I not too long ago tried Jake’s shirts for the primary time, after just a few years of figuring out Jake Wigham however assuming his softly made, straight lower wouldn’t be for me. Quite a lot of buddies put on and love them nonetheless, together with Lucas, Alex and Jamie, and it was that that swayed me.

Jake began the corporate throughout Covid when his work as a trouser maker lessened. He had gone to London School of Vogue to check bespoke tailoring, and began work for just a few Savile Row tailors quickly after together with Steed, Steven Hitchcock and Richard Anderson.

In truth, the primary time I met Jake was simply after Covid, when he was on his solution to John Simons on Chiltern Avenue; Jake made face masks and a few Ivy-inspired ‘enjoyable’ shirts for the store.

Ivy type has at all times been a giant affect for Jake, and that’s apparent as quickly as you see his imagery, workshop and certainly the shirts. It’s why he favours unstructured collars, six-button fronts and good collar roll.

Jake makes all his shirts to order. It’s a mannequin that is sensible as a result of he’s small, so he can’t essentially afford to carry numerous inventory, but in addition means he could be versatile. All of the shirts are made individually, with Jake doing the stitching and his apprentice Albert the reducing (each above, respectively).

This doesn’t imply they’re made to measure although. Reasonably, Jake begins with a set of sized try-ons after which clients alter the physique and sleeve size, in addition to after all selecting the material. He’s made just a few over time with PS Oxfords and our Selvedge Chambray.

Jake has a bit workshop in London’s Soho, a few flights up, and I attempted on a few sizes earlier than we settled on a measurement 15.5 neck. The physique size was fairly good, however we added a few centimetres to the sleeve size.

I picked a Thomas Mason linen, which was notably tremendous, and the shirt was £285. That is with a Thomas Mason fabric particularly although – shirts in inventory cloths that Jake has within the workshop are £205.

My shirt was exactly as ordered (not at all times a given) and as an informal, simple shirt I preferred the unlined collar, placket and cuffs. (Jake doesn’t do linings.)

The factor that was most fascinating although was the physique match, as I’ve by no means had a shirt that was lower so straight – with no shaping by way of the waist within the facet seams, not to mention darts.

As common readers will know, I’m comparatively slim and even when I’m doing a easy MTM shirt from someplace like Bryceland’s, I’ll often take one measurement down within the waist in comparison with what I’ve within the chest and shoulders.

The shirt seems fairly huge on me consequently, notably within the side-on shot under – a straight lower from the shoulders seems a bit tent-like. That is, nonetheless, what a whole lot of extra relaxed ready-made shirts are like on me.

The Rubato work shirts are like this for instance, and so I are likely to go for the ‘R’ shirt as an alternative, or have the work shirts slimmed a bit. On folks like Alex and Lucas this form additionally works higher as their proportions are totally different.

I’ve additionally realised in sporting the shirt the previous few months how a lot it’s a query of fashion.

Which will sound apparent, however generally it’s solely if you put on a method totally different from your personal that you simply begin to get some perspective – on each your regular type and the brand new one.

In any case, Jake himself is slim however likes this larger, barely blowsier look. And Alex and Lucas development in that course as nicely. I’m a little bit of an exception actually, having come from an concept of very intently fitted shirts and tailoring, and solely not too long ago relaxed a bit.

You may see that styling ingredient extra with the pictures of the shirt tucked in, just like the one under. In some methods it’s fairly a flattering look, although one which feels extra interval (80s/90s) and maybe extra fashiony in that method too.

The pockets are the primary time I’ve had massive, flapped ones on a shirt, however I feel they praise the look, in addition to maybe suiting the proportions. My 501s are comparatively shut becoming, and a extra relaxed match may additionally make for much less of a distinction with the shirt.

The make itself is sweet – nothing fancy, all machine however neat and constant – and Jake likes mother-of-pearl button.

In comparison with different shirtmakers, certainly one of Jake’s different huge sights is his sense of fashion, and that comes throughout in new tweaks to his design in addition to working with fascinating cloths.

He’s performed enjoyable shirts in quite a lot of totally different supplies, used block prints, does camp collars in several designs, and performed collaborations with Peplord, cartoonist Dick Carroll and Alex (the ‘Explorer’ shirt, modelled after the presenter Michael Palin). A few of these are under.

I’m wanting ahead to attempting my shirt extra over the summer season, notably because it seems to be a scorching one and this very open linen will really feel beautiful. It’s a little translucent, however the pockets assist fairly a bit there – one thing I hadn’t actually thought of.

I additionally at all times take pleasure in having my horizons widened, and experiencing others’ type extra intently. It at all times finally ends up having some sort of impact on how I gown myself, even when I don’t observe that new type precisely. It could be that a few of Jake’s different designs find yourself being those that hit the candy spot.

Jake’s shirts begin at £205 and are all made to order. He doesn’t do common trunk exhibits however did go to Alfargo’s in New York not too long ago. He’s now additionally beginning to supply made-to-order, high-rise chinos.

There’s a good run-down of the shirt types on the web site right here. The Gallery can be place to see a variety of the totally different types and supplies.