Product Review - Jacamo Christmas Jumpers

That Dapper Chap shows us two Christmas Jumpers available from Jacamo in his latest product review.

Product

Jacamo. What do you know about them? 

They sell clothing for guys that are tall, wide and generally the size of a solidly built rugby player right? Well, in short, yes. 

They do cater for the larger guy and they do this very well, but that's not all they do as they also offer clothing for a more regular sized bloke like me. 

As with all good mens brands, jacamo have stocked up on Christmas sweaters, so I took the opportunity to grab a couple and test drive them for quality and service. 

As well at these two beauties Jacamo have at least ten more to choose from. Some at the more 'tacky' end of the Christmas jumper spectrum (but hey it is Christmas) and others at the more 'sedate' end. I opted for a more classy offering and something that can be worn during the entire month of December rather than just while you're stuffing your face with turkey on Christmas day.

The snow capped mountains on this blue sweater

The first sweater is a blue and white scene of snow capped mountains with good old Santa whizzing by in his trusty sleigh, zooming off to drop those much wished for gifts to children of all ages. I chose this one as it cannot be argued that it isnt a 'christmas sweater' but also because it's not covered with jingling bells and baubles like some I've seen.

The second is a burgundy sweater with a stags head on it. Okay it doesn't scream 'Christmas'  but with stags heads appearing on a lot of Christmas clothing and homeware it's an on trend, and more than acceptable choice.

The burgundy sweater with traditional stags head

Price

At £30 a pop, they aren't the cheapest Christmas sweaters out there. The price is pretty average, and won't break the bank. They have no wool content however and I would have expected some wool at this cost.

Postage and Packaging

The standard delivery cost within the UK is £3.99 and if you're in a hurry you can order before 8pm and get your items delivered to an address of your choice. Order before 12pm on Saturday for Sunday Delivery! They also offer a service where you can get your parcel delivered to a nominated address on a specific day in addition to the 'click and collect in store' option. So, whatever happens it won't be dumped on your doorstep with the risk of it being stolen!

The packing is functional and is simply there to protect the garments in transit. The sweaters arrived in a plastic postal bag, each sealed in its own clear plastic bag inside.

Performance

I was forewarned that Jacamo sizes may be larger than those that I could expect to buy at other stores. For this reason I chose a size small rather than the usual Medium I would buy. Size wise, its a perfect fit showing that Jacamo sizes are set as a size above standard.

The quality is fair for the cost. I wouldn't say they are a high quality knit, particularly as they are both 100% acrylic and have no wool content at all. This has its benefits however in that they can both be thrown into the washing machine at 40 degrees and even tumble dried. No laying flat for days on end while they drip dry and make your home stink like wet dog!

Harry chose a size Medium, as like a lot of teens he likes his sweaters on the larger side. I would suggest this would be a standard size large.

The stag sweater is a very nice design, however due to the way it is knitted it has a line across the top of the garment in the knit itself, this is where the colours are reversed on the inside of the sweater. I did try to iron it out but it's there to stay as you can see clearly from the image below.

Pertinency

If you're in the market for a Christmas sweater check them out, they have a good range from truly tacky to sensibly sedate. There will be a design that you like. Be aware of the sizing though and choose the size below that which you would usually order.

Other sweaters available from Jacamo

Pro’s & Con’s

The sweaters arrived quickly and were well packed. They fit well and look good, aside from the odd line across the top of Harry's sweater ,which isn't great.

The colours are strong as are the designs.

People

The team thought they were both good designs and immediately commented on the sizing. They said the sweaters were soft to the touch and they liked the colours.

It has to be said that none of them noticed or mentioned the line across the top of the stag sweater.

Précis

Overall these are a solid example of a good traditional Christmas sweater. Slightly more expensive that some I've seen and not as expensive as others.

I shall happily wear mine during the month of December but Harry will be sure to wear his from Autumn to Spring due to the acceptability of the design as one that could be worn outside of the season for which it is intended.

