Amongst the numerous drops (Engineered Garments, ts(s), Rough & Tumble, Nanamica) at The Bureau over the last few days, this piece from Monitaly spoke to me. I couldn’t quite make out what it was saying. Could well have been, “you’ll look like a pair of tits in me.” As I say, I couldn’t quite hear. But it got my attention. And in time worn fashion, I began to analyse the price, the garment details and ponder whether the modern woman is attracted to men dressed as Friar Tuck?

Quiet apt really; it’s called a Monks Shirt. It’s an oversized shirt-cum-jacket, featuring a stubby stand up collar and a couple of welt pockets. You may have also noticed the colossal wrap-over front and the tie fastenings. I mean, how couldn’t you? That’s what it’s about right there. A sort of difficult to wear, hopelessly droopy when undone garment, that when done up makes you look like ‘Third Rebel Solider From The Left’ in an episode of Blake’s 7 set on a quarry planet. Again.

So there you go. Not for everyone. But I have a lot of love of Monitaly and if money were no object, I’d probably cop. Don’t sneer. This is what the kids are mad for bro. And by kids I mean, late-thirties to mid-forties, professional men, who blindly follow notions of authenticity, read Jocks and Nerds, exclusively wear Comme des Garçons fragrance and spend ten minutes each morning tugging at their faces searching for new wrinkles.