The single-breasted navy suit is perhaps one of the garments most often mentioned as a cornerstone in a well-curated menswear wardrobe. Rarely peak fashion, but almost always relevant. Yet I haven’t had a navy single-breasted suit that I liked wearing in years. In this post, I review my experience of having one made MTM by A.D. Sartoria, a newly established shop and MTM service in Copenhagen.

The housekeeping: I have received a discount on the garments I review here. When A.D. Sartoria soft launched, I reached out to the team to learn more, and in the conversation they were quite keen on making me a suit and offered a discount to do so. Also, I consider Alexander and Angelie Deigaard, the owners of A.D. Sartoria, a part of the Copenhagen menswear scene, which I also partake in at times.

I am aware that there can be a bias in my review, even as much as I have tried to avoid it. So please read the review knowing this. A.D. Sartoria has read this review before publishing as a courtesy from my side and to avoid any factual mistakes, but has otherwise had no influence on the content.

On with the business. The MTM process at A.D. Sartoria is quite similar to the MTM process I experienced with Kigget last year: Three phases, with the first being the consultation where you pick fabric, lining, buttons and such and get measured in the fitting garments. Second fitting was in an almost finished suit, except for unfinished sleeves.

This was a bit different from my experience with Kigget, where I was fitted in a basted garment. I suppose this is a deliberate choice, which on the positive side potentially reducer delivery time, but on the other hand puts a bigger demand on both the initial fitting and the communication to and from the production crew.

Following the second fitting, a third fitting in the final garment finishes off the process. To be fair, I opted out of the third fitting as the adjustments in the second fitting were minor, and the adjustments and hand-sewn button holes were made at our local alterations tailor, where I decided to pick up the suit myself. However, I would not recommend anyone getting a MTM suit to do this, and pick up at A.D. Sartoria instead to make sure you’re all set.

I deliberately followed the recommendations from Alexander, who did the fitting, in terms of fit and details. This included adjusting the back across the shoulders a bit to acommodate my slightly sloping shoulders as well as a few other things. The fitting was conducted in a concise and systematic way, reflecting Alexander’s experience, including a run at Anglo-Italian in London and their MTM trunk shows. For me, still a MTM rookie, the fitting set me at ease and builded trust.

The cloth I chose was deliberately a high-twist wool. Both to allow for wear across seasons, but also to have bit of structure. Following Alexander’s recommendation I went with a heavier (380 gr.) dark navy high-twist wool from Lovat’s Bard bunch (cloth code 664) to ensure a nice drape.

Delivery time for the suit was about two months. Due to change in production partner on the shirts, delivery on the shirt was postponed another month. I would suspect that this is teething troubles and that timeframes will run more smoothly going forward. On a general note, if the delivery of a garment is extremely time-sensitive to you, perhaps MTO or MTM is not the solution you’re looking for.

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So how do I like my new suit and shirt? Well, I am overall quite pleased. The fit of A.D. Sartoria’s suits and shirts are deliberately cut with room for movement. This makes the fit both contemporary as well as functional. The usual challenge for me regarding jacket fit is across the upper back and - my pet peeve - the fit of the collar. Both are solved. Jacket is full canvas, by the way, and partially lined.

I am also happy that the cloth indeed has a nice drape but still allows air to flow. I’ve worn the suit a couple of times this summer, and while dark navy perhaps is better in the shade than in the sun, the weave of the three-ply cloth allows for air to flow, avoiding over-heating.

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As for the trousers and shirt I am equally satisfied. The shirt is made up in A.D. Sartoria’s house poplin. Sleeves are delivered intentionally a bit longer, as the fabric shrinks a bit when washed. Alexander was sure to mention this to me in the fitting, and after the first couple of washes the shirt has a lovely fit. Generous enough to allow for movement without restriction but not baggy at all. I went for a point collar to allow for the shirt to work both with and without a tie.

At the current pricepoint for MTM suits and shirts (starting at DKK 16.500/EUR 2.207 for a suit and DKK 2.100/EUR 280 for a shirt), I would say A.D. Sartoria offers value for money. Service is competent, knowledgeable and attentive and both Alexander and Angelie seem genuinely interested in making garments you want to wear.

Style-wise I don’t think I offend anyone by saying that there is a somewhat Anglo-Italian (the brand, not the countries) leaning in the style choices of A.D. Sartoria. This is particularly evident in the small RTW selection that A.D. Sartoria offers both on their website and in-store. Perhaps not to everyones liking, but I appreciate the coherent, functional and almost down-played style. As with the MTM garments, the RTW jackets, suits and shirts are also made in Italy. A.D. Sartoria plans to expand their RTW offerings in the coming months.

So far, I am very happy with both suit and shirt. I am probably not going to wear this suit on a regular basis, but that wasn’t the idea either. The idea was - and is - to have a wardrobe stable that isn’t just any navy suit, but a nicely made up suit with deliberate style and quality choices that I’ll feel comfortable wearing to all those formal occasions - the festive and happy ones as well as the sadder ones.

Adsartoria.com

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Drawstring shorts haven’t really held a prominent place in my summer wardrobe for several years. In line with my interest in tailoring, high-waisted or chino-inspired shorts have been my go-to. But over the last couple of months, I’ve repeatedly reached for a pair of drawstring nylon shorts. Is this some sort of slippery slope style-wise and how do they fit in with the rest of what I wear?

A couple of months ago I purchased a pair of Aimé Leon Dore Core Nylon Shorts in black. This was a quite deliberate and - if I may say so - quite well-researched purchase. I had been looking for a pair of shorts that were easy to put on in the morning, suitable for both the daycare drop off as well as different outside activities in summer, and easy to care for, which in this case meant machine washable.

This is my first ‘ALD-only’ garment, as my experience with ALD so far has been from a couple of collab garments with Drake’s. Like Drake’s, I think the price point in itself can seem a bit steep compared to other similar options. Chore jackets, for instance, can be found cheaper in a comparable quality to Drake’s chores. What you pay for - in my view - is the (niche) brand recognition, wearability and design.

Now you could argue that a pair of shorts really doesn’t take much in design. Fair point. But there is also a design choice in not overdoing it. The Core Nylon Shorts are a simple pair of drawstring shorts with a semi-wide leg, semi-high rise, no inner lining, two side pockets and one flap pocket back pocket. The fabric is nylon, and as much as I usually shy away from non-natural fibres, I think it works quite well for the purpose.

I’ve been wearing these shorts a lot. Like a lot. The weather has been shorts appropriate for almost two months now (writing this mid-July), and when I haven’t been at work, I’ve almost exclusively worn shorts. And a lot of the time the ALD shorts. Both for the daycare and grocery run, but also for playground duty and playing football and badminton with the kids as well as just hanging around the house or garden. For me as a dad, garments that can easily transition from one activity to another are highly valuable.

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My concern with the shorts were whether they would integrate with the rest of my wardrobe. After all, it would be pushing it to call what I wear sporty or fashion, which I find the ALD shorts lean into. But so far they have proven useful worn with tees, a sweatshirt or polo. And compatible with the summer shoes I wrote about in last month’s post as well as a jungle jacket and a chore jacket.

Another concern was of course if this is a slippery slope downwards, being more lazy stylewise and leaning into the mainstream?

Well, perhaps I am. My focus and interest in specific kinds of clothing change over time - from suits to jackets to denim and now towards sportswear-inspired casual wear. Jumping down a new rabbit hole gaining - sometimes obscene - amounts of knowledge is perhaps a trait of having menswear as a hobby.

But I do not worry. Over the years I have learned that I lean towards something more casual in spring and summer, but in a month or so, mid-august, I will most likely long for tweed, tailoring and layering. And if that is your thing, then I’ve got some post coming up in the autumn that might interest you.

Have a nice summer!

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With summer and the summer holidays fast approaching, I wanted to give a brief overview of the shoes I’ll probably wear this summer.

Not to tell you, dear reader, what shoes to wear the next couple of months. If you read this, you’ve likely already figured that out on your own. No, the purpose is to reflect a bit on how to find some shoes that feels right and enjoyable to wear, when I shed the suede tassel loafers and cordovan pennies for the next six weeks or so. Shoes that are more relaxed and suited for the summer activities that comes with been a part of a family with two young children.

To long-time readers or regulars on my IG: You’ve most likely already figured this out on your own, but I wanted to bring this together in a single post, so here we go - four pairs of shoes I’ll probably wear this summer:

Parabooth Barth Boat Shoes

Three years ago I wrote an entire post dedicated to the Paraboot Barth, naming it the summer shoe. What works when and for whom is highly contextual, but the Paraboot Barth is still a part of my summer roster.