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The 'No Shave' Rave

That Dapper Chap looks at the current trend for beautiful beards and marvellous moustaches

Instagram men of facial hair: Messers Hall, Doyok, Millington and Huxley

November has become the hairest month for men with more and more gents taking part in the Movember challenge to raise money for great causes such as testicular cancer, prostate cancer and mental health. 

Funding 832 programmes across 21 countries the Movember event has become a significant global campaign and one that should not be sniffed at, albeit through a luxuriously manicured moustache.

There's no escaping it, beards are sexy and they are back in a big BIG way. It seems the bigger the beard the weaker the fairer sex become at the knees. Perhaps its the increased essence of masculinity that exudes from the follicles or perhaps it's that ladies have become bored with the super smooth Essex boy look, all coiffed and clean shaven and hanker for a rougher and tougher aesthetic.

Instagram thecollegechef9 sporting a wonderful example

The history of facial hair

But what goes around come around and beards are by no way a new invention. London based writer and Art Historian Lucinda Hawksley has recently released a book in conjunction with the National Portrait gallery which charts the history of facial furniture from caveman times to present day.  All cavemen had beards right? Maybe not! As she explores the possibility of their shaving routines! 

Moustaches Whiskers & Beards available
at Amazon for £10

Her book features many great images of men with beards and moustaches from gods and ancient Egyptian Pharaohs through Kings and actors to the modern day and the uniquely bearded Conchita Wurst. Along the way we hear of an Austrian man who was killed by his own beard and Henry VIII beard tax!

A taste of some of the hairy delights available in the book

Its an interesting read and it explores many avenues of this phenomenon and answers a lot of questions while providing many a fact and talking point for the pub!

One of my own ancestors Sidney Manning sporting a wonderful moustache

Five tips for caring for your facial hair

Due to the increasing abundance of well covered chins and top lips, mens grooming brands have met the demands of men looking for ways to trim, tame and temper their hairy offering. There are now numerous shampoos, oils and waxes on the market and here we look at some tips and products for good beard care:

• Keep clean - Keep your beard and moustache clean in the same way you would your hair and use a mild shampoo regularly.

Beardsley Ultra shampoo £18 from The Beard Emporium

• Keep trim - Unless you want to look like one of ZZ Top, invest in a good multi aspect trimmer or a pair of barbers scissors. Alternatively have your facial hair trimmed regularly by your barber.



The Remington Mens trimmer and grooming kit £68.99 at Amazon

• Keep it combed - Get yourself a wide tooth comb and use this every day to remove tangles and to assist with trimming



The GB Kent beard and moustache comb available from Amazon at £5.15

• Keep moisturised - After you have washed and trimmed, oil or moisturise your beard to keep it soft and pliable. Your partner will thank you for it. It will also prevent beard dandruff.

Penhaligons Beard Oil £45 House Of  Fraser

Murdock London Beard Moisturiser £24
House of Fraser

• Keep it tamed - Adding a tab of wax to your moustache and/or beard will enable you to give it shape in the same way as you may apply wax to and style your hair.

Captain Fawcets Moustache Wax
£9 at Carter & Bond London

THANKS FOR READING!

Product Review - The Burton Miliary Coat

That Dapper Chap reviews the Burton Menswear military style coat which came top of his recent blog on top five coats available from the current collection

We all know the Burton brand. Now owned by the Arcadia Group who also look after Topman, it's a well established British institution. With over 400 stores in the UK you're never far from a store. 

Product

For this product review I am focussing on the coat which came top of my recent blog on winter coats available from Burton menswear.

As we know, a lot of coats are inspired by military design, for example, the trench coat and the pea coat all have their roots deep in military soil. This coat however embraces this fact and doesn't pretend to be anything other than a Naval coat. With its wide ample collar, double breasted front and metal buttons embossed with Anchors, it's not a shy piece and is more of a statement coat compared to others we're seeing on the high street.

Price

The RRP is £99, and for a coat which is very 'now' it's well worth the cost, particularly as it is 65% pure wool.

Packaging & Presentation

This particular coat is a sample piece and was sent to me by the Arcadia group so didn't arrive in Burton packaging. from experience I know that items from Burton arrive on hangers and are sealed in clear cellophane bags before being sealed in plastic bags for posting. 

