Laurie Hopkins Menswear Blog

A: Do we!!!

Since a Cruise has become the ‘must have’ holiday for many over the recent years, sales of Dinner Suits and Tuxedo’s have increased as well. However, as more and more people book 2nd, 3rd and more cruises, we are continually being asked the question, “I have a Dinner Suit and was wondering if there was something a little different?’

With this in mind and the fact that the up and coming Party Season is all most on us, we have bought a number of ranges that are definitely different!

Black & Silver Paisley design Dinner Suit

We have Velvet Dinner Jackets in Black, Purple and (although as we go to press we have sold half of them) a Black/Silver Lurex Stripe Jacket.

Black Velvet Dinner Jacket

Purple Velvet Dinner Jacket

Complementing the velvet Dinner Jackets we also have 2 wet look, metallic looking jackets that would also be great for Stage wear or Prom Wear.

Wet Look Hologram Print Jacket

Silver Metallic Stripe Jacket

Can’t get into our shop to buy your Party Jacket? Fear not, you can buy these via our on-line store Shirtnly.com by clicking the following link Dinner Suits, Party jackets & Stage Wear.

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Yes, you did read that right - here at Laurie Hopkins Menswear we have gone bananas!! We are giving away a FREE pair of Brook Taverner trousers with any Brook Taverner Tailored Jacket bought during September.

This really is a great offer, if you buy any Brook Taverner Tailored Jacket (this also includes any Mix and Match Suit Jacket) then you get a choice of a pair trousers from the Brook Taverner range FREE OF CHARGE.

You could chose one of the Moleskin trousers saving you over £75 or a Pure New Wool Cavalery Twill at £49.95.

Buy any Mix and Match Suit Jacket and get the trouser FREE of charge - thiss mens that the Brook Taverrner Caterham Suit is now ONLY £109 - a saving of over £50.

Hurry, this offer is due to end on Wednesday 30th September 2009 - don’t miss out on this deal.

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It was George Orwell who in his great classic novel Animal Farm first used the term ‘All Pigs are equal, but some are more equal than others’ and so this had to be the case for Mens Non Iron 100% Cotton Shirts.

Seidensticker Splendesto Non Iron Cotton Shirt

Whilst all are Non Iron, the Seidensticker Splendesto shirt has to be one of the best on the market; Not only does this shirt combine the superb handling and performance qualities you would expect to find in a 100% Non Iron shirt but it also now comes with Comfort 24 inbuilt into the garment.

Comfort 24 is an advancement in garment technology that uses nano-technology from Nanotex. Unlike other mens non-iron shirts which have a treatment that encloses perspiration, non-iron shirt which have Comfort 24 allow perspiration to escape the fabric, keeping both the shirt and the wearer comfortable for longer.

Further technological advancements have been included in the Seidensticker Splendesto Non-Iron shirts, not least of which is the Ascolite thermo fixed wrap stem system - what does this do I hear you ask! The Ascolite thermo fixed wrap stem system means that you will never lose a button again (their boast not mine!) and makes the buttons easier to fasten and unfasten.

The Comfort 24 coupled with both the Splendesto Cotton and the Ascolite thermo fixed wrap system really does make the Seidensticker Splendesto Non-Iron mens shirt ‘more equal than others’!

You can buy this shirt either in our shop or online from our Mens Shirts On-line store.

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Monday 16th February saw Jayne and Michael (along with Jayne’s daughter Lucy) travel to the NEC at Birmingham to visit the Moda Menswear show where many of our suppliers were showing their Winter 2009 Mens Clothing collections.

Amongst the many stands were Meyer, Bruhl, Douglas and Grahame, Gabicci, The Label, Rappson, Peter England, Seidensticker and a whole host of other menswear suppliers.

We opened an account with a company who supplies menswear which is so different to anything we have ever done before, we will in due course be letting everyone know just what we have found and what we are planning to do - all we can say at the moment is watch this space as its going to be very exciting!!!!!

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Whilst its still only January and no doubt we have a fair bit of bad weather still to come (especially if this summer is anything like last years!!) its always nice at this time of year in a menswear shop to see the new season stock coming in.

