Using Colour in an Outfit

Adding that measure of poise to an outfit is the sine qua non for the elegant gentleman of today. Balance and harmony have become important once more to the modern man and this element of sartoria can take a number of forms. One of the most common methods of attaining this equilibrium is through the use of colour.

Colour matching and complementation is a universally adopted method of balancing and is used in not just fashion, but a variety of design fields where synchronization is desired. The question is how far to go with the matching and complementation; where does harmonious elegance end and heavy-handedness begin.

Though some might claim such balancing is a science that can be taught, experimentation is the most vital thing to remember when playing with colour. Rules, such as not wearing navy blue with black, are there to be broken; if you can pass off an unconventional match with aplomb then so much the better.

Feminine colours

Pinks, purples and even oranges and yellows are often considered feminine colours. Turquoise is regularly regarded to have that jewel-like brightness that only a woman can be seen in. However, using feminine colours in moderation alongside male classics such as school blazer grey, navy blue, black and racing green will dilute the acidic effect they can often have. Playing merry hell with such colours will lead to the ice-cream-Florida-retirement-home sartorial disaster; I learned my lesson long ago about being too ‘brave’ in this regard.

Using white and black

Use white and black to take the sickly-sweet out of overly colourful looks; this will add a calm to the mélange. The pictures below show how this technique works.

Pink

Good colour companions for pinks are black, light and dark greys, navy and mid blues, dark green and, for a summertime look, ivory and white. Pink is sophisticated and friendly and is appropriate for all seasons. However, be careful not to colour match too much; if wearing a pink shirt, match it with, at most, pink socks or a pink pocket square if the mood throws you. Companion colours for pink in terms of such accessories are spring greens, navy blues and browns.

Purple

Purple is a difficult colour to manage. It’s certainly striking and regal in appearance, but it needs to be worn with outfits of a sufficient sparkle. Charcoal greys and blacks are the best companions for purple; small accessorising colours able to stand up to its dominance are bright reds, rich greens and strong sky blues. It’s best to restrict colour matching when wearing purple. The true Imperial purple of Rome is a statement in itself and throwing arbitrary colours into the mix can look messy.

How far to go with accessorising

Colour matching and contrasting is a lot of fun and the effect can be truly magnificent. However, an unhealthy mix can draw unwanted attention. Pocket squares and socks are subtle ways to support or draw upon another colour that you are wearing. Adding colour matching belts and gloves can look excessive, especially if you are wearing several references to that colour already.

Instead of perpetually colour matching, colour styling is a good idea. This is a habit of wearing certain colours with certain styles of accessories and footwear; for example, the habit I have of wearing a brown belt with brown shoes or check shirts.

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Style Icon: Noel Coward

The artistic polymath Noel Coward was also one of the most desired and admired men of his day. A playwright, award winning actor, composer and society wit, Coward was the living exemplar of a Hollywood super-character; suave, clever and wickedly talented.

He was also one of the leaders of fashion and his high position of influence meant that his particular interpretive chic was followed by many men who would, had he not been Noel Coward, probably not have allowed themselves to be persuaded so.
Coward was flamboyant, and his wardrobe was no exception to this. Not garish and gaudy like a Quentin Crisp, Coward’s style was sleeker and less baroque. He had idiosyncrasies to be sure; white shoes were a favourite of his, as were large almost clown-like bow ties but he was never inflexible.

His style changes throughout the decades of his life display his openness to fashion and new ideas. In photographs of Noel Coward, at the height of his powers in the 1930s or towards the end of his career, and his life, in the 1970s, you get a sense that Coward was enjoying himself all the way. At no point do you look at him and see a defeated man; an embittered oldie who has let the world go by. He looks thoroughly active; taking part, mixing in and providing creativity all the way.

In addition to his artistry of dress, Coward had a knack for posing. Never shy of the camera, some of his portraits are works of art; sitting or standing, Coward gestures and throws mordant smiles at the lens.

Coward is often credited with being a 20th century dandy. Alongside the other candidates however, Coward shines. He was never foppish nor brassy, and his jaunty style was always in good humour and was as much a part of him as the witty melodies running through his mind. Other modern dandies have tended to mock dandyism, taking the meaning of the word to a tasteless extreme. Coward’s part in fashion was rather like that of Brummell’s; a modernity that doesn’t look too modern, an elegance that doesn’t look like ornamentation. Coward couldn’t abide vulgarity and often spoke of his friend and contemporary rival Ivor Novello as a talented man, one capable of being “violently glamorous” but also a “little vulgar.”

