Part Four

Accessories

Part Two

Part two
Separates and casual wear

After receiving most complimentary remarks upon the first part of this guide, I thank you dear readers! It is now time to move on to more casual, daywear. As mentioned earlier in the guide, dependant upon the time of year, and England’s fickle weather, then a coat is always uppermost for a stroll around town, shopping, lunch, an evening at the pub, cinema, etc. Very adaptable according to the other clothes it is teamed with. I would suggest at least two coats if possible, for maximum variety. Of course, one must choose according to ones own taste and style, but one cannot go far wrong with a Crombie. Do not confuse the shoddy garment so beloved of skinheads/suedeheads as a Crombie. These were cheap imitations of the real thing, bought from high street outlets in the main, although some discerning chaps may well have had the real deal. Crombie, no connection to Abercrombie (and Fitch) is a Scottish cloth. Coats can be made by Crombie themselves at a retail price in excess of £500 at the present time, or made from Crombie cloth, and labelled as such, by other manufactures. In the sixties, Burton, Dunn and Co. etc all made a coat that bore the Crombie cloth label along with their own.
Reduced 72%
480 x 640 (123.49K)

Nowadays, one does not see the Crombie label unless it is in a genuine Crombie garment. The style however, is much copied and very good quality coats can be obtained from such shops as Ted Baker, and even the venerable M & S who sell a very good wool and cashmere, made in Italy. The style, for those who need a reminder, is knee length, with a flap, or placket over the buttons, two pockets with perhaps a ticket pocket, one breast pocket and sometimes a velvet collar. The traditional lining for a Crombie is red silk. A Crombie is very similar to the ‘Covert Coat’ so named from the hunting background from which it came, The main distinction of the covet coat is four bands of stitching on the cuffs (no buttons) and around the bottom hem. This is to prevent fraying when negotiating bushes etc when out shooting. Colours are usually black for the Crombie, whereas the covert can be black, beige or camel, and grey. A smart Crombie (For simplicity I will refer to the covert as a Crombie also) can even be teamed with jeans, should one wish! Chino’s or cords being a more preferable choice. To cut a real daytime dash though’ I would suggest Brown brogues, chinos a bright waistcoat over a button-down shirt and a bright silk square in the breast pocket. I always like a carnation in the buttonhole as well! For evening, try a white shirt and tie under a dark waistcoat and dark trousers. Black brogues or Chelsea boots, loafers being a bit too lightweight for this look. A nice sweater or the now back in vogue cardigan, in a retro style looks good also for an even more casual look. I try to avoid labels as such but subtle ones are ok and Ralph Lauren do make very good Oxford cloth button-downs and chino’s, although if one can get Brooks Brothers then by all means do! Try and get a vintage ‘Tootal’ paisley or foulard scarf too. Very snazzy! A word or two about the cravat. Much maligned these days, but they can look really good under a button-down shirt! Apart from the Crombie, a really good tweed jacket is the business! Bespoke if one can, of course.
Reduced 85%
864 x 1152 (146.3K)
I am, at the moment looking at getting made a dark green one, with a ‘salt and pepper’ fleck to it. Again, with bespoke, one can let one’s personal taste run free, ticket pockets, a half belt at the back, shoulder vents, patch pockets with pleats, velvet collar, horn buttons, jazzy linings, all are within reach. Of course, I am not advocating this style for everyday use, sometimes the sun does shine, and when it does, I can be found in a t-shirt like anyone else (although it will be a very nice one!)

Shirt Update!

Recently I discovered The Savile Row Shirt Co. Beautiful shirts and the only place I know to do tab collars and pin collar shirts! Mad Men's Roger Sterling's favourite style, and they look fantastic!
http://www.savilerowco.com/

 They also produce some fine ties, nice skinny ones, and their prices are excellent!
On the timepiece front, I am lured by one of these at the moment!

