In this customer spotlight, we sat down with Jack Ling to discuss his love of Ivy League style and his impressive career as a sub-editor at The Times. Jack has spent years writing about an eclectic range of subjects, from the finer points of bow ties to the quiet terror of clothes moths, while also helming an expansive travel series that has taken him from ancient Peruvian ruins to destinations far beyond. Throughout it all, his passion for menswear runs like a thread through his work.
We talk to Jack about his formative clothing purchases at TK Maxx, his disdain for gingham, and why he feels he can live without J. Press or Brooks Brothers, so long as John Simons remains a staple of London's menswear scene.
CAN YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF CLOTHING YOU PURCHASED? WHAT WAS IT AND WHERE WAS IT BOUGHT?
A Hackett covert coat from TK Maxx in Camberley. It was like finding an E-Type in a barn. I paid £150 reduced from about £500. It so impressed a regular at my local pub that he tried to buy it off my back. I told him where to go but regretted it later when a red pen in the pocket exploded, killing the coat. It is now buried in my wardrobe.
WHEN WAS YOUR FIRST VISIT TO THE SHOP, AND WHAT WERE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS?
In 2022, to buy a new coat. My first impression was the cheerfulness of Sean and the rest of the staff, who make spending time and money there easy. I left with a tweed overcoat and have since added three sport coats and a pair of chinos. As long as John Simons exists, I won’t mind not having J. Press or Brooks Brothers on this side of the Pond.
WHAT ITEM OF CLOTHING COULD YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT?
A navy Ralph Lauren blazer I bought off Christian Chensvold, the founder of ivy-style.com. Navy goes with everything and the shoulders fit perfectly, though I did replace the brass buttons (I found them a bit flashy) with horn ones. It’s a fraying old nag that should probably be retired but I keep patching it up and sending it back out.
WHAT IS YOUR NUMBER ONE STYLE TIP FOR THE READERS AT HOME?
The idea of me giving style tips would make my friends laugh, but I do think gingham should be avoided at all costs.
DO YOU HAVE A SARTORIAL HERO?
Probably Chensvold, or G. Bruce Boyer, who makes cardigans look louche. A while back I spoke to Ethan Wong, who runs the fantastic menswear blog A Little Bit of Rest. He is a style encyclopaedia and backs it up by dressing well himself. So, I suppose it's those three.
IF YOU COULD CHOOSE TO ATTEND A CONCERT FROM ANY ARTIST, DEAD OR ALIVE, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHAT WOULD YOU WEAR?
Alabama 3, who I've heard are amazing live. The Guardian called the band a “monumental waste of time” but doesn't that miss the point of music? As for what I’d wear: John Simons! Wall to wall.
Editorial photography by Alex Natt.
Shop Jack Ling’s look below.
