The unofficial Drake's London Appreciation Thread

[Nat25]

Anyone have photos of the hats on?

 

[dieworkwear]

Anyone have photos of the hats on?

 

[Vicferrari]

Definitely can be worn as a separate, hopsack and patch pockets make it casual enough.

I just got the Basketweave blazer and the suit. The blazer weaver, which has horn buttons, is slightly more airy. But the suit jacket can be worn as a blazer as well.

 

[Vicferrari]

Question. Are all drakes blazers and jackets unlined? Any particular reason if so? I’d think winter jackets should be lined but maybe they use heavier materials? Also many of the unlined wools can show the shirt color vaguely underneath, no? Doesn’t that really make the suits quite informal ? As in not for any formal office setting ?

 

[hpreston]

Question. Are all drakes blazers and jackets unlined? Any particular reason if so? I’d think winter jackets should be lined but maybe they use heavier materials? Also many of the unlined wools can show the shirt color vaguely underneath, no? Doesn’t that really make the suits quite informal ? As in not for any formal office setting ?

I am not sure every suit jacket or sport coat Drakes has produced is unlined, but it does seem to be their house style, unlined, soft shoulder, patch pockets. So most jackets/sport coats will likely be unlined.

If you are wearing a very light unlined jacket, and standing in direct sunlight, you may see some shirt showing through, but in normal light, it is not an issue.

I have a tweed from two season ago, and it is unlined, but certainly heavy enough to it be an issue.

They seem to have a navy and grey suit every season that would be office appropriate......

Grey Merino Wool Basketweave Suit

100% Wool, Made in Italy.

www.drakes.com

 

[dieworkwear]

Question. Are all drakes blazers and jackets unlined? Any particular reason if so? I’d think winter jackets should be lined but maybe they use heavier materials? Also many of the unlined wools can show the shirt color vaguely underneath, no? Doesn’t that really make the suits quite informal ? As in not for any formal office setting ?

I think for a while, and maybe still today, many men equated an unlined jacket with a "higher quality" jacket. The logic is that, since you don't line the jacket, you expose the internal seams, which means the tailor/ maker has to spend more time and effort to neatly finish those seams. When you line a jacket, you cover up all the internal work, so it doesn't matter much how the seams look. But when a jacket is unlined, you have to tape the seams so they look nice. Many guys assume that's a direct measure of quality, or it's a proxy for quality. You assume that no one would cheap out on the rest of the jacket if they spent the time to finish the seams.

I think a lot of these shorthands for quality end up spreading because they're easy to remember. Sort of liked cut buttonholes at the cuff or hand picked stitching at the lapel. I remember Alan Flusser had a list of things that he thought could be an indicator for quality on a tie (IIRC, it was something like matching fabric for the tipping).

But when consumers believe these things, it just ends up spreading throughout the whole tailoring system because then salespeople can use it as a salespoint. So then when you're at a store, the salesperson can say "oh look, the cuff buttons also work."

I don't know if there's any real clear answer on whether a jacket should be lined. Through convos with bespoke tailors, I've heard conflicting things. But some thoughts:

1. Some materials may have a propensity to catch on the back of your shirt. Or your sweater, if you're wearing a sweater. Lining a jacket ensures that won't happen.

2. I've also heard that lining a jacket can add some durability, although I've also never heard of the back of a jacket wearing out. Take that with a grain of salt.

3. I've heard mixed things regarding whether an unlined jacket wears cooler. One tailor told me that Bemberg is so breathable and light nowadays, he doesn't think it makes much of a difference. I live in an area where the weather is consistently around 60 to 70 degrees, so I can't say from personal experience. My lined jackets are still mostly fine in the summer. Still, I ask for my summer jackets to be partially lined nowadays.

