That book is work of total genius. Went to hear him talk about it to Martha Kearney at the weekend, coincidentally enough. American Vintage do t shirts with perfect neck BUT £££. (Also they are thin - can't stand a chunky t shirt). Thrilling re Dennis book!
2nd AV tees. They do this one fabric (not the majority of their t-shirts but they usually have a couple in it at any given time) that is so SOFT and light. I also like their regular t-shirts.
Ok going straight to American vintage. Splendid did/do great soft scoop neck t-shirts but net-a-p stopped stocking them and as far as I know you can’t get them in UK now. If anyone has further scoop neck white t-shirt tips would love to hear. (I don’t like slub cotton though, I want them jersey-ish.)
Yes exactly, jersey ish. Feel like this may practically be a post alone. My old Tatler pal Pip set up the shirt brand WNU and feel like someone needs to do the same for white t-shirts...
I looked at the AV website and their tees look a bit loose for me. I want a gently fitted one with a scoop neck, that’s jersey-ish. Not a single such t-shirt can I find in the UK.
Who knew I needed carrot jeans and a book about the Queen in my life? Though I don't think my local indie bookshop would approve of the latter. It's in Bristol. Say no more. I will however hit M & S in the next couple of days. Thankyou.
The Republic of Bristol? My daughters live there. It seems to be turning into that hippy/scary-criminal drug enclave in Copenhagen. Freetown Cristiania. But what do I know? I only visit in my scared country mouse fashion from deep dark Cornwall.
Exactly that. I always thought it should have declared independence after Brexit. But it's not so scary when you live there though the booksellers do Have Views.
On jeans: I LOVE baggy jean styles, and they just don't suit me. I think I have reached an age (ie. the middle ages) where I've decided I no longer care about what is cool, I care about what suits me. I like a saloon jean (or whatever it's called), and I like a high waist crop boot cut or flare. I like a high waisted stright leg that's very tight. But I can't do any of these pooling-on-the-floor or shapeless styles. Alas. My cool days are over.
I totally agree re the cool thing. I think I've just become aware in the past few months that my jeans are all ANCIENT and I really could do with an update. I just wasn't sure what would suit me. And the pooling-on-the-floor are a nightmare given our climate I reckon.
This is the third recommendation for carrot jeans I've seen in a week. I can see I will have to get myself along to M&S although I can't believe they will look anything like but ridiculous on me. I'm liking proper wide legs at the moment (yes it feels like acres of fabric but you do get used to that and I like to persuade myself that from the right angle and if you squint a bit I might look like (a short, fat) Katharine Hepburn in them.
The Craig Brown book is *brilliant* but I cannot persuade anybody else to read it because they all look at me differently once they think I am the sort of person who would enjoy a biography of the queen.
I’ve come to report back. I tried the carrot jeans. I had to go up a size but that’s not so unusual, Marks & Spencer sizing is a bit all over the shop. I quite like the shape. I went for regular length even though I’ve got very short legs and I’ve done a bit of a turn up, so they’re a little bit Dexys midnight runners but not in a bad way.
Cos. 24/7 Regular V Neck t shirt. But limited colours, and I find, because I tuck mine in, stripes plus tummy is difficult. But the V is a good depth, not too high, not too low, and the fabric is nice quality. I see having checked the name that they are currently offering black, white, and black and white stripes - even more limited than I had thought! But they have had summer colours too in the past.
Yes, that does look nice. I have a lot of time for H&M. Unfortunately it looks like the sort of neckline that makes me into a wall of boob (well, more like a brutalist hospital block of boob) and I haven’t sorted the necklace-to-distract-eye situation yet.
Oh my goodness can’t wait for the new book! Love the idea of a carrot Jean I have ventured for a wide leg Jean and so impractical for the country in winter and v uncomfortable with wellies. Skinny jeans for life here as Mrs Practical xx
M&S jeans are good in shape and length options and price. Except. How do they sell them at that price? The zips are cheap and surely there is some unpleasantness somewhere in the manufacturing to produce them at such a low price point? Having said that I recently went in search of some cropped black linen wide leg trousers ready for summer. In my past experience the good ones sell out immediately. Way before summer even starts. It’s like trying to get a Waitrose Christmas delivery slot. I tried Toast, Wrap and Poetry. They had good linen cropped trousers but not in black. M&S had them in linen mix so I bought 2 pairs and love them. Twenty something pounds as opposed to over a hundred pounds in the aforementioned
Yes I did wonder that re price. Are there fingerless children somewhere in the world making them? But then I thought, well, it's M&S so presumably not?! Is that v naive?
