Classic Style

The late Hardy Amis. "I am quite aware that I shall annoy some people by my insistence on correctness based on tradition in the choice of certain articles of clothing; that I shall be called a snob and out of date. My reply again is that the suit is the dress of a gentleman. If you are one, you will instinctively, almost unconsciously, uphold its standards. If you are not, you might like to be helped. Don’t forget, I was not born a gentleman. But I was born with sharp eyes that noticed what a real gentleman wore and a curious mind which enquired into the origins of his style. What I learned I am trying to pass on." -- Hardy Amis (from the Voxartoria blog)

A few smaller bits of classic style: a lovely old watch of good quality, a cigarette lighter, and pair of interesting cufflinks. O ften, in our quest to kick up our style a notch or three, it's easy to become fixated on clothing and shoes.  But there is a bit more to classic men's style than that.  "Accessories" also have their place in the more stylish guy's wardrobe.  With that in mind, here are a few suggestions that you might add to your own quest for classic style in the direction of Grant, Astaire, McQueen, Caine, Connery, and the Duke of Windsor among others.   1) A Chest Wallet or Money Clip   Why throw things off when you wear a snappy suit or sports jacket and dress pants by placing an over-stuffed wallet in your rear pocket?  Your look will become much (ahem) smoother with a chest wallet that you carry inside your jacket and/or a bill clip that you carry in a front pants pocket. 2) A Leather Cigarette Case You hardly see these ar...

Heinz-Ulrich von Boffke models a vintage summer weight Corbin suit, Brooks Bothers necktie, and recrafted Allen Edmonds shoes. N o doubt about it, men.  When you wear a suit you enjoy (with alterations of course) along with the right shoes and accessories, you feel like a million bucks.  Even when the various elements comprising that ensemble come in at well below that price.  The items featured in today's photograph include: 1) A vintage U.S.-made (w/union labels) summer weight glen plaid suit by Corbin @ US$30 (thrifted) 2) Suit Alterations @ US$20 3) Allen Edmonds Shoes @ US$15 (thrifted) 4) Brooks Brothers Necktie @ FREE (from Mr. Midwester , a fellow menswear enthusiast) Not custom-made bespoke British or Italian items of course, but not too shabby either relative to how so many men look these days.  Even those who work in ostensibly "white collar" office positions.   This particular ensemble certainly put an extra spring in my step ...

Heinz-Ulrich the Mannequin.  This exaggerated, Frankenstein's monster-like pose shows how things fit after some minor alterations to the jacket and pants.  Looks like a bit of waist suppression would help the jacket fit better.  Sigh.  Back to the tailor's! R ooting through places like Goodwill and thrift shops, while a largely thankless task that doesn't yield much for roughly 90% of the time, can occasionally turn up some gems.  For instance, the clown in the photo above is wearing: 1) A summer weight, double-breasted sports jacket in wool by Alan Flusser, thrifted for US$7.99 2) Summer weight Giorgio Armani wool-silk pants made in Italy, thrifted for US$2.99. 3) A cotton Madras tie by Rooster, thrifted for US$5.99. 4) Land's End cotton dress shirt, purchased on sale several years ago. 5) Tasseled loafers by Cole Haan, purchased on sale in the summer of 2010. 6) Matching black leather belt, purchased on sale at Macy's in 2010. So, there you...

A neat old Laurence Fellows illustration that calls to mind summer travel destinations and a more relaxed approach to dressing. . .  while still retaining some sense of classic male style. A ttention to our clothes and shoes is all well and good -- and shouldn't be ignored -- where the quest for classic male style is concerned.  However, there are some elements of style that are less visible, less readily apparent, or just easier to forget.  With that in mind, here are a dozen finer points that you don't want to overlook in your effort to kick up your style a few notches. 1) Match the color of your belt to your shoes as near as possible.  I've mentioned this point elsewhere, but so many guys seem to forget about it.  Making sure your belt and shoes match will, however, instantly pull your look together regardless of how casual or formal it is on any given day. 2) Make sure your necktie, if you are wearing one, is cinched up enough to hide the top butto...