The Great British Wardrobe Overhaul
 

Continuing our theme of the Great British Wardrobe Overhaul, or GBWO as it will now be known, I give you my number two staple: a white collarless shirt.

Now, I am not claiming to be the Messiah of the ironing world, but nothing makes me happier than a crisp white shirt. Boring as it may seem, I am of the opinion that this is one of the modern western worlds most undervalued garments. Accessible to everyone, from the smallest provincial High Street to Jermyn Street, worn by school children and CEO’s alike. Obviously there is a difference in quality between Tesco and Turnbull and Asser, but the idea of having a blank canvas to work with really appeals to me. As with the afore mentioned flannel trousers, a collarless white shirt is extraordinarily versatile, from day to night, formal to smart.

I wear them on the weekend, almost as a go to uniform, and throw one under a trenchcoat over jeans for impromptu meetings. Esquire Magazine describe them as “a good, modern option if you don't feel like wearing a tie, a white granddad shirt looks the business teamed with a deconstructed blazer and jeans or worn smart with your suit”. And we happen to agree. (Above, bespoke collarless shirt by Deema Abi-Chahine, www.deema.co.uk)

 
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The wardrobe detox
 

It’s that time of year again. Too much over indulgence, richness, food and drink. January guilt kicks in, the scales clearly MUST be lying, and you realize you’ve worn the same outfit for the entirety of the break over Christmas.

SO. This is the time for what a great friend of mine calls her ‘Wardrobe Detox’. Stripping back to the necessities. Her method behind the madness involves pulling the hefty contents of her wardrobe onto a bed, and anything she hasn’t worn in the last year goes to a charity shop.  Brutal, yet effective.

If like me, however, you are more sentimental than this, I suggest a slightly different tack: Lay out your clothes, and if you cant think of an outfit that you could put the offending garment in you can make a choice. Either, you accept that you will never wear it (as you have nothing to wear it with), or you decide that you can't live without it, and get something made to wear with it. This is the time for ordering both your mind and your timeless classics in one!

I’ve decided, therefore to dedicate the first three months of this years blog posts to my stripped back essentials; my store cupboard wardrobe staples.

The start of the year is always a little grey with post-christmas-blues, so it seems only appropriate to start with Grey Flannel Trousers: I currently own three pairs of plain grey flannel trousers, and a great deal more pattern/variations.

These timeless classics are one of my most versatile garments, as they can be dressed up with a shirt and braces, or dressed down with a t-shirt and jumper. From country to city with ease, I would advise anyone who doesn’t already own them to jump on the bandwagon.

Imagine wearing your pyjamas to work, and looking shit hot doing it. Incredibly comfy and warm, my old boss used to describe flannel with the very technical tailoring term ‘snugglable’. So I’m going to borrow his terminology and turn it into a marketing phrase for January: ‘snugglable chic’. Welcome to the dark (grey flannel) side.

 

 
Antonia Ede
Is it already December???
 

Ho Ho Ho (w? is it already December?!)

This year has flown by, with a lot of strange and exciting changes upon us both worldwide and on our doorstep. With this in mind, I think the traditions of Christmas are even more important this year, and with that in mind, I give you: my Wish List.

Bespoke shirts

As many of you will be widely aware, we are fortunate enough to share our space with the very talented Deema Abi-Chahine. Deema’s shirts are stunning, hand-made, and best of all, she is offering a 10% discount to any customers of Montague Ede.

www.deema.co.uk

G.J. Cleverly’s slippers

These utterly decadent cobblers are long time friends of Savile Row, with the owner George Glasgow being one of the first people I met in the trade. Their cashmere or velvet slippers are the ultimate in footwear luxury, and (I’m told) exceptionally comfortable and long lasting. To me, these epitomise Christmas, sat by a log fire reading the papers. Possibly a little ‘Christmas Carol’ for some folks liking, but to me, just right!

www.georgecleverley.com

Augustus hare ties

Made in the UK, these handmade silk ties are the objects of dreams. If I could get away with wearing a tie without looking a little Liza Minelli, I would. And because I can’t, you should! A perfect combination of elegant and quirky, these unique designs are both imaginative and chic.

www.augustushare.com

Harry Mundy cufflinks

Harry has long been a friend of Montague Ede, and his stunning cufflinks are handmade in Birmingham’s Jewelry Quarter by Britain’s oldest family jeweler, who specialize in vitreous enameling. This highly skilled technique means that no two pairs are the same. To us, that singles them out as pretty special indeed!

www.harrymundy.co.uk

Sir Plus dressing gown

We can think of nothing lovelier than a really cracking Dressing Gown to make one feel like Lord of the Manor, whether that Manor be in Stockwell or Gloucestershire! With Sir Plus’ ethical mantra, these beautiful garments are made using left over cloth (‘cabbage’ as it’s called in the trade). Henry started making boxers and gillets, and as his wares have grown, so has our love of Sir Plus! With a choice of cashmere, cotton or wool, we are sure you’ll have trouble giving this away.

www.sirplus.co.uk

Velvet Smoking Jacket

Leaving the best till last, our favourite piece of luxury clothing: the Smoking Jacket. No fashion house has left it un-tried, and with good reason. To be worn to any occasion you can get away with, from a Black Tie ‘do’, to a dining room supper. Cut in our signature House Cut, this timeless wardrobe essential is the ultimate gift. The best news? We’ll make sure you look good on the day, with a gift box containing fabric swatches, a sketch and voucher, so he’ll have something to open!

Contact us here for information about a gift box:

[email protected]

From the team at Montague Ede, we wish you an indulgent Christmas, a decadent New Year and look forward to welcoming you back in 2017!

