Goodbye to the pinstripe: City boys embrace a subtler style
THE pinstripe might be the fashion statement for which the City is best known, but it’s not a statement people are making too stridently this winter. A couple of years ago, when markets, banks and bonuses were flying high, a loud-as-you-like striped suit was pretty much a required part of every true City boy’s wardrobe. However, yesterday’s flash harry is today’s brash plonker, and subtler tastes are required for more circumspect times.
James Sleater, director of Square Mile tailors Cad & the Dandy says very few of the suits he makes now are in high-contrast stripes. “We’re definitely noticing people playing it down,” he says.
So what to go for instead this winter? The times may have changed, but that doesn’t mean you have to be positively funereal. A plain dark grey or navy blue suit will never go out of fashion – and if cut well, will always look classy – but there are always options to make things a little more interesting.
SUBTLER WEAVES
The cloth itself can make a difference. Flannel is perfect for winter, being warm and comfortable, and the loose nature of the weave and the way it’s treated creates visual depth.
“Flannel is a worsted material that’s made in such a way that you get a bit of pile on it, which creates a nicely textured effect,” says Karl Matthews of Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard. For the same reason, flannel will carry a gentle stripe more subtly – Matthews recommends an understated chalk stripe. “It ends up being quite mottled and dusty – and flannel sums up that soft, wrapped-up feel you want for winter, while being very elegant.”
According to Grame Fidler, head of menswear at luxury retailer Aquascutum, classic textured weaves give depth and character. Even these are being made subtler. For the chevron-shaped herringbone he advocates choosing a very small, finely woven pattern, and he says even the bolder birds-eye style is becoming a little more delicate than a few years ago.
“It’s about adjusting something that’s quite traditional, making it a little less obvious,” he says. “You want something that’s sophisticated, finessed and a little bit different without being overtly so – that’s a very fine line.”
If you’re prepared to walk a little more daringly along that line, consider getting a tweed suit. Tweed, of course, is often seen as the preserve of the country shooting set, and traditional tweed is perhaps a little too sturdy for town life. But just as semi-casual tweed jackets are being seen around town this season, more lightweight versions of the cloth are appearing that work beautifully for a winter suit.
“You can wear tweed without looking like a court jester,” says Sleater. “It’s being revamped for modern wear so that it’s a lighter, versatile hybrid. You can look smart, without having to look stereotypical – and that’s always a good thing to aim for.”
YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A CUSTOM-MADE OVERCOAT
To celebrate the opening of its new premises at Castle Court near Bank station, tailoring practice Cad & the Dandy is offering a free, bespoke overcoat to one City AM reader. Send an email to press@cadandthedandy.co.uk, with the subject heading “City AM”, before midday today, to be entered into a prize draw.