Santa Baby

Over the last few weeks and especially days, I've heard (and been involved in) more and more conversations concerning the Winter Season, unprepared/outdated wardrobes, and holiday gift-shopping.

As such, I have decided to combine the subjects into a series of posts directed at good old Santa Claus. Included will be both items from my personal wish-list and (gift-)advise for anyone interested. Ranging from essentials to the slightly more exotic, I hope to spark some inspiration for all you holiday shoppers out there.  And of course deliver my own contribution to boasting the economy. Sort of.

Winter's come early

Green Tweed, paired with Silk, via Permanent Style

Winter's come to town early this year, and as I sit yet with only the light of a desk lamp and two candles, the white roofs outside remind me that it's time to reorganise the wardrobe. As with food, music and moods, closets also change with the seasons.

With the temperature dropping, naturally comes the need for warmer clothing. Fabrics get thicker, and layers more plentiful. Winter's the time for creativity with accessories, especially for men, who are usually rather restricted in this field. Silks make up for the roughness of flannel and tweed. Neckerchiefs and Ascots add a subtle bit of classiness and warmth to outfits not sporting a neck-tie, and can even go far in adding some class to an otherwise very urban or casual outfit. The occasional cardigan, waistcoat, even hoodie or whatnot, gives opportunity for an added pop of colour.

On the outer layers, cashmere, silk and merino-wool keep the neck and chest warm in forms of scarves, draped in many styles and ways. They close the gaps on tweed jackets and warm overcoats. Sometimes leather jackets if the temperatures don't drop too low.

Layering for winter, via Loro Piana

With winter also come the vast differences between inside and outside temperatures, making layering a must. Of course the outer layer comes off when entering an indoor premises, but even then having options is usually more than welcome (especially considering the differences between indoors-environments). Now is the time for jerseys, cardigans, matching or odd waistcoats, multiple layers of shirtings, and more. Creativity is the key-word, as the options are almost limitless, as long as one keeps in might the setting one might be in. For the most formal occasions, keep in mind not all layers need to be visible of course.

As winter rears its frosty head, fabrics, habits and colours in wardrobes change. Like it or not, the seasons are a fact, and I'd rather work with what I can't fight. Tomorrow I'll be looking to purchase a good new pair of shoes for the season.

Not just true for (semi-)Formal

Ensuring a properly fitting neck on your jackets helps to give not only an air of elegance, but also the impression the wearer actually owns the suit. Unfortunately, this is of course largely an issue of make and fit.

Showing shirt collar - preferably an inch or more - gives a clean, finished touch to an ensemble and helps to flatteringly elongate the neckline. Done by simply holding on to the shirt-collar with one hand, and gently tugging the bottom of the jacket after putting it on with the other, this simple detail gives the impression the wearer knows what he's doing, and feels comfortable in a suit.
Done properly, few will realise why, but most will recognise one is dressed well.

Next time, show some collar.

Crisp White Linen: of Complement and Contrast:

Recess is over, and today I'd like to share my thoughts on one of the basics of dressing well.

To me, one of the fundamentals of looking good -not just in dress, but in aesthetics in general, for that matter-  is the play between complement and contrast. Simply put, the eye wants something that is both interesting and pleasant. As such, one has to find a balance between using elements that are harmonious, and those that spark each other off. Like a good relationship, basically.

Seen on both Kanye West above, and the Italian gentleman to the right, the crisp white linen pocket square is often quoted as the fundamental square. Whether puffed or folded, and almost regardless of which colours combined with, a clean linen pocket square in white looks good, and appropriate in almost any worsted suit's breast-pocket. And there's a reason for that.

The basics of working with contrast and complement are colour and texture, and white linen works with both: the crisp clean white contrasts with the inevitably darker background of the suit jacket. The stronger the difference in colour, the stronger the effect. This creates something playful and interesting for the eye to look at, and helps give a feeling of completion to an outfit. On the other hand, the matte linen is in line with the relative "un-shininess" of the jacket (most commonly made out of wool). This helps to ease in the square, and creates a feeling of wholesomeness and belonging.

Were one to pick, say, a silk white square on the same suit, the contrast would have been much greater, and quite possibly have taken away from the overall charm. Of course it can be pulled off, and don't forget a pocket square and suit are only two elements making the sum of a gentleman's outfit. But then again, this is not a post advocating against wearing anything other than white linen, but simply to explain my views on why it works.

If there is one thing I might teach you in all these posts, let it be this - Complement and Contrast. Oh, and to buy your(-self/ man) a white linen square. It never hurts.

"She asked me why I’m so dressed up?… I told her, ‘cause I’m not headed to the gym right now."

- Kanye West

Colours, Stars and Stripes

A few days back I wrote a bit on colour, and dressing without looking artificial. One of the ways to do so, is by matching secondary colours. And one way of matching secondary colours, once perhaps not a wardrobe staple but far more common than it is today, is the multi-coloured striped suit.

Seen here worn by Gossip Girl's Chuck Bass, the suit in charcoal with a fine alternating orange and blue-purple stripe almost looks solid from afar, but helps to pull together the peach shirt, red-purple and orange pocket square and purple paisley tie (which also has traces of orange, peach and possibly even blue). But most impressively, it helps the slightly dandified boutonnière to blend in with the outfit and look acceptable for the circumstances.

Naturally, most of us won't frequently be donning a tie, pocket-square and boutonnière with our suits at the same time, but Mr. Bass provides us with a good example of the synergistic effects a multi-coloured stripe can have. Best when executed in colours that blend together from afar, a pattern like this can look conservative and creative, with space for subtle display of personality. After all, it's all in the details.


So, next time you're looking for a suit with a twist, consider the multi-coloured stripe.

Of Socks and Saints

 

A subtle bit of colour can go miles in keeping a sober outfit from being boring. Like everyone who went to a British boys-school knows, socks can be a great place to splash in an almost hidden bit of rainbow juice.

Here, bright red cotton socks worn with grey flannel trousers and black pecari-leather shoes to an afternoon rendezvous in the city, for a long informal lunch and coffee.

The rest of the outfit consisted out of a slightly darker grey polo neck and a black corduroy cotton jacket, accessorised with a cotton dove grey pocket square and a light red viscose scarf. Admittedly, the socks are a bit brighter a red than I would normally choose, but I was in the mood for a bit more wham, and they matched the scarf so well.

And admittedly, it was the "Intocht van Sinterklaas" (the start of the Dutch winter Holiday season), and this was pretty close to Sinterklaas-red..