The unofficial Drake's London Appreciation Thread

[K. Nights]

Anyone have shawl collar cardigans from both The Armoury and Drake's that can compare sizing? I have a 52 from The Armoury but I'm not sure if that converts to a 42 or 44 in Drake's sizing.

 

[mbb355]

View attachment 1501256
Drake's shawl collar cardigan (a size bigger than normal) and Drake's chukkas and socks. Blackhorse NW3 jeans (brand new) and Lady White t-shirt. (I love the idea of these cardigans but generally don't think I know how to wear them)

My personal opinion: these kinds of cardigans are amazing and work best as blazer substitutes worn over a button-down shirt and grey flannels or other high-rise trouser. But they also look great just as you’ve styled it here.

 

[Gerry Nelson]

My personal opinion: these kinds of cardigans are amazing and work best as blazer substitutes worn over a button-down shirt and grey flannels or other high-rise trouser. But they also look great just as you’ve styled it here.

Agreed. I reckon they can work with a button- down shirt, t-shirt, henley or even a thin mockneck/turtleneck.

 

[hpreston]

View attachment 1501256
Drake's shawl collar cardigan (a size bigger than normal) and Drake's chukkas and socks. Blackhorse NW3 jeans (brand new) and Lady White t-shirt. (I love the idea of these cardigans but generally don't think I know how to wear them)

My personal opinion: these kinds of cardigans are amazing and work best as blazer substitutes worn over a button-down shirt and grey flannels or other high-rise trouser. But they also look great just as you’ve styled it here.

Agreed. I reckon they can work with a button- down shirt, t-shirt, henley or even a thin mockneck/turtleneck.

I think they work really well causally as clemente has it styled and as Gerry states. They also work well a bit less causal with khakis or jeans still but with a flannel shirt or chambray button down. And of course they look great as mbb says as blazer sub, flannels an OCBD, even throw on a knit tie.

 

[Gerry Nelson]

I think they work really well causally as clemente has it styled and as Gerry states. They also work well a bit less causal with khakis or jeans still but with a flannel shirt or chambray button down. And of course they look great as mbb says as blazer sub, flannels an OCBD, even throw on a knit tie.

Thick, well fitted shawl collared cardigans are one of my favourite pieces of clothing.

 

[DavidLane]

I would just throw out there to leave a couple buttons undone, or open completely and it will look a bit more casual and a bit less stuffy.

-DL

 

[upflup]

Thick, well fitted shawl collared cardigans are one of my favourite pieces of clothing.

I completely agree here. I wear them several days a week through Fall and Winter. To work with grey flannels (when I actually went to the office), and a white OCBD all the way down to pajama pants and a white tee on weekends. They work with everything.

 

[tim_horton]

Agreed with everyone on shawl collared cardigans. They're like a less formal version of a sports coat. I wear them to work over dress shirts with flannels and corduroys to work, or with jeans on the weekend. Like sports coats, navy and brown seem to be the most versatile colors. I have one in teal as well.

 

[clemente21]

Agreed with everyone on shawl collared cardigans. They're like a less formal version of a sports coat. I wear them to work over dress shirts with flannels and corduroys to work, or with jeans on the weekend. Like sports coats, navy and brown seem to be the most versatile colors. I have one in teal as well.

I think I'll try them more with OCBDs moving forward - it looks a little bare with just a t-shirt to me, something is off (agreed that buttoning it up with a t-shirt doesn't help matters)

 

[Gerry Nelson]

Agreed with everyone on shawl collared cardigans. They're like a less formal version of a sports coat. I wear them to work over dress shirts with flannels and corduroys to work, or with jeans on the weekend. Like sports coats, navy and brown seem to be the most versatile colors. I have one in teal as well.

Nice! I'm thinking about one in camel next.

 

[Sammm]

Do you have a smaller chest size? I mention this because I was comparing lengths in my size but it looks like they diverge more in smaller sizes.

FWIW, mine fold over well, but I understand these things are different on different people. Just mentioning this as a reference point for others. I am 5'11" and a 42 if that is relevant for anyone else reading this.

Also, Bosie is having a sale right now and their sweaters are Harley. They can do brushing as an add-on.

Thanks for the info. I got a size L for what it’s worth – M would have been better overall for chest and length, but I have very long arms so there’s always that issue to deal with.

I really enjoy the silhouette of the one short vintage sweater I have, so I’m going to prioritize length over Shetland and go with Rubato for my next purchase.

 

[rob_ed]

totally agree. All the models in this season are making me question the proportions of the tailoring and whether I should just go MTM or bespoke for a better fit. I spent ages trying to work out if they’d changed the lapels the other day (I think drakes has the most perfect proportioned lapels, so i really hope they haven’t).
The other two models are so tall i honestly can’t tell if drakes now has jackets featuring heavier shoulder padding?
I also don’t love most of the website styling. The charcoal suit I posted is great but looks incredibly pedestrian with that grey blue chambray(?) shirt.

I have the brown houndstooth jacket from AW19 another poster posted above. Interestingly, I actually find the cut fuller in the chest and sleeves than the Drakes jackets I have from AW17 and 18. I understand they used different factories within this period, and as somebody alluded to earlier, they may have changed factories again. With the AW19 jacket, I also find the length slightly longer (by a cm or so) and the shoulders with a touch more padding. Unlike the other earlier jackets, the shoulder is almost slightly 'extended' by a cm on me - a look I now much prefer. In conclusion I like the cut of the AW19 Houndstooth much more than the earlier models. I hope this perspective helps.

Also agreed on how poor the new products look on the model. I'm assuming the model must be well over 6ft. But the shirts also seem to have been gathered/tucked so they look incredibly slim-fitting. I love Drakes for many reasons - one of them being the more 'classic' proportions and fits so shame it doesn't come across in the product shots!

 

[rob_ed]

This is what I mean by the shirts possibly being gathered behind the models back, making them appear super-slim.

 

[Dadacantona]

Agreed the styling is quite poor of late and raises concerns about the proportions of the tailoring in particular. I have two jackets from SS20 and the proportions are very good - a bit if drape in the chest, room in the waist and decent length. hope the latest stuff is the same.

 

[clemente21]

I have the brown houndstooth jacket from AW19 another poster posted above. Interestingly, I actually find the cut fuller in the chest and sleeves than the Drakes jackets I have from AW17 and 18. I understand they used different factories within this period, and as somebody alluded to earlier, they may have changed factories again. With the AW19 jacket, I also find the length slightly longer (by a cm or so) and the shoulders with a touch more padding. Unlike the other earlier jackets, the shoulder is almost slightly 'extended' by a cm on me - a look I now much prefer. In conclusion I like the cut of the AW19 Houndstooth much more than the earlier models. I hope this perspective helps.

Also agreed on how poor the new products look on the model. I'm assuming the model must be well over 6ft. But the shirts also seem to have been gathered/tucked so they look incredibly slim-fitting. I love Drakes for many reasons - one of them being the more 'classic' proportions and fits so shame it doesn't come across in the product shots!

Totally agree, and confirmed by Drake's (I was a 44 in 2017/18, and then a 42 in 2019)