I rarely, if at all, wear dress loafers from the end of June to the beginning/middle of August, unless there is an event of some kind. Dress loafers are my shoes for work, the city and events, but they are not my off-duty shoes. And summer is off-duty. However, to not resort entirely to trainers and sandals, boat shoes can be a great option.

I wear mine with jeans, casual shorts as well as more tailored shorts (think Rubato shorts like in the picture below). The Paraboot Barth is quite no-nonsense in design and the build is quite sturdy. At the current price point I find it quite good value for money.

New Balance 991v2

A recent addition to my footwear rotation (that’s what we call it, right?). It’s been more than ten years since I had my last (and only) pair of New Balance trainers.

I wanted a shoe that worked well for off-duty, for the daycare run, grocery shopping and the like. And I wanted a shoe that worked well with both jeans and more relaxed shorts. I’ve have been eyeing a pair of New Balance 991v2 for a year or so, as I find they checked a lot of the boxes: no-nonsense design, versatility and easy-wearing.

I deliberately chose a Made in England model. Both to support manufacturing workplaces in Europe, but also because I knew this was the model I had my eyes on from the start, and all other nice (and cheaper) New Balance models would feel like the second best choice.

Still a bit new to the 991v2’s, I find I primarily wear them with jeans and shorts with a relatively shorter seam. I particularly like them with a pair of chunky cotton socks (Drake’s, HN White, Rototo), my Aime Leon Doré nylon shorts and a tee or my Real Mccoy’s sweatshirt. Adding a jungle jacket or wax jacket is somewhat the epitomy of a Scandinavian summer.

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Moonstar Gym Classic

Another go-to shoe for the last couple of summers have been my Moonstar Gym Classic canvas trainers.

Compared to the New Balance’s, I find the Moonstar Gym Classics more versatile. They can work with jeans and nylon shorts, but also with more dressier shorts like the Rubato’s mentioned earlier and with jeans, chinos and even a pair of linen trousers, if that’s your thing.

I have mostly worn them sockless, but I am starting to be more fond of wearing a chunky cotton socks which I find is a nice contrast to the clean lines of the shoe.

Birkenstock Boston Slides

So this is where the real menswear content really kicks off! As much as Birkenstocks has been everywhere for years, they might not be particularly #menswear.

However, my point is not that the Birkenstock in itself is the footwear you need to make your summer perfect. But a slip-on shoe that suits your summer might be a good idea, and because my summer with my family will be a lot of activities centered around staying in holiday houses and doing outdoor activities with the kids, a shoe that is easy to slip into and out of is nice.

A few years ago my only choice here would have been espadrilles. But as a result of my increased preference for denim and more hardwearing garments, I’m with the Birkenstocks this summer. My current Birkenstocks are the model Boston in brown leather (collab with Düsseldorf menswear shop Stuf-f).

I still wear espadrilles, though. Shoes that slide on and off easily are nice in summer, and espadrilles does add some laid-back Mideterranean aura. I find espadrilles especially works well if some of the garments are linen. My current espadrilles are from Castañer, in brown suede. Castañer uses a thin rubber sole which might not be 100% authentic, but does add to the milage.

I have actually been eying a pair of fisherman’s sandals, as I quite like the design, but I am not sure I would wear sandals in any other setting than the beach or the garden, and then it wouldn’t be worthwhile to throw money in that direction.

And yes, Birkenstocks aren’t elegant. But they are quite comfortable (I go for the Soft Footbed version), useful, hard-wearing and relaxes me. Which is nice.

Honerable mention to my running shoes, currently a pair of Asics Gel-Kayano 32. I’ve been through a number of Nike and Adidas shoes before, and I haven’t been particular meticoulous in choosing the right pair for my running style, but now I’m on my second pair of Gel-Kayanos and so far so good.

Writing this post it occured to me that these are not only shoes for summer, but also shoes I wear off-duty, more or less meaning when I’m not at work or have other errands in the city. Add in some boots for autumn and winter, and we’re all set.

This hopefully says something about consistency and versatility, but also speaks to a point I find I make quite often here on The Soft Armour: What works for me in my context and current walk of life doesn’t necessarily work for you - and vice versa. It all depends. These were my shoes for my summer, what are yours?

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The theme of how one’s taste and style evolves over time is something that comes up quite often across the menswear sphere. Also here on The Soft Armour, where I have written more or less extensively about it in several posts, trying to view the subject from different points of view.

So, here’s another perspective: The place of the grey sweatshirt in my wardrobe. And not just any grey sweatshirt. The Real Mccoy’s 10 oz loopwheel crewneck sweatshirt.

I am no stranger to the grey sweatshirt, but to me it has always been something sitting around the edges of my wardrobe. Something to slip into at home after the kids have been put to bed. Not something I’ve worn particularly extensively or with intense interest at all.

But what is happening now is that two circles in the Venn Diagram are beginning to overlap each other: My increased interest in Made in Japan garments and my growing preference for and interest in more casual clothing.

I was excited to try this sweatshirt, as it is my first The Real Mccoy’s garment. I’ve been looking forward to get a first hand feel of the quality and make. So far my expectations - which honestly were pretty high - have been fully met. The look and feel of the sweatshirt really gives the impression that a lot of time and effort have been put into refining this rather simple garment.

As far as I understand, The Real Mccoy’s pride themselves of going the extra mile in replicating original designs and fabrics. This explains the rather boxy fit, which I wouldn’t have favoured a few years ago, but do now. Preferences change.

I’m not able to say anything of the sweatshirt’s durability as I’ve only had it for a couple of weeks, but all stress points seems quite robust. I’ve worn the sweatshirt quite extensively for the last couple of weeks and washed it once by hand, as indicated on the care label. Besides fit and make, what I really noticed at first is the jersey fabric and the fleece inside of the sweatshirt. It is incredibly soft and nice to wear but still feels robust.

The only thing that I am less satisfied with is the neck which seems a bit large and wide on me. Now, this is purely on me, as I prefer a neck that frames the face a bit more. The wider neck line means I’m still trying to figure out what works best underneath. I tried with one of my PS undershirts, but that has a relatively high neck line, which left quite a big chunk of white tee which I didn’t find flattering. So far I’ve worn the sweat with a tank top or nothing under. A tee with a lower neckline would also be an option.

This does not take anything away from my overall impression that this is a very nice sweatshirt. But how does it integrate into my wardrobe?

Well, so far I’ve mostly worn the sweatshirt in the combo I envisioned before buying it: Washed denim, trainers and a jungle jacket. To me, this really taps into a classic take on casual menswear. Not too fuzzy, but simple, durable, functional clothing where the maintenance required fits quite well with my current life. Black jeans or khaki chinos would also work.

A similar combination, but for summer, could be pairing the sweatshirt with my recently aquired Aimé Leon Dore Core Shorts and New Balance 991v2’s trainers. Versatility across seasons can be nice and shape some sort of core in your wardrobe, something to provide consistency.

I probably wouldn’t wear this sweatshirt to work, but otherwise the grey sweatshirt - and in particular this sweatshirt - works across most of the other contexts and activities in my daily life. From daycare and school runs to grocery shopping, evening walks or going for a cup of coffee.

So, to answer the question I put forward in the beginning of this post: No, I am not a sweatshirt guy now. But I am a man who owns a sweatshirt that I really enjoy wearing.

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Last week I, without noticing at first, dressed in something quite like a uniform four days in a row.

The idea of a sort of uniform is appealing: It provides some sort of simplicity to the choice situation (what should I wear?) and it gives some sort of consistency (how do I present myself to the world)?

In my mind, uniform dressing is not the Issey Miyake Rollneck-Levi’s 501 combo of Steve Jobs. That is too radical for me. I’m thinking more in terms of some similarity in the garments and silhouette, a high degree of interchangeability which allows for a several combinations with a limited amount of garments and finally the ability to work across different context with no or only a few adjustments.

While a uniform definitely offers some simplicity when you dress yourself, there is also a case against. The quite informative IG profile Fashion is Psychology allerted me to this, stating that while having a signature style can reduce decision fatigue, it can also limit you in accessing different parts of your identity.

Now, I am not sure it was this exactly I felt on day four of what suddenly became an action-learning experiment in uniform dressing. But as much as I felt comfortable and at ease in my jacket-knit-jeans-loafer uniform, I also found myself feeling a little bored with the clothes I wore.

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Now this is, as almost all the other subjects discussed here, a First World Problem. But if we follow the logic that what we wear in some ways form our social identity, then uniform dressing can be both stabilising as well as limiting.

I am not advocating against uniform dressing - each to their own. Indeed the interchangeability and versatility aspects I proposed earlier might have something going for them in terms of both sustainability and enjoyment of wear. I’m simply advocating that there might be some aspects of uniform dressing that are a bit overlooked in the general narrative.

