The Black Tie Guide

Every now and again, I come across websites that I am really impressed with. One such website is the Black Tie Guide. This is the most complete and accurate guide I have seen in respect to the correct way for a gentleman to dress when attending a black tie (or white tie) event.

The guide splits the requirements for black tie into its component pieces, namely Jacket, Trousers, Waistcoat, Shirt, Neckwear, Shoes and Accessories.

For the jacket, four classic designs are shown at http://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic_Components/Jacket.htm.

Fabric colour should be either black or midnight blue (which actually looks blacker in a subdued light setting).

Here at the Sartorial Executive we can, of course, offer a wide range of fabrics suitable for a black tie jacket, in all four styles starting from £390 if using Holland & Sherry Black Tie fabrics - cheaper fabrics are of course available.

Evening waistcoats are described at http://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic_Components/Waist.htm and ours start from £230 made from the same fabric as the jacket. We suggest one of the Holland & Sherry Black Tie range for the jacket and waistcoat.

At http://www.blacktieguide.com/Classic_Components/Trousers.htm they state that "Formal trousers are made of the same fabric as the jacket. While plain-front trousers are more common today, pleated styles remain the dressiest option." Needless to say, we are able to make both plain-front and pleated styles from £230.

Black tie shirts are always white and generally have a turn down collar. Collars and cuffs are generally marcella covered and a white marcella bib on the front with dress stud fastening. We can make these shirts from a wide range of fabrics but recommend the Alumo Supraluxe white cotton as a beautiful fabric for this purpose. For a small extra charge we can also add a detachable collar for genuine traditional style. See http://www.shirt-style.co.uk/prices.html for our prices.

Next time you attend a black tie event ensure you are wearing the correct dress by reading the guide and contact us to make any garments you require.

Monti 200 YORKSHIRE Fabrics

I have been sat down drinking a pint of excellent Spitfire Ale this evening whilst looking through some of the multitude of bespoke shirt fabrics that we have to offer.
One collection, that we have not really promoted as much as we should, caught my eye. Made by one of the leading Italian fabric mills, Tessitura Monti, the Yorkshire range is a fantastic collection of high yarn count fabrics in a wide variety of colours and patterns.
The high yarn count and the excellent quality dyes used by Monti mean that the fabric pattrens are as sharp and bold as any fabric we have to offer. This means that they are able to create patterns such as stripes and checks with very fine and sharply defined lines.
If I had to pick out one card from the collection it would be number 513 with a selection of six striped fabrics with fantastic use of pink, blue and white.
Shirts in these fabrics are £165 for bespoke and £155 for Stock Special (and worth every penny in my opinion!)

Improved Made to Measure Suits

We know how much our clients like to be able to order a Made to measure suit at the same time as buying their bespoke shirts, so we have improved the house style sillouhette, and are now able to offer made to measure suits in a more Savile Row inspired style.

Remember, we offer some of the finest fabrics from Holland & Sherry and Dugdale, and particularly recommend the new Holland & Sherry Inter City range of fabrics which for a 2-piece suit we are able to offer at an unbeatable £450. An example of a suit from this fabric in a plain Navy is shown to the right.

New socks coming soon

We still have some of the Navy Corgi socks in stock in Large size, but all the Medium size are sold.

We have been working with a family owned sock manufacturing business based in Turkey and will soon be bringing you a fantastic range of luxury OTC socks in a wide range of colours. The socks have been made and refined until we have a quality that rivals any of the best UK sock producers, but because we use a family run Turkey based factory we can keep the sock prices low leaving you with more money for your bespoke shirts and made to Measure suits!

Bespoke or Made to Measure

It is quite simple but often abused. The difference between bespoke and made-to-measure.
Bespoke involves a garment, be that a sduit of shirt, made from scratch. It will mean that no pre-existing pattern is used for the first shirt or suit for the client. The pattern is drawn up by hand from a range of measurements and figuration details, drawn out on paper and the fabric cut to that pattern. The pattern is unique to the client - nobody else has a garment made from that pattern. The pattern is then fully modifiable to ensure the best possible fit. Everything else after that is a bonus - such as hand stitching etc.
Made to Measure on the other hand uses pre-existing patterns that are used with some modification to produce a shirt or suit that will fit the wearer generally better than ready to wear.
Both bespoke and made-to-measure may offer a full range of customisations, but the pattern is really the key to the difference.
Our shirts are bespoke - we make a new pattern for every client. Our suits on the other hand are made-to measure - we make them from pre-existing patterns.
So, when buying a bespoke suit or shirt ask if a personal pattren is drawn up and cut by hand. Make sure you are getting what is being advertised!

Bespoke Shirts - A Royal Fabric

The Alumo Soyella Royal has arrived. A fantastic 75 g/m^2 240/2 - 240/2 100% Swiss Cotton, literally the most luxurious and fine cotton shirt fabric that we have seen.

