S.E.H Kelly

[nfrtr]

Exchange is an option then it would be good. I hope you talking about the navy one lol

Navy, yeah. Buying from the US makes exchanging difficult so I was hoping to nail it first try. Thanks again for the help.

 

[sehkelly]

Navy, yeah. Buying from the US makes exchanging difficult so I was hoping to nail it first try. Thanks again for the help.

At least on that account, rest assured that returns really aren't so bad from overseas back to London — we book a collection with DHL (at the expense of the customer) and then swap the item around fairly swiftly.

And shipping there and back is also with DHL, and to the US usually 2-3 days at most.

The cost of the return shipping from the US is usually about £25, even for very heavy or multiple items, which is only about £10 more than our domestic customers pay.

 

[easy1uckyfree]

Good to know about return shipping! Looking at getting the balmacaan and have some questions on fit.

I have a 45-46'' chest, and much of my outerwear is about 26'' pit-to-pit. Initially I thought that put me above XL on sizing and therefore out of luck, but earlier in this thread you mentioned both that: a) the XL balmacaan is quite large, and b) you sometimes have XXL balmacaans in stock that are not online. Is that still the case?

I was also wondering if you had width measurements for the sleeves at the upper arm for the XL balmacaan.

 

[fleblebleb]

Does anyone have an opinion about washing the "cotton airweave" at 30C? No spin, low spin, 400-600?

I recently received the slim trouser and haven't had them hemmed yet. I'm between sizes so ordered the size up and am going to have the waist taken in when I get them hemmed.

I'm pondering whether to think of them as dry clean only or something that I could wash routinely in the machine. The former is no problem but the latter is far more practical.

Paul, what do you say? Follow the washing instructions, or else? I think it is only a few weeks since you saved me from destroying a shirt that I was going to put in the wash-after-wear rotation.

Since I'm on the topic - would the "cotton calico" shirts stand up to being washed after every wear? Since the "S+" linen shirts fit me quite well, would I then order size M in the cotton calico to allow for shrink?

 

[10dence]

Does anyone have an opinion about washing the "cotton airweave" at 30C? No spin, low spin, 400-600?

I recently received the slim trouser and haven't had them hemmed yet. I'm between sizes so ordered the size up and am going to have the waist taken in when I get them hemmed.

I'm pondering whether to think of them as dry clean only or something that I could wash routinely in the machine. The former is no problem but the latter is far more practical.

Paul, what do you say? Follow the washing instructions, or else? I think it is only a few weeks since you saved me from destroying a shirt that I was going to put in the wash-after-wear rotation.

Since I'm on the topic - would the "cotton calico" shirts stand up to being washed after every wear? Since the "S+" linen shirts fit me quite well, would I then order size M in the cotton calico to allow for shrink?

I would advise against something as warm as 30C.

I have cotton airweave trousers in navy that I've washed a couple of times. I used the "gentle" 30 minute-program typically used for wool at 20C and 400. I turned it down to cold, no spin and hang-dried them. Liquid detergent and a tiny bit of softener (probably could do without that tbh). They've come out perfectly clean after.

They faded a bit, especially at points of stress, and the outline from my mobile I always keep in my pocket became a bit more pronounced. Normal patina all things considered as these are trousers I've worn most days since I purchased them over a year ago and they were a very deep navy at the beginning. They've seen days of sweaty physical labour, a few tumbles and terrible weather that have no doubt played a part in that. But I suppose dry cleaning would do a better job of preserving the colours if that's what you're after. But I saw some of the signs even before the first wash.

I suppose if they are a brighter colour they would be less sensitive to a warmer wash.But unless they are heavily stained, why wash them in a harsher program than strictly necessary?

 

[sehkelly]

If you don't mind, I will copy and paste this and add it to all future correspondence with customers.

I could not agree more.

We always recommend that, if washing in a machine, stick to 20ºc and never, ever any machine-drying. Washing by hand will always lead to better results, both in the short and long term, in terms of both size / shape and colour.

Dry-cleaning is the safest bet if you wish to keep the length of the trousers *exactly* as they are when new. Cotton (except when sanforised or with some sort of wash effect / treatment) will always shrink when washed: the trousers will behave much like raw denim in this respect.