Anyway - what about the clothes? Well, the framework is simple: A jacket (not tailored), a knit (or a tee), jeans and loafers. Snapshots of most of the outfits can be found throughout this post.

The four fits reflects how I like to dress right now, as we’re approaching spring here in Denmark. It’s functional (pockets and removeable layers) and the interest lies more in subtle details like material and design than in the overall look and feel.

The uniforms broken down:

Day 1

• Drake’s Dark Brown Suede Chore

• PS Grey Cashmere Crew Neck

• Allevol Indigo Roku Roku Selvedge Jeans

• Tory Leather Dark Brown Bridle Belt

• C&J Harvard Dark Brown Cordovan Penny Loafer

Day 2

• LEJ Bitter Brown Plage Coat

• Rubato Sportsman in Marble

• Anatomica 314 Indigo Selvedge Jeans

• Berg & Berg Braided Brown Leather Belt

• C&J x AIC Studridge Suede Tassel Loafer

Day 3

• LEJ Sand Plage Coat

• PS White Tapered Tee

• Allevol Indigo Roku Roku Selvedge Jeans

• Rubato Brown Leather Belt

• C&J Boston Dark Brown Suede Penny Loafer

Day 4

• LEJ Bitter Brown Plage Coat

• Rubato Crew Knit in Fawn

• Anatomica 314 Indigo Selvedge Jeans

• Rubato Brown Leather Belt

• C&J x AIC Studridge Suede Tassel Loafer

Breaking it down like this also illustrates, I think, that uniform dressing can be a helpful way of thinking when packing for a shorter (or longer) trip. In the above, one jacket, knit, pair of shoes and belt could be removed, one of the indigo jeans changed to black or cream jeans or a pair of trousers. Adding perhaps a spare tee, a scarf, a bandana and some outerwear, and you would be good to go for two or three days, of course depending of what activities the trip you are going on involves.

In some ways a signature style can be appealing. On a functional level, uniform dressing definitely adds some simplicity and effectiveness. On a psychological level, however, uniform dressing can both enable and constrain.

To me, having a fallback strategy when I get the Menswear Fatigue or want comfort and consistency above all, the uniform dressing mindset is perfect. But there are also days or occasions that allows for something else where I want to stray just a bit from the path already travelled. The latter is important, I think, in terms of adding to those incremental changes in style and preferences that keeps menswear interesting.

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One of the great things about cold weather from a menswear point of view is outerwear. But who says this can’t continue in spring? Here is some of my favourite outerwear for the coming months.

Burberry Raglan Coat

First up is a recent addition, a 90’s Burberry raglan cottoncoat. I like it for its simplicity and the subtle drama the length adds - which is something I really appreciate in my PS Donegal coat too, a winter favourite of mine.

The longer length was important to me, as I think it is more flattering than the often above knee-length raincoats that are more mainstream (at least here in Copenhagen).

Choosing a pre-owned Burberry raincoat has two purposes: First, I want to get a first hand experience of the quality and make to find out whether there is anything to fuss about in terms of fit, design and quality, and second, I want to find out if a classic raincoat like this really is for me, as I’ve been eying the PS x Drake’s raincoat, but don’t want to splurge on it before I am sure I will give it lots of wear. First purpose is done (it’s great, but not fabulous), the second I expect to learn over the coming months.

Barbour Beaufort

This could be any of my three Barbour wax jackets (four, one is currently undergoing thorough restoration). But I suppose this one, a rustic brown 90’s Beaufort, will get the most wear this spring.

In the last four or five years my olive green Beaufort has been my go-to, but I felt it was time to size up (from 36 to 38), and I picked this rustic brown one up on Ebay for a very fair price (even with taxes and shipping costs), and after a little patching up (at the tailor’s) and a rewax (at home), we’re ready to go.

What I appreciate in the Beaufort in particular is the length and the pockets. It covers the hips, but still works well for my bike commute, and the front pockets and the game pocket on the back are really spacious, which is nice when temperatures change from chilly mornings to warm afternoons and scarf and gloves needs to be stoved away.

Stylewise, I find the Beaufort works across both more casual outfits as well with tailoring. Also, if you want to invest a little time in searching for and some money and/or time in renovating a jacket, there are some nice pre-owned garments out there.

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Ripstop Jungle Jacket

Perhaps my favourite outerwear in warm weather, where it’s really more about pockets and comfort than about keeping warm. I currently have two of these, both vintage (1969 and 1970 respectively, judged by the production labels).

I find the jungle jacket works both as a layer over a light chore jacket or a tailored jacket, or more casual over a knit or tee. As with my chore jackets, I like to pop the collar and, if worn with a tee, roll up the sleeves a bit. Incredibly versatile, but I am aware that it can come off a bit costume-y.

For those who are not into vintage clothing, there are several nice options available from brands like Buzz Ricksons, Real Mccoys and Drake’s.

Private White VC Moleskin Bomber

If I am not mistaken, I think this was my first or second piece of outerwear from Private White VC. I am about 10 PWVC garments deep now, and I am rarely disappointed. The PWVC garments do really give a “made to last” feeling, which is quite nice when it comes to outerwear, where you (or at least I) often are willing to spend a decent amount of money, but in return expect something that lasts.

The Moleskin Bomber is to me a great example of how a short jacket that sits quite tight at the waist can be quite flattering. In fact, I think a bomber like this could also be something a non-menswear interested guy could find useful in his wardrobe. I will probably wear it with jeans and a knit, typically a crew neck, which I find works best with the bomber. A shirt can also work, best in denim, chambray or another material with a bit of structure. A formal shirt less so.

A nice alternative to the bomber could be a Harrington jacket, like the Baracuda G9. I am considering picking one up in the second hand market to see how it works.

Drake’s Suede Chore Jacket

I have written about this jacket before and across different posts, so not much new to add here. But I am pleased that I actually wear this jacket a lot, given the considerable amount of money I’ve spent on it. With a distinct garment like this there are of course the risk of being “that guy”, but with this jacket, I’ll take it.

The lovely suede does limit the use to days with no rain, although a few drops of rain wouldn’t be catastrophic. Still, there is no reason to actively seek out a torrential downpour.

I’ll wear the suede chore in much the same way as the moleskin bomber, probably leaning into something a bit cold-coloured. Oh, and if there is a risk of a little rain, I’ll probably throw the jungle jacket on top just in case.

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As much as I prefer tools over rules in menswear, I think that tools - as well as rules - should be applied with care.

Let me break it down: Take for example the tool TPO, Time-Place-Occasion. I first came across this in David W. Marx’s highly recommendable book Ametora, but you can find references to it across the #menswear sphere. In short, TPO states that what is appropriate to wear is determined by when, where and for what purpose.

In 2026 where explicit dress codes are absent most places, tools can be great, but also limiting if applied religiously. Applying TPO to, say, a wedding reception in the summer time would perhaps be quite easy, but I would propose that TPO as a tool performs best at more traditional things like this, while the daycare run followed by going for a morning coffee and grocery shopping afterwards perhaps is less compatible with TPO. And it’s not that TPO quite quickly makes me realize that a full regalia tuxedo probably wouldn’t be appropriate nor practical. It’s more the question of “Where am I in this?”

Rigourously applying tools - or rules - in menswear is to me missing the point a bit. Don’t get me wrong: Tools can be great, and I specifically like TPO for its attention to context. Still I think it misses the point of including the individual’s state of mind and self-expression. You. Me. How do I feel, how do I want to feel, how do I want to present myself to the world?

Clothing is, as far as I’ve understood from people who know about this, one of the major ways to communicate to the world about ourselves, whether we intend to or not. But also a way to align the outer world with the inner world. Dressing with intent for the sake of your own mental state. It’s a two-way causation or a dialectic approach, depending on your point of view. Not hyperfocusing on what I expect the outer world expects of me, nor hyperfocusing on selfexpression and totally disregarding the context. A balanced approach.

I am not advocating for trainers with a suit at a wedding reception or flip-flops at the conference table. But I want to emphasize, at least to me, that dressing also is about feeling comfortable and content with what you wear - something that relying on external input alone will not provide an answer to.

The solution is not not giving a damn. For me, the solution is an ability to understand the wiggle room in what to wear in a given situation and combine this insight with an understanding of how your own mind works: Are you high or low on energy today? Do you want to stand out or fly under the radar?

Now, traditionalists and conservative dressers might frown after reading this (if they bother to read this far), and I can understand that. In the more traditionalist view I sense some sort of longing back to a non-specific era where everyone - or at least the men - apparantly wore a suit and a tie on a daily basis. Taking you own mind, mood and self into consideration was likely a lesser concern. Paradoxially, dressing along those lines would today ensure the wearer of some extra attention across most contexts. But perhaps that is the intention.

To me a balanced approach, considering both the context as well as my own state of mind and energy, feels like the best approach. My own kind of music.

