Good trousers are the foundation of more outfits than most men realise. A man can own a fine jacket and a good collection of shirts yet still struggle to dress for dinner because none of his trousers quite works. Some are too casual, others belong only with a matching suit, and a few simply no […]
Good luggage is remembered mainly when it goes wrong. The right bag makes a short journey pleasantly uneventful. A weekend bag should hold two or three days of clothing, the personal things you need and perhaps a book or laptop, without requiring a struggle every time you open it. A handsome bag that becomes uncomfortable […]
A shirt should suit the occasion, sit comfortably and remain presentable throughout the day. Yet it is easy to accumulate a wardrobe full of shirts that never quite work. Some are too formal for daily life. Others look tired after a morning’s wear. The answer is rarely to buy more. It is to decide what […]
Smart casual causes so much confusion because it is often described as though it were a fixed uniform. It is not. A relaxed office lunch, a birthday dinner and a country-house invitation may all carry the same instruction, yet they do not ask for the same clothes. The useful question is not whether a particular […]
A gentleman does not dress well merely to be admired. He dresses appropriately because the occasion, and the people who have arranged it, deserve consideration. Our fathers and grandfathers understood the difference between clothes for work, for church, for dinner and for a wedding. The rules have grown less rigid, but the principle has not […]
You can tell something about a man’s habits by the state of his shoes. They need not be new, costly or shined like a parade-ground boot. They should be clean, well cared for and appropriate to the occasion. Our grandfathers often had fewer pairs and understood how to make them last. Regular brushing, sensible drying […]
A good jumper should make life easier. It offers warmth when a shirt is not enough, sits comfortably beneath a coat and can look appropriate in places where casual clothing needs a little more thought. The trouble begins when knitwear is chosen only because it looks appealing folded on a shelf. Weight, fit, care and […]
Few items of clothing are easier to overthink than a tie. The sensible choices are also the most enduring. A tie should help complete an outfit. It is neither a substitute for a good shirt nor an invitation to demonstrate how much you know about dress. Its colour, pattern and knot are all secondary to […]
An accessory is only useful when it belongs with the clothes and the occasion. A pair of cufflinks is not complicated. It fastens a shirt cuff in place. Yet because cufflinks are often displayed in jewellers’ cases, given as presents and brought out for weddings, they have acquired a reputation for being difficult to get […]
A coat is something you wear on the way to a place, but it is often the first part of your clothing anyone sees. The coat hanging by the front door has a demanding job. It may need to keep out cold wind at the station, withstand a wet walk to work and look appropriate […]