An apology.... of sorts.

What can I say? I know I know it has been far to long but you can rest assured that I have plenty to tell you all. My excuse... wait, wait in fact my explanation is I started a new job a few weeks back and haven't had a moment to myself to think let alone write something down.
I managed to be fortunate enough to be whisked off to Athens on my second week at work (very lucky I know) and with it being quite an iconic company that I now work for it was of course time for an outfit or two too dazzle my new employers. Here is one of the looks I went for......

The shoes are from the previous blog and are now in need of another shine. Shirt is from one of my first ever posts on here and is a made to measure number from my second best brand Gieves and Hawkes. Jumper and trouser's from our friend across the water Ralph Lauren, blazer was made by a good friend of mine who should be launching his own label but needs some encouragement (don't worry I am on it). Last but most certainly not least the holdall is by Tods, my favourite purchase of all time and has been through a lot with me over the years.

As you can see I was not exactly dressed for the beach so I striped down to the chinos and rolled the cuffs up and went for a little dip. The water, unfortunately, was colder than Redcar beach in the middle of January so I wasn't in there for long!

Look what we have here...

Remember these poor old things

That's right they are the made to measure tassel loafers that I loved that much I decided to hurt them. Well they always say you hurt the ones you love and that was more than true for this pair of shoes. I took it upon myself to repair the fractious relationship between us both and shipped them off to where they came from Gieves and Hawkes on Savile Row, to see if some counselling would help them. In the form of Dr Justin FitzPatrick, he isn't a real doctor I don't think, the shoes met a shoulder to cry on and take solace from the mean and brutal treatment they had received. The results?

As you can see they look a lot better for a bit of tender loving care and now I am as happy as larry because I practically have a new pair of shoes. Dr Justin will take on any shoes from any brand but he works from his station in Number 1 Savile Row. The services on offer are either the Gieves special shine for £10 or the Gieves milatry shine for £20 which makes your dancers look like they are made from glass (glass I tell you). I went with the special shine as these are loafers and are meant to be informal. With the previous finish being a camel colour and the shoes now looking more like a chestnut shade, there are some patches of mottled effect but to me this gives the shoes a more antique feel. When I went in there a chap had just given him 6 pairs of John Lobb shoes to shine up to a military spec so he has his work cut out.
I am now looking forward to wearing these for the first time. If I only had a special occasion to wear them too? Whats that love we need some milk......

All white now.

As I have mentioned in a previous post blazer buttons are great way to put a different spin an outfit. In Wednesdays musing I mentioned I was wearing a navy blue blazer with white mother of pearl buttons and didn't put a picture up. Forgive me as I posted that from sitting on the edge of the bed whilst the better half was walking around trying to find something to wear and I was summoned to iron some clothes for her. After working on The Row my ironing skills are a gift but also a burden sometimes. Anyway here is a close up shot of the point I am trying to make.

The jacket is a navy textured wool from the old Gieves by Gieves and Hawkes range and must be 4 years old now. Originally part of a suit but I wrecked the trousers, naturally, so changed the buttons to these so I had something a little more casual in the jacketing department. The white shine coming through is the lining from underneath as the cloth is so loosely woven it shows through on photos. Trust me it doesn't show through in real life (I know this is real life but you get what I mean).
But look at these....

Hotfooting along Savile Row yesterday afternoon I spotted these two rather eye catching jackets. Not quite so sure about the ties on display here but the jackets are lovely and as we can see white buttons. Note how the white in the shirt links in nicely with the white buttons, but this also could be done with a white pocket square or a white collar and cuff shirt.
I think that Willem Alexander, Prince of Orange could have maybe got away with the one on the right for the royal wedding, that teamed with an electric blue trouser?
Lastly but by no means least here is one of my all time favourite brands, Hackett. I had the misfortune of having to fly from Stansted airport last month and when I got through security and the horror of the departure lounge was thrust upon me, it was with great relief that I noticed Hackett had opened a mini shop there. My forty five minute wait flew by as ohhhhed and ahhhed over the fantastic collection that was in there. I stumbled upon this natty piece

Patch pockets, three button cuff and a notch lapel which all work well and as we can see white buttons. On this shot they have tied in the white button with the white stripe in the shirt and set it all off with the slightly off white pocket square. I love this jacket and might have to go and buy it or do I need another blazer? Yes of course I need another blazer, because a man  can never have to many.
Until next time, toodle pip.

