantial waist band.  The first part of underwear to go is the elastic.  It will "bacon" from the dryer and the rubber or spandex will start to break.  So covering the waist and leg bands will make the garment last a lot longer.  Plus it feels better on the skin and will absorb moisture.

They have an excellent selection of styles for men and women.

Ask Andy Members Save 25% by using code 4000 at check out.  Free shipping and handling for USA (lower 48) and Canada.  Try 1 pair now and then reorder and stock up. 

And check out their blog:

http://theunderwearmaven.blogspot.com/

 
 


Dave Welch of http://www.AustinTaylor.net  has a beautiful shop in Irvine, (Orange County) CA. I went to Orange County for a second fitting and everything was perfect!  So I took home a new beautiful sport jacket! 

The sport jacket fabric was selected from the Vitale Barberis, Como II collection, super 120s.  It's a brown with window pane overlays of blue and a subtle orange. 

The trousers are chocolate brown selected from the Vitale Barberis, Blazone collection, super 120’s.  

The shirt fabric was selected from the Soktas fabric collection from Turkey (2 ply 120s) with a blue and brown stripe that also coordinates with the sport jacket. 

But the details!! Oh the details: 

The Sport Jacket has working sleeve buttons, of course, peak lapels, pick stitching ... but also a vent belt that really works.  And look at that lining!  Good thing I went with the conservative one!!

The Trousers have the most unusual but impressive heel guards I've ever seen,  maybe because they were personalized with my name!!    And a Belt buckle tab! 

The Shirt fabric has an incredible "wow" factor.  I put it on and didn't want to take it off - EVER!  And the French Cuff tabs that the cuff links go through that holds the bottom of the cuff together better than just the link alone.  It may be an exclusive Dave Welch design for Austin Taylor.

Dave has two collections, one that is MTM (although it's really close to bespoke) and a Bespoke line.  The prices of the Made To Measure start at approximately:

Suits $895
Sport jackets $695
Trousers $295
Shirts (Dave has some fabulous fabric choices!!) start at $159

The Bespoke is fantastic.  He's trying to make it more attainable and if you live anywhere near Orange County, CA it's going to be more accessible.  More accessible than flying to London and getting measured on Savile Row!!And I think you're going to get a comparable or better suit!!  With Super 120s Dave's bespoke suits will start at only $1795  !!  The fabric choices will be a wide selection of Australian Merino fabrics.

 
 

 

 

 

I now have the Anderson-Little Classic Blue Blazer from

as previously discussed on these threads on the Forum:
 
http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88632&highlight=Anderson+Blazer&page=6 <
 
http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/forum/showthread.php?p=860713#post860713
 
This blazer sells for, ready, only $159!! (that is NOT a typo!!)

It's not  only good looking with classic styling; it's an amazing value. Granted it's  not a custom made Brioni blazer, but for the price, the workmanship, the style  it's a wonderful value. Much more value that you can expect in any $159  garment!!  It's actually an amazing value at twice or three time the  price.
 
What's great is the wrinkle proof quality it has from  a blend of wool and polyester, BUT the fabric looks great with no  shine!!  I met Scott Anderson recently for lunch; he said "Look at  this!", and he folded up the Blazer and sat on it during the rest of lunch!!!  0  After lunch it was unwrinkled. 0

It's perfect for a student in High School or  College that needs a basic blazer. It's perfect for anyone getting started in  business and for me it will be the ideal travel blazer.  Plus I may keep  it in my car - just in case!!

And prominently displayed in the inside  collar of the Blazer is a tag with "Made In The USA"!!


 


 

Patrick James are fine men's clothing stores mostly on the West Coast, but it doesn't matter where you are since they have a fantastic website!

I just got a couple of great sweaters, Some fun Espadrilles for summer and some belts - Tommy Bahama and Allen Edmonds (they have a great selection of Allen Edmonds!). 


 

 
One of the highest quality neckties I've ever worn!  -- Andy Gilchrist
  

 


You might remember that The Hanger Project came from you,
Ask Andy Forum Members, discussing where to get a great hanger. 
Forum member Kirby found the answer for all of us!!

10% discount for AAAC members with the Promotion Code "AskAndy"

https://www.hangerproject.com/
 

The Tie Thing Technology: Patented Design


 

 

Prince Henry, is a family business based in Bangkok, Thailand providing custom made suits at great prices and they visit USA, Canada, UK and Australia regularly. You can see their itineraries at www.princehenry.biz/world-tour.html

 
Mention Ask Andy and get a 5% discount

I was measured for a sport jacket and trousers during one of their visits to the USA.  Great selection of fabrics and then I was fortunate enough to visit Bangkok on a recent trip for a second fitting (you don't have to do that!!). Here's some photos of my Prince Henry jacket:

Look at that great lining!! More photos HERE!

