Journal
King & Allen bring you all the very best style advice, news and ‘tailored’ articles. If you have a question that you’d like to see answered on our blog, send us an email to [email protected].
Standout Moments in the History of Women’s Power Suits
The women’s suit has a long and storied history that is innovative, exciting and, at times, turbulent. When we think of the “power suit” we often think of it as being a modern invention, sported by caricatures like Gordon Gecko. But we believe that the power suit, itself a bold proclamation of strength at the intersection of fashion and politics, has a longer history when it comes to the story of women’s suiting. So here are some of our standout moments in the history of the woman’s power suit.
Style Tips & Advice Celebrity Style Style History
Amazing Aquarret
Creating the perfect suit starts with a high-quality fabric. That’s why we work closely with renowned luxury cloth merchant, Holland & Sherry, to make sure we have the world’s best possible cloths available for our clients. While we place great value on traditional methods – for example some of Holland & Sherry’s pattern weaving hasn’t changed in 200 years – we also believe in keeping one eye firmly on the very latest bespoke tailoring technologies.
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Hype For Pinstripe
The term ‘pinstripe’ refers to the very thin, parallel lines that run through a cloth, contrasting with the main colour. Taken at face value, it would seem to be a fairly bland description of a simple fabric pattern. But the history of the pinstripe suit is anything from bland and, indeed, the suit itself has a host of connotations attached to it.
Style Tips & Advice Style History
Peaky Blinders: why we love Aunt Polly’s suit style
The new Peaky Blinders series is back with a bang and we’re not just talking about the storylines. As ever, Tommy and his crew look as sharp as the razor blades the real-life Peaky Blinder gang were rumoured to stitch into the peak of their flat caps.
Style Tips & Advice Celebrity Style Style History
The Bespoke Overcoat
Nothing pulls an outfit together more than the addition of an overcoat. It's been a staple in the fashion landscape for years and has recently had something of a resurgence in the public imagination...
Style Tips & Advice Celebrity Style Style History
Peaky Blinders: your guide to the iconic flat cap
The Peaky Blinders return to our screens on the 25th August 2019, guaranteeing two things: a whole lot of drama and a whole heap of sartorial style. But while each Peaky Blinder has their own individual suit style, they all share a love of one particular statement piece – the flat cap.
Style Tips & Advice Celebrity Style Style History
Dior vs Chanel: one of fashion’s great rivalries
The fashion industry loves a good bust up – think Yves Saint Laurent vs Karl Lagerfeld, Giorgio Armani vs Donatella Versace, Tyra vs Naomi. But no one did rivalry, or put downs, quite like Coco Chanel.
Style Tips & Advice Celebrity Style Style History
From Bowie to Lennox: The Suits That Rocked
Music and fashion have always been inextricably linked, with many catwalk collections drawing inspiration from rock and pop stars over the years. Here, we take a look at four of our favourite music legends, each with their own signature style, but all of whom really knew how to rock a suit.
Style Tips & Advice Celebrity Style Style History
LGBTQ+ Icons
June is Pride month. A chance to reflect on the strides made towards achieving equality and to acknowledge that there is still a way to go, as well as a time to celebrate the breadth and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community.
Style Tips & Advice Celebrity Style Style History
Ditch The Dress
On the 29th March 2014, the UK saw its first same-sex marriages take place. It was a landmark moment in the history of LGBTQ+ rights and the weddings themselves were a testament to love in all its forms. Five years on from this historical milestone, we look at how the wedding industry has changed and how we, at King & Allen have seen our business grow in exciting and unexpected ways, particularly in our provision of bridal suits for women.
Style Tips & Advice Weddings Style History
Karl and Daniel: Celebrating Ten Years of Tailoring in Wilmslow
As King & Allen’s Cheshire branch celebrates its 10th anniversary, we talk to two members of staff who have been there since the very beginning: store manager Karl, a firm customer favourite, and tailor Daniel, for whom suit-making is in the blood.
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A History of Women's Tailoring: Part Three
As we continue our celebration of women’s tailoring this month, we move on from how suits evolved through history to what’s hot now
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A History of Women's Tailoring: Part Two
In part two of King & Allen’s celebration of women’s tailoring, we continue our romp through the 20th century, highlighting the key suiting styles, as well as the people and events that had the greatest influence on them. Beginning with the austerity of World War II, we chart the rise of women’s liberation, and hemlines, in the sixties, through the excesses of the power-dressing eighties to the dawning of the new, 21st century.
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A History of Women's Tailoring - Part One
2019 is set to become the year for women’s suits – with everyone from the Duchess of Sussex, to Lady Gaga to Amy Poehler seen out and about in some sharp tailoring. While online searches are up 87% year on year, here at King & Allen we have seen our sales of women’s suits triple in the last year.
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I Just Called to Say I Suit You
With Valentine’s day coming up, we thought we’d treat you to the very best romantic tailoring terms (and we promise we’ve kept it clean!)
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Back to Work Blues
January can be a difficult time of year for some; going back to work after the Christmas break, finding you’ve put on a few festive pounds and the grey, cold days that seem to stretch on forever. We at King & Allen, however, are eternal optimists and this year, we’ve decided to lean into the ‘blues.’ Read on to find out why we have such a zeal for teal!
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Suits that Shocked
Halloween may be just around the corner but dressing to shock doesn’t have to be confined to fright night. Indeed, nothing leaves a lasting impression like an outfit that courts controversy, which got us thinking about our favourite ‘suits’ that sparked outrage. Here are our six all-star sartorial shockers.
Celebrity Style Style History
The History of the Button
In our fast-paced, modern lives, where trends come and go overnight, we can often take for granted the most fundamental of things. At King & Allen, we are huge fans of tiny details and believe that we should pay them the homage they deserve. With that in mind, we thought we’d delve into the history of the unsung hero of any bespoke suit: the button.
Style History