This is the second of two installments reviewing the MTM Kigget Fox Tweed Jacket I commissioned last year. In the first installment I shared my experience of the process. In this post I reflect on how I have worn the jacket so far.

In the first post, I mentioned how the proportions of the jacket, being a tad broader in shoulders, chest and body and a bit longer than most of my other jackets, slightly limited the number of combinations available. At first I found this a bit annoying, but it has turned out not really being a problem having less options (if this even constitutes a problem). And to be honest, it’s probably one of those things that are mainly visible to me, not to others. But I dress mostly for me, so here we are.

As mentioned in the first post, the cloth I chose for this jacket is a dark brown twill tweed from Fox Brothers’ Fox Tweed bunch (TD20) with a little grey in it. This was particularly to distinguish it from more rural and colourful tweeds and lean into a cold-coloured scheme.

I have worn the jacket regularly in the five months since I got it. It took me a little time to get started, not being entirely sure how I actually wanted to wear it, and also the weather had to turn colder. I had pictured a 50/50 mix between wearing the jacket with jeans or flannels, but in reality I have almost worn it exclusively with jeans. Perhaps not so surprising, as I’ve overall worn flannels significantly less this winter than the previous three or four winters, favouring jeans or cords instead.

There are two combinations with this jacket I particularly like: The first is the most classic one, pairing the dark brown jacket with a pair of mid-grey flannels (also Fox Brothers by Kigget, but MTO) and a denim shirt (100 Hands for Permanent Style). This combination is very comfortable both in cut and cloth, and also works well due to the grey yarns in the dark brown tweed.

The grey yarns are also the reason, I think, why the second combination works: Pairing the jacket with black jeans (TCB 505 bkbk) and a cream or grey knit. This is cold-coloured, which I also wrote about recently, and I really like it, as it feels understated. The combo with the black jeans would probably not work if the jacket had coloured yarns in it, and not grey. In that case indigo or mid-blue jeans would probably be better.

In terms of shirts to wear with the jacket, I currently prefer a denim or chambray shirt, but a white or white/blue striped OCBD shirt could also work, probably just being a bit more classic menswear-ish.

The jacket is really comfortable to wear, and I haven’t experienced any issues wearing it for an entire day at work. Given that it is a substantial tweed, I may remove it from time to time, and sometimes the combination with knitwear makes me run a bit hot. But these are minor details and not really something to blame on the jacket. In fact I am sure that it will perform quite well as an outer layer in early spring (as long as there is no rain).

All in all this jacket has been a versatile addition to my wardrobe, both in terms of colour and cloth. The issue with the jacket having a fuller silhouette, limiting the trousers and jeans I can wear with it, seems like part of a broader issue with me sizing a bit up. Perhaps a topic for a future post.

Anyway, let me know in the comments if I have missed anything you wanted to know about.

Kigget.com. Prices on request. Cloth: Fox Tweed bunch (TD20).

This is the first of two installments reviewing my MTM Kigget Fox Tweed Jacket that I commissioned last year. In this installment I take a look at how I experienced the process, given that I am an MTM novice. In the next installment, publishing in two weeks’ time, I take a look at how I wear the jacket.

Before we get into it, a little bit of housekeeping: This jacket is not my first time buying from Kigget, an MTO turned MTM operation working out of Copenhagen. I have used Kigget’s MTO service before, and have three jackets, a corduroy suit and a pair of flannel trousers from Kigget.

Being one of the first customers of Kigget back in 2023, Daniel, who owns and runs Kigget, was kind enough to offer me a small discount on the first MTO garments. For this MTM jacket, I payed full price. Kigget has read this review before publishing as a courtesy from my side and to avoid any factual mistakes, but has otherwise had no influence on the content.

On with the business. The MTM process at Kigget is quite similar to other MTM services: An initial consultation and fitting in what Kigget calls sizing garments, a second fitting in a basted jacket and a third fitting in the final, finished garment. Daniel, the owner, who conducted the fittings, told me that the first fitting usually is optional when ordering following garments, but there will of course often be a consultation on fabric choice. Kigget keeps your pattern details as a starting point for future commissions.

I really enjoyed the fittings. Daniel is open and soft-spoken, and has that subtle authority that in my experience springs from knowing what you doing. Not loud or lecturing, but focused on the fit of the garment.

One thing that was important for me to communicate to Daniel was that I imagined I was going to wear the jacket with both jeans as well as trousers. This probably didn’t matter for the fit of this particular jacket, but I wanted to share this in the fitting both so Daniel could adjust to it if necessary (say, if I wanted to always wear a knit with a shirt under with the jacket) and so that he could get a notion of my style and preferences in order to further our communication and trust.

All three fitting were comfortable and rather effective without being rushed.

The Kigget house style is, as described on the Kigget website, a “… jacket with a wide lapel, an elegant 3/2 roll and a soft shoulder. […] A fuller fitting body, an extended shoulder line and some chest structure.” Now I already knew the house style from my MTO jackets, so I knew the style which seems quite contemporary. So the gains from MTM I was hoping for was 1) a better fit than MTO and 2) a jacket in a specific cloth, which I couldn’t find MTO or RTW.

The cloth I chose for this jacket is a dark brown twill tweed from Fox Brothers’ Fox Tweed bunch (TD20). The Fox Flannel website cloth shop offers a nice and simple cloth swatch ordering service which I took advantage of. Kigget of course also have swatch books from all the major mills and merchants.

I chose this specific cloth for several reasons.

First of all, dark brown is a jacket colour that I know I will give a lot of wear because it fits quite seamlessly with the rest of my wardrobe. I have several brown or brown-ish jackets already, but wanted something more subtle than the PoW tweed or houndstooth flannel jackets already there.

Second, I liked this particular cloth because it has a little grey in it. Other brown tweeds can have a little more colour in them, giving them a more rural, country estate kind of feeling. I wanted something that felt a little more urban and leaned in a cold-coloured direction.

Third, I specifically didn’t want a dominant pattern like PoW or herringbone, although these also can be very charming. I already have plenty of these patterns in my jacket wardrobe for colder weather, so a more plain and subtle pattern felt like the right addition.

After the initial fitting in the sizing jacket, which was a EU 48 block as opposed to the EU 46 jackets I previously have gotten from Kigget, I was looking forward to the second fitting. From the first fitting, a few adjustments had been made to the standard sizing.

The basted jacket actually felt surprisingly good when I first tried it in the second fitting. Not that I exactly knew what to expect, but the fit felt good. Daniel was less pleased than me, I think, and suggested a few adjustment for the jacket, which I agreed with, but honestly hadn’t noticed myself. That level of service felt reassurering.

At the third and final fitting I tried on the finished jacket. Everything was as expected, and I brought the jacket home with me. One tiny thing I did notice at the third fitting was that the jacket didn’t - in my view - sit exactly tight on the back of my neck. This is a bit of a pet peeve for me, and perhaps I was just hyperfocusing on it, because after a few wears, it’s not something I notice anymore and I suspect that the jacket perhaps just needed to settle a bit.

And to be fair, Daniel offered to make additional changes free of charge if I experienced any flaws after a few wears. Again, something that reassured me that I was in good hands that actually care about how their garments are worn.

In terms of the sizing, the jacket is made on a EU 48 block. I am usually either a EU 46 or 48 depending on brand and make, but I lean towards the latter these days. The jacket in itself has a broader shoulder and chest and more width overall than most of my other jackets. Not much in terms of centimeters or inches, but still visible (to me, at least). It’s really quite flattering in the shoulders and chest.

However, as much as the colour and texture fits quite seamlessly with the rest of my wardrobe, I find that some of my jeans and flannel trousers are cut a little too slim to fit proportionally to the jacket. Not a big issue, but this means I have less opportunities to vary the bottom when wearing this jacket. To illustrate, I currently have a rotation of five pairs of jeans I wear with tailored jackets, where only two of them have a fit I find proportionally works with the jacket.

The entire process took about 12 weeks, from first fitting to finished jacket in hand. This was in summer, which added a couple of weeks to the process due to summer holiday shut down in the Italian factory where Kigget’s garments are made.

So was it worth it? Yes, I would say so. In terms of fit I think there is definitely something gained from MTM compared to MTO or RTW. One place in particular, where I have noticed this, is in the shoulders and over the top of the back. Daniel adjusted the angle of the sleeve, which together with an added quarter or half of an inch on the top of the back better accomodates the slope of my upper back and shoulders. Here I can feel the difference compared to my other jackets. The jacket simply feels better balanced.

Waiting for a garment to be made at first seemed annoying to me. But then I came to thinking about what the waiting time actually made me do: Knowing there would be about three months’ wait - and the significant financial investment - made me consider this purchase deeper and more profound than if it was RTW, especially in terms of usability and versatility. As a direct consequence I went with a twill-weave and not a herringbone.

