Autumn, lambswool and corduroy

The season for dressing in proper cosy-wear is finally upon us. Autumn is here. More or less. There is hardly anything I enjoy more than to open my wardrobe and get all the corduroy trousers and lambswool sweaters out. To be able to wear the garments of autumn, thick high quality fabrics in bright colours, is as wonderful as enjoying a really good vintage Bordeaux. At least to me. For some reason it is as if the world becomes more alive, the weather becomes almost tactile. You can almost drink the air, taste the wind. Magnificent feelings.

Someone asked me the other day where one buys the best corduroy and sweaters. He also asked about tweed jackets, though that is a different kettle of fish entirely. That’s a topic for another day. But when it comes to proper cords and lambswool, nowhere is as good as Cordings of Piccadilly in London. I have searched for other brands all over the world, but no one can compete. In my opinion. When other, however great, brands try making cords they seem to misunderstand what a corduroy trouser is. What the fabric is all about. You simply can’t make a regular trouser, choose a nice looking corduroy fabric and apply the same idea you use for a regular trouser. The result is always a hybrid of weird fashion mixed with classic style but none of the two makes any sense put together. A bit like these Levi’s 511 made in a rather garish corduroy quality…

 

You need a certain width in a cord trouser, but not too much. If too much is used, they will look like an old mans trousers on a young mans body. If you happen to be a young man, that is. That is a look no one wants. Absolutely not the designer, and least of all you. You need an exact balance between width over thigh and calf, a proper cord trouser needs to be comfortable (that is, after all, the whole point of the garment), and the fall of the fabric that is decided by the weight of the cloth. That perfectly balanced effect you can get either by going to your tailor and have a pair made, or you can buy them at Cordings. In my view, the latter is to prefer. It will save you some money, better used for your next bespoke suit.

 

The range of colours to choose from is great too. There are all the bright yellow, red, pink, puce etc. that I love. But there are also the more discreet moss green, brown and so on. If one happens to prefer slightly more discreet nuances. A wonderful detail that makes the trouser sit perfectly on your hip is the extra strengthened waist lining plus the adjustable waist band, corrected with two buttons on each side on the outside as seen above. Details that has taken decades to perfect, and which we as customers can now enjoy.

 

After a post like this, I guess I should write about just Cordings too. Their range of jackets, shirts, ties, socks and cuff links are worthy of their own blog post. But that’s for another day. And I forgot about their lambswool sweaters that are the best in the world, too. Well, well… Now, go hunting for a proper pair of cords gentlemen!

 

 

 

 

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Hackett Correspondent Range S/S 2011

It has been far too long between my posts. Though, being a freelance artist and writer means that you’re either between jobs (or what the rest of you out there would simply call being unemployed) or stupidly busy. I’m lucky having been the latter. At least for the moment. This however hasn’t stopped me entirely from keeping an eye on what’s happening in the world of gentlemen’s fashion, and I must say I’m quite excited about Hackett’s new Correspondent range launched this season.

They call it a collection inspired by the globetrotting gentleman … features four-pocket safari jackets, light-weight blazers and shirts. Accessories include linen scarves, leather trimmed luggage and Panama hats.

Well if that’s not exciting, what is? So for the days when one isn’t crawling on a dirty rehearsal floor in a basement of an opera house, or when one isn’t forced to sit in a boring hotel room writing in solitude, on can at least look decent. And the advantage of this range is that it can be a bit crumpled. You know, to get that authentic correspondent look. Seeing your crumpled but distinguished looks no one will raise an eyebrow apart from when thinking “…hm…I wonder where he got that…”.

 

Modern tie wear

I’m a sucker for ties. I know it’s a rather appalling turn of phrase, but it’s the best way to sum up my love for something quite a lot of gents find a nuisance.

I understand that many men find it uncomfortable and strangling, but come on guys, give it a proper chance. A good looking tie, none of these novelty “funny” ones though. Anyone who manages to see what’s so funny about them? Please let me know. I’ve tried to understand but just never will.

There are so many ways to wear a tie today: with a jacket, under a nice hoodie with a good shirt, under a lambs wool crewneck, tightly and neatly done up in a double Windsor or loosely arrogant with a touch of style and prepyness. The opportunities are endless.

The only thing that matters is, as always, that it’s a good quality tie. It doesn’t need to be ludicrously expensive, but it needs to be good looking and of a high quality wove. Otherwise it just looks like you’re trying too hard. Which you, if you’ve bought a cheap H&M one, probably are.

The whole point of wearing a tie is that it gives an extra dash of colour and flair to an outfit that otherwise might just have been seen as nice. Wearing a tie is a statement, a way of saying “hey, I actually care and I dare make a statement with what I’m wearing”. Of course it will look great with a bespoke suit and a well chosen shirt and tie. That’s a given. However, the joy comes when you wear it with jeans and a nice jacket or something along those lines. A bit of imagination and chutzpah won’t harm in these uncertain times. Wouldn’t you agree? Still, I’m not a big fan of plain one-coloured ties. They have a tendency to look a bit bland, regardless of the colour. Better then to chose a simple design in basic colour combinations. It makes them go with so much more and the combinations with different outfits will be virtually endless. The double bar design is classic, easy to combine and works really well with most outfits: from the most leisure to the three-piece suit via the preppy university look. As stated above, the combinations can be endless if the garments, and in particular the tie, is chosen with care. Nothing is so frustrating, and unnecessary, as having a tie which can only be worn with one specific shirt under a specific jumper. At least that’s my view.

So gents, I implore you to start wearing ties more regularly for work, for leisure or just for fun. I know the tradition of wearing ties at the office have changed radically over the last decades, in some countries more than others. But isn’t there still the joy of looking good? Wearing a tie can be a way to get a job over another competitor, to get promoted over sloppier looking colleagues. It’s a way to show that you are daring, and that you are a man. A gentleman.

Be proud and your own individual and take the risk when you’re off to the office tomorrow: wear a tie.

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.