Shopping from the movies: The Queen (2006)

Next to Montgomery Wards and Mamet's State and Main, the Queen (Frears 2006) is my favorite shopping opportunities. I love to browse all the classic Barbours, Range Rovers, silk scarves, leather brogues, tweed keeperwear, cashmere crewnecks and matching dog breeds. Like a mail order house lost to time, The Queen stocks a small but deep selection of classic items - unchanged by fashion or consumer demand. Here are a few pages from my favorite catalog:

Shopping from the Present: Universal Works Bakers Jacket

I'm always on the hunt for the perfect chore coat. It's a style that's warm, but not heavy, and it looks great. Since I wear chore coats in lieu of a blazer, I prefer French "bleu de travails" over heavy, outdoorsy canvas duck work jackets. Here are my basic requirements for the style: it should be unlined, with 3-4 generously sized patch pockets, button closures, spread collar and a boxy fit. When done well, the chore coat showcases fabrics, best quality notions, historic design details, and good tailoring. Chore coat fans can find examples in any price range from the hickory striped Pointer coat ($75.00) to the Univeral Works Harris Tweed Bakers jacket ($625.00).



Universal Works, in the best tradition of chore coat design, offers their signature, made in UK Bakers jacket in a range of fabrics. Lark in Vancouver sells a version in tweed while Hickorees offers the same style in "fishbone twill" and red waxed cotton. Contrast stitching, watch fob button holes, discrete insert pockets, a center vent and tailored fit elevate this jacket far beyond its humble origins.

Archival Review: Shooting Waistcoats

Hoggs of Fife Crofter tweed waistcoat

Try UK/European country clothing brands for top quality wool and tweed garments this fall. Companies like Hoggs of Fife, Barbour, Musto, Le Chameau, Chrysalis, Hucklecote, Purdey and Beretta produce practical, beautiful country clothing from best quality materials (mostly in their traditional country of origin).

In the fall, the waistcoat functions as a transitional wardrobe item, moving the user from bare armed summer to multisleeved winter. The vest allows freedom of movement while providing some protection from the elements. In contrast to the standard nylon puffy version, we love the tailored look of wool and waxed vests. Since they are designed for rugged use in the field, we know that they will last for ages. Archival Clothing endorses garments with well placed, well thought out pocketing. The pockets found on the shooting waistcoat, engineered to carry heavy shells, are my absolute favorites.

Here are a few of my favorite waistcoats, some within my pricepoint (Hoggs of Fife) and others exhibited as purely aspirational eye candy (Purdey). Most of the brands shown here offer waistcoats (and country clothing) for both men and women.

Hoggs of Fife Bowmore tweed waistcoat

Hoggs of Fife Mey ladies tweed waistcoat

Purdey loden recoil vest

Barbour Westmoreland waistcoat (Archival Clothing favorite)

Austerity option:Hoggs of Fife waxed waistcoast

Musto Technical Tweed Waistcoat

Musto Luxury Tweed Waistcoat for women

Le Chameau Balmoral tweed shooting waistcoat

Beretta St. James vest

Nothing heavier in the pockets than a smartphone and small change


Shopping from 2004

Shopping from 2001/2002: Hebden Cord

Archival Ebay: Hebden Cord Shooting Jacket

by Lesli Larson

Archival Clothing readers are well acquainted with my obsession for Hebden Cord, an out-of-business UK clothier. Hebden Cord offered made-to-measure jackets, trousers and breeks in a selection of moleskins, cottons and tweeds. Upon request, Hebden Cord mailed out a sizing guide and matchbook sized fabric swatches (some quite shopworn or sun damaged). From overseas, one could spec the size, cut and finishing details of any garment in the Hebden Cord line. At the time Hebden Cord went out of business, I was plotting my order for double seated cycling shorts in heavyweight twill whipcord.

The nearest contemporary match to Hebden Cord is Old Town Clothing where one can still customize the fabric on a fixed range of garments, but not the fit.

Hebden Cord print catalogs were simple, rarely changing from year to year. For this reason, I like to collect ebay images of Hebden Cord items to monitor how patterns were customized over time. Here is a recent tweed shooting jacket which would be perfect for either game poaching or Tweed Ride use.

Hebden Cord Tweed Shooting Jacket (ebay item: 180458736173)

Coming soon: full Hebden Cord catalog reprint. Shopping from 2004!

Eugene Tweed Ride 1/16/10

by Lesli Larson

On Saturday, I'll be joining friends for the third Eugene Tweed ride. Here's my ride report from the Spring 2009 edition. For novice participants, I'm setting aside a few garments for your Saturday ensemble. Since the forecast calls for rain, I'm suggesting you layer with a Hilltrek ventile cycling jacket in lieu of the more traditional, heavy overcoat. For dryer conditions, substitute a Huckecote tweed shooting jacket: the Clunie for ladies or the Redford for gents (matching caps and breeks available).

Hilltrek ventile cycling jacket

Lavenham patchwork tweed vest

Fingerless mitts

Purdey shooting breeks

Quoc Fam traditional cycling shoe (courtesy Wallblog)

Brady Stour

Finished ensemble

Our sponsors

Addendum: day of ride photos here.