Coward was all about discretion and taste; a thoroughly English gentleman who put his best foot forward. He is likely to be remembered, fortunately, for what he gave to the world. As long as his name is muttered approvingly by generation upon generation of devotees, the world will be exposed to the unique and entertaining personality he was; an icon in all the best denotations of the word.

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What Gloves to Wear

I have a tendency to lose gloves. I cannot, no matter how I devote my best efforts, keep them more than a year. My habit of misplacement has led me to rifle through bargain bins at H&M; I cannot countenance spending significant cash on something I will likely leave somewhere, or allow to fall from my pocket.

Many people feel this way about sunglasses. I can empathise with them, but I think my record with sunglasses improved somewhat when I took the plunge and spent over £100 on a pair. Now I am accustomed to expensive frames, I am no longer anxious and have ceased to create cynical fictions in my mind of the wretched things being stolen. They dominate my thoughts far less because of the norm of having them. I am determined to apply this proven theory to gloves, for I have seen some handsome and graceful gloves that have caused me to question my stoic reliance on cheap elasticised black cotton.

Having said that, elasticised black cotton gloves, especially the Thinsulate variety, are extremely useful; they’re versatile, very warm and look well on a fine hand. For more casual wear, with weekend jeans, a corduroy jacket and a v-neck jumper, they are perfectly adequate. However, if you want to give your winter outfit that extra polish, then a pair (or perhaps two pairs, or three?) of finely made gloves are just the ticket. Aside from being very practical in preparation for the elements, gloves add a genteel finesse to an ensemble.

Leather ‘gents’ gloves

One of the most popular choices for gentlemen is the lined, or unlined, leather ‘gents’ glove. For comfort and luxury, some men will choose a cashmere or fur lining. This is certainly recommended for the gentleman who wishes to treat his fortunate fingers, but beware that linings can bulk a glove somewhat; hands that appear large are unbecoming.

Dents make some of the finest leather ‘gents’ gloves. Using soft nappa leather, deerskin and lambskin, their gloves are well-made and reasonably priced for their fine quality.

Leather ‘driving’ gloves

Due to the preponderance of roofed cars and the arrival of power steering, driving gloves are rarely used for their intended purpose. However, that is by no means a reason to condemn them to the scrap heap; driving gloves are youthful and natty, and give the wearer a cavalier élan and a romantic allusion to the daredevil racing drivers of the roaring twenties.

Dents also make some fantastic driving gloves too. The colour range is a little limited and you can find more daring creations in high-fashion retailers, but they are of a good quality and they are, once more, very reasonably priced.

The ‘gauntlet’

Although it may be tempting to call these gloves archaic, they are extremely comfortable and useful for those who ride motorcycles and vintage open top cars. My mother also finds them tremendously practical when picking holly in the woods for the festive wreath. They are perhaps a little large for wearing with the double-breasted suit and scarf, but they have many other uses.

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Ski Apparel: What to Wear On and Off the Slopes

I miss the mountain air. There is something about it that is so crisp and energising; it’s no wonder the cast of The Sound of Music skipped through the Austrian hills so briskly, shrilling about pedagogical techniques of sight-singing and ‘raindrops on roses’. An Alpine atmosphere is a feel good tonic if ever there was one.

My rose-tinted ruminations of areas of altitude do not stop at the quality of oxygen either; I miss winter sports bitterly. It has been a good long while since I last skied. I must have slipped down a few notches by now – more red and blue than black these days. And yet, despite my trepidation concerning my downhill technique, I can’t wait to be back on the slopes again.

And it’s not just about the ruination of knees through parallel turns that tempts me. The après-ski, the exhilarating lifestyle, the cosy lodge fires, the warm punch and hot Jacuzzis catalyse my resolution to return to the winter sporting world with relish.

I am worried though. The skiing does not concern me; moguls or no moguls, I shall maintain. It’s the complete lack of appropriate skiwear. Concerned as I am not to shame my own skiing further with graceless choices of apparel, let me share with you the light research I have completed into concocting modish slope attire.