2002 "Brosnan" model. The latest  'Daniel Craig'Planet Ocean' is nice, but this dial is easier to see for my shortsighted eyes!

Hurrah! 50's/60's Style Returns!

Its back! with the phenomenal effect Mad Men has had on the cognoscenti,take another look at todays ads. Sinatra style vocals everywhere, from washing powder to Cars. Check the entertainment shows, Vernon Kay in slim ties and sharp suits, Phillip Schofield in pin collar shirts and Mohair, Holly Willoghby in fifties dresses, the style, look and cool of the coolest time in history is back! This time round its late fifties American jet set meets early sixties British cool, and what a package it is.
Why? let's examine it for a moment. Todays world, full of technology as it is, with new innovations every day, is totaly devoid of any real style or content. Todays bands and singers, be it charts or X-factor, are churning out covers of sixties stuff. Wonder-boy Paolo Nuttini number one in the album charts, is a poor copy of Louis Prima. Lady Ga-Ga, outrageous costumes whilst playing piano ans singing rubbish songs-Liberace and Elton John have already done it! If you are going to emulate 50's/80's style, at least do it right!
However it is presented, there is no doubt the cool 50's and 60's chic is back in a big way, probably because for the younger of us the style seems be totally new, for others, it still has that fond nostalgia that can be relived! Today its not just the music, brilliant as it is, (I'm not talking rock and roll, or 60's britpop here, but the cool sounds of Frank, Dino, Julie London, Blossom Dearie, Chet Baker etc.) the whole look and feel of the time has been rediscovered; let's pause for a moment and let the Master provide a class in cool!



Thanks Frank! Readers of this Blog, new or old will see I had it spot on with my clothing predictions and tips, so here goes for the whole look! This week, month, or whenever I am not to busy living it to write it, lets look at some collectable, affordable and totaly cool items for the home.

Ridgway Homemaker. Once easily available through Woolworth of all places, is now up and coming again, with the rarer items like salt and pepper pots, coffee jugs and tureens now rising in price again. Keep your eyes open for 'em to host your next chic tea party!



Rarer, and more collectable is the Midwinter range, with designers like Jessie Tait, Terrance Conran and Hugh Casson




The thing is, although they are collectable, beautiful object in their own right, they are also eminently usable, and soooo totaly now! Grab 'em before the prices soar, you have been warned!

Part Four

(The Ultimate Accessory!)

Accessories

With accessories, subtle, stylish and subdued is the way to go. Flash is not cool, not attractive, not anything but naff!

Neck chains, sovereign rings, bracelets, Urrghh! Horrible. A good quality, automatic watch such as Breitling, Rolex, Philipe Patek etc is not only a sound investment, but also a thing of exquisite beauty.

Keeping things simple, plain, unfussy cuff-links, such as these from Links of London, are ideal, and you can have then subtly monogrammed with yout initials, for a more personal, individual touch.

Slightly more expensive, but still not too over the top, are these from my favourite, Tiffany.

Tie-clips are also a very nice addition, again from Tiffany. They are often limited in their designs, so one bought now will soon become a collectors item.

Also I would recomend searching out antique designs, in clips and pins, or failing that, get your local jeweller to make you one. I had a small, round diamond ear-ring that had belonged to my Grandmother. I got my local jeweller to fit it on a silver pin, complete with a spring cover for the pin end, and a fine chain and bar to slipthrough your shirt button hole, for very little cost. Unique and very attractive!

Other accessories can be used, such as money clips

and key-rings.

Of course one accessory no Gentleman should be without is a silk pocket square!

(Not forgetting the cheapest and most underused accessory, a nice Carnation in ones lapel!)

Happy dressing!

(For those that like the music behind the video, It's "I'm in with the Downtown crowd" by the Allan Sisters, from '65, released on the Canadian 'Quality' record label. A mint copy will set you back around £600. It's rather rare!)

Part Three

Shirts, Ties, Shoes.

