Why the Archbishop has got it wrong November 2, 2011 I must confess that I’m glad not to be a member of the Church of England, an institution that has been hemorrhaging members ever since anybody can remember. While I have the deepest respect for the remaining band of Anglican churchgoers (though not for the CoE’s leadership), I can’t say I’m surprised by the Church’s [...]
Suits and the City October 20, 2011 The three piece revival: Waistcoats are back Look sharp in black tie How to wear a contrast collar shirt
Good things come in threes October 20, 2011 A SUIT isn’t complete and proper unless it’s a three-piece suit. That’s the view of plenty of tailors, but for a long time it wasn’t shared by many of their clients. The waistcoat all but disappeared from the City in the ‘80s, and if anything was buried further by a brief ‘90s revival in the [...]
News from the cutting rooms October 20, 2011 CHESTER BARRIE OFFERS CITY A.M. READERS A FREE WAISTCOAT WITH THEIR SUITS Quality suit-making company Chester Barrie is opening a dedicated room for its made-to-measure suits in the City’s branch of House of Fraser next week. Superior cloths are on offer and tailors will be present at all times to measure customers up. To celebrate, [...]
The dark arts October 20, 2011 WHAT THEY ARE AND WHERE TO BUY: 1 Bill Amberg leather iPad case, £295 www.mrporter.com 2 Aspinal leather-lined hip flask, £40, www.aspinaloflondon.com 3 Dunhill Bladon black 48-hour bag, £1,400, www.dunhill.com 4 Aspinal black crocodile skin blackberry case, £39, www.aspinaloflondon.com 5 -6 William & Son alligator skin business card holder, £575 and wallet, £1,245, www.williamandson.com 7 Simon Carter cinnamon edge wallet, [...]
Black tie parties are old school occasions October 20, 2011 If you’re wondering how to look your best for the festive season’s black tie parties, bear this in mind: classic is back. A review of what was being sported at last month’s GQ Magazine Men of the Year awards provides an insight into the shifting tide in tuxedo trends. Gone were the slimline creations so [...]
BOW TIE: How to wear black tie October 20, 2011 Learn to tie a bow-tie. There really is no excuse: you can tie your shoelaces, and a bow-tie knot is really little different, it’s just you’re doing it in the mirror. Practice by sitting down and tying it round your thigh with the same bow as you’d use for your shoelaces. A clip-on tie is [...]
A stitch in tie October 20, 2011 A PROPER, handmade silk tie is a very subtle slice of beauty, and if you want to look your absolute smartest, it’s an essential part of the outfit. But while it undoubtedly looks better than its cheaper, synthetic cousin, you might be hard pushed to say quite why. Good leather simply takes polish better. The [...]
Return of the power shirt October 20, 2011 GORDON Gekko (as played by Michael Douglas), with his braces out and sleeves rolled up as he pretty much devours Wall Street, has become the archetypal image of the contrast collar shirt. A more subtle example, however, might be David Frost, teasing a Watergate admission out of Richard Nixon, sporting a dark blue shirt with [...]