#bill's khakis

[rakishtilt]

It got cold.

[getticketsforthedance]

Country wedding (1)

[thepopinjay]

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Commuting home

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3/25/15 - #3 - Bill’s Khakis, Vintage LL Bean

[getticketsforthedance]

Hey there, how do you like the Bill's Khakis?

Thanks for the question. I like Bill’s khakis a lot, the quality of the workmanship is off the charts. That being said, if you’re considering a purchase pay attention to the fit that you’re getting, as there are 3 models. I stick with the middle size (the M2) because in my experience the m3 was too aggressively cut (very low rise and trim in the seat and thighs) and the m1 was just plain ridiculously huge. I have a pair that I got 3 years ago that I wear heavily, wash in the machine and hang dry, and they’re still going strong and only starting to get a little bit fuzzy on the edges. I cannot say that about any other khakis that I’ve owned (j crew, ralph, etc.). One additional note about the M2, it’s certainly not fashion forward, and if you’re a younger guy you kind of have to embrace the ‘uncoolness’ of the cut of these trousers. They’re not baggy or voluminous, as some on the internet will tell you, they just certainly are not slim. The pair that I wore yesterday are made of a lighter weight material, which shrunk more than the usual fabric when dried in the dryer before taking them to the tailor for hemming, so that’s always something to keep in mind. In summation, always always always get cuffs on your khakis, and make sure to check the usual second hand/discount markets (Ebay, STP, Ask Andy) before making a Bill’s purchase.

[putthison]

John Helmer Haberdasher in Portland

I found myself puttering around downtown Portland on a recent morning, and decided to type "menswear" into my phone and see what came up. Luckily enough for me, the answer was John Helmer Haberdarsher.

Helmer is the kind of old-school men's clothing store you find in the downtown of most major cities. It's been on the same location for nearly a century, its ownership is in the hands of its third John Helmer, and the staff are a mix of young guys in bow ties, old guys in bow ties, and women who would wear bow ties if that were a reasonable and tasteful option.

Walk into Helmer and you'll find the right half of the store taken up by hats of every shape and size. Sadly, it's tough to find a really fine hat these days at retail, and the best of these was only fine, but there truly was a selection to beat the band. After putting on and taking off a summer hat by the German brand Mayser about a dozen times, I resolved to buy it. I recently cut my hair quite short and the sun in Los Angeles is unforgiving.

On the left-hand side of the store was traditional haberdashery fare. Rep ties, Southwick sportcoats, and a clerk helping a customer with a custom order of Bill's Khakis. Behind glass was a beautiful selection of Alden shoes - I had to restrain myself from trying on a pair of shell cordovan plain-toed bluchers.

The service at the shop was uniformly excellent - you could tell that this was what these folks do, not just a summer job. The styling was uniformly, well, dad-ish. Maybe grandpa-ish... but if you expected something different perhaps you thought you were down the street at the high-end department store Mario's. John Helmer Haberdasher offers a comfortable place to shop for traditional clothes, and next time I'm in Portland, I'll pop in again.