Shirts
“White linen, country washing, and plenty of it!” So said George Bryan Brummell, better known as ‘Beau’. He was talking about neckties, but could just as easily been referring to shirts. (A quick word about GB, as I call him. A hero of mine, the epithet ‘Dandy’ has become somewhat corrupted from its original usage. A Dandy, as invented by GB, was not a strutting, bewigged peacock, that was a ‘Fop’ ( See Beau 'Sort out some Fops' in the video! ) If the Fop was a ‘new romantic’ type, then the Dandy was defiantly a Mod! The look was a ‘Less is more’ style, with a palette consisting of mainly black, white and dark blue. The accent was on superb tailoring and fit, to reveal a masculine look. See Ian Kelly’s excellent biography, and the BBC film “This charming man’. You will not be disappointed)

Now we hopefully have our suit, or suits, as a black, dark blue, and a grey is the minimum, then the shirt is the foundation upon which everything else is literally built upon. Your shirt, (not mentioning underwear yet!) Is the first thing on, and then the rest goes on top, so a good foundation is essential. In my humble opinion, one cannot go wrong with White, which is where GB’s quote comes in. I never wear anything but white with a suit.(Apart from the occaisional Blue!) I goes with all colors, and a brilliant, crisp, white shirt is the business, believe me! As for style, a classic English collar i.e. semi-cutaway, with a double cuff, for links, and removable collar stiffeners is the way to go. Find a style and maker that suits you, and go with it. Of course, bespoke shirts are best, but I recommend Thomas Pink of Jermyn Street, for very fine shirts. His are the only ones I will wear! When ironing, spray on a little starch to the front, and cuffs, for a superb crisp look. 100% pure Cotton, made in the UK. of course, is best.(Remember, a half-inch of cuff below your jacket sleeve!)



Ties
Never, wear a comical, novelty, or anything loud in a tie! Subtle and classy, pure silk. No exceptions. I can’t resist ties! Like a lady with shoes, I can’t have too many ties. Of course, I have my favourites, and none come better than Hermés. They do make some cute, silly ones, but the classic Hermés ‘signature’ ties, the ones with the subtle H woven into them are sublime. Learn to tie a Windsor knot and you will always be sartorially complete!





Shoes
Whatever you may wear for work, never go ‘out’ in anything other than leather soles, and never, ever, skimp on shoes. I have to be firm here. You can tell a lot about a person from their shoes, may be an old saying, but its true. Cheap, scruffy shoes say…. Well it’s obvious, isn’t it? Really, anything under £100 is out of the question. (not including bargains etc) Loake, Church, Barker, Lobb, the choice is yours, but make sure they are English made. The exception is for loafers, which are far better by the Americans like Bass and Sebago. Aim for at least one pair of Black brogues, one pair brown brogues, some loafers and my particular favourite, the traditional English Chelsea Boot.
Oh, and lest I forget, Socks. Like ties, no comedy or novelty socks, like those horrible things one gets at Christmas. Black shoes-black socks. Brown shoes-brown socks. That’s it, simple. Make sure they are at least over the calf length as well. Nothing worse than a band of pasty leg-flesh between sock and trouser when one crosses ones legs. Uuurgh!
The other thing that drives me mad is the silk sock. Expensive they may be, but they look like ladies stockings. Cotton. No man-made.
As George Bryan said, "I feel a trip to the tailors coming on!"

