A well fitting suit is the most important garment a gentleman can own, sadly, all too often this is forgotten. Ill fitting suits which look a few sizes too big are unfortunately not uncommon. A suit can be made of the most expensive material available, but if the fit isn't correct, nobody will be able to tell.
Tweed is a remarkably diverse textile. It is the quintessential cloth of The Establishment â– think, Duke of Windsor, hunting and horse-riding â– and yet it possesses a burgeoning popular appeal.
A bespoke jacket or suit will fit you better than an off the peg suit. Period. Crucial details can nonetheless designate those garments that are truly a cut above rest.
The Duke of Windsor is remembered for two things, his eleven month reign as Edward VIII between January and December 1936 and his sartorial flair. At the time of his death in 1972, he owned 15 evening suits, 55 lounge suits, 3 formal suits and over 100 pairs of shoes. Credited with the introduction of a more relaxed and less structured approach to dressing, the Duke combined rich textures and colour with confidence and creativity.
Time was when men had to get all of their shirts tailored. Now, tailored shirts are considered luxuries. Commissioning a bespoke garment is certainly luxurious in the sense of choice and improved comfort, but luxury, in this case at least, does not mean penury; in reality, a tailored shirt costs only a fraction more than an off the peg variant that almost invariably has baggy sleeves, whether you opt for the 'classic' fit or the 'extra slim' fit.
There are myriad decisions that need to be made when commissioning a bespoke jacket or suit, from the shape of the lapel to the number and style of buttons. The most important of these decisions concerns the cloth from which the garment will be made, for this will determine its utility, durability and price
The English summer is as ethereal as it is ephemeral. Blissfully warm weeks with soothing breezes and calm evenings are punctuated, sometimes daily, by storms and lightning floods. Holiday plans, social events and, of course, barbecues are convened and cancelled at the whim of the elements. Our wardrobes are also at their mercy.
Even in this modern world you can still tell a lot about a man by the shoes on his feet, perhaps even more so! Shoes can communicate your taste and personality, whether you have an eye for detail and we are told, even our emotional compatibility. So what do your shoes say about you? So often the shoes we wear are the last thing we think about, but they are in fact as important as a man's tailored suit, or a well cut pair of denim jeans.
