The unofficial Drake's London Appreciation Thread

[Kid_Icarus]

Yes, that’s the model I have. The light navy version was available in the last online archive sale for like half off. I don’t think they’re too popular.

I wear a 3 in Orslow slim fit fatigues, but feel I should be in a 4 by now, 3 in 1-wash 105s and 4 in 2-year wash 107s. I don’t properly fit in 33 games chinos and Drake’s Denim, but would expect to at least fit well into a 33 Brazil-chino. Really a question of desired fit, I guess. I personally find the breed of very high-waist giant fit trousers very difficult to wear with a tucked-in shirt.

I agree with this comment. I picked up my regular size in the olive textured "Brazil chinos" because I like the deep color, the weight and the dressier hand feel of the material compared to other chinos I own (which are mostly RRL and orSlow these days). For the past few years I've gravitated toward a generally straight leg pant silhouette. On me, the leg of this particular chino was just ridiculously wide off the rack, kind of comparable to RRL's enormously roomy "field pants" which I sometimes like with sneakers in a very casual look on the weekend, but wouldn't typically wear otherwise. My wife, who other forum members might remember can be brutally unsparing in her assessments of my clothing purchases, said something to the effect of "Nice JNCOs" when I came downstairs wearing them.

Anyway, I had them hemmed and tapered by Wazin through Drake's and now they're much more useful, even if I do find the rise a little high for my taste.

For me the problem with a higher rise trouser like this is that they just won't sit at my natural waist and tend to eventually slip down to my hips no matter what I do. I don't mind the rise of other Drake's trousers (tailored and Games) as long as I'm wearing a jacket or sweater, but I agree that without some additional layer up top it's just not a silhouette I feel very comfortable wearing.

FWIW, I've had my other recently-purchased Drake's trousers tapered too; I find that off the rack they just have too much room through the thigh for my taste and wind up looking sloppy, especially from the side. On me at least they look like some image from a generic guide to basic menswear "don'ts" that points out the disastrous results of the mainstream male tendency to buy suits several sizes too large. Happily it's nothing some simple alterations can't fix.

 

[Trevallon]

Three observations about the current editorial on Drake's website:

At the Table Festive Special: The Guinea Grill

Max Halley returns to a Central London institution. A long lunch at the Guinea Grill

www.drakes.com

1. Max Halley is a great writer! I really like the piece, the lively tone, the mood and the descriptive qualities of it.

2. Max Halley really likes to wear his Drake's gear into the ground because I am pretty sure he had the crotch mended on his games trousers as is apparent in one photo. (I don't mean this negatively at all. One thing I like about Drake's editorials is that they often show people wearing, well, their own "worn" clothes and not the factory new stiff and crisp clothes you see everywhere else.)

3. This is the first time I see Michael Hill wearing something that doesn't speak to me at all. I am talking about the scarf in the last picture. The coat looks great but that scarf just vibes too much like something my matronly aunt would wear.

Might just be my small town ignorance though...

 

[wahnamhong]

Three observations about the current editorial on Drake's website:

At the Table Festive Special: The Guinea Grill

Max Halley returns to a Central London institution. A long lunch at the Guinea Grill

www.drakes.com

1. Max Halley is a great writer! I really like the piece, the lively tone, the mood and the descriptive qualities of it.

2. Max Halley really likes to wear his Drake's gear into the ground because I am pretty sure he had the crotch mended on his games trousers as is apparent in one photo. (I don't mean this negatively at all. One thing I like about Drake's editorials is that they often show people wearing, well, their own "worn" clothes and not the factory new stiff and crisp clothes you see everywhere else.)

3. This is the first time I see Michael Hill wearing something that doesn't speak to me at all. I am talking about the scarf in the last picture. The coat looks great but that scarf just vibes too much like something my matronly aunt would wear.

Might just be my small town ignorance though...

Yes it was a nice editorial! Saw tht scarf as well but immediately thought that it’s not a Drake’s scarf? Looks a bit off versus the green coat he is wearing (in terms of style, not colour).

 

[Wim]

Three observations about the current editorial on Drake's website:

At the Table Festive Special: The Guinea Grill

Max Halley returns to a Central London institution. A long lunch at the Guinea Grill

www.drakes.com

1. Max Halley is a great writer! I really like the piece, the lively tone, the mood and the descriptive qualities of it.

2. Max Halley really likes to wear his Drake's gear into the ground because I am pretty sure he had the crotch mended on his games trousers as is apparent in one photo. (I don't mean this negatively at all. One thing I like about Drake's editorials is that they often show people wearing, well, their own "worn" clothes and not the factory new stiff and crisp clothes you see everywhere else.)

3. This is the first time I see Michael Hill wearing something that doesn't speak to me at all. I am talking about the scarf in the last picture. The coat looks great but that scarf just vibes too much like something my matronly aunt would wear.

Might just be my small town ignorance though...

After all that meat and a magnum of wine, he might just have picked the wrong scarf in the wardrobe… Merry Christmas, everyone.

 

[Kid_Icarus]

Here's hoping a merry Christmas was had by all.

This is a question for any of you who own one of this season's melton donkey chore coats, either the regular navy one or the Johnston check. These are unquestionably great coats with tons of nice details both inside and out and a great proportion, and yet there's something about them that I'm curious about.

I bought my regular size (44) and while it seems to fit properly through the body with a little room to move, the "distinctive reinforced shoulder" (as the website copy describes it) is notably dropped, more so than I'm normally comfortable with. I don't necessarily mind it; just curious what others who've tried it on or own it think of this detail. I normally gauge shoulder slope and width as one of the main barometers of a proper fit, so I'm a little unsettled by the dropped shoulder, but probably overthinking it. FWIW, the guys at the shop (who I trust) thought the sizing was right.

