When you discover something (anything) devoid of outside input. ‘It’, whatever ‘it’ is, becomes, and often remains, special to you. I’m like this with Cordings. I don’t take massive credit for ‘discovering’ the shop as being situated on the corner of Picadilly and Air St, it’s difficult to miss. Nonetheless, I was devoid of outside influence when, maybe twenty, twenty-five years ago, I first ventured inside. During the intervening time, they’ve had a few Bob out of me. Not as many as they’d have liked as, quite early in our relationship, I cottoned that sticking to their ‘Sales’ wasn’t a bad policy. Over the last decade or so, I’ve refined that further, by sticking to the last days of their sales. On my first expedition, I’d been knocked out by the place. It was like stepping into a bygone era and let’s face it, who doesn’t want to do that - occasionally?
Cordings isn’t ‘ream’ and the pricing reflects as much. While a tad more spiteful than you’d like, it’s far from outrageous. Yet, within that staid and kind of dusty old shop, there are garments that fall under the category of ream. You’ve just got to know where to look and for me, that’s the jacket rails. Eric Clapton once purchased one and was so impressed he turned into Victor Kiam and bought the company. Well, he bought half of it anyway. I’m sure you get the details up easily enough. On that old internet thing.
Eric’s not a badge judge as Cording’s jackets, sports coats, blazers, or whatever you choose to call them are exquisite. They do a couple of different cord jackets. I’ve got the ‘York’. It was love at first sight but they didn’t have my size in store and if I wanted one I’d have to wait a week or so, my love was so great, my desire so intense, that not only was I prepared to go full retail, I was prepared to go over and, I did so, by getting one from that evil Mr Porter. Yet, I’ve never regretted a single penny of that money and, six years on, that jacket still makes me feel great every time I wear it. What more can one ask from a garment? I think it’s meant for riding horses and whatnot.
The thing about Cordings is that you’ve got to see beyond the somewhat ‘staid’ vibe the shop appears to rejoice in. Then, there’s the staff who may well have been the inspiration for The Fast Show’s ‘Suits you” skit. Plus, much of the stock, with the Tattersall shirts and velvet-collared Covert Coats, leads one into Farage territory. That said, I’m partial to a Tattersall but that Covert’s all a bit Guy Richie for my part. They stock a few nice coats though. A good quality Loden and a lovely Mac, in the Picadilly. They’ve got various Macs but for some reason or other, the Picadilly gets my vote. All the coats and jackets are substantially marked down during the sales… Worth the wait.
I’ve never got on with the trousers. Partly because they’re not overly inspired but also, because they tend to have a high rise and man, that high rise is brutally unforgiving. I was trying on a pair of their chinos once when I fell prey to an ‘unguarded glimpse’. An unguarded glimpse being one of those horrendous instances when you see yourself in a mirror, without adequate warning. In my case, that’s around the two-minute mark…
I looked and felt, much like Toad from Toad Hall. My next thought was ‘Who are you trying to kid- you peasant? Images of the Royal Family flashed through my mind. They were the only swells I could summon as they’re the only ones I’m aware of. Anyway, it struck me that none of them are overweight. That old saying guys would use when referring to the fat around their gut Good living that." Maybe a century outdated. Fat, if not a sign of poverty, is one of bad living. Think about it, how many fat toffs do you see? Needless to say, I soon set about trying to lose some of that excess weight. ‘Trying’ is the operative word there because as you get older, it ain’t easy brother…
Cordings’s traditional clientele is the hunting and fishing mob. The shop sells stuff for the City Gent but there are a million establishments that do that, far better. Its strength, therefore, is in its vast array of ‘Tweeds’ none of which I’ve ever given a first glance, never mind a second. The odd bit of tweed’s fine but man, come on a suit?
Cordings knitwear’s very good. A typical lambswool jumper might be - at a guess- twice that of one in Marks & Sparks but as ever, you get what you pay for. Their colours are good and the quality of the wool, quite often, excellent. The moths have destroyed a few of mine over the years and you know those little fuckers like quality. They stock an array of Argentinian Polo Belts. I went mad on them for a while. I was going for a sort of Neil Young, Laural Canyon tip but some of the other people that wear them, are a long way from Laural Canyon. Physically and certainly, spiritually…
I got one jacket out of there, during the sales, that I was as pleased as Punch with. It was very reminiscent of the jackets depicted in the illustrations in Runyon's books. A bonus came with it being very easy to move around in. Apparently, the feature I liked was what’s known as an ‘Action Back’. My wife came in and instantly enquired “Why’re you wearing a shooting jacket?” I still wear it occasionally. It’s extremely comfortable…