On a more abstract level, I think the whole idea of being involved in the process of making the garment come to life - whether it is choosing cloth, fit or simply knowing a small business owner like Daniel adds some value and joy to the wearing of a garment. It’s a bit similar to the feeling I get when I have mended a pair of socks, dare I say, some sort of connection with the garment. Perhaps this is taking it to far. Anyway, any questions, do let me know in the comments.

Kigget.com. Prices on request. I paid EUR 1740 for the jacket at the time. Kigget has since then adjusted their prices, and the price today for something similar will probably be around EUR 1900-2000. Suits around EUR 2600-2700.

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As a non-industry guy who takes a fair bit of interest in menswear, I was more than a little surprised when Mark Cho announced that he had sold his share in Drake’s. Last week Drake’s confirmed what was already known, that one of the richest men in Denmark, Anders Holch Povlsen, via his family holding company Heartland, now holds the major share in Drake’s. I have no qualifications or authority to deep-dive the business side of this, but I have reflected on the impact that Drake’s have had on my interest in menswear.

My gateway drug to Drake’s - and to #menswear - was ties and pocket squares. I think I picked up my first Drake’s tie and pocket square in 2015 or 2016, most likely on sale at Mr Porter, which I was a keen patreon of at the time. Then my relationship with Drake’s evolved into shirts and a lot more ties and pocket squares, and a sort of pilgrimage to the now closed factory sale on Haberdasher Street in London in 2019.

Also in 2019, I bought my first Drake’s tailored jacket and a pair of mid-grey flannels. While still very much a navy suit and tie guy back then, this was my first serious venture into the realm of separates. And then it just kind of grew from there.

Most ties and pocket squares I owned back then have now been passed on or sold, but I do still have about 10 ties and pocket squares of which most, well almost all, are Drake’s. Subconsciously I am perhaps hoping for a tie and pocket square revival in #menswear, though honestly right now I would feel a bit strange wearing either of the two.

Oh, and the jacket and flannels are still alive and kicking as part of what I wear in autumn and winter. I have recently had both jacket and flannels altered to a slightly more roomy fit, the jacket in waist and body and the flannel trousers in the leg width and hem. Although we’re talking changes of half or three fourths of an inch, I do appreciate having clothes that can be altered to accommodate natural changes and changes in preference over time. A garments that changes, but by changing stays the same.

Anyway, in recent years, as I have leaned more towards the casual end of menswear and focusing more on more hardwearing and tactile interesting cloths, I have ramped up a fair amount of Drake’s chore jackets, six to date to be precise.

The chore jackets in some ways sums up why Drake’s still has a strong appeal to me: They are design- and cloth-led, they are useful in a day-to-day wardrobe and they are distinctly Drake’s.

Drake’s is perhaps in some ways the easy choice in menswear: The name in itself carries connotations that I believe are mostly positive to most people (in #menswear), and with the full wardrobe range you are likely to find something you like and can add easily to your current rotation.

This is in some ways also the case against, because you might want to wear something a little more niche, and while Drake’s still might be niche in the mainstream, it’s somewhat mainstream in the niche. Also, if you’re leaning towards more classic and tailored stuff, there are probably better choices out there. And the same probably goes if you are really into workwear or denim.

The price point of Drake’s also regularly comes up in the #menswear conversation. Compared to other brands offering something often quite similar in construction, Drake’s usually is more expensive. Drake’s tailoring usually comes in at a price point close to or on par with the more budget-friendly end of MTM, which should by all means offer a more technical refined product. But, as it has been put forward often, with Drake’s you pay for design and cloth.

As an example, I picked up a Drake’s indigo selvedge denim chore jacket about a month ago. I had been eying it for a long time, but also made quite extensive research into alternatives, particularly versions made in Japan, as I wanted to see if the price point of the Drake’s chore (EUR 595) was justifiable.

In my research I found several chore jackets from denim brands like Full Count and Orslow, that are usually heralded for quality, at lower price points. Even Real Mccoys’ 8HU denim chore wasn’t that much more expensive than the Drake’s one (please note that some of these prices reflects buying from outside the EU when residing inside the EU). Still, I was missing something in the other brands’ chores.

For instance I’m am not a huge fan of a curved front hem on a chore jacket as I think it resembles a tailored jacket too much. And as much as I really can appreciate the meticulous work put into repro-focused garments, I don’t think a very boxy fit particularly flatters my frame and stature. Finally I also wanted a dark indigo denim, hoping it will fade over time and reflect how it’s worn. So I went with the Drake’s chore, which I expect to wear a lot in the coming months, as Winter turns to Spring.

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So, am I a 110% Drake’s Fan Boy? To a certain degree, yeah, I probably am. Drake’s has played a major part in my menswear aesthetics and style evolution - that clothes are to be worn and reflect you and the life you lead (although there are a lot less bistecca and wine late night meals in my life than in the Drake’s lookbooks).

The very colourful elements in the lookbooks are fun and inspiring, but I would have a hard time pulling it of with authenticity. The more classic signature pieces speak more to me, and I’m still short of trying out the Games series of jackets and trousers. I might be looking to pick up either a dark brown cotton-twill suit or a khaki cotton or linen suit this Spring to see if it really performs as well as both separates and as a suit as the impression that I get.

Finally, back to the change in ownership. Will it matter? Well, looking at Anders Holck Povlsen’s holding company Heartland, there is definitely a lot of knowledge about the more fashion-led part of the clothing business, with Danish fashion mastodon Bestseller at the core and major positions in companys like ASOS and Zalando.

The sheer size of Bestseller and Anders Holck Povlsen’s ongoing investments in for instance farm land both in Denmark and abroad, does from time to time raise a bit of critisism here in Denmark, as does the working conditions on (sub-)contracted garment factories in Asia. As it should.

Perhaps Drake’s is more of a pet project, as I understand that Anders Holck Povlsen have been a loyal Drake’s customer for years. Or perhaps there will be a “before and after” scenario happening, even though all communication has stated the contrary: Pursuing organic growth.

Either way, I remain a patreon of Drake’s for now, but will pay attention to how cloth choices and fabric compositions as well as design and production locations and conditions evolve. Something we really ought to do with all the brands in menswear that we care about.

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I have been a bit on the fence about wearing black jeans. Not that I haven’t worn black jeans in the past, no, I wore black jeans frequently ten or fifteen years ago (before my worsted suit years, that is). And it’s not like I haven’t noticed how black jeans - and black in general - have made quite the comeback in #menswear over the last couple of years.

Still, I have hesitated. Mostly because I on a regular basis - in the non-menswear sphere - see black (often quite tight) jeans worn where a pair of dressier trousers probably would do the job better - that is with a black or brown Oxford shoe, a light blue or white dress shirt and perhaps even a jacket of some kind (often, if not always, navy or blue).

Nothing wrong with that if it works for you, but I wanted to avoid that look and the associations I get from it and therefore found it a bit hard to see how I could integrate black jeans in my wardrobe.

Now I have found something that works for me. And once again, it is on the colder end of the colour palette and the rougher end of the texture scale (if such a thing exists).

The outfit shown and worn in this post illustrates how I have found a way to wear black jeans in a way that I actually enjoy more than I expected.

What I like in particular about this combination of garments is that they all feel quite easy and very enjoyable to wear at the same time: The Drake’s suede chore is perhaps the most important garment I bought last year, emphasizing texture, muted colours and less structure as guiding principles.

The Rubato Sportsman in Marble (pretty similar to the colourway Fawn, but more greyish) also illustrates that I currently lean towards knitwear where I a couple of years ago consequently would have worn a shirt.

Together with the black jeans (TCB 505 with black in both warp and wheft) and the cream/black Donegal Coat this is a rather unoriginal play from the Cold-Colour Playbook (If such a thing exists). I quite enjoy it, finding it subtle and considered at the same time.

Oh, and for the sake of completeness, the shoes are my Crockett & Jones Harvard loafers in dark brown cordovan and belt is Tory Leather.

I am not much of a “new year, new me” kinda guy. But as I recently checked the note on my phone that holds the (continuously updated) list of garments I am considering to aquire, I thought that entering 2026 it perhaps could have some relevance for readers if I shared some of it.

Now, if there is one thing years of having menswear as a hobby has taught me, it is that my wardrobe is shaped both by planned actions like this list and emerging ideas. In other words: When 2026 is over, there is a chance that I have added these garments to my wardrobe - but also a chance that I haven’t.

Anyway - on to the business:

A second pair of black jeans

Extremely late to the black denim party in #menswear, 2025 saw the return af black jeans in my wardrobe. To my own surprise, I really find them useful, and a second pair could be a nice addition to my jeans rotation. A lot of black jeans available right now, here are the brands I am looking at.