No, it isn't glamorous and opening the package isn't part of the buying experience as it is with more high end brands, where some of the packaging is as beautiful as the items itself.

Burton are a high street brand, their packaging is nothing but practical and functional, and is there simply to protect the garment during transport which it does very well.

Performance

As I mentioned above the coat is 65% wool and 26% polyester with 9% 'other'. It felt good to wear and was heavy enough for it to feel substantial but not too heavy that it felt cumbersome. I have a vintage Tweed coat by Dunne & Co and I really know I'm wearing it, it's very heavy. You can put this coat on and forget about it, knowing that you look good.

It fitted well, and gave a very slim silhouette. When done up it looks very sharp, it's a serious coat. It's a good length on me and finished well on the arm (if an inch long for me personally). I often find sleeves on coats a tad on the long side as I am slightly shorter than the average gent. Aside from having a bespoke coat made for my exact measurements I have no option but to live with it. Chaps taller than me (5'10-6'0) won't have a problem here.

The pockets were deep, and ample enough for a wallet and phone. The inside pockets were roomy too.

As it is a sample piece I didn't test it for it ability to shed water. It didn't rain during the shoot so I am unable to comment on its water resistancy, but with a significant wool content I would assume that it has a natural ability to keep the wearer dry in a shower.

Pertinency

If you're looking for a new, masculine style coat in a classic colour but with a distinct look, this is for you. It does stand out from other more simply designed coats, and you will get noticed in it. So, if you are a more sedate chap that likes to stay on the sidelines more, maybe a more basic style is for you.

Pro’s & Con’s

The coat fits well and looks great. It feels good on and is well made. While shooting however, one of the button did fall off and on checking the others it was clear that they could have been fastened better. I managed to reattach it for the shoot but we have to take into consideration the fact that this is a sample piece and has been to more shoots than I have, and maybe hasn't been cared for as much as yours will be.

It may be worth just adding a few more stitches to the buttons when you get yours however as they are quite distinctive and if you lost one it would be very difficult to replace it.

People

My team really liked the coat. There were no negative comments. "ooo, that's really nice" and "That's a lovely coat" were just a couple of the compliments that it received.

They thought the cost was very reasonable and that the quality was high for the price.

Précis

Overall it's a very good coat for the cost. It'll most definitely last you a few years and you won't be disappointed if you do decide to take the plunge and buy one.

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  Burton on social media

    

Autumn leaves

At last! The summer has finally said it's fair well and allowed those chilly mornings and cold evenings to grace us with their prescience. I know! I shouldn't wish for cold weather but it gives me such a great opportunity to layer up and pull out those wool blazers that I've been wanting to wear, not to mention, hats, scarves and gloves!

Just because it's the weekend it doesn't automatically mean you need to dress down! Why wouldn't you wear a tweed blazer and a bow tie on a Saturday to pop into town to buy a new SIM card? That's what I did, yes some people looked at me as if I was off to a winter wedding while others gave admiring glances.

With the leather side zipped boots I added a pair of dark plum cordoury trousers and a blue chambray shirt. As the trousers are a little on the big side I opted for braces rather than a belt to continue that vintage heritage feel.

The brown herringbone blazer and bow tie are a good match and give a very autumn feel with the robust wool fabrics in brown tones. It was somewhat chilly when I left the comfort and warmth of my home so as I left I reached for my new burgundy scarf.

I accessories with one of my own range of lapel pins and a spotted pocket square. Nothing too much as I felt the outfit had enough going on without unwanted adornments that could make it look cluttered and more like I'd had fun in the dressing up box! 

Where is it all from?

Brown leather boots: River Island

Fairisle socks: ASOS

Cordoury trousers: Next

Chambray shirt: Primark

Brown herringbone blazer: Primark

Brown herringbone bow tie: Primark

Pocket square: EBay

Lapel pin: home made

Glasses: Specsavers

Scarf: Next

Braces: Next

THANKS FOR READING!