 


 



 

I just got three T. M. Lewin shirts two in the “Luxury” fabric and one in a “waffle weave”.
Out of all my quality features listed in The Encyclopedia of Men’s Clothes these shirts do well!

Split cut on the bias (diagonal), yokes
Two piece non fused collars
Good quality fabrics
Pattern matched on the front
Seven buttons on the front
Front Placket Cross stitched buttons
Plastic collar stays, removable and with the T.M. Lewin name on them so I know which shirt they fit!!

See a large image of Blue Waffle Check Luxury Twill Prince of Wales Double Cuff Shirt - 20414

 This is one of the shirts and T.M. Lewin's description:

Blue Waffle Check Luxury Twill Prince of Wales Double Cuff Shirt - 20414

Prince of Wales collared shirt in heavier textured fabric than the T.M.Lewin 100 shirt and Twill shirts. Made from classic Jermyn Street fabric, this T.M.Lewin shirt is made from a silky finish cotton fabric creating a quality, cool, crisp man’s shirt. This T.M.Lewin formal shirt is made with finer yarns, creating a soft and luxurious feel. The Prince of Wales collar has become T.M.Lewin’s classic collared shirt with a less cutaway collar than the Windsor shirt. This formal shirt is 100% cotton.

TM Lewin and Sons Ltd.
http://www.tmlewin.co.uk/

 

 

    

Joe Hemrajani is a a one-of-a-kind person you should know about. Joe is a master tailor who learned his craft at a famous Hong Kong clothier. But you don't have to board a plane to get immaculate hand tailoring from Joe. He has offices here in the United States and travels throughout the US and London!

On my recent trip to Southeast Asia, I had the pleasure of meeting with Joe in Hong Kong. He seems like a genuinely honest gentleman with a sincere concern for customers and a passion for well made clothing. Not only does he come to you, he also has a great web site www.mytailor.com where you browse, learn more about tailoring, schedule
a fitting, and even place orders. How convenient is that?

Joe offers custom made quality at surprisingly affordable prices. He has the very latest colors, fabrics and styles to reflect your personal style and good taste. You can even add custom tailored details, just like in fitting rooms of the world's finest clothiers.

Joe continues the tradition of Hong Kong tailoring all the way through to finish. After fitting, the garments are manufactured with care in Hong Kong, a city that is world famous for fine custom clothing. 

Check out Joe Hemrajani. He's an original! www.mytailor.com   And tell him hello from me --   Andy

Here's the schedule for My Tailor, just click on your state and city:  http://www.mytailor.com/tourschedule.aspx

UPDATE:  My First Bespoke Suit!!

I met with Joe Hemrajani after our trip at his Irvine office and we picked out a Loro Piana S-120 Navy wool suit fabric with pinstripes of light blue and burgundy.

The measuring process was intense. Joe took lots of measurements 
and recorded them by computer program along with my style feature requests – peaked lapels, double vents, two button, hacking flap pockets and a ticket pocket. My prior experience (and this is not criticism but just a difference in the way tailors work) was a few measurements written on a form.

Joe also took photos of me to help the Hong Kong tailors with body type.

Joe also suggested a shirt and we picked a blue two-ply superfine 100's from his “executive collection” end-on-end with a true split yoke (I think he did this just for me after our discussion of the value of a split yoke).

The suit arrived last week and it is beautiful!  The fabric is even more outstanding than the swatch (think of the shirt/tie combinations with a navy fabric with light blue and burgundy pin stripes) and the fit is perfect. The hand work and details are outstanding.

Never having that feeling of a perfectly fitting suit I must say it is really a joy. Now I know what you guys are talking about.

And the shirt (with French cuffs) is very impressive. It fits perfectly too!!! I’m really pleased with the features and the fabric.

Thank you Joe!


 

And the eyeglasses in the photo above, the ones that make me look at least 20 years younger!!! are by --

Nader Zadi
Eyewear Artist & Optician
Vintage & Bespoke Eyewear
 www.RareFrames.com
(212) 249 5609

Nader makes great eyeglasses from antique metal frames.  They are each a work of art!  Tell him hello for me!

My Second Bespoke Suit!!

I had the pleasure of meeting Bob Chawla of Gino Tailor's in Thailand on my recent trip.  He's a great person and the details he puts into his suits are fantastic.  Check out the websites: 
www.ginoshirt.com  and www.ginotailor.com 

Make sure you tell him hello for me, and  mention you came from the Ask Andy site! 

 

Here is a video of how my suit was tailored:

http://enews.ecartstudio.com/scripts/viewfullscreen.asp?nNEWSID=103

My Gino suit is fantastic! It's a peaked lapel, two button, double vents in a navy birdseye. The pattern really looks great and the fit, oh the fit!!

