Thursday 12 March 2009

Those Trousers In Full


Newcomers to this blog may well be thinking "Why do we need to see Mr.Ashley's new trousers?". Well, I made a thing about them a few weeks ago (six to be precise) when we went over to Holt in Norfolk to look at and try on a pair of High Rises as my Christmas and birthday treat at Old Town Clothing, and my loyal band of commentators have been equally fascinated by them ever since. Delayed gratification was stretched to the limit like an optimistic waistband, and so I rang their Miss Willey last Thursday. I heard her shoes tap away across the linoleum, followed by a silence where I thought I heard the tick of a station waiting room clock, and then the return: "They've only got to have the buttons sewn on". The rest was down to Parcel Force, who claimed that they came to my village on Monday, only to find I'd gone out. I hadn't. So they very kindly sent me a letter that directed me to a Post Office at the back of a grocers in Market Harborough. I tore the brown wrapping paper off and...I love 'em. Have I tried them on yet? Steady on, I've only had them a day. It'll be at least a week to decide which braces match the herringbone Harris Tweed. Delayed gratification kicking in again you see. However, some young know-all on the Guardian said recently that the people who buy Old Town's clothes must still have outside lavatories. Yes. So?

15 comments:

LostinManc said...

Love your blog - here's mine - hope you like. It's a bit irregular posting this here but book design is quite a passion of mine -

http://slavesofsolitude.blogspot.com/

Diplomate said...

I may have mentioned before, - the retired Belgian hooker, landlady of my then local, who used to capture her lovers by advertising massive brassieres - "...unwanted gift..." in the small ads - ALL her respondants were male on a quest for the larger lady, "bbbbiiig " as Benny Hill so delicately put it in The Italian Job... so Pedro, beware advertising your taste in underpants on your blog.

Thud said...

We can now rest easy.

Toby Savage said...

Just watch you don't spill your kippers on them.

Philip Wilkinson said...

...as the kipper of fortune falls on to the trousers of destiny and the braces of fate get caught on the doorknob of providence - we find it's time for a trip to the drycleaners.

Seriously hairy tweed, though. Excellent.

Anonymous said...

Just unwrapped an Old Town parcel myself today. Lovely Airtex shirts ready for spring cycling trips. (I've been quietly enjoying your blog for awhile so I thought I'd say hello.)

Peter Ashley said...

Hello Martin. Judging by your portrait I think we've met. You were half way down a bottle of McCallan. Get your Aertex in quick, Miss Willey says her supplier's running out of it, but it may just be the Nursery Blue or something.

Jon Dudley said...

At last! Your satisfactory purchase is tempting me to visit the emporium myself. The vicarious pleasure gained from the great Ashley trouser story has been almost too much to bear...unlike the strides themselves which look as if they're stout enough to withstand a .303 bullet at short range. How long does it take to break them in? and how long before you can bend your knees in them. Full road (or footpath) test awaited. Just the the clothing to wear to the opening of the new Towner Gallery with it's trendy new logo - see http://www.eastbourne.gov.uk/leisure/
museums-galleries/towner/

Diplomate said...

oh tousers ! - looking at the tweed I had assumed them to be underpants ! How silly.

Peter Ashley said...

Thankyou Diplo, I'm glad we've got that sorted that out.

Jon: Just looked at the Towner site, and feel the need to don trousers immediately and go and stand to attention in front of Charles Knight's Ditchling Beacon.

Jon Dudley said...

The worst of it is that the new Towner logo has found it's way into Design Week accompanied by a whole raft of post creative rationalisation. The gallery looks pretty good though. But back to the 'trowsers' - by jove they're handsome!

Peter Ashley said...

I might try 'em on tonight. Now, that Towner logo. You would've thought that a simple re-working of a Ravilious motif might've done the trick. Particularly as this is his 'home' gallery. Or even use his Alphabet Mug engravings with a suitable piece of type. But I suppose the designers thought that Ravilious was a stomach upset.

CarolineLD said...

Glad I'm not the only one victimised by Parcel Force's phantom deliveries! Hope the trousers prove worth the wait.

Ron Combo said...

A hat next, methinks

Peter Ashley said...

What do you recommend Ron? Black bowler, Fedora, Herbert Johnson Chicago Detective, Equador Coffee Planter?