The pair I have worn regularly for the last few months is from TCB and are good value for money (more in an upcoming post). For another pair I’ll probably go for either Bryceland’s Lot 933 (below) or Rubato Lot 01. Judging by the measurement charts both models have a bit of room, but are more straight than loose in fit. Also, both models are made in Japan of selvedge denim, which I favour.

A dark navy high-twist suit

A basic wardrobe piece I haven’t actually had in years (I have two navy Canali suits from my years in consulting in store, but both in terms of cut and size, I have outgrown them). A simple dark navy high-twist suit should serve the purpose of being my fallback strategy for those rare occasions (large parties, celebrations and gatherings - both the cheerful as well as the sadder ones).

My wardrobe is currently mostly minded for my everyday life: work, doing stuff with the children and so on. I would - if not strugle - at least be somewhat challenged to find an appropriate outfit, were I invited to a formal event tomorrow. A well-fitted, classic dark navy high-twist suit will - I hope - add some value here.

In terms of brand and make, I am unresolved, as I am undecided about how much I want to spend. A more basic option could be Cavour or Berg & Berg, while other, more expensive (and likely better) options could be Anglo-Italian (below) or a local option in Copenhagen, Kigget (MTM).

A pair of Alden loafers

As some readers might already know, I tend to play it safe when I have found something that works for me. One area in particular is footwear, where most of my loafers are Crockett & Jones. In terms of fit, design and construction I believe that Crockett & Jones is a solid option for someone who wants a nice pair of quality shoes and is ready to spend a fair amount of money without going overboard.

However, I have for a couple of years been increasingly interested in branching out on the loafer selection. Not in terms of style, but in terms of maker: I want to try a pair of Alden’s. I do not expect the make to be much better than Crockett & Jones, despite the higher price point (here in Europe), but there is something about the style and design I want to experience myself.

So far in my research I have found out that getting a pair of Alden’s in Europe isn’t necessarily easy. Perhaps the scarcity adds to the interest. I have also learned that the specific last is very important not only for appearance but also for sizing.

I am undecided on model and colour, but as I associate Alden with cordovan, I am looking in that direction. Brown would probably be the most seemless addition to my shoe roster, while a black cordovan loafer would broaden the range. Below are the two options I find the most interesting: The full strap 684 in color #8 cordovan and the LHS in black cordovan.

A knitted tee

In warm weather I find a knitted cotton tee is a nice and subtle alternative to a shirt. I have a couple of knitted tees, but I am looking to size up a bit, so a new knitted tee is also on the grocery list. I will likely go for a crew neck instead of a polo-collar, as I expect to wear it underneath a chore jacket where I like to pop the collar. And while the double collar-pop-thing can work with heavier materials, I find it harder to pull of with lighter fabrics, as the collar easily collapses.

Colourwise a brown, beige or cream would probably work best with the rest of my wardrobe, but black could also be an option. Navy is perhaps the “normal” choice, but with a lot of browns and beiges in the wardrobe I am not sure navy is my first choice.

A chore jacket for spring/summer

I have noticed that I tend to lean more towards casual clothes in warmer weather and more towards (a bit) more formal clothing in colder weather. Probably not that strange, but this also means that I sometimes find my jacket options in spring or summer a bit limited. After all, as much as I enjoy my Drake’s suede chore jacket, it just isn’t that great an option when the temperature reaches 20 degrees celcius or more.

So I will be looking for an additional chore jacket for spring and summer, preferably in some sort of brown, as that would work well with both the jeans and shorts selection I already have. Green and beige/cream are other nice colours for chores in spring and summer, but I pretty much have those bases covered. The Plage Coat in brown from L.E.J. (below) or something similar is likely what I’ll go for.

The observant reader will probably note that the five items above really aren’t that groundbreaking. That is a point in itself. Indeed, I don’t actually find a navy suit that thrilling in itself (I would rather splurge on something like the Permanent Style Overshirt in deerskin), but it serves a purpose. The other garments and shoes seems like a quite seemless addition to the wardrobe I already have, which feels quite nice.

Will my purchases in 2026 be limited to the five items above? Probably not. No matter my good intentions to limit the amount of clothes I buy, I most likely will buy significantly more than these five items.

Over the last couple of years I have been trying to lower my consumption of clothes and shoes by tracking how much enters and exits my wardrobe. And while I reduced the amount added to my wardrobe in 2025 compared to 2024, there still is room for improvement. On that, I’ll keep you posted.

Finally: Please don’t take this as an encouragement to consume. These are just my considerations for myself, and what works for you in your context might be something completely different. It may be wearing the stuff you already have which after all probably is the most sustainable choice.

Photos from these websites: Bryceland’s, Anglo-Italian, Alden Madison, L.E.J.

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As 2025 comes to a close I would like to take the opportunity to thank you, dear reader, for following, engaging with (and subscribing to) The Soft Armour.

With the monthly The Soft Armour I share my experience and considerations about the clothes (and shoes) I wear. In a world where much, much more important things are at stake, I aim to curate a small space where you can find a bit of relief and room to breathe. I strive not to point too many fingers too often at others, but rather stay in my own court and share from there. I will make a continous effort to do so and to share my thoughts and considerations in a thoughtful manner.

Going forward, The Soft Armour will continue to post monthly and - at least as an experiment - make additional features available for monetary contributing subscribers. I hope this will add to the conversation. More info will follow.

Once again, thank you for reading, following, engaging and subscribing. Take care of yourself and your loved ones. See you in 2026.

Happy Holidays!

A few weeks ago I rewatched The Deer Hunter (1978) for the first time in about ten years. One of my favorite movies, the intensity of the storyline and the acting perhaps touched me more than ever before, but I actually came for something else: The clothes.

One recent rabbit hole I’ve been in is vintage US-made outerwear. Think Eddie Bauer down jackets and you probably get the picture. Or, if that still seems vague, think of Rocky Mountain Featherbed (RMF), and their meticoulous made Christy Down jackets and vests. Although made in Japan (and the brand owned by Japanese 35 Summers), there is no doubt that the ideal is American outdoor gear from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s (and the RMF brand, as far as I understand, has US origin).

In The Deer Hunter down vest and jackets are worn when leaving the factory or going hunting. An interesting style clue is that on one hand clothes are worn for specific occasions (the wedding/going-to-war-party, hunting or in Vietnam), and changed into purposefully.

On the other hand, clothes are also worn across different contexts, most notabely perhaps when De Niro’s character returns home and wears his M-65 jacket in a civilian setting. I think this highlights an interesting intersection between context and the self. Just because you leave one context physically doesn’t mean that it isn’t still with you.

Clothingwise I was inspired particularly by the layering that is dominant particularly in the first part of the movie: Heavy flannel or brushed cotton shirts layered over thermals and worn with down jackets or vests and of course jeans and boots. Layering is - besides being practical when dressing for a full day - one of the easiest ways to add some interest to an outfit without overdoing it.

Using pieces from my wardrobe, I ended up with something I rather liked: A RMF down vest over an Anglo-Italian wool shirt with an Iron Heart thermal underneath. And of course jeans and boots (however lightweight climbing boots). Perhaps a bit forced and planned, but really comfortable for running errands or taking the kids to the playground this time of the year.

Oh, and to top it all off: Earlier this week I received something in the mail: An Eddie Bauer Skyliner down jacket from the 50’s (Ebay). A few tears to be repaired, but considering that it’s only a few years younger than Bruce Springsteen, I think it holds up very well (as does he). And why the Springsteen reference? Well, my inner movie for songs like “The River” and “Born In The USA” are set in a setting that looks very much like the town from The Deer Hunter.

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It’s finally time to bring out the knitwear! But before the real freezing cold of Winter hits, knits a touch lighter than my heavy rollnecks is what I want to wear. And right now, my grey Permanent Style Cashmere Crew Neck gets a lot of wear.

Now, this piece of knitwear is not a new addition to my wardrobe. In fact, I’ve had it for two years and enjoyed wearing it tremendously. It has become a staple.

Over the course of a year there are a couple of handfuls of garments that I give the most wear overall. Some of these are more destinct, like the PS Donegal coat, but this knit is different: It is so subtle, yet refined.

The cashmere is dense, but not heavy. Worn directly to the skin, which I prefer, feels quite luxorious. Wearing it underneath my Drake’s suede chore makes me feel like a million - in a nice and subtle, non-flashy way.

I often praise versatility, and even wearing it with a tailored jacket seems to work, particularly with a bandana to frame the face. Something I didn’t fancy in the past, but have come around to lately.

It’s important to note that this knit, like many of the Permanent Style products, costs a fair amount of money. Not everyone can or indeed should spend on this. But if you do, there is a lot of value for money in this piece: The design is considered, the cut is flattering and the material is simply lovely.