On slope

There is no schussing away from it: on-slope gear needs to be practical. You can’t be a frosty fop but, damn it all, you can give your style conscience a fighting chance. A lot of clothing on offer for the winter sports market is heavily sport-focused. What I mean by this ugly hyphenated phrase is that large writing, meaningless numbers and frustratingly ineffectual flashing lines and shapes prevail. A Savile Row tailor would shiver at the frighteningly cheap looking clothing that, due to the patented technology involved, can cost over $1000 to buy.

If you’re going to invest in ski-wear, it’s best to invest in styles and materials that are going to last. Cheap jackets are not only a poor investment, but they also tend to make the wearer look like an out-of-work second division soccer coach.

Unfortunately, unlike other areas of fashion, very affordable and stylish snow-wear is like the Abominable Snowman; people claim to have seen it, but when they return to prove their sighting, the evidence has vanished.

For jackets and pants in skiing and snowboarding lines, Ralph Lauren’s RLX range combines sleek style with the best in clothing technology.

Off slope

Après-ski clothing type depends on where you are staying. Larger and well established resorts often have heated pavements, largely, it seems, in order that frail maidens of the mountains can teeter along Main Street in Manolos. However, despite this, there are plenty of remote resorts and snowy streets that call for practicality. Gucci, Giorgio Armani, DSquared and Ralph Lauren are examples of sturdy and elegant options for times off-slope.

The key is to keep the footwear practical, and retro-looking, and also to add a little colour or exoticism to the ensemble to avoid it looking mercilessly functional; striped scarves, traditional patterns, fur and leather add sufficient spice to keep the cold at bay.

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Military Style Appeal

Men in uniform: a classic image that has melted the heart of many a housewife. From the brass buttons and epaulettes to the squeaking boots and shining sword; the romantic image of a soldier is forever captivating. The Beau, it is said, pursued a military career simply because of the charm of the uniform. Though our modern uniforms may not have the dash of threads worn by the armies of George III, there is still a precision and charm about military style. One only has to see the Household Cavalry trotting along The Mall to appreciate the appeal of regimental attire.

The exactness and formality of military clothing is a current vogue, and this season’s collections have often paid more than a little homage to classic forces tailoring. Double breasted long overcoats in stiff fabrics with mock-fur collars, crested buttons and gun-pockets have been popular styles for the winter season; some of the more exotic coats have a Napoleon-in-Russia grandeur that is most alluring.

Smart grey trousers, cropped shorter than usual, worn with boots, echo the uniform of the Royal Navy and long green scarves and belted great-coats are a dignified salute to the winter attire of the Tommy in the trenches in World War One.

To carry off the military look, you will need an air of stateliness, a slice of charisma and perhaps one of the items listed below. “Once more unto the breach dear friends…”

The military coat

Christopher Bailey’s Autumn/Winter 2007 collection for Burberry Prorsum is perhaps the finest example of fashion’s ode to military order. There were coats a plenty at the show and they ranged from the classic green loden belted coats to the grand Field Marshal creations with fur collars.

(From left to right; a classic RAF grey great coat with pistol pocket on the left breast; a steel blue double breasted ceremonial coat; a green loden single-breasted overcoat with leather belt; an Imperial Army style Eastern front mid-grey overcoat with mock fur collar; a green loden General’s coat with letter pocket and oversized fur lapels)

The tunic

Though general issue brightly coloured tunics were a thing of the past once the First World War had started, tunics remain as part of ceremonial uniform. Greens and greys were popular at the Prorsum show.

Worn with trousers and a plain white shirt and knitwear, a tunic can look dashing and contemporary; a fusion of old world military polish and modern day utilitarianism.

The boots

Smart black boots will give the wearer that seen-some-action toughness and will make the military effect more genuine. They do not have to be as tough or hard-wearing as issue boots of course, but they should be laced up; the stylish man should be considering boots of a lighter construction.

And finally…

This article was written in the spirit of homage and memorial; a dedication to those who have lost their lives in the service of their country. This is particularly pertinent at this time of year in Great Britain.

On Sunday the 11th November, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will hold a remembrance service, dedicated to military personnel who have died in service of their country. It is a time for reflection and respect, not a time for political sentiment of either persuasion. It is an occasion on which to honour and remember.

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