I got an email this evening with sad news - to me at least: JJ Suspenders is going out of business. I've already ordered backup pairs of my leather suspenders, since I know I'll wear them out eventually. If you like those leather suspenders and/or want a pair (or a few pairs) of skinny, classic, or formal suspenders at a good price, head over to JJ Suspenders. Use code JJ70 for 70% off...

I had planned on going to Lock & Co on this trip if we could fit it into our busy schedule. Little did I know that it was literally 2 doors from John Lobb!! 🎉. Lock & Co. Hatters — The Home of Hats for 350 Years One of the highlights of my recent trip to London was visiting Lock & Co. Hatters at No. 6 St James’s Street. As with my visit to John Lobb, this was about much more than simply purchasing something. It was an opportunity to step inside a company whose history has helped shape classic British style. Lock & Co. traces its beginnings to 1676, during the reign of King Charles II, when Robert Davis opened a hat shop on St James’s Street. The business moved into its present home at No. 6 in 1765 and remains there today. In 2026, Lock celebrates its 350th anniversary, making it the oldest hat shop in the world and, according to the company, the oldest shop in London. It also remains family-owned—an extraordinary continuity in an age when so many historic names have become little more than labels. Walking through its famous green door feels like entering a living museum, except everything around you remains part of an active working business. The shop’s records include original customer ledgers, one of which documents purchases made by Winston Churchill. Seeing his name written across the page made the history feel remarkably immediate. Lock’s other celebrated customers have included Admiral Lord Nelson, whose distinctive bicorne was supplied by the company, as well as generations of British statesmen, aristocrats and cultural figures. Lock & Co. also played an important role in the development of one of the world’s most recognizable hats. In 1849, Edward Coke commissioned a durable hat to protect the gamekeepers working on his family’s Norfolk estate. Lock designed what it continues to call the Coke hat, although it became better known internationally as the bowler. It is one of those rare designs that began as practical workwear and eventually became an enduring symbol of British dress.

https://x.com/i/status/2082566597005169014