Category: Blog

We believe that fashion is something that you should experiment with. Though we are often told we are constrained to ordinary black suits at work or ripped jeans and a t shirt on weekends, is that really the case? It can feel intimidating and overwhelming to find what is right for you and how you wish to present yourself to the world. At Freddie The Fox, we understand that discovering your style is a process. This blog post aims to give you the tools to work through the trends and find what’s right for you.

There’s nothing wrong with going a little crazy to begin with. Pair some of your favourite pieces together. Maybe you want to try an authentic kimono style jacket with trainers or go to brunch in a flamboyant blazer and impeccable loafers. Don’t lose yourself in your search but make sure you allow yourself to have a little fun. Make sure the more “out there” pieces in your wardrobe fit you well, especially if you’re not used to making a statement. This will ensure you don’t feel too self conscious or spend your whole time monitoring your body so you can have fun.

On the other hand, if you want to take the plunge slowly, do what’s right for you. Try a bright pocket square in your ordinary suit or try working tailored shirts into your more casual wardrobe. No matter which why you want to experiment, stay true to yourself while still stepping out of your comfort zone.

Most men have a uniform but that doesn’t mean your style needs to be boring. Even if you don’t make any drastic changes after a little experimenting, there’s still so much room to explore your usual style. This can be with colour or even making sure your essentials are exceptionally quality or even tailored perfectly to your body. Work with Freddie the Fox to see how we can help you find a style that’s classic, elegant yet still completely and uniquely you.

Now, you may think we’re biased as we create some of the most luxurious, custom clothing in London. However, we understand that people often wonder if it’s really worth it especially given all the strides made in the made-to-measure sector of the menswear industry. This blog post is dedicated to showing the benefits of truly bespoke tailoring.

Suits have been made in the bespoke traditions for hundreds of years. Every cut and stitch is a tapping into a unique and beautiful history. The craftsmanship truly is unparalleled too. It’s not just the cutting and the stitching but the recutting and the restitching and the repressing. Bespoke suits feel human because you can feel the human work that has created it. It is an artistic creation as well as a sartorial one.

Bespoke tailoring is ideal for those of us who are conscious about how our choices affect the environment. Thanks to how they’re constructed, bespoke suits last longer as they can be more easily repaired and tailored. They are made locally and often with more natural materials.

However, the fundamental benefit of bespoke is how it makes you feel. When you feel the way tailored trousers hang perfectly or experience the swell in your chest that comes from a jacket made for you, you really understand how different this is. That’s nothing to say of the way it flatters every inch of you and gives you the opportunity to express your own personal style through small touches.

Bespoke is a creative process, that’s open to collaboration. You and your tailor are working together to create something truly magnificent that can change and adapt to live just as you do.

If you’re looking for ability to build your own completely personal wardrobe from picking the cloth, the cut to the touches and ensuring your closet is as individual as you are, we’d argue that bespoke is most certainly worth it.

The key attribute to any pair of trousers is that they hang well. You could use the most expensive, luxurious fabric in the world but if the trousers don’t hang right, they don’t look good. They need to drape cleanly, throw a sharp line and retain their shape when you walk, stretch move and sit. This usually comes from a material that is denser. The more of the yarn woven tightly into each inch makes the cloth itself much more dense and more likely to be crease resistant, shape resistant and have some natural stretch.

There are exceptions, of course. If the yarn is strong, there doesn’t need be as much tight weaving. Fabric can be too dense. If there is too much fibre, the trousers will feel dead and stiff. Tailors will often talk about how much life there is in a fabric, as in how it responds to pressure.

Though there are exceptions, density is still a good rule of thumb to follow. Feel your favourite sports jacket. Sense how the weave feels looser, the fabric feels softer and has more movement in it. These are factors that would be devastating in a pair of trousers.
One trick we recommend using to see if trousers are made of suitable fabric is the check the risk of piling. One way to test this is to take the cloth between your finger and thumb, gently rub it in circles 10 times and see if a little fluff comes off in a messy way.
This is a good indicator that the material will pill later, particularly where there is most abrasion, for example between the legs. If fluff comes off the fabric, it just is not suitable for trousers.
As always when describing and talking about fabrics, there are the original, narrow definitions and then there are more modern uses.
Often the definition describes only one part of the process such as weave or finish but it takes on other aspects over time .
The key thing to remember when visiting a tailor or bespoke clothing designer is to know the kind of cloth you want and preferably the name. There will always be variations and exceptions and don’t panic if you haven’t got every type memorised. Your tailor should be able to work with you and figure out the best material for your needs.