A Fine Man Once Said:

"Part of the 10 million I spent on gambling, part of it on booze, and part of it on women. The rest I spent foolishly."

- George Raft





Saturday, January 25, 2014

More from the Drake's Pop-Up Factory Sale at CHCM



I managed to sneak out to drop briefly into the Drake's Pop-Up Factory Sale at CHCM. Its always a pleasure to chat with Sweetu and company, and of course there is the added benefit of coming away with some wonderful pieces by Drake's of London. I call that a win-win.

While this year's inventory didn't quite match last year's, there's still more than enough to get excited about. There are literally hundreds of amazing ties on sale for $65, or 3 for $150. Dress shirts are $95, knitwear prices ranged from $75-95, and there's also a nice variety of scarves and pocket-squares as well.

I've been looking to replace my red gingham Hilditch & Key shirt - its starting to fray at the collar. The Drake's version has a larger check the H&K pattern, but I think it will look great with a navy sportcoat this spring and summer. I picked up a size 16 shirt at last year's sale, which is a bit snug after a few wearings, so I grabbed this shirt in a 16.5 - the fit seems to be perfect, so in the future it might make sense to size up a 1/2 neck size.



Personally, I thought the best deal was on the knitwear, while it was available. There weren't many of the cashmere sweater vests, and most were bright reds, yellows, and oranges, but Sweetu pointed me in the direction of a medium-sized light brown/tan version that will fit perfectly under a sportcoat or suit jacket. While I did see the Drake's representative wearing the same vest in the same color, I didn't see that color available on the Drake's site - so it might be rare, but definitely a steal.



The Shetland wool sweaters also seemed to be a great deal for what could be a fall/winter wardrobe staple in a warm mixed grey color. Sweetu was actually wearing the same sweater (with brown suede patch pockets) in a medium, which looked pretty good on him. Since he's a 38, I took a chance on a large size, hoping it would translate to a good fit for a size 42. After trying it on, I like the fit. The sleeves and waist have a nice tapered edge and the feel of the wool is surprisingly soft - almost as soft as the cashmere vest. I'm definitely looking forward to wearing this.



Finally, the tie selection is pretty great. By the time I got to them, it was already a bit of a mess, and I just didn't feel like diving in. That being said, I'm a big fan of Drake's print designs, and it took me about 30 seconds for these to catch my eye.



All in all, a good haul in my opinion. There are definitely some great deals to be had. Many thanks to Sweetu, CHCM and, of course, Drake's of London for their time and consideration in bringing yet another great pop-up sale to New York City!

No comments:

Post a Comment