It makes me feel content to have some garments in my wardrobe that I know works in a lot of situations, are easy to put on in the morning (key feature with children in the household), can be cleaned and cared for at home (also great with children) and are enjoyable to wear. Right now, all the above goes for my PS cashmere knit.

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Besides jeans, jackets and outerwear is perhaps the category in my wardrobe I have been building with most intent in the last 12 months. With Fall and Winter just around the corner, here is a handful of jackets and outerwear I look forward to bringing back from their hiatus.

Outerwear is an interesting category in the wardrobe in so far that I am more likely to wear the same piece several days in a row compared to, say, trousers, shirts or shoes. The functionality in this is of course that outerwear or jackets aren’t worn close to the skin or body, so the need for rest is perhaps smaller.

Outerwear and jackets are also often bigger investments financially, so I want something that both can take a lot of wear and work with different outfits in different scenarios. The side note here is that what works with what of course is personal preference. Hopefully you, dear reader, will take the following as some sort of inspiration.

Barbour Beaufort

OK, this might be the the least surprising one, but I had to start somewhere.

This was my first Barbour jacket, and I have had it for about seven years now (top picture in this post). I’ve rewaxed it along the way, and it feels very much me. Ideally, it would be a size bigger as I was a fair bit slimmer and preferred a tighter fit back when I bought it seven years ago, but it still works.

I wear the wax jakcet with pretty much everything, to work as well as on the weekends. I especially appreciate the spacious games pocket on the back which easily holds a cap or some extra pants or socks for my son’s daycare.

Last year I picked up a pre-owned Barbour Bedale to have something to swap with and give the Beaufort a rest now and then. Still, I think the Beaufort is the better option for a Barbour as it is a bit longer and thus covers a jacket underneath - and of course the pocket options. The Bedale, for me, is the more casual option and a little less versatile.

The PS Donegal

A major investment in 2024, The PS Donegal in cream/black is probably the coat I look the most forward to wearing. I was a bit late to the party (as I often am) with this one, but I was not disappointed: It is easy-wearing, versatile and oh so comfortable.

For me the PS Donegal works well with both flannels and jeans - and I have also found it quite flattering with my dark brown cord suit underneath. I really look forward to wearing it with a pair of jeans, loafers and a knit. Simple and subtly elegant.

Admittedly, The PS Donegal does cost a lot of money, and it takes both a willingness and some fortune to be able to spend that kind of money on a coat. There are probably other cheaper options out there that can keep you warm, and still some decent offers left in the pre-owned market. If I were to get a wool coat for less money than the PS Donegal, I’d start with the latter.

Drake’s Suede Chore

Another major investment, bought this Spring. Not getting into the discussion of whether Drake’s is overpriced, I will say that this jacket brought me a lot of enjoyment of wear in early spring.

So far, I’ve styled it with jeans and a tee, a cotton knit or a shirt. As I like to pop the collar, I have found that something without a collar underneath works best. The lux of the suede is what sets this apart from a more classic chore jacket.

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Berg & Berg Tweed Jacket

Picked up on sale in the beginning of the year, this didn’t get as much wear as I wanted before Spring arrived and it simply was to hot to wear.

I’ve had my ups and downs with Prince of Wales checks, and this I think is probably the last PoW jacket in a while. Contrary to a whisper, PoW checks, in my opinion, enters the room so everyone notices that they have arrived. Hence I think PoW works best in subdued colour schemes like this.

The tweed is a mid-weight which I find works quite well for my work setting, where I often must remove my jacket to not overheat when I wear heavier tweeds like my grey/black Harris Tweed jacket (Kigget Clothing). I am slowly learning (but sometimes still neglecting) that my fascination of heavier fabrics does not always correspond with where and how I will wear those garments.

RMF Christy Down Vest

Finally, there is the down vest. In some ways the odd one out in this selection, as I find that I unfortunately like the idea of the down vest more than actually wearing it. It’s a shame, because I really do think it’s a beautiful garment in all it’s functional glory. Looks great over a knit and I have also layered it over a tailored jacket. I like that look, but I recoignize that it for some is too performative and intentional.

My problem with the down vest arises on the bike in the morning: If I only wear a knit under the vest, chances are that my arms will freeze if the temperature is around 5 degrees celcius or lower. The rest of the upper body is nice and warm as the insulation is great, but the wind chill still hits the arms. After I experienced this a couple of times last winter, I opted for a coat instead. But this season I’m doing it: I’m wearing the down vest (when I’m not wearing one of the other four jackets in this post).

I will wear other coats and jackets as the layering season arrives and unfolds, but the five above - I hope - will form some sort of core capsule. Something I can always resort to - not just when everything else seems uninteresting, but also somewhere unfuzzy and safe to go for enjoyment of wear.

A couple of months ago I picked up something that I was’t quite sure was a hit or a miss: A chore jacket with a large embroidery on the back.

Another chore jacket, you might think? Yes. As I’ve written about earlier this year, chore jackets are central in my wardrobe right now. A good deal of them have some sort of refinement that, to me, elevates them just a little bit and adds some interest. Examples are my Drake’s suede chore jacket, where the suede adds a little sofistication to the workwear style jacket and my recently aquired L.E.J. Plage Coat where the cut and design makes is stand out (lovely piece, by the way).

So what was the appeal of this chore jacket? Well I would definitely be pushing it if I claimed that the embroidery, which takes up most of the back (and a little on the front), oozes of that subtle elegance I so often talk about. No, what first appealed to me was the shade of ecru and the herringbone cotton fabric. Judging a shade online (Ebay) is often a gamble, I find, but I had been on the search for a jacket in this colour and weave for some time.

The embroidery was the thing holding me back for jumping on it right away. I thought it was a nice and interesting detail, but was it too much, too flashy, too loud? And it’s not just an embroidery, there is also a text in there: “As good as it gets”. Would I end up walking around looking like a Live-Love-Laugh poster? Not very #thesoftarmour, now is it?

Anyway, I bought the piece and it arrived a week or so later. The chore jacket is a Drake’s x Aime Leon Doré collab. Ecru cotton herringbone cut in what - at least to me - seems like almost the same frame as the current Drake’s chore jackets, only a bit smaller (this is a 38 which fits like my Drake’s suede chore jacket, which is a 36).

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As metioned, I picked up the jacket on Ebay. The jacket is in good condition, however it had a quite heavy smoke smell when it arrived. To get rid of the smell I first aired it outside for a few days, and when that didn’t quite do the job, I soaked it in lukewarm water with some clear vinegar added. After that I let it dry and then aired it again. That worked.

My main concern with the jacket was whether I would find the embroidery too loud. So far, I haven’t (perhaps because it’s on the back…). I actually like how it makes use of the blank, ecru space on the back which otherwise would be a quite big blank space given the pale fabric.

Perhaps what appeals to me is that this is a form of ornamentation that isn’t formal, but still adds a bit of interest. In the current menswear environment classic accessories like the pocket square and the tie aren’t as dominant as pre-Covid, but I still sometimes want to wear something that is visually interesting - without overdoing it.

The first testing ground for the jacket was actually the first week of our summer holiday where we visited family and friends, took the kids to Legoland and a lot of other child friendly activities. Although I ran a little hot sometimes (the cotton is quite dense), I found I enjoyed wearing the jacket more than expected. The embroidery felt more like a nice detail adding some interest than like a loud logo desperately calling for everyone’s attention.

Back to daily routines and work after the summer holiday I have also worn the jacket a couple of times in the same way as I would wear any other chore jacket - either with a tee or a shirt under, and with jeans or my newly acquired green herringbone french pocket trousers (Rubato).

If I had bought this just one or two years ago, I am not sure I would have felt as comfortable wearing it as I do. But right now this feels quite like me, and serves as a reminder that what I wear can have both elements of stability and dynamic at the same time. Perhaps a topic for a future post.

Summer and summer holiday is approaching, and I wanted to share a few thoughts on a typical summer outfit of mine. Apparently, it appears to me, I have some sort of blueprint for dressing for warmer weather. And, unintentionally but not unsurprising, it’s really not that different form how I dress the rest of the year.

My summer/holiday blueprint the last few years has almost always been a variation over the same theme: Medium/medium-high waisted shorts, t-shirt or polo, overshirt or chore jacket and boat shoes or trainers. Shorts can be cotton or linen, t-shirt or polo can occasionally be a denim or linen shirt. Overshirt/chore is typically linen or cotton or a mix of the two.

Readers will observe that this doesn’t deviate much from what I wear most of the time anyway: A typical outfit for spring or early autumn would be much the same, except with jeans instead of shorts, a denim shirt instead of a tee and loafers instead of boat shoes. And come the colder months, the jeans will be swapped for flannels, the shirt for knitwear and the overshirt for a tweed jacket or similar.