Part Two

Separates and casual wear

After receiving most complimentary remarks upon the first part of this guide, I thank you dear readers! It is now time to move on to more casual, daywear. As mentioned earlier in the guide, dependant upon the time of year, and England’s fickle weather, then a coat is always uppermost for a stroll around town, shopping, lunch, an evening at the pub, cinema, etc. Very adaptable according to the other clothes it is teamed with. I would suggest at least two coats if possible, for maximum variety. Of course, one must choose according to ones own taste and style, but one cannot go far wrong with a Crombie. Do not confuse the shoddy garment so beloved of skinheads/suedeheads as a Crombie. These were cheap imitations of the real thing, bought from high street outlets in the main, although some discerning chaps may well have had the real deal. Crombie, no connection to Abercrombie (and Fitch) is a Scottish cloth. Coats can be made by Crombie themselves at a retail price in excess of £500 at the present time, or made from Crombie cloth, and labelled as such, by other manufactures. In the sixties, Burton, Dunn and Co. etc all made a coat that bore the Crombie cloth label along with their own.



Nowadays, one does not see the Crombie label unless it is in a genuine Crombie garment. The style however, is much copied and very good quality coats can be obtained from such shops as Ted Baker, and even the venerable M & S who sell a very good wool and cashmere, made in Italy. The style, for those who need a reminder, is knee length, with a flap, or placket over the buttons, two pockets with perhaps a ticket pocket, one breast pocket and sometimes a velvet collar. The traditional lining for a Crombie is red silk. A Crombie is very similar to the ‘Covert Coat’ so named from the hunting background from which it came, The main distinction of the covet coat is four bands of stitching on the cuffs (no buttons) and around the bottom hem. This is to prevent fraying when negotiating bushes etc when out shooting. Colours are usually black for the Crombie, whereas the covert can be black, beige or camel, and grey. A smart Crombie (For simplicity I will refer to the covert as a Crombie also) can even be teamed with jeans, should one wish! Chino’s or cords being a more preferable choice. To cut a real daytime dash though’ I would suggest Brown brogues, chinos a bright waistcoat over a button-down shirt and a bright silk square in the breast pocket. I always like a carnation in the buttonhole as well! For evening, try a white shirt and tie under a dark waistcoat and dark trousers. Black brogues or Chelsea boots, loafers being a bit too lightweight for this look. A nice sweater or the now back in vogue cardigan, in a retro style looks good also for an even more casual look. I try to avoid labels as such but subtle ones are ok and Ralph Lauren do make very good Oxford cloth button-downs and chino’s, although if one can get Brooks Brothers then by all means do! Try and get a vintage ‘Tootal’ paisley or foulard scarf too. Very snazzy! A word or two about the cravat. Much maligned these days, but they can look really good under a button-down shirt! Apart from the Crombie, a really good tweed jacket is the business! Bespoke if one can, of course.


I am, at the moment looking at getting made a dark green one, with a ‘salt and pepper’ fleck to it. Again, with bespoke, one can let one’s personal taste run free, ticket pockets, a half belt at the back, shoulder vents, patch pockets with pleats, velvet collar, horn buttons, jazzy linings, all are within reach. A very good off-the-peg tweed can be purchased; I got one myself the other day. Be careful to find a manufacturer that has many years experience in such styles and materials. Brook Tavener are well established and recently had a road show in Leeds to ‘up’ the profile of the brand. You will find on visiting your tailor, that Brook Tavener deal in cloth also, and many of the swatches in the tailors will carry the Brook Tavener logo. With tweed, go for a Scottish tweed, without question. Brook T. know this, and their tweeds comes from Reid & Taylor of Scotland, amongst others. Of course, I am not advocating this style for everyday use, sometimes the sun does shine, and when it does, I can be found in a t-shirt like anyone else (although it will be a very nice one!)

A further word about customer service, something sadly lacking in the high street today. Too pushy staff or totally disinterested ones. Seek out a good, traditional ‘Gentlemen’s outfitters’ if one can! I found the tweed jacket in Clarksons of Petergate, York. Modestly titled “The shirt shop” it is a veritable emporium of gentlemen’s accoutrements. The service is second to none. Andrew, the owner appears at ones elbow with a friendly “can I help you sir?” rather like Jeeves! He will discuss and help through numerous trying-ons until you are satisfied, rather than palm you off with anything for a sale. Most helpful and most recommended!