Wear charcoal with black
September 17th 2010There are very few suits with which I would not naturally wear brown shoes – a deep, burnished chocolate looks better with everything from navy herringbone to grey check. But charcoal is an exception. The only other is probably black, which...
Wear charcoal with black
Match in comments:
I'd go calf in the black, but yes...
More buckskin, grey flannel jacket
August 27th 2010Father and sons foregather for Harvard Esquire, June 1953: “There’s a shoht cheeyah for Haahvuhd in both these costumes, although in basic detail they are both right for both sides of the embattled lines that draw up in New London...
More buckskin, grey flannel jacket
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Fox will be better than most, particularly in that heavier weight with a bit of cashmere, but still if you haven't seen it made up I'd stay away from flannel to be on the safe side. It can easily look like half of a suit...
Brown buckskin shoes with gabardine
August 18th 2010Southern wear is elaborately casual Esquire, January 1935: “The big idea this year, if you want to be well dressed for the southern resort season, seems to be that of carefully conveying the impression that you don’t give a damn h...
Brown buckskin shoes with gabardine
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Re hats: I agree. Too much time spent indoors. Not needed. The illustration was done by the great L. Fellows. He could portray expression and emotion as well clothing. Being Fellows was one of the greats, what do you mak...
Silk and cotton perhaps, rather than wool
July 23rd 2010On the beach with the sons of riches Esquire, June 1935: “When the gilded playboys turn to bronze under the winter sun, that’s when summer’s beach fashions are born. For example, these things which were prime at Nassau a...
Silk and cotton perhaps, rather than wool
Match in comments:
Love the standing guys sports shoes actually... Cheers, Schmidty...
How to wear brights in the summer
July 16th 2010Coral at the courts Esquire, February 1942: “While our friend intently watches the tennis exhibitions at Nassau, let us in turn gaze at him. The Bahamanian Coral shade of the slacks, worn in an authentic setting by this spectator, was inspi...
How to wear brights in the summer
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馬丁路德：「即使知道明天世界即將毀滅，我仍願在今天種下一棵小樹。」 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....
A lovely night at the Taylors’
July 12th 2010Friday was the annual MTBA summer party (Master Tailors’ Benevolent Association). It’s one of two events every year that brings together all the tailoring fraternity and is consistently a great event (the other big gathering being...
A lovely night at the Taylors’
Match in comments:
TS, I'm not associated with the MBTA, I was merely there as a guest of my tailor, as many in attendance were. Thanks for the kind comments Simon...
Bunch of ruffians back in the 1930s
July 2nd 2010On the trail blazed by Bunny Austin Esquire, August 1935: “White duck shorts, introduced by Bunny Austin, have been seen in increasing numbers at important tennis tournaments over the past two seasons. Without the famous little Englishman&a...
Bunch of ruffians back in the 1930s
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No piccies of the day I'm afraid, but I can give you a line-up of the outfit: blue SB hopsack blzer, pale grey flannels, blue Bengal stripe shirt and charcoal wool tie (Panta, as featured here previously). Worn with the ...
Wedding outfit by popular request
June 21st 2010Well, you asked for it and here it is – the alternative wedding outfit from last Friday. Double-breasted suit from Graham Browne filling in for the absent Anderson & Sheppard, with Lobb shoes. My daughter is pulling the face she n...
Wedding outfit by popular request
Match in comments:
Thanks Simon - yes, I agree with you on the last point. It wouldn't be my choice, but you've got to choose your battles carefully!...
Navy tweed and good flannel for golf
May 19th 2010Onto all golfers some rain must fall Esquire, May 1937: “Competitive golf, like the mail, must go through and it is heresy to wonder why. Hence the handsome umbrella and the rainclothes on the spectators. The man on the left wears a blazer ...
Navy tweed and good flannel for golf
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For a moment there I thought the fellow on the right was holding a mobile phone to his ear... Anyway, I love the idea of a navy single-breasted tweed with brass buttons! To me, it seems very conservative and unconvention...
Yellow crepe soles and a special hat
May 14th 2010A day at the anglers’ club, Key Largo Esquire, February 1937: “Mr Fellows says it’s Key Largo. The dock says Key Largo but the background says Cat Cay. So you can take your chance, as you probably will anyway. The outfit...
Yellow crepe soles and a special hat
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"Norwegian leather peasant slippers" LOL!! I think he means ,loafers or ,Weejuns....
In praise of purple
April 26th 2010Any man that has spent time experimenting with colour – whether on ties, jacket linings or pocket handkerchiefs – will know that the dark, rich tones offer greater possibilities of marrying sophistication and experimentation. Yellow is a ...
In praise of purple
Match in comments:
Great post! Purple is definitely a wonderful color to incorporate into your wardrobe and after tackling how to mix and match it with the rest of your clothes it can easily become a favorable option. Being one of the 3 co...
The philosophy of Michael Drake
April 7th 2010Style, comfort, and quality – rather than just fashion – have always been the hallmarks of a gentleman’s wardrobe. A beautifully tailored suit, a perfect shirt, and handmade shoes send a message of natural assurance. But it does...
The philosophy of Michael Drake
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I will depend a little on the type of yarn in there - twills can be a little smart and even a little thick, but it can be hard to generalise given the yarn makes such a difference...
