Anonymous asked: Looking to buy my first Drakes scarf soon - are there any particularly classic styles that you'd suggest I purchase first?
Summer or winter? Assuming you mean the latter, I would start with solid cashmeres and their basic polka dot patterns. Those are very versatile and never go out of style. Then you can move on to busier patterns like kelim, paisley, or madder.
Anonymous asked: Hey Jake, I'm a massive fan of the blog, I check it regularly and I'm impressed with how you answer questions. Anyway I'm after a solid piece of outerwear (going into winter in Australia) but being a university student I'm on a budget. Have you any suggestions for something under $250-$300. So far I've been looking at Norse Projects Parka's and a few things from Penfield, but I'm not entirely sold on them. Thanks!
Thanks very much my friend. I’m not a huge outerwear buff to be completely honest, but I like both Penfield and Norse. You could also check out Woolrich, Fjallraven, and Denham for a few other options. It’s hard to get a sense of what’s currently available due to the season here, but that also means there could be nice deals around. Don’t forget to search sites like Yoox for options that would otherwise be out of your budget. Good luck.
Anonymous asked: What do you think of Suitsupply's shoes? I'm thinking about getting the brown tassel loafers & was wondering your opinion. Thanks!
They look nice, but I’ve heard about issues with quality and durability - basically the value proposition is weak at full price. The maker, Antonio Maurizi, is or was the house brand for Nordstroms I believe. I’ve owned their double monks - not that great, with corrected grain leather and a weak welt. If you want brown tassels, why not consider these, which have full grain leather and a goodyear welt? Or perhaps these?
Anonymous asked: not sure if you've talked about this before, but do you have an opinion on ties (particularly knit ties) from the knottery, esp. in comparison to places like brooks or j. crew?
I actually don’t own anything from The Knottery, but from what I’ve read, and heard from Jay himself, the knits are an incredible deal for the price. The grenadines are also supposed to be nice (see here), but I can’t say with certainty without personal experience. Brooks makes nice ties and J. Crew stocks Drake’s these days, so those are also very solid options, but it will all depend on your budget.
Anonymous asked: Hi Jake, I tried to ask you this a few days back and there were some tech glitches so not sure if you received the question. If you did, my apologies for asking again. Could you please comment on quality of leather/ construction of Meermin 'classic' collection and its value as compared to AE? Or would their 'linea maestro' line be more comparable to AE?
I’d put the leather and construction quality of Meermin’s classic line on par with Allen Edmonds, but I would choose Meermin over the former due to the lasts and designs they use. Allen Edmonds makes very solid, if unexciting, shoes, but as I’ve said previously, I find their designs too distinctive and unappealing to me personally. If you like them yourself, you will not be disappointed and they will likely last a long time.
With regards to the Linea Maestro line, I would put it above the typical offerings from AE. Even though they are partially made in Asia, from my experience they use high quality leathers and great finishing techniques. Meermin’s MTO program is also fantastic and allows you some real flexibility with regards to design and interesting aesthetic details. I’d put the LM line above anything from brands like Loake or AE, based on these factors - they represent the best value for the price they charge.
