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John-Paul Stuthridge

John-Paul Stuthridge

Making Everyday a Special Occasion

In this economy, personal investments come at some extra cost: the care we diligently owe to worthy items, a cashmere jumper, a silvered candelabra, a bespoke shirt, some made-to-order shoes, or whatever else it might be. “Let’s save it for a special occasion”, so we say. The expression is a familiar one, one we use a lot of the time. And, to be honest, I think it’s wrong.

Demystifying Wine Etiquette: Why Less is More

There was a young man who was visually debonair and moved as sleekly as his well-greased hair. He invited a lady out on a date and they sat down in nothing but grace and elegance. When the waiter approached the table the young man took it upon himself to impress his second date to be. He asks, ‘May we order a bottle of the house red?’, only for the waiter to return minutes later with a bottle of tomato ketchup and says, ‘This is our finest brand of red, Sir’.

Travelling Fast, Living Slowly: an English Reflection on European Lifestyle

Aside from the essential morning espressos, rustic colourful balconies on which the elderly tend to plants, the buzz of an intrigued centre square, beautiful churches to dip in and out of, twenty-four-hour linen wardrobes, and immaculate meat and seafood served with cocktails that taste ‘just nicer for some reason’, what is there to love about the slow, European life? Well, maybe that’s it, but why does it appeal so much?

The Subtle Details of Excellent Restaurant Service

You'd be impressed if you went into a 3-star Michelin restaurant decorated with gilded statues and 19th-century art, servers in white dinner jackets, and the highest quality food. However, does it matter if the service is shocking? No, sadly.

My Made-to-Measure Suit Experience

I couldn’t go bespoke, but I couldn’t bring myself to go off the rack, either. These exact thoughts echoed in my mind repeatedly when I went for my first proper suit last summer. It’s hard to say what is and what isn’t a proper suit. At that time and now, I consider ‘proper’ to mean a couple of things.

Understated Elegance Understood

How sorely people desire to be seen, recognised, noticed, and known in today’s world. Not that I’ve been privy to Edwardian dinners, but one excellent custom from socialising in previous centuries that seems a bit lost today was the art of not being noticed. Regarding classic style, we understand this nowadays as understated elegance. I will now dive into what I think are some key features of this concept and why it is the preferred way to dress.