By Erin Sutcliff, Director & Master Tailor, Tin Trousers
There's something rather lovely about seeing an article you've written appear in print, particularly when it's in a magazine that will be arriving through the letterboxes of Royal Navy officers across the country. The latest ARNO magazine has just landed, and we're delighted to have an article in this edition, as well as some news about our partnership with the Association of Royal Navy Officers.
We've worked with ARNO and its members for some time, so this isn't an entirely new relationship. What has changed is that we've now made the partnership more official, and we've been able to put together some practical benefits specifically for ARNO members.
Our article, It Fits. But Does It Fit Properly?, looks at something I spend a great deal of time discussing with customers. There's a considerable difference between a uniform that fits well enough to wear and one that actually fits properly. It's something that becomes particularly noticeable with military uniforms, where the cut, proportions and regulations all play a part in how a garment should look.
Over the years, I've seen officers spend considerable amounts of money replacing uniforms when a relatively straightforward alteration could have given them several more years of wear. Equally, I've seen people continue wearing uniforms that are uncomfortable or don't sit correctly because they simply didn't realise anything could be done about them. One of the things we've always tried to do at Tin Trousers is explain the options, whether that's altering an existing uniform, finding something suitable from the second hand stock or deciding when a new made to measure uniform really is the better investment.
A naval career can involve quite a few changes to your wardrobe. Promotions bring new rank lace, ceremonial occasions mean getting medals and Mess Dress ready, and the uniform that fitted perfectly a few years ago might need some attention today. None of this should automatically mean starting again with a new set of kit, and having somebody you can ask for advice can make a real difference.
That's really what we wanted to achieve with our ARNO partnership. We wanted to offer something useful rather than simply another discount code.
What are we offering ARNO members?
Current ARNO members can now benefit from:
10% off striping-up work, helping with the cost of updating uniform following promotion.
One complimentary uniform fitting each membership year, giving members an opportunity to have their uniform assessed and discuss any alterations that might be worthwhile.
One complimentary medal clean each membership year, helping to keep medals looking their best for ceremonial occasions.
The first month free when joining a Tin Trousers Bronze, Silver or Gold Membership, with a 12-month membership commitment.
The ARNO striping discount cannot be combined with other percentage discounts, so where more than one discount applies, the higher eligible discount will be used.
For those who aren't familiar with our own memberships, we introduced Bronze, Silver and Gold to help customers spread the cost of looking after their uniforms over the year, with different levels of benefits depending on what they need. The idea is to make regular uniform care a little easier to plan for, particularly for officers who know they'll need alterations, cleaning or other work throughout the year.
Of course, not everybody needs a membership, and that's absolutely fine. Some officers might only need work on their kit every few years, while others have several uniforms that require regular attention. The important thing is having access to the right advice and knowing what options are available.
We're looking forward to developing our relationship with ARNO and finding more ways to support its members. For me, it's another opportunity to encourage people to look after the uniforms they already own, make informed decisions about alterations and understand that a properly fitted uniform doesn't necessarily have to mean buying a new one.
If your ARNO magazine has arrived, do have a read of our article. And if it's prompted you to take another look at the uniform hanging in your wardrobe, perhaps that's not a bad thing!
Times may change. Standards must remain.
Erin Sutcliff
Director & Master Tailor, Tin Trousers