The fabric is Italian, Lessona S120, Bob Chawla of Gino uses horsehair lnterfacing (also called canvas or interlining) and there is some fusing (as we mentioned fusing has come a long way in the past few years) but Gino is proud that they use the finest fusing fabric from France.

Remember I was trying to describe the detailing that Gino's does? 

This may be a better illustration (see photo at right), and yes that's the Ask Andy hanger logo!

I had met Bob as mentioned above on my trip to Thailand in January 2006 and turned him into a tour guide, which he did wonderfully!  My wife and I had a good day with him seeing some of the sites.  When he took us back to our cruise ship we were a little late and only had time to look at several suits Bob had in his trunk.  I was impressed and tried to describe the detailing and hand work!

Bob Chawla www.ginotailor.com will be making visits to the USA, watch the Forum for his schedule.  He currently make regular visits to Germany, Switzerland and Norway.

Gino shirts are well made of excellent fabrics. www.ginoshirt.com   

 

 

When one of the members of the Forum, David Hober of Sam Hober Custom Made Neckties mentioned that they featured hand-woven Thai silk neckties, pocket squares, scarves and shawls, I had to check out their site.

Sam Hober pocket squares are handsewn and hand-rolled using handwoven Mudmee, Saiphone, & Iridescent Shot Thai silk fabrics.  They (David & Noina) also make bespoke ties in any length, width, shape or construction including classic unlined seven-folds, and Italian style lined six-folds. They have a large selection of English, Italian, Irish and Thai silks to select from and can custom weave silks.

Well, I had to have one of their pocket squares and they're better than the photos on the site! 

Sam Hober also offers the "Official" Ask Andy pocket square (see photo at right) available HERE! 

And, graciously, David has provided two of our Tutorials linked from the Home Page:

David Hober gives steps for making our own Necktie

David Hober shows us how to make a Pocket Square

 


For over 18 years, CEGO shirt maker Carl Goldberg (and AAAC Forum Member) has been providing New York City's best custom shirt value.

Our custom made shirts have appeared in major Broadway Shows, such as "Mama Mia" and "The Producers", as well as several network television shows. We can make you look like a star too without the inflated prices.

174 Fifth Ave
New York, NY 10010
Mon-Fri 9:00am-6:00pm
Sat 10:00am-3:00pm
Tel: (212) 620-4512
*By Appointment Only
Fax: (212) 620-4503
Email: cegocs@aol.com

Check their website:   http://www.cego.com

I've just tried some of CEGO's boxer shorts and they are great!! The fabric (high quality shirt fabric) is fantastic.  The boxer shorts will compel you to get some CEGO shirts*!!-- Andy

*And I just did!!  I’d gotten some luxurious boxer shorts (you should order some of these!) from CEGO and Carl Goldberg, made from his shirt fabrics and thought I’d better get something that others could see, like a custom made shirt!  He had some great shirt fabrics at the CSE show this year. We chose a beautiful herringbone blue fabric, discussed the collar and cuff details and he measured me.  I have it now.   What a great shirt.  Excellent fabric and it fits perfectly!!!  Thanks Carl!

 

 

 

 
 

English Gentlemen's Shoes from Crockett & Jones, Tricker's, Alfred Sargent, Barker, Loake, Grenson and Sanders!

Online customers enjoy detailed and prompt responses to their enquiries as well as to Shoe Orders. However, it is the fact that Pediwear successfully compete with huge organisations on Shoe Prices and Delivery Prices that is giving Pediwear a growing reputation for Value as well as for the family business tradition of personal service.

To help care for your new shoes, Pediwear is offering a FREE pair of shoe trees with all shoe orders that mention the "Ask Andy" web site!!!


I have these Tricker's Harrow Jermyn Street Collection wholecut shoes from Pediwear.  They may just be the most beautiful shoes I own.  The service at Pediwear, as reported on the Forums is outstanding.  You'll be very pleased with the quality shoes and the reasonable prices. -- Andy

I just received these Barker Jameson tan (cedar) calf loafers from Pediwear! This is my first Barker shoes and I really like them. Great style, and perfect fit! -- Andy
 

 

 

 



I just got a beautiful Tuxedo (peak lapel, of course!!) from Suit Yourself  

Also got this pair of Alden Shell Cordovan Tassel Loafers!

They have magnificent merchandise, and their customer service is superb.  You can’t go wrong!   -- Andy  

http://www.suityourself.com  
 

 

A good friend of mine, who I went to Journalism School with at Kansas State University and who worked for the Los Angeles Times has a website of photographs.  They're great.  Check them out at:

 

-- Andy Gilchrist

 

   

 

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