As some readers may know, Linkson Jack recently asked me to be a style advisor at his store’s new “private shopping” service. The service allows customers to pay a monthly subscription fee, which gets deposited into their Linkson Jack accounts as store credit. It’s a way, in Linkson’s words, “to make it affordable for men, whatever their financial position, to own really nice, bigger ticket items that they would not ordinarily buy.” Being a subscriber also means getting access to exclusive goods, special sales (beyond what he puts public, such as these $80 E.G. Cappelli ties), and style advice from either Simon Crompton or me.
I admit I find my being a style advisor there a bit strange, if only because I know a good number of people who are infinitely more qualified. On the other hand, I think I know more about style than I did ten years ago, when I first got interested in tailored clothing, so perhaps if you’re just starting out, I can help you flesh out some thoughts or tell you what the general orthodoxy is on things.
For the sake of transparency, I should note that I earn a 10% commission on any products I recommend to subscribers. The partnership I have there is quite natural, however, as I genuinely rank Linkson Jack as one of my favorite online shops. In fact, Linkson was recently so kind as to let me take an advance on a Glenroyal briefcase that I’ve been eyeing for months.
Glenroyal is a 35 year old Scottish company located in the village town of Kilmaurs, which thus far is famous for three things: its crossroad buildings, medieval jailhouse, and 200 years of leatherworking history. It’s here in this Scottish countryside that Glenroyal continues Kilmaurs’ tradition by producing leather goods with qualities rarely seen today. My briefcase, for example, is made from bridle leather (also known as harness or saddlery leather), which is a vegetable tanned cowhide that has been finished with fats, waxes, and tallow. Bridle leather gets its name from what it was originally created for: bridle straps used to connect to a horse’s reins. The material is prized for its functionality, beauty, and strength. Since it was originally meant to be worn by a horse, it has to be flexible enough to be manipulated, well finished enough to not rub (so the back has to be nearly as good as the front), and strong enough to hold since failure can be potentially life threatening. All of those qualities make bridle leather an excellent, if expensive, material for lots of other things, including briefcases made by companies such as Swaine Adeney Brigg and Glenroyal.
Glenroyal produces their bridle leather goods in a number of colors, including black, navy, dark brown, and London tan. I choose tan because I thought it would age nicely and take on a better patina over time. I also thought it would show off bridle leather’s natural white bloom. These blooms occur because good bridle is deeply impregnated with oils, fats, and waxes to keep it strong and supple. The white deposits you see are from the tallows surfacing. This is quite normal, and is a sign of the degree that the leather has been penetrated with fats and waxes (lesser bridle leathers can have a finish sprayed on at the end of its process). If you want, you can brush off the white blooms with a soft cloth and buff things back to a beautiful shine. However, I rather like the subtle white streaks that develop. They add character.
The briefcase is not cheap, and I imagine I’ll be working it off for the next couple of months (Linkson does carry many more affordable Glenroyal goods, however). On the upside, it looks fantastic with a suit or sport coat, and I now reserve my Lotuff and Clegg bag for more casual use. I can’t imagine using any other bag but this now when wearing a coat and tie.