The calico shirt, meanwhile -- the cloth has already been washed a couple of times, so a vast chunk of the "shrink" has been already removed. But still, it will shrink some the first few times it is washed at 20ºc or above, and given the choice between M and S, I'd go for the former.

 

[sehkelly]

Good to know about return shipping! Looking at getting the balmacaan and have some questions on fit.

I have a 45-46'' chest, and much of my outerwear is about 26'' pit-to-pit. Initially I thought that put me above XL on sizing and therefore out of luck, but earlier in this thread you mentioned both that: a) the XL balmacaan is quite large, and b) you sometimes have XXL balmacaans in stock that are not online. Is that still the case?

I was also wondering if you had width measurements for the sleeves at the upper arm for the XL balmacaan.

We do have a handful here in XXL, yes, with a pit-to-pit measurement of 25". From memory, we have the herringbone version in dark green, as well as the barleycorn version in soot grey and bark brown. If you are interested in these, drop me a line, either here or via email.

The XL is, well ... the balmacaan is true to size, so it seems large to me! But it's not large in the scheme of things sized to XL or to a 44 chest. I expect you would find it okay if worn over not much, but if you have a chest of 45-46 then you will be limited when it comes to layering.

The width of sleeve at the upper arm on the XL is 8.5".

 

[fleblebleb]

Thank you very much, Paul and 10dence, that’s quite helpful. I don’t want fading - or shrinking, for that matter - so I’ll keep those trousers in the handle-with-care pile.

Why wash at 30, that’s easy - we run light and dark machines at 30, most weekends, in our house, and anything that can go with is, minimal effort, no thinking required, simple. Whereas dry cleaning is something I don’t even do every year, anymore. The nearest dry cleaner that I know not to destroy stuff is more than an hour’s drive away. So, it’s about the convenience of running a full load, at home, on a weekend morning, when the sun is on the solar panels, etc. Routine western thoughtlessness, basically.

The stuff that doesn’t hold up to that tends to get hand-washed, as rarely as possible. Rarely, because I’m lazy. So the whole regime is sort of mostly motivated by laziness and thoughtlessness, I guess, but, then, there are also other things to take care of.

 

[espen]

Does the waist measurements on the dress trousers represent the maximum width of the trousers, or cinched in the middle? Wondering what the allowance is here as someone between two sizes.

 

[sehkelly]

Does the waist measurements on the dress trousers represent the maximum width of the trousers, or cinched in the middle? Wondering what the allowance is here as someone between two sizes.

The measurement is taken with the trousers fastened naturally, which I think is to the second eyelet along.

If you are between sizes I certainly wouldn't go for the smaller size: the front will tug and stretch. Better to go up a size and, yes, use the eyelets for adjustment, or have them tailored to size.

 

[Zc94]

Hey Paul, I placed an order on Friday morning (UK afternoon), email confirmation says it ships in a day or two. I was wondering if I’d get another email once it ships? Thanks.

 

[sehkelly]

Hey Paul, I placed an order on Friday morning (UK afternoon), email confirmation says it ships in a day or two. I was wondering if I’d get another email once it ships? Thanks.

You will, sir, yes.

DHL will send an email when the item is en route, with tracking information and the means to change the delivery date, etc.

 

[sehkelly]

The greatcoats are made, by the way, and to be photographed by yours truly later in the week.

Shirts, too, are "almost there".

The duffle coat is being cut today. Amazing how many meters of cloth you need for a big coat when the cloth in question is 70cm wide.

And then most likely the final batch of knitwear, likely completed before the week is out.

Slowly the wheels turn!

 

[Jnarcane]

Weekend with the fam, feat. the new trucker. The thing’s an absolute unit, as the kids say, and I’m wearing it everywhere I can (which is just about everywhere, this time of year!).

The second photo includes a second SEHK item, for the keen-eyed…

 

[ojaw]

Weekend with the fam, feat. the new trucker. The thing’s an absolute unit, as the kids say, and I’m wearing it everywhere I can (which is just about everywhere, this time of year!).

View attachment 1853783 View attachment 1853784

The second photo includes a second SEHK item, for the keen-eyed…

pants?
: )