Spring is always exciting in clothes retailing, we see the dark colours associated to the winter months gradually give way to the brighter, lighter colours of spring.

Our banks of trousers (Have I told you we have over 1000 pairs of trousers in stock at any one time?) are the best indication; the arms that hold the trousers gradually get lighter as we fill up empty spaces with new stock that is arriving daily, gradually over the next 6 - 8 weeks, the whole shop will change colour - just like the countryside does as the spring bulbs first emerge from the ground and then start to flower.

Oh, I do like the spring!

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As we approach the Spring Summer 2009 season here at Laurie Hopkins Menswear, I am happy to say that sales have held up quite well both Pre Christmas and during our Winter Sale despite the credit crunch.

We put this down to the weather as much as anything (although quality buying and a great sales technique obviously help!!!), this Winter season has on the whole been dry and cold - ideal conditions for a Menswear Shop.

We have virtually sold out of Winter Coats - obviously the weather plays a significant role in this but also we have seen coat sales increase steadily since the introduction of the smoking ban because people who previously have never owned a coat never mind worn one - now find themselves stood outside in the cold having a cigarette!

Knitwear has also been a good seller this season, again this we feel is down to the weather as much as anything else.

Leather coats, made to measure suits and other ‘large ticket’ priced items have also sold through well - maybe the consumer is realising that he is getting so little these days in terms of interest in the bank that they might as well spend.

So here’s looking forward to a good Spring Summer 2009.

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Well, it seems ages since I last posted, many things have happened; Christmas came and went (as did our 2 days off!! - still role on next Christmas when we get 3!).

The new year came in and so did the start of our GENUINE MENSWEAR SALE. I say Genuine because we only have 2 sales a year, they are our Winter one and the Summer one where the stock we ordered for our menswear shop that is left is sold at reduced prices.

So, were now into our second week of the sale and trade is holding up very well despite what the media would have everyone believe.

We have many bargains throughout the store including bargain rails where all the stock on these rails is half price or less.

So, why not call into our shop and grab yourself a menswear bargain?

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For a few years now, the humble scarf has been transformed from a necessity into a fashion item and this year sales of the Scarf have gone ballistic with sales of scarves reaching record levels.

No longer is your scarf just there to keep you warm, its there to make a statement about you and your fashion sense!

At the recent Premiere of the new James Bond movie Quantum of Solace, a number of the ‘celeb’ guests were seen sporting scarves, not with hats and coats but with waistcoats and shirts, worn instead of a tie and in a similar way that your would wear a cravat.

Here at Laurie Hopkins Menswear we have one of the largest selection of Scarves available including, Silk Scarves, Wool Scarves, Camel Hair Scarves and even 100% Pure cashmere Scarves.

Mens Scarves - have you got a Scarf

So if your looking for the ultimate must have Mens fashion accessory for this season and need inspiration for a Christmas Gift Idea then look for a scarf and where better to look than Laurie Hopkins Menswear?

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We recently had a customer who needed an extra long inside leg trouser, his wife had bought him a 34″ Inside leg but it just was not long enough.

So after a quick phone call to Meyer in Germany they came up with a solution and supplied him with a pair of 36″ inside leg cotton trousers from their stock service range.

This makes a great alternative to having to have made to measure trousers and is so much quicker.

Whilst we don’t stock this length inside leg as a rule, we are more than happy to order these trousers on a special order and it usually takes around 4 working days from them to arrive.

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We are continually being asked for new ideas for little presents, keep sakes, momentos etc for the Groom, his Best Man and the other men in the wedding party.

The obvious ones are cuff-links however, we have now taken delivery of a range of Black Socks that are specifically aimed at the wedding market.

These socks come in Groom, Best Man, Father of the Bride, Father of the Groom and Usher flavours!

At only £4.95, they are great value for money and are guaranteed to stop that perennial wedding problem that is commonly known as ‘White Sock Blight!”

Black socks for the Groom

Buy Groom, Best Man, Father of the Bride, Father of the Groom and Usher socks here.

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