If the look books are to be used as the standard, it seems like I got the right size. Comparable fit seen here:

And maybe a little less so here:

As much as I abhor the school of product photography on certain retail sites that features teenage models rigidly facing the camera full-on with arms straight at their sides and a blank robotic gaze in their eyes, this is one of those moments where I wish I could see the garment worn by someone else, fastened and with maybe a smidge less care-free attitude in the model's posture.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[ponderosa]

If it fits like the top photo, I'd stick with that size. Shoulder seems a little too clean for the style on the check; not bad but the relaxed nature seems better with melton and workwear inspiration here. The photos are a little more difficult to judge given the way his hands are stuffed into the pockets and splaying the jacket, sure, but I think you're probably on the right track (navvy railroad joke intended).

Will be playing with proportions here, too; ordered the (what I believe to be) heavier PoW raglan in a possibly oversized fit. Order confirmed but post-Christmas shipping elves still sleeping off the meat and magnum referenced above.

 

[Kid_Icarus]

If it fits like the top photo, I'd stick with that size. Shoulder seems a little too clean for the style on the check; not bad but the relaxed nature seems better with melton and workwear inspiration here. The photos are a little more difficult to judge given the way his hands are stuffed into the pockets and splaying the jacket, sure, but I think you're probably on the right track (navvy railroad joke intended).

Will be playing with proportions here, too; ordered the (what I believe to be) heavier PoW raglan in a possibly oversized fit. Order confirmed but post-Christmas shipping elves still sleeping off the meat and magnum referenced above.

Wise words, thank you. Enjoy the PoW. It is heavy indeed. I bought it on impulse in November and am glad I did. The fabric is really wonderful. The bold pattern is unlike anything else I own and I'm really enjoying experimenting with it. Wear it in good health!

 

[Ibiscus]

Hi everyone,
Few months ago I bought a checked wool shirt at Nordstrom (100% wool). According to the label, I washed it at 30. I shrunk at least 3 sizes… totally unwearable now. I should have wash it cold. Be careful if you own one of those. However, no problem with the models in brushed cotton.
NB: Drake’s did not want to go into it because I bought it from a retailer and Nordstrom didn't accept returns because I bought it more than thirty days ago.

 

[Freshnewduds23]

What would you guys characterize Drake's sport coat silhouette as? Particularly the shoulder and the chest.. I can't quite tell if it's a natural Ivy shoulder or more Italian? Also not sure how much padding is in the chest either. Any tailoring experts here?

 

[Wim]

Hi everyone,
Few months ago I bought a checked wool shirt at Nordstrom (100% wool). According to the label, I washed it at 30. I shrunk at least 3 sizes… totally unwearable now. I should have wash it cold. Be careful if you own one of those. However, no problem with the models in brushed cotton.
NB: Drake’s did not want to go into it because I bought it from a retailer and Nordstrom didn't accept returns because I bought it more than thirty days ago.

Oy vey. I had the exact same issue with one of last year's all-wool work shirts I wanted to combine with the olive cord games suit. I'd ordered it directly from Drake's, and when I contacted them about it, they immediately refunded the shirt in full. It is now my (petite) wife's favourite top layer on home office days. When we were in London a couple of weeks afterwards, I checked out the same shirt in the Drake's store, and found the labels with the care instructions had been removed! A bit odd, that.

 

[Ibiscus]

Oy vey. I had the exact same issue with one of last year's all-wool work shirts I wanted to combine with the olive cord games suit. I'd ordered it directly from Drake's, and when I contacted them about it, they immediately refunded the shirt in full. It is now my (petite) wife's favourite top layer on home office days. When we were in London a couple of weeks afterwards, I checked out the same shirt in the Drake's store, and found the labels with the care instructions had been removed! A bit odd, that.

Ha! My wife is very happy too with her new winter wool shirt!
They definitely should correct these care instructions labels…

 

[REdinburgh]

Hi everyone,
Few months ago I bought a checked wool shirt at Nordstrom (100% wool). According to the label, I washed it at 30. I shrunk at least 3 sizes… totally unwearable now. I should have wash it cold. Be careful if you own one of those. However, no problem with the models in brushed cotton.
NB: Drake’s did not want to go into it because I bought it from a retailer and Nordstrom didn't accept returns because I bought it more than thirty days ago.

Exact same issue - unfortunately I'd bought it second hand. Felt like it had already shrunk one size when I got it (fine, as I'm between sizes anyway) but became unwearable after one wash @ 30. Will be more wary in future!

 

[ikoiko]

Happy holidays!

Don’t love sharing fit pics, but this was snapped on a date night and since there was an ask to see the fit of the navy coverall, here you go.

Coverall 42
Cord Games 42
OCBD 16
visvim 01.2Mud 34 x 30
Viberg “The Outsider” 9
Wine Grenadine tie

 

[Freshnewduds23]

View attachment 2098873

Happy holidays!

Don’t love sharing fit pics, but this was snapped on a date night and since there was an ask to see the fit of the navy coverall, here you go.

Coverall 42
Cord Games 42
OCBD 16
visvim 01.2Mud 34 x 30
Viberg “The Outsider” 9
Wine Grenadine tie

Beautiful tie.. is it Drake's? Large knot grenadine?

 

[ikoiko]

Beautiful tie.. is it Drake's? Large knot grenadine?

Bingo. This one, being sold for less here if you’re interested.