Flower power

I was feeling a little "I need to be a bit different" at the weekend so I wracked my brains on what to do. Now granted not all people dress like I do, cream trousers and a pocket square would be more than enough for some, but I felt like I had to go one step further. 

The perfect way to cheer up an outfit is a flower in the lapel buttonhole. Some say that a pocket square and a flower is too much but what do they know? Always pick a fresh flower, of course, and something that co-ordinates with the outfit like my white orchid here. This outfit comprises of navy wool blazer with white mother of pearl buttons, white shirt, cream gaberdine trousers, sky blue socks and tan brogues.

Sky blue cotton socks nicely tie in with the mosaic effect in the pocket square in the first shot. The beard is optional of course. I do apologise for this picture it was taken outside a soho pub at the weekend but I thought I should share it with you all. 

Tara for now.

That wedding those people had

Alright, everyone how are we feeling? Long weekend that one wasn't it? Seems like Will and Cath getting hitched was ages ago but sifting through the style debris one thing that caught my eye over everything else was Mr Beckham's choice of shirt.

Now we all know that Becks isn't shy of getting his "tats" out but isn't it a shame when he is invited to the biggest wedding off the century and finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard place: get his neck tattoos out and face the tut tutting of the landed gentry or wear a high necked wing collared shirt and... well get tutted at by the landed gentry once more. This shirt is more akin to white tie affairs not weddings and although David comes ever so close to pulling it off it just doesn't sit right at a wedding does it? His lovely smily wife would of had a lot of input in this I suspect but that again drags up the "don't let the Mrs dress you, dress yourself" quandary. This whole outfit is Ralph Lauren purple label and not Tom Ford as many thought. Perfect length of the tails on the jacket and spot on break in the front of the trouser. The O.B.E finishes it off nicely as well just a shame about those tattoos and I am talking from experience here.
A last note on how happy his Mrs looks as well, aww so warm and approachable isn't she?

My mate

Owns this rather cool tailoring company. Since striking out on his own, about a year ago now, he has come such a long way in a rather small space of time. We both cut our teeth together on Savile Row Mr Newell was there sometime before I came along but we instantly had a connection and knew that we had our own ambitions to go elsewhere and make our own mark on the tailoring world.
The latest in a long line of Soho tailoring houses that offer that little something different from The Row, Newell Bespoke is a company that makes sure the customer is always right working with them to get the perfect fit, cut and combination of cloth and lining. Have a look at just some of the pieces Newell has managed to conjure up.

Sky linen blazer with mother of pearl buttons

Newell Bespoke is one company that delivers what it promises (Mr Newell once flew to Italy and back in one day to collect a customers suit as he needed the next day, now that is service), which at the end of the day, is what its all about. Mr Newell has his own personal style, something that is quite different to mine but one thing you cannot say about him is he is badly dressed. The man is as sharp as a dart and in my opinion the best dressed Soho dandy.

Soho gangster chic this one.

So gentleman of London (or anywhere else for that matter) next time you are after a suit that speaks for you make yourself an appointment with my mate Mr Newell.

Brace yourself

You know when you don't hear anything mentioned of something for quite sometime then all of a sudden you hear lots about that one thing in one week? Well thats what last week was like for me and, wait for it, braces.
 Last week a friend tweeted that she had seen an old chap walking through south London with a pair of braces on and looking quite smart with it as well. Then on Thursday afternoon I met up with a couple of friends in Regents Park and one of them had button braces on the outside of her chino shorts and they looked rather swish. Finally last night we went to another friends BBQ and a mate of mine there mentioned he was going to have to dust off his braces for his morning suit for the royal wedding (we are all attending a royal wedding party not the actual royal wedding just to let you know).
Braces are a tricky thing to get used to but once you are used to them they make life so much easier. Most modern gents wear belts with suits, firstly the reason is to keep his trousers in the right place and the second reason is for aesthetics. Some guys like to match the belt colour with the shoe colour and then, if they are really into it, their watch strap. In my eyes belts are just not needed. First of all your trousers should be tailored to you therefore there is no room in them for a belt to pull in the excess material. Secondly a belt will only pinch the trousers into place, and then weigh them down with a buckle, whereas braces hang them in place (think about that one and then it will click).

How it should be done.

Granddad would approve.

Braces can be adjusted just as a belt can be and I always think a suit looks a lot cleaner with no belt loops but side adjusters, wether they be button or buckle, then a nice set of brace buttons on the inside of the trousers. Lovely.