Style

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.

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.

A Sunday roast followed by a brisk walk aside, is there anything more Autumnal than corduroy? The soft, durable, ribbed cotton fabric that we know today originated in 19th Century Manchester as factory workwear. It was later adopted for war work, perhaps most famously for the Women’s Land Army.

During the initial contact with a person, we probably all have our own personal checkpoints that we consciously or unconsciously run through. I read a quote: “I make shoe contact before eye contact” – and couldn’t help smiling, because this is exactly me; for me, it’s the shoes (and watch). I find the shoes being probably the most important piece in an outfit, but sadly I must admit, often also the piece that is the most neglected.

This story originally appeared on the Gents Cafe Newsletter. You can subscribe here. Barathea, boutonnière, cocktail-cuffed dinner jackets,...

This story originally appeared on the Gents Cafe Newsletter. You can subscribe here. Slowly, but certain and steadily...

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