 

 
Antonia Ede
​Bonfire night
 

Bonfire night for me has always been incredibly special. Growing up with a pyromaniac father, I looked forward so much to the annual riot of noise and colour, bundled up in layers-upon-layers of clothing.

Now we’ve all grown up, I don’t think anything should change! Layering a corduroy vest under a tweed jacket, I intend to brave the cold looking as stylish as possible, and the ideal companion for a pair of wellies are my trusty flannel trousers.

For those not yet converted to flannel, my old boss used to call flannel the very technical phrase ‘snuggly’. Like wearing pyjamas, this wool cloth is both warm and comfortable, and since owning my first pair, I haven’t looked back. Coming in a range of weight from 8-18oz, Harrisons have a beautiful selection of colours. For those more outrageous types, Scabal carry a collection of Flannel is slightly bolder colours, ensuring you’ll be spotted!

The end of November heralds the 60th Hennessey Gold Cup race in Newbury. Being a Newbury lass, and having grown up next to an equine vet, I’ve always loved horses and, by proxy, the races!

The wonderful thing about the winter race season is the lessening in formality of attire (in my perspective). Out with the stiffness of a Morning Suit, and in with beautiful thick overcoats, tweeds and gloves. We’ll see you there! The below tweeds from Porter and Harding are firm favourites of ours this winter, crying out to be cut into something special!

 
Antonia Ede
The hunt for the perfect Overcoat
 

The hunt for the perfect Overcoat has long been a discussion between one of my oldest dearest customers and I.

His wife is of the belief that less is more: navy herringbone, single breasted, understated chic. He is of the opinion that more is more: velvet collars in garish colours, cuffs turned back, loud satin linings. I, however, lie somewhere in the middle.

A coat should brighten your day up a little, with a fun detail or a flash of colour inside a pocket flap, but it should also be deliciously subtle in its elegance. And that is the joy of a bespoke garment. It is entirely yours, and although it’s the prerogative of your cutter to let you leave the shop looking your best, we also love a challenge!

This months inspirational cloth bunch is Dugdales’ new overcoatings, including this stunning cream whipcord. At 20 ounces, it’s not to be taken lightly!

This month has also seen us finally moving into our wonderful new space, with much huffing, puffing and inhaling of strong paint! We had an amazing moment on the Sunday evening of ‘the big move’ where on looking around the room, I saw 7 tailors from 4 different companies, all beavering away for us, their friends! Utterly brilliant, utterly kind, and utterly appreciated.

So: secret tailoring elves, THANK YOU, and to everyone else, we look forward to welcoming you to our new home!

 

 
Antonia Ede
The real wonder of tweeds
 

The real wonder of tweeds only really become apparent at this time of year; the weather is supposedly still beautiful (thank you Great British weather), yet when the Glorious Twelfth comes round once again there is something strangely comforting about knowing you can slip on a tweed gilet over a shirt and not get too chilly out in the heather. The traditional shooting suit comprises of five pieces.

The first time a customer looked me in the eye and told me he wanted a five piece shooting suit, I died slightly inside. ‘FIVE PIECES?!’ I remember thinking to myself, ‘FIVE?’. That is, in case you were wondering, five different patterns. Roughly thirteen pieces, comprising of: a three piece suit (trousers, vest (often postboy style, with flap pockets), coat (pleated back, half belt and storm collar optional), shooting vest (gilet) and plus 4’s.

Although that might seem like a lot of tweed (depending on the size of the repeat, a LOT of tweed), the overall effect is absolutely one of the most striking looks for a tailor to create, and offers the versatility our customers look for when adding to their wardrobes.

The details on the shooting suit are all part of the charm:

Each of these pieces has been tweaked over the years, and designed not only to add ease to the wearer in versatility and movement, but also in practicality. The bellow pockets on the vest are positioned to allow the gun to load up from the cartridges in his pockets without shifting too much, the Velcro or elastic on the plus 4’s to allow getting your boots on more easily (less bulk than the traditional buckle) and the suede or leather gun patch to prevent unnecessary wearing out on the shoulder and top of armhole.

I recently made a pair of plus’ for a client who bought in his Great Grandfathers tweed shooting coat to show me. The coat was from 1926, and in mint condition. The most special part for me was the fact that using the help of a (very patient) cloth merchant in Huddersfield, we were able to match the cloth to make up as bottoms, give the jacket an MOT and send him back out into the field a happy man. Mission accomplished!

 
Antonia Ede
Winter weddings appear to be incredibly on trend this year

With the wedding season coming to a close, us cutters finally have a chance to catch our breath and once again forget how to cut morning suits until next years Ascot frenzy. Or so we hope!

Winter weddings appear to be incredibly on trend this year, with customers no longer only looking only for the lightest Barathea their tailor will agree to, to keep them cool not clammy as they ‘Vow’ away the rest of their days!

Barathea is the traditional cloth used for dress wear or military uniforms, due to its resilience and ability to hold its shape (useful when being thrown about the Mess by Officers, or bandied over the backs of chairs by rowdy Ushers…). It is, in tailoring, normally a worstead, with silk barathea often used for ties or cravats.

One of its other best qualities is the ability with which it holds dye; we have recently been working on a commission for a client of a ‘Diamond Black’ morning suit, in a 16oz Barathea woven by Dugdales and Sons. The chap in question has reassured me he doesn’t mind being ‘quite warm’ on his big day, however this beautiful cloth will hold its own even if he does wilt!

The Diamond Black cloth in question was woven up in Huddersfield, and dyed by hand using a particularly noxious concoction, which left many of the mill workers with permanently black hands. I’ve been promised that once the cloth is set and finished the dye is not transferrable, but I’ll let you know…!

 

 

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