My daughter gave me some very wise advice: if a garment makes the model look frumpy/fat/uncomfortable/ridiculous then there’s absolutely no chance that it will flatter the ordinary mortal.
Ok NEXT time I go I will try a pair. But I still maintain they're tricky in the rain?! And I don't like the idea of jeans where you have to check what the weather's going to do before putting them on in the morning?!
A Voyage Around The Queen read by Harriet Walter as an audiobook is to die for. I have chortled my way up and down the country in the car, with it for company. Particularly loved the chapter on pronunciation!
T-shirt options: Uniqlo cheapest but decent, Cos slightly better, heavier weight and bit more expensive, then Rise and Fall for best quality cotton I’ve found recently. Before getting into stupidly-pricey Sunspel territory.
God, the barrel-leg jeans. I was so hoping these wouldn't catch on as they are just ridiculous, but here we are. And the horseshoe ones..? Even worse! Thanks for the pointer on carrot, instead. I've not tried those yet, but will give them a whirl.
Regarding the carrot jeans, it may depend on what type of carrot. Unfortunately I am more Chantenay than Nantes but may give them a try. 🥕
That book is work of total genius. Went to hear him talk about it to Martha Kearney at the weekend, coincidentally enough. American Vintage do t shirts with perfect neck BUT £££. (Also they are thin - can't stand a chunky t shirt). Thrilling re Dennis book!
Agree re chunky. All the M&S ones were very thick cotton which is not what I'm after. Want slouchier somehow.
2nd AV tees. They do this one fabric (not the majority of their t-shirts but they usually have a couple in it at any given time) that is so SOFT and light. I also like their regular t-shirts.
THANK YOU
Twenty Petworth do AV ☺️
Yes exactly, that is the one I mean. Wish could remember its name.
ME TOO! I'll be in Soho tomorrow and can pop in and ask :D.
OH MARVELLOUS! Thank you ❤️
Ok going straight to American vintage. Splendid did/do great soft scoop neck t-shirts but net-a-p stopped stocking them and as far as I know you can’t get them in UK now. If anyone has further scoop neck white t-shirt tips would love to hear. (I don’t like slub cotton though, I want them jersey-ish.)
Yes exactly, jersey ish. Feel like this may practically be a post alone. My old Tatler pal Pip set up the shirt brand WNU and feel like someone needs to do the same for white t-shirts...
I looked at the AV website and their tees look a bit loose for me. I want a gently fitted one with a scoop neck, that’s jersey-ish. Not a single such t-shirt can I find in the UK.
Who knew I needed carrot jeans and a book about the Queen in my life? Though I don't think my local indie bookshop would approve of the latter. It's in Bristol. Say no more. I will however hit M & S in the next couple of days. Thankyou.
I KNOW you think you know everything and yet... He's so brilliant.
Oh, absolutely not in the case of the Queen! By 'he' assuming you mean Craig? Yes he is and very funny
The Republic of Bristol? My daughters live there. It seems to be turning into that hippy/scary-criminal drug enclave in Copenhagen. Freetown Cristiania. But what do I know? I only visit in my scared country mouse fashion from deep dark Cornwall.
Exactly that. I always thought it should have declared independence after Brexit. But it's not so scary when you live there though the booksellers do Have Views.
“Wears My Money” is a jean guru - Kate has an awesome blog and advice on what to wear with them.
Very much want this book now x
OOOH thank you on both fronts X
On jeans: I LOVE baggy jean styles, and they just don't suit me. I think I have reached an age (ie. the middle ages) where I've decided I no longer care about what is cool, I care about what suits me. I like a saloon jean (or whatever it's called), and I like a high waist crop boot cut or flare. I like a high waisted stright leg that's very tight. But I can't do any of these pooling-on-the-floor or shapeless styles. Alas. My cool days are over.
I totally agree re the cool thing. I think I've just become aware in the past few months that my jeans are all ANCIENT and I really could do with an update. I just wasn't sure what would suit me. And the pooling-on-the-floor are a nightmare given our climate I reckon.
I, too, shudder at the teenage memories of damp jeans thwacking around my ankles all day.
This is the third recommendation for carrot jeans I've seen in a week. I can see I will have to get myself along to M&S although I can't believe they will look anything like but ridiculous on me. I'm liking proper wide legs at the moment (yes it feels like acres of fabric but you do get used to that and I like to persuade myself that from the right angle and if you squint a bit I might look like (a short, fat) Katharine Hepburn in them.