4. Some materials may be more transparent. But if they are, that means they're open weave and intended to be worn in hot and humid conditions. Presumably, if you're choosing that cloth, you wouldn't want it to be lined. I think the transparency comes more into play when you get something custom made, as you'll want to ask about the color of the canvas and lining in the sleeves. But for RTW, all these factors are something the designer will have likely considered (and you can judge by just trying on the jacket).

5. For very lightweight cloths, I suppose a lining could help the jacket hang better. But those are pretty specialized fabrics (say below 9oz or so)

6. There's no formality in the lining, as it's unseen.

Regarding Drake's jackets, I don't think it makes much of a difference if winter jackets are unlined. The fabrics are likely heavy enough that they won't catch on the back of your shirt anyway.

 

[nostalgiaultra]

So then when you're at a store, the salesperson can say "oh look, the cuff buttons also work."

I've never understood this one. Unless they're handmade button holes, how is there any more inherent "quality" in functioning machine made button holes that have been cut open?

I guess it's one less alteration at the tailor but as someone who usually needs arms shortened on jackets, it makes shopping for RTW very frustrating IMO.

 

[nycs10011]

I guess it's one less alteration at the tailor but as someone who usually needs arms shortened on jackets, it makes shopping for RTW very frustrating IMO.

Fully agree, I take working buttonholes as a negative. I always need to get my sleeves shortened and adjusting at the shoulders is harder work, more expensive, and usually ends with inferior results. Unfinished sleeves should be the true mark of quality!

 

[Vicferrari]

Fully agree, I take working buttonholes as a negative, I always need to get my sleeves shortened and adjusting at the shoulders is harder, more expensive, and often results in inferior results. Unfinished sleeves should be the true mark of quality!

When I ordered my suits one came from Nyc and one from London. The Nyc suits are unfinished so you can take them up at the cuffs. The London have the cut button holes. Don’t ask me why this is so. Maybe brits genetically have longer arms ?

 

[yungchomsky]

The modern voice of classic elegance

The tailored cotton suit jacket is an exclusive collaboration between The Rake and Drake's. Its single-breasted, 2-roll-3 design includes two front patch-pockets, a ticket pocket, notched lapels and a left-breast pocket. Front darts and tonal buttons comp

therake.com

EDIT: Seems like therake.com prevents directly linking to product pages from outside or something, so clicking the link above will just redirect you to their homepage, but you can find the jacket on their site.

 

[inTROYspection]

To add to this, I've got two of the "heavy weight linen" over shirts and they're fantastic

Can anyone speak to the sizing on the 100% linen overshirts? I have a 41" chest measurement and typically wear 40R in sport coats ... would a Medium or Large be most appropriate?

 

[hpreston]

Can anyone speak to the sizing on the 100% linen overshirts? I have a 41" chest measurement and typically wear 40R in sport coats ... would a Medium or Large be most appropriate?

I think you would be a Medium.

I have two linen over shirts and two cotton over shirts, I’m a 42 and wear a large. (Exception below)

They fit well. Not too baggy, not too fitted

The only exception is a “washed linen” over shirt from last summer, they recommended sizing up on that model, so the washed linen is XL but fits like the others in Large

 

[zenosparadox]

Can anyone speak to the sizing on the 100% linen overshirts? I have a 41" chest measurement and typically wear 40R in sport coats ... would a Medium or Large be most appropriate?

I’ve just purchased one and took an XL. I typically wear 42R and love the fit of the XL. I could have taken a L as well, but think that these look better when not perfectly fitted (hence overshirt, I suppose).

 

[TokenMao]

Can anyone speak to the sizing on the 100% linen overshirts? I have a 41" chest measurement and typically wear 40R in sport coats ... would a Medium or Large be most appropriate?

I think you should go for large. I'm between 38R and 40R and take a medium in their overshirts, medium would be really slim fitting on you.

 

[hpreston]

FWIW my actual chest measurement is 43 inches. I usually wear a 42 suit/sport coat.
The over shirts in Large, fit very comfortably and are not all slim fitting.