Clearing Up The Details

During the quarantine, I have had a lot of time on my hands, as I’m sure we all have. There have been burst of extreme productiveness – including completing my undergraduate degree cum laude and starting my master’s program – and bursts of equally extreme inactivity, including hours spent loafing around (often in loafers) and consuming massive amounts of written, visual and audio content.

My latest binge is a podcast called “The Mr. Porter Podcast: The Details,” that I was turned onto by a friend, Peter Xu, created by online retailer and publisher Mr. Porter. 

Peter, who works at British heritage outerwear company Mackintosh, is obsessive about his details, going so far as to read fashion school textbooks on fabrics so he can better understand the construction and longevity of his garments. So I knew the podcast, with his stamp of approval, must be good. Separate from other Mr. Porter podcasts, this miniseries is dedicated solely to the intricate details that define menswear. The six episodes tackle the subjects of buttons, collars, labels, zips, pleats and stitching. Each episode ranges about a half hour long and covers many facets of the subject at hand. For example, episode one, which covers buttons, talks about the history of buttons, interviews button fanatics, and connects them back to how they fit into the grander scheme of menswear. 

The trad world is notoriously detail-obsessed, and this podcast is sure to be a hit for anyone who truly wants a deeper dig into the little things behind that oxford shirt, blazer, or overcoat. Happy listening. — TREVOR JONES