For another early morning meeting I threw on the Same shirt and socks worn yesterday (had changed out of them after yesterdays early morning meeting as soon as i got home and they were close early today) Sorry for all the boring dimensions below but I am trying to illustrate a point. I’ve written many times about fit and the issue with modern coats and their odd dimensions. In one area however the off the rack coat works pretty well for me. I broke down a bought one on a 60% off sale from a very high quality store a few weeks back. At a 67 3/4” inch height and a 32” sleeve length and 29” inseam-off the rack clothing is a struggle. Added to that, my weight fluctuation over the past 10 years has seen me float between a 42 regular and 44 regular. Many guys don’t realize that the length of a coat changes between 42r and 44r off the rack. When I have had coats made in the past I have the length specified at about 30.25”. That’s what this 42R finishes out (covers ass checks and crotch). I am still less than pleased with the height of the button. The natural waist is where my body hinges (think little teapot song🎶). When wearing jeans or low rise trousers a little bit of that weird inverted triangle is to be expected (to offset I usually leave the coat un buttoned when wearing jeans). But normal mid rise or high rise trousers should make that disappear. That’s not the biggest issue with the button too high. The real issue is the sillouette of the coat. With a normal natural waist-high button, the shoulders are accentuated and the waist is narrowed (see pics creating an X where the right shoulder makes a line to your left hand at attention on the left side and the other half of the X left shoulder to right hand= silhouette: blue coat with red X is right; brown coat with yellow X about 3” too high) The top of the side pockets on the coat should be at the hip points with the natural waist just a few inches above. Where the body hinges-That is the button line. One of the challenges is the 3” or 3.5” lapel width presently. If you look at early 1960’s coats they too had a slightly higher middle button. At 4” lapels this is easier to get that lower stance.

For me, shoe restoration has never been about simply making an old pair look presentable again. It is about preserving craftsmanship from an era when shoes were built with integrity, recraftability, and character. In a world increasingly driven by disposable fashion, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for restoring legacy footwear — shoes that still possess exceptional leather quality, strong structural foundations, and the unmistakable soul that only time and wear can create. Much of my work has centered around heritage American and European footwear, including vintage Allen Edmonds wingtips, bicycle toes, and custom patina projects, along with refined European styles from Mezlan, including woven oxfords and other classic dress silhouettes. Many of these pairs arrived heavily neglected: dried and oxidized uppers, uneven factory finishes, deep creasing, dulled welts, faded color transitions, and years of embedded contamination that muted the natural beauty of the leather. Beneath all of that wear, though, there was still life in the shoes — and that is what I’m always trying to uncover. My restoration process begins with deep leather cleaning and decontamination using saddle soap, leather cleansers, and controlled stripping agents such as acetone or professional deglazers to remove failing finishes, wax buildup, silicones, and surface contaminants. I approach this carefully because the goal is never to aggressively strip the leather, but to reveal its natural character while preserving its integrity. Once stripped, the leather is slowly rehydrated and nourished using products such as Saphir Renovateur, Venetian Shoe Cream, and penetrating conditioners designed to restore flexibility, richness, and depth back into tired calfskin. I allow the leather time to absorb and stabilize before moving into color work. Leather responds best when it’s treated patiently. The artistic process begins with custom patina development. Rather than applying flat, uniform color, I build depth through layered dye applications using alcohol-based dyes, creams, and tonal blending techniques that create movement and transparency across the upper. My work consistently gravitates toward rich cognacs, museum browns, tobacco undertones, espresso burnishing, and antiqued transitions that give the shoes an old-world European character without looking artificial or overdone.