Into the Halls of Sartor

Dannyalcatraz · Feb 10, 2026

Artamo said:
Oh gotta love it when they have easy returns like that!

I’m going to guess with Gustin it’s because they crowdfund the jeans and maybe that makes dealing with returns more difficult? I may try it because the price is low enough that it’s not much more than some store Levi’s now.

Remember to get precise measurements before you order.

And let us know how it goes!

Dannyalcatraz · Feb 10, 2026

I took a closer look at Mott & Bow’s jeans selection, and realized their products are available in 3 different weight denims. So I’m thinking harder about giving them a try.

OTOH…

Dannyalcatraz said:
I don’t know if I’ll ever buy another FCT polo, but with that kind of service, I will continue to recommend at least giving them a try.

The universe is having a laugh: the polo that made me give FCT a try now has a small but noticeable spot, low & on the left front. I’ve only worn this shirt a handful of times, too. I’m going to try to clean it, of course, but I looked at their site to see about replacing it, just in case.

Well, the color (very dark brown) polo I want is on sale (yay!) but out of stock in my size (hiss).

Worse, I checked some of the other DTC sellers I’d buy polos from and:

1) nobody has quite the same color available

2) the polos closest in color to the one I’m talking about are ALL out of stock in my size.

Dannyalcatraz · Feb 14, 2026

Dannyalcatraz said:
I took a closer look at Mott & Bow’s jeans selection, and realized their products are available in 3 different weight denims. So I’m thinking harder about giving them a try.

Upon further review, I’m not giving Mott & Bow a try unless & until they change their return policy. As it currently stands, they ONLY give you store credit if you’re dissatisfied with your purchase. That’s a red flag for me.

Dannyalcatraz · Feb 14, 2026

Dannyalcatraz said:
the polo that made me give FCT a try now has a small but noticeable spot, low & on the left front.

Spot eliminated!

Dannyalcatraz · Feb 27, 2026

The boots I took to the cobbler for a stretch feel MUCH better now, so that’s a win. Still, while I like their products in general, I don’t think I’ll be buying any more boots from either company.

Ryujin · Feb 28, 2026

I think that I'm much the same as you, in the range of style, though I don't have much in what I would consider the middle. My day-to-day is jeans, t-shirts, basic collared shirts (both long and short sleeve), and a variety of hats that I've mostly made for myself out of leather. I do have a Coburn Overcoat that I'll often wear over more simple stuff. The flocking on the collar and pocket tabs started to go so I just sewed leather over them.

If I'm getting dressed up then I go to a bit of an extreme. As you said fashion is transitive so I figured I'd go two or three centuries back, when I got tired of trying to keep around suits that would be out of style by the third or fourth wearing.

And remember, RBF never goes out of style.

Artamo · Feb 28, 2026

Dannyalcatraz · Feb 28, 2026

Artamo said:
Whose boots were these?

I brought the cobbler 2 pairs of boots for stretching:

1) Beckett Simonon tan balmorals
2) J. Fitzpatrick black Columbia Redux

Both are on the dressy side.

It was the same problem for each pair: they were slightly too tight where the lower part of the boot transitions to the shaft, no matter how loosely I laced them up. My feet are supposedly “high volume”- on the upper side of medium width. That, coupled with the combination of heavier leather and the slimmer profiles these makers used on these particular styles meant breaking them in was going to be difficult…or even impossible without assistance.

For the record, I’ve had NO problems with the J. Fitzpatrick monk straps or any of the Beckett Simonon sneakers I’ve bought.

Artamo said:
I’ve had my eye on a pair of Whites for yeeeeears but the price tag is just eye watering, and the measuring process just terrifies me lol.

Whites are pricey, but they’re definitely high quality.

My personal max price on dressy boots is around $600, but I haven’t paid that much yet. I got another pair of J. Fitzpatrick jodhpurs on clearance that were usually priced over $600. I paid just over $320. But I can’t buckle the top strap- courtesy of my build again.

I’m waiting to discuss it with the cobbler when he gets back from vacation.

For dress casual & more rugged boots like the Whites, I’ve shopped in the $200-450 range. I’ve purchased a couple pairs each of Thursdays, Grant Stones, Allen Edmonds and Parkhursts, as well as one pair of Trumans.

Of those, the Trumans are probably the closest to Whites I’m likely ever to buy. They’re made with the heaviest leathers. Some are pretty exotic in terms of hide type or color. (Mine are turquoise Rambler suede!) None of theirs are dressy in any way- all are classic, rugged work/heritage/jumper style boots.

Parkhurst has nice leathers and colors, and are clearly well made. But they’re not quite as rugged as the Trumans. They don’t have a lot of different styles although they’re increasing their variety. They also tend to have decent variations within a given style. As I recall, Parkhurst is a small (possibly solo) operation, so production runs are small.

Grant Stone is a good blend of quality and affordability. Their line has a great mix of different styles and colors/hides within a given style. Some are dressy, some are more “work coded”.

Allen Edmonds is probably the biggest name on the list- an honest to goodness American tradition. Most of them are dressy, but some have a more rugged style to them. They’re well made, but not as good as they used to be. Experts say they’re not worth what they ask for full price, but are definitely a good buy on sale. Both of mine were deeply discounted, and I’m quite happy with them.

Thursdays are the cheapest and easiest to break in. They have the widest variety of styles. They’re good looking AND resoleable, but slightly less well made than the others listed above. They also have a generally dressier, sleeker look compared to the others mentioned, even their most rugged styles.