I recently shocked some of my friends in recounting my adjustment of a high-street jacket at a top-notch tailor. They were particularly amazed that I invest so much capital in mass-produced items and that my tailor, a protector of an industry that promotes quality above price, even agrees to provide services; “If I was a tailor” they sniff “I’d refuse to touch anything by that sweat-shop scum.” Sadly, tailors cannot afford to be so … [Read more...]
This rule is often cited: Don't wear white after Labor Day or before Memorial Day. Well, rules are meant to be broken and I would argue that one should not blindly follow this rule about white. I assume the rule exists as a warning against wearing summer clothing in the winter. And I'm not suggesting wearing a white summer-weight Gatsby suit in the dead of winter. But I think the rule is, pardon the pun, too black and white. White is certainly … [Read more...]
Everyone knows the Ralph Lauren look won’t change. I for one certainly won’t complain. Lauren has an understanding of elegance. His representations of timeless style serve to refresh methods of dress which might otherwise be perceived to be rather fusty and outdated. Historic fashion revival is hit or miss; it is easy to fail in the reintroduction of a past aesthetic. Lauren, for the large part, succeeds. His look book is a key factor in the … [Read more...]
I read with interest Winston Chesterfield’s post on Camel Coats, and it put me in mind of a few weeks ago when I happened to pass a charity shop and spotted a little talked about, and underrated classic, the Loden Coat. I say much underrated because, while every bit a classic style of overcoat, it has been overshadowed for some years by the trend towards Covert Coats and, for those inclined to play it really safe, the standard navy, black … [Read more...]
Connecting the colour brown with autumn is hardly a eureka moment. It’s about as imaginative as connecting a blue beret and a baguette with a Frenchman. And yet, as mundane as it seems, few adopt very much at all in autumnal dress. As the falling leaves drift by the window, it’s incredible how few are inspired by the magnificent array of tones of the season. You might see the odd pair of brown shoes, but these are no more prevalent than at … [Read more...]
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