Men in Style: The Golden Age of Fashion
March 31st 2010This book, which I mentioned in a recent post, is rather an inspiration. You know how you flick through men’s magazines, hoping against hope that there will be an inspiring fashion shoot of suits, ties and shirts, demonstrating bold colour comb...
Men in Style: The Golden Age of Fashion
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It's out of print I'm afraid, you need to look at second-hand sellers...
The Cary Collection: Manhattan treasure trove
March 29th 2010New Yorkers have mastered the art of living luxuriously in small spaces. Visiting Leonard Logsdail and Stephen Kempson in midtown last week was a good example: you step straight from the elevator into a compact yet very well-appointed tailoring studi...
The Cary Collection: Manhattan treasure trove
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I could not AGREE more....
The rules and how to break them 7: Handkerchief t...
March 22nd 2010Rule 7: Handkerchiefs should compliment the texture of jackets Of all the colours and materials available for a pocket handkerchief, white linen is probably considered the smartest and most formal. Why? Well it’s a question of two factors &ndas...
The rules and how to break them 7: Handkerchief t...
Match in comments:
Thanks, Simon—much appreciated!...
Be a rogue like the Big Bad Wolf
March 17th 2010My two-year-old daughter has a book called Cinderella and Other Stories, by Stephen Tucker and Nick Sharratt. Reading it to her yesterday, I noticed that Sharratt (the illustrator) dresses the Big Bad Wolf in a purple suit with yellow windowpane chec...
Be a rogue like the Big Bad Wolf
Match in comments:
Might I suggest the blog http://maxminimus.blogspot.com/. I have no affiliation with Mr. ADG or his blog, but his tastes in clothing came to mind while reading your (Mr. Crompton's) posting. Nine times out of ten the man...
Two questions on wedding attire
January 13th 2010It must be the season for planning weddings. Not only did one of my best friends get engaged (congratulations Henry) I had two questions this week about what to wear as a groom. KL: Mr Crompton, I’m an avid reader of your blog and I’ve lo...
Two questions on wedding attire
Match in comments:
Simon, As always, thank you for your insight and guidance. Much appreciated, Jack...
Buy handmade when it’s worth it
January 8th 2010The fascination with things being made by hand is odd. If I sew a button on by hand, chances are it will be done worse and not last as long as the best machine doing it. This is firstly because I am not very good at sewing on buttons; but secondly an...
Buy handmade when it’s worth it
Match in comments:
That's a good point and an interesting insight, thank you Aaron....
Wear a contrast tie with a contrast collar
December 18th 2009A shirt with cuffs and collar (usually white) that are a different colour to the body is not easy to wear well. Sometimes known as a contrast collar, it is more often worn badly than flatteringly. It should be a slightly unusual part of a man’s...
Wear a contrast tie with a contrast collar
Match in comments:
That's an interesting point, and what it brought to mind, for me, was Howard Hamlin from Better Call Saul. Contrasting club collar on a blue shirt with a much paler blue knit tie (very incongruent, but he owns the compan...
Loro Piana dressing Italians at the weekend
December 16th 2009Recent acquisitions at Loro Piana have led me into a deeper investigation of the brand. Expect a full-length piece on its history, production and craft sometime next year. In the meantime, the good people at LP sent me over the look book of images fo...
Loro Piana dressing Italians at the weekend
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No, sorry Ian...
Of course luxury is changing
December 11th 2009Luxury is not defined by price, quality or comfort. Luxury is simply what you don’t have. Or, more precisely, what you aspire to. Generally, it is that which others have or you once had. So, obviously, what is considered luxurious is always cha...
Of course luxury is changing
Match in comments:
Well-said Sartorial Vancouver, simply put, luxury is that which gives us satisfaction....
An exercise in wardrobe building
December 4th 2009I commissioned my third bespoke suit from Graham Browne today, and I had thought about the choice pretty constantly for three weeks. There was one particular bad night in Hong Kong, plagued by jet lag, where I turned over the options for jetted versu...
An exercise in wardrobe building
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1 - yes, it's an excellent cloth 2 - mohair probably not, fresco certainly is 3 - yep, fine. Mine all are...
How to wear a trilby
November 20th 2009It’s not easy wearing a hat. You stand out more in a crowd than a man wearing polka-dot knickerbockers or a cape. The hat radically changes a man’s silhouette, probably more than any other item of clothing. People look at you if you wear ...
How to wear a trilby
Match in comments:
Well, the reason not to use the crown is to avoid giving it a pinched shape and maybe damaging the felt in the very long term. Depends how fussy you are about that. But also, just lift the brim at the front? No need id i...
Patrick Grant on dressing well
November 16th 2009The proprietor of Norton & Sons gives his thoughts on dressing up and dressing well. What’s the key to a great men’s outfit? The great thing about the way men dress is we have so many bits and pieces we can put together. And if y...
Patrick Grant on dressing well
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Yes, that's a good idea Burt. I've spoken to Patrick on and off over the years, but never done anything official again...
The wonders of Bicester Village
November 4th 2009I am a sucker for a good deal. Indeed, if one were being unkind it could be said that sometimes being a bargain gets in the way of my actually wanting something. Anywhere north of 80% off and I start to feel giddy. For a long time I’ve been a f...
The wonders of Bicester Village
Match in comments:
hey.. i'm going to bicester village for boxing day,26th. will arrive at stansted airport. how to get to bicester village? (stansted-stratford-marylebone-bicester north-bicester village.) is that the best route or there's...