Coffee in Amsterdam: part 5

This is becoming something of an obsession of mine. Mind you, when you’re in a new place for a prolonged period of time even people with an addictive behaviour disorder like myself can get way too enthusiastic over a project or a past time. Like finding new coffee places serving decent coffee.  For those less interested in this quest of mine I promise to have a blog entry on a quirky fashion issue soon.

The latest coffee place I went to is just off Spui, towards Singel, hidden away in a little alleyway. It’s nice to walk around Amsterdam since these small alleys are just like the Closes in Edinburgh, just not as steep. They pop up more regularly in certain areas of the city than in others but are always really cosy and hiding interesting shops, cafés or bars. The place I took S. to the other day is called Lungoccino and can be found at Heisteeg 5. It is a really wee place so not for long lounging with your Sunday paper. But that’s okay since it is a small coffee bar kind of place with no intentions of being anything more than that. Great for an espresso or for take-away. It has been very highly ranked in an espresso ranking list over espresso places in Amsterdam so I thought I just had to try it when I had an hour off work and, well, so I did. Was it as amazing as one could expect? No. It was a very good espresso and an equally good macchiato, but to have the top ranking in Amsterdam? No way.  The Feama machine did a good job, as did the barista on the day, but I don’t know what it was that made me feel let down. I think it was just a bit plain. No real roundness in the taste, no proper créma on the espresso. On the plus side it wasn’t bitter at all, so something obviously worked in Lungoccino’s favour. I can probably assure you won’t get a bad espresso, but there’s no need to run there first thing you’re off the train from Schiphol.  Go to Coffee Connection instead. It’s so far the best coffee I’ve tried here in Amsterdam. It’s also much closer to the train station.

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What’s wrong with the socks guys?

For ages have I tried to understand why guys (and I don’t mean gents but normal “guys”, “blokes”, “lads” or what-have-you) who generally dress quite well seem completely oblivious about what they wear below their ankles. And I’m not talking about shoes this time but socks. Technically they might stretch above the ankle, I guess, but you get the idea. Socks is a statement, something you can use to define yourself and your belief in good quality clothing. They should be a business card, but more subtle. You don’t shove your socks in someone’s face after a board meeting. Or at least I hope you don’t. Regardless, nice socks are garments to be remembered by.

Nothing make me happier than walking along a busy street somewhere in the world and all of a sudden see a great, bespoke suit and a flash of a red sock. In particular if it’s a navy blue suit. It takes me ages to refocus after that. Having said that I can’t stress enough how awful I find it with dark socks to go with dark suits. They should be banned together with the flesh coloured sock. Never ever is there a situation in life where a flesh coloured sock is ok. Never.

As mentioned above socks can be used to put that extra touch to an ensemble that otherwise would have been great but now rises to another level. Coloured socks should be used to enhance what you’re wearing. A dark suit is just that if dark socks are worn with it, but if you wear a colourful pair it becomes a good-looking suit. The contrast makes it interesting, gives the ensemble life.

So, please guys, make an effort from now on? No one would be happier than me.

A double-breasted suit? Really?

Can one really wear double-breasted suits if one isn’t the Prince of Wales, under 50 and not a puffy banker? If you would have asked me last week I wouldn’t even have bothered answering such a silly question. Today though, I’m slowly warming to the idea that, maybe, it doesn’t need to look that bad. And it’s all thanks to Jeremy Hackett. As always. Once again has he found a classic, gentlemanly way to make the double-breasted suit look good. Or not just good, great.

He justifies it with saying

… Now it is more softly tailored and more relaxed, the shoulder is narrower and the coat length shorter, somehow it looks new and fresh and distinctly smarter and I believe there is a whole generation of men who have never worn this style and therefore are unaware of its historical baggage.

“Its historical baggage” referring to the awful look we recognize as the sleazy-stock-market man of the early -80s or the estate agent look of the early -90s (they have always been a bit slow the estate agents, haven’t they?). And who knows? Maybe Mr. Hackett will once again manage to squeeze in an article of clothing that not many other designers have payed attention to for quite some time, and we will feel that we cannot live without in a year or two. Because to be perfectly honest here, a double-breasted suit really can look quite dapper, wouldn’t you say? It is a shame that it has been out of fashion for so long and I’m really looking forward to get one sooner rather than later.

I guess this is what appeals to me with really good quality gents fashion. The timelessness of it all. That there are garments that can be brought back, reinvented, styled up and then we think “gosh, why did it take so long for this to come back?”. Most of Jeremy Hackett’s clothes are like that. Like if you buy a suit on Savile Row. You know that it can be kept for ages and it won’t look tarnished or as if you’re completely out of touch with fashion. Rather the opposite. These are suits, shirts, shoes or what-have-you that are almost over and above fashion.

However, I must ad that the double-breasted club blazer, you know the dark one with brass buttons galore, just isn’t convincing yet. Not even the Hackett ones. I know Mr. Hackett himself thinks it the most basic garment in any gentleman’s wardrobe. I’m not convinced though. But, I’m looking forward to how he can reinvent it! It might happen this year or it might be another ten, but I know that if anyone will make it happen it is Jeremy Hackett.

GANT by Michael Bastian

For this year’s autumn collection GANT, the East Coast preppy clothes brand, invited Michael Bastian to design a special range of mainly sports inspired clothing. And what a success it is. It looks stylish, arrogant in the right way and as always the fabrics chosen are of highest quality.  A joy to look at and to wear! Michael Bastian is a New York City based designer who’s worked for the absolute best in the fashion industry, Tiffany & Co. and Polo Ralph Lauren to mention but a few. With that in mind one can see why his own brand, as well as his designs for GANT, looks like leisure-wear-meets-haute-couture. For this collection he has taken influence from lacrosse which, for most Northern Europeans, is a sport we might have heard of but not many have played. I know that it got sticks with net at the end involved, but that’s about it really…

I realized what a great collection this was when I walked past the GANT flagship store on Regent Street and, having done just that (i.e. walked past) I had to turn around and walk in to watch the Michael Bastian collection. Cleverly placed just inside the doors it was impossible to miss. In particular the tweed jacket, called Guncheck Blazer in the collection, spoke to me. Regardless of the elbow patches, or maybe because of them, it’s one of the nicest jackets I’ve seen in any autumn collection this season. The orange elbow patches, rather big compared to what’s normal in classic gents tailoring, are the greatest feature. Catches your eye immediately. The Oxford shirts as well, such nice quality and looks great with the aforementioned jacket. I’m not entirely convinced about the breast pocket though. That is an invention that should be banned from shirts entirely. Why have a feature that no one in his right mind would ever consider using? It’s a big mystery to me.

If you like the GANT by Michael Bastian collection it might also be worth checking out his own brand, simply called Michael Bastian. One can clearly see similarities in both cut and choice of patterns in the fabrics. But mind you, tartan seem to be all over the place this season. And who would mind? Isn’t it great that it’s not just earth colours on their own? Warm earth tones and a cool tartan can’t go wrong. At least not this autumn. However, my better half would probably mind if I used my kilt all the time. But if worn traditionally it has its advantages, that must be said.

Maybe it wouldn’t be that much of a disaster after all.