Journal
Field notes on the last and the cloth, on dressing for the day, and on buying from a workshop that will not ship.
- Tailoring Neapolitan tailoring, explained What makes a Neapolitan jacket: the shirt-sleeve shoulder, light lining, curved patch pockets, and the Naples houses that still cut it.
- Construction Goodyear-welted shoes, explained A Goodyear welt joins upper and sole with a strip of leather so the shoe can be resoled. How it is built, why it costs more, and how to spot one.
- Construction Blake-stitched shoes, explained Blake and Blake-Rapid shoes sew the sole to the inside of the shoe. How they differ from a Goodyear welt in flex, weight, and resoling.
- Tailoring The best Italian suit brands Italian suit houses grouped by style and price tier: Neapolitan, Roman, structured, and soft-jacket makers, with what each is known for.
- Slip-ons Penny vs tassel loafers Penny and tassel loafers compared: dress level, fit, colour, season, and which one to buy first if you wear a suit most days.
- Ceremony Wedding attire, guest and groom Guest or groom, the rules are older than the venue. How to read the card, choose the cloth, and keep the shoes quiet.
- Buying The shop that will not ship Some small Italian workshops deliver only inside Italy. How a parcel forwarder such as BuyEU gets the box to you, and what makes up the second bill.
- Making England, Italy, and Spain Two shoes can share a size and still fit nothing alike. What changes between Northampton, Italy, and Mallorca: the last, the sole, and how the upper is closed.
- Decoration A field guide to brogues Full brogue, semi-brogue, quarter brogue, longwing. The holes are decoration, and the more of them there are, the less formal the shoe.
- Slip-ons The loafer, from penny to tassel Penny, tassel, and Belgian: three slip-ons, three degrees of dress, and the details that decide whether a loafer can still stand beside a suit.
- Dress shoes Oxford, derby, and the wholecut Closed lacing, open lacing, and a shoe cut from one piece of leather. What separates the three, and which belongs under a suit.