The Craig Brown book is *brilliant* but I cannot persuade anybody else to read it because they all look at me differently once they think I am the sort of person who would enjoy a biography of the queen.
I know EXACTLY what you mean. I feel pathetically self-conscious reading it on the Tube. And ooh how interesting re the 🥕
I’ve come to report back. I tried the carrot jeans. I had to go up a size but that’s not so unusual, Marks & Spencer sizing is a bit all over the shop. I quite like the shape. I went for regular length even though I’ve got very short legs and I’ve done a bit of a turn up, so they’re a little bit Dexys midnight runners but not in a bad way.
> Alternatively, you can ignore all the above and wear whatever the heck you like.
Well now we KNOW you aren’t a fashion writer!
That, and the time I asked Oscar de la Renta if his latest collection was based on Rupert Bear...
Jeans - I got some vintage 501s which fit the not skinny but not barrel shape perfectly.
T-shits - American vintage is my go-to, and Sezane, although I don't (yet) have any in white.
The key to Vinted is to know precisely what you're searching for. eg brand and style and size and track it down.
Thank you. I have just bought something from Sezanne and am newly obsessed with it. Not that I can necessarily pull off the Parisienne thing...
Ditched my skinny jeans last year. am I ahead of the fashion curve? No! knew they did not suit me and my belly.
My bootlegs- Boden Vinted- make me laugh precisely because I get transported back to 90’s world.
I’m after v neck t shirts. Anyone?
YES, well done you! And I'm going to see what recommendations come re t-shirts and report back...
Cos. 24/7 Regular V Neck t shirt. But limited colours, and I find, because I tuck mine in, stripes plus tummy is difficult. But the V is a good depth, not too high, not too low, and the fabric is nice quality. I see having checked the name that they are currently offering black, white, and black and white stripes - even more limited than I had thought! But they have had summer colours too in the past.
Thank you! Will keep an eye out. The H&M premium silk one is nice - recommended by Sali Hughes. But waiting for more colours in that too now
Yes, that does look nice. I have a lot of time for H&M. Unfortunately it looks like the sort of neckline that makes me into a wall of boob (well, more like a brutalist hospital block of boob) and I haven’t sorted the necklace-to-distract-eye situation yet.
Oh my goodness can’t wait for the new book! Love the idea of a carrot Jean I have ventured for a wide leg Jean and so impractical for the country in winter and v uncomfortable with wellies. Skinny jeans for life here as Mrs Practical xx
VERY good point I should have said that re wellies. I've paired wide legged trousers with them before and felt a bit like I was wearing plus fours?!
M&S jeans are good in shape and length options and price. Except. How do they sell them at that price? The zips are cheap and surely there is some unpleasantness somewhere in the manufacturing to produce them at such a low price point? Having said that I recently went in search of some cropped black linen wide leg trousers ready for summer. In my past experience the good ones sell out immediately. Way before summer even starts. It’s like trying to get a Waitrose Christmas delivery slot. I tried Toast, Wrap and Poetry. They had good linen cropped trousers but not in black. M&S had them in linen mix so I bought 2 pairs and love them. Twenty something pounds as opposed to over a hundred pounds in the aforementioned
Yes I did wonder that re price. Are there fingerless children somewhere in the world making them? But then I thought, well, it's M&S so presumably not?! Is that v naive?
I hope not
I’m SO with you on the Barrel jeans, they might be ‘in’ but they do look silly!
My daughter gave me some very wise advice: if a garment makes the model look frumpy/fat/uncomfortable/ridiculous then there’s absolutely no chance that it will flatter the ordinary mortal.
I like this a LOT.
YES! M&S jeans are it! I went for the flares and I only wear with trainers or flats. Highly recommend!
Ok NEXT time I go I will try a pair. But I still maintain they're tricky in the rain?! And I don't like the idea of jeans where you have to check what the weather's going to do before putting them on in the morning?!
A Voyage Around The Queen read by Harriet Walter as an audiobook is to die for. I have chortled my way up and down the country in the car, with it for company. Particularly loved the chapter on pronunciation!
T-shirt options: Uniqlo cheapest but decent, Cos slightly better, heavier weight and bit more expensive, then Rise and Fall for best quality cotton I’ve found recently. Before getting into stupidly-pricey Sunspel territory.
God, the barrel-leg jeans. I was so hoping these wouldn't catch on as they are just ridiculous, but here we are. And the horseshoe ones..? Even worse! Thanks for the pointer on carrot, instead. I've not tried those yet, but will give them a whirl.