The fabric has a handle and feel similar to silk, but is 100% long staple cotton.

Eight plain colours are available from White to Black with three shades of blue, a pink, a lilac and a cream.

These fabrics would make luxurious dinner shirts for that special event.

Book a consultation today and we will show you this fantastic range of bespoke shirt fabrics.

http://www.shirt-style.co.uk/

Cotswold based but worldwide

We have had ordersfor our shirts from quite a few different countries, but yesterday we had our first order for a bespoke shirt and a pair of Corgi socks, from a client in Japan.

This really shows that quality British made products are in demand by people the world over.

The ultimate bespoke shirt fabric

Hot on the heels of the availability of S.I.C. tess fabrics, I have just been notified of the despatch from Switzerland of the swatch card for Alumo's new Super Royale range.
This is an awesome 2 x 2/240s which comes in six block colours. My feeling is that the white will be the most popular.
If you want to spoil yourself then this is the fabric from which to get your next bespoke shirt made!

New bespoke shirt collars available online

We have been able to expand the number of collars available for our online bespoke shirt ordering service - see http://www.shirt-style.co.uk/bespoke_shirts_online.html for details.

S.I.C. Tess Fabrics are here

We are extremely pleased to announce that our fabric range is now supplemented with the splendid Pronti collection from Italian fabric house S.I.C. Tess. These are among the best fabrics available, sitting with Alumo as one of our best ranges. As an introduction to this range we are offering a £10 discount for shirts ordered from this range between now and the end of the year.

There really is something for every shirt wearer here from 80s to 200s, poplins, oxfords, twills and Linen fabrics.

Book an appointment with one of our visiting consultants today and ask to see the beautiful range of fabrics.

The Sartorial Executive - the luxury bespoke shirt maker.

The bespoke shirt maker that offers more fabrics than any other shirt maker in our area, will soon be able to offer you the fine Italian shirtings from S.I.C. Tess.

We are awaiting the swatch books from this fine bespoke shirt fabric mill, which will sit aside the fantastic fabrics we already offer from Thomas Mason, Tessitura Monti and Alumo.

For more details about this company see here http://www.sictess.it/eng/prodotti_pronti.html

We are very impressed both by the fabrics and the company and will beoffering a special discount on fabrics from this mill when we have them available.

Remember the highest quality English made bespoke shirts in the region are only available from the Sartorial Executive - the luxury bespoke shirt maker.

Stock Special Shirts - Full Acorn Range now available online

We have expanded the range of fabriocs available for our online stock special shirts to include all the Acorn range. Prices range from £100 for the Grange 100s Poplin to £150 for 100% linen. these shirts are made in England using traditional shirtmaking techniques in one of the oldest shirt making workshops in the country.

We have no minimum order for these shirts and the price includes delivery (a small surcharge is added to international orders).

If you are looking for the best quality in gentlemen's shirts and a better fit than anythiong on the high street then these are the shirts for you. See details at http://shirt-style.co.uk/bespoke_shirts_online.html


For those that want an even more exclusive shirt then our bespoke shirts are available.

Bespoke Shirts available worldwide

A post on Style Forum shows one of our recent bespoke shirts (along with some Finnamore shirts from Italy) at http://www.styleforum.net/showpost.php?p=2319789&postcount=1247
This shirt was ordered by a client based in Copenhagen, Denmark after seeing shirts made for other Style Forum members. The shirt has a customer designed collar, based on one of our collars previously designed for another client.

This is one of the best features of bespoke shirts, the ability to personally dewsign features of the shirt to suit your own style and because we use hand cut paper patterns for all the components of the shirt all future shirts will be made to exactly the same specification (unless the client requests changes, of course).

The bespoke shirt shown on the Style Forum page is made using an Acorn Grange Gingham fabric - a particularly nice gingham check.

If you would like to order a bespoke shirt from the Sartorial Executive, made to the finest English shirt making standards then call us on +44 1684 878195 and we will work to you to create the shirt for you.

The Sartorial Executive - Fine English Bespoke Shirts
Telephone 01684 878195
or visit
http://shirt-style.co.uk

Linen Bespoke Shirts - stay cool this summer.

The weather is getting hotter and hotter! There are rumours of it reaching the mid 30s sometime during this week. Phew!!

You may be finding your cotton shirts are leaving you a bit 'hot under the collar'. No matter, we are able to craft you a fantastic linen shirt in our Kent workshops from £135. Linen is the best fabric to wear in the heat of the summer, and if made from traditional business colours then it fits fine under a suit in the workplace. We have a large range of linen colourways to choose from.

There is no need to join the T-Shirt wearing brigade that are so prevelant in today's workplace. retain your sartorial dignity with one of our linen shirts.

Find out more by completing the form at http://www.shirt-style.co.uk/order.html or call us on 01684 878195.