Lavenham - Patch Perfect

What are your thoughts on patches? An eye patch looks rather dashing, particularly on a pirate or the man from the American Hathaway Shirt ads (below). Hard to criticise vegetable patches. But what about patches on clothes? Fine on elbows and unacceptable on knees? Patches on the elbows of your tweed jacket could say you spend a lot of time poring over Anglo -Saxon manuscripts and dusty tomes. I'd say that was a good message to convey. Patches on the knees of your trousers could say you spend, well, a lot of time on all fours. Not so good.

When it comes to elbow patches, they're obviously more fitting on country casual than city pinstripe. Patches in contrasting colours are probably best avoided - too Versace. The material needs to work as a patch too. Something hard-wearing like suede or corduroy.

Purple Patch for Lavenham

Step forward the patches on one this paddock jacket from Lavenham, who I'd say were going through a bit of a purple patch themselves. The Halesworth Elbow Patches quilted jacket, made in England, has cord elbow patches and collar, and a shooting patch on the right shoulder (for right-handed shooters). Patch perfect. They're available in blue and green.