As I write this, it occurs to me, that there perhaps is some sort of blueprint there, not just for each season or different kinds of weather, but across seasons and temperatures. Some sort of core, a core that is very much me. That seems kind of nice.

For summer, as well as in general, I find that I increasingly prioritize wearing something that makes me feel comfortable both physically as well as mentally. I want to wear something that feels like me, is comfortable but still fitted and also doesn’t stand out too much (just a little - we could call it the if-you-know-you-know factor). Also, what I wear on holiday must be children compatible and unfuzzy in general.

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Looking back - with the help of Instagram - I can see that what I wear in summer haven’t changed fundamentally over the past few years. Still, minor changes and adjustments continually take place. I have particularly noticed, that I - compared to three or four years ago - increasingly choose t-shirts or polo shirts over regular shirts, even linen shirts.

Wearing a linen shirt can be wonderful in summer, but with the exception of scourching heat like we’re currently experiencing across Europe, I often feel a bit too dandy-ish wearing one in a Danish or Nordic setting. Also, wearing long sleeves under an overshirt or chore jacket can be a bit too much. Finally, for me, wearing a shirt is usually associated with work, and during summer holiday I don’t necessarily want that feeling, although a linen shirt does feel more casual.

So what is the deal with the overshirt or chore jacket? Is it really necessary and doesn’t it sometimes get to hot? Yes and yes. Being a dad, summer holiday currently is a lot of going to the playground, going for an icecream, going sightseeing, going to amusement parks et cetera. In that context, pockets are golden. An overshirt or chore offers just that. Layering also makes it easier to transition from morning to midday to evening in the summer. Finally, the outer layer provides some comfort for me - the physical as well as mental comfort I mentioned earlier.

In the photos, which are shot in our garden earlier this week, I am wearing a typical summer combo of mine: Cotton/linen chore jacket (Drake’s), cotton knit polo (Berg & Berg), cotton shorts (Rubato) and my beloved boat shoes from Paraboot. Belt is also Rubato. This is not what some might call resort wear, but something that I would wear in the city or on day trips, taking the kids to a playground, going for a walk or similar. I find that the colours khaki, white, dusty green and brown work very well together in a summer setting, being a bit subdued and understated.

Having some interchangeable garments makes it more - at least in theory - easy to travel a bit light on holiday, as I discussed in last month’s post. I could swap the khaki shorts for some navy ones and keep the rest, swap the polo for a grey, white or black tee, swap the chore jacket for a navy or brown linen overshirt or wear trainers (or loafers) instead of boat shoes. Most of these combinations would work I think. And, more importantly, bring me some enjoyment of wearing.

Oh, and I don’t really dress like this all the time on summer holiday. Not at all. This summer I expect, once again, that my almost worn-out Birkenstocks Arizonas and an old pair of army training shorts will be the garments that gets the most wear.

Enjoy your summer!

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I tend to overpack, especially for shorter trips. Last week I went on a 24 hour trip, and I deliberately tried to restrain myself when packing. Here’s how it went.

Last week I went on a short one-night stay in Gothenburg, Sweden. The purpose? Attending a concert with the Swedish household name Håkan Hellström. I went with a childhood friend, who’s pratically been my life witness since the age of seven. Now, we try to do these short road trips each or every second year to have some time to catch up. This time too, we had a great time.

But back to what I packed: As mentioned, I am not great at travelling light - especially not for short 24-48 hour trips. I simply bring way too much clothes and too many shoes. There are probably several reasons for this, but it has definitely got something to do with me wanting to have some options and also playing it safe in terms of “what if…”. So I often end up with a huge bag of clothes quite unproportional to the length of the trip.

This time around I wanted to restrain my self a bit, and one of the tools was simply to limit myself with a smaller bag than usual. My go-to travel bag is a vintage french pilot kit back (still some available at Universal Surplus), as it easily holds clothes and shoes for up to a week (depending on activities and season of course, winter garments typically take up more space).

I have recently purchased a Porter Yoshida Two-Way Helmet Bag and wanted to road test it. A more spacious bag than it looks, but I would need to limit myself in what I packed.

My thoughts on what to pack went along these lines: No need for tailoring, but still need for something casual-elegant for going out for a meal and a couple of beers. I also wanted something that could be layered and work in a stadium concert setting (taking the risk of light rain or showers into account) and something where the different elements were somewhat interchangeable.

So here is what I packed:

• Dark Blue Selvedge Jeans (Allevol)

• Dark Brown Boat Shoes (Paraboot)

• Selvedge Denim Shirt (PS x 100 Hands)

• Heavy Black Cotton Tee (PS x Allevol)

• White Undershirt (PS)

• Navy Twill Chore Jacket (Drake’s)

• Jungle Jacket (Vintage via Universal Surplus)

• Cotton Knit (Rubato)

• Neck Scarf (Anderson & Sheppard)

• Two pairs of socks (Rubato) and underwear

Along with toiletries, a book and a few other things, this could exactly fit in the bag. It actually impressed me a bit just how flexible and roomy the helmet bag is (though it looks a bit better not stuffed to the brim).

In itself, the above gives some different possibilities, mostly varying jacket or tee/shirt/knit. Combined with what I wore for the trip, a few other combination were possible.

For the trip (Copenhagen to Gothenburg by train - a 4h ride) I wore this:

• Wax Jacket (Barbour Beaufort)

• Suede Chore Jacket (Drake’s)

• Cream Knit Polo (Berg & Berg)

• Mid-Blue Selvedge Jeans (Rubato)

• Dark Brown Deer Belt (Rubato)

• Suede Tassel Loafers (C&J x Anglo-Italian)

• Cap (Prologue)

All in all a lot of combinations with (relatively) few garments. For the concert (no rain) I went with the navy chore jacket, Allevol jeans, denim shirt and boat shoes. It felt quite “me” in the setting, and the concert was great as expected.

In retrospect I could have left the jungle jacket at home, as I only wore it sparsely. Or, if it hadn’t rained heavily when I left for the train station, I would probably not have brought the Barbour. Also, I didn’t wear the black tee, but opted for the cotton knit under the suede chore jacket on the trip back to Copenhagen. One of the two pairs of jeans could have been cream instead of blue.

Had the weather been warmer, I would probably have added a pair of semi-high-rise shorts, but kept tops and accessories, as I think they would still work. For a more holiday-ish trip, I’d probably swap the tassel loafers for some canvas trainers. Variations are endless, but for me context is king: Activities, location and so forth (The Time/Place/Occasion-Doctrine).

Now, these were my considerations. I’m sure readers have their own rules of thumb for packing for shorter trips without bringing one week’s worth of clothes. Do let me know in the comment section.

I like to care for the clothes and shoes I wear, as I am sure you probably do too as a reader of The Soft Armour Substack. But what kind of joy or satisfaction is it that I get from it? Here are a few thoughts.

Last month I rewaxed my Barbour Beaufort for the fourth time in the seven years I’ve owned it. A bit of a messy process, but I think this rewax was the best I’ve done yet. By all means nowhere near a professional factory rewax, but good enough for me.

To me, caring about my clothes and shoes is an integral part of having menswear as a hobby. I suspect it is the same if you are into cars, watches, gardening, barbequeing, miniature soldiers or whatever hobby you can have: To be able to do the fun stuff (wearing) you sometimes have to do the less fun stuff (caring).

But is it less fun doing the caring-part? I am not sure. To me, caring is dialectical to wearing: To care for your garments is necessary to be able to keep wearing them, and wearing them is the main reason they need care. And that, to me, sparks something that perhaps isn’t fun in the true meaning of the word, but definitely both meaningful and satisfying.

Caring for your clothes has both short- and long-term perspectives. Shining a pair of shoes will both make them look prestine right now but also help them last better in the long run.

There is also some form of psychological commitment in this. We put the time and effort into researching and learning - often in great, rabbit hole-like depth - about our garments. We track down that always-sold-out suede jacket or those hard-to-find-in-Europe Alden cordovan loafers, and to justify all the time and effort spend (which honestly could have been put more productively elsewhere), we have committed ourselves to taking good care of them.

Of course there is also a more rational and conscious approach to this: Spending an - often quite decent - amount of your hard-earned money on something, you want to take great care of it to be able to enjoy it for as long as possible. When I am able and fortunate enough to buy quality garments and shoes, the least I can do is take good care of them. Not by not wearing that jacket or those trousers - no, clothes are for wearing - but by caring for my clothes.

Finally, there is also something about the specific activity of taking care of your clothes, whether it is brushing off your trousers and putting them on a hanger after wear, cleaning and shining your shoes or re-waxing your wax jacket. The activity in it self becomes meaningful, you get in some sort of flow. I didn’t quite get there this time with the Barbour, but maybe next time.