HERE AND NOW

[Kingstonian]

I suppose my Cornish fishing smock would definitely be beyond the pale then! In my defence, I do teach art sometimes, so it is practical.

The woman’s version is certainly very common these days- it so happens that my wife and Diane Keaton are each wearing them as I type. One of them is on television but I’m not saying which.

The whole Welsh/Cornish/Breton link is certainly interesting - Cornwall and Brittany both get called little Britain (so no more viewing them on Netflix)

I think the proper button shoulder ones look better like that in the solid blue. I don’t think I could carry it off in a stripy one though I did look at one at TK Maxx just before the lockdown.

Cornish fishing smock is not as universally recognisable. It is more of a niche product and it is in a solid colour so that would not trouble me.

 

[Swampster]

I tried a submariner type look once in my early 20s. I think I decided against it when I nearly died of heatstroke.
My wife might approve though - her uncle commanded a sub which torpedoed a u-boat while both were underwater.
I did get my first pea-coat this winter - a second hand Aquascutum, though I don’t know how old it is.

 

[am55]

If i follow you well, you mean that Lucas could develop more his "own style" on the prequels, but that it can be double-edged ? Sure, we also have some doubtful experiments sometime on SF.

Not quite, he always had his own style, just that when he was less famous and married, someone held him back into a range that was more acceptable. Once he no longer had the filter he did "too much". Cf Chanel "and take one item off", the semi-rule of having no more than one wild item, etc. I think if you are the type of person to think about style instead of just seeing it as something mechanical and necessary, the temptation is always there to go too far and look like a macaw.

 

[cerneabbas]

Not sure that I would call it a rule but I always buy flat front trousers,I just don't like the look of pleated ones.
I prefer wool although I have got a few pairs of Farah Hopsack wioth Frogmouth pockets and a couple of pairs of Chinos.
I usually go for a Tailored fit and wait for the sales,this is my latest pair 97% Wool and 3% Silk.

 

[Clouseau]

Not quite, he always had his own style, just that when he was less famous and married, someone held him back into a range that was more acceptable. Once he no longer had the filter he did "too much". Cf Chanel "and take one item off", the semi-rule of having no more than one wild item, etc. I think if you are the type of person to think about style instead of just seeing it as something mechanical and necessary, the temptation is always there to go too far and look like a macaw.

Think i got it roughly, i said he developed "more" his own style on the prequels, now you also mean his wife stopped him from going crazy before, and that it was no longer the case...

You reminded me of an important point with Chanel "and take one item off", it is the "less is more" concept.
I always try to keep it simple in my outfits, a spare style is more genuine and meaningful IMO.

 

[am55]

Yes and less tiring over the long run. At most a flashy thing can amuse the eye for a while.

Even the artists get it. Yes Rick Owens is, shape-wise, all over the place, but it's also usually monochrome and often without any colour. But you can err the other way too, stay too classic, too boring and then be another anonymous Haussmanian apartment block in a numbered suburb...

 

[Luigi_M]

Wherever we come from, wherever we are living, we had sartorial influences in our youth.

But there comes a time to develop our own style.

In this thread i would like to talk about a style that is contemporary without being fashion, with timeless elements.

A style that is your style, here and now.

Today, most of us wear casual clothes, that's why i start this thread on the SW&D board. But there are some time, some situations, to dress up, and we could discuss that too.

Be it casual or formal, the most important is quality clothing, quality shoes, and the right fit. What's your take on it ? What are your favorite items ? What is the next purchase you plan ?

I decided not to post inspiration pictures as i want to talk about you, and i would like you to post pictures of "fits" or items, that might contribute to show your own style.

Let's start ?

Nice theme for a thread, Monsieur l'Inspecteur, and I gladly subscribe.
Will by sure post pics next days.
I've some constants in how I dress, but I don't like to call them rules (we constantly live in constraining environments - let's be anarchist at least in how we dress). Anyway:
- I too outgrew jeans some years ago (in many senses), except for a last pair of black ones I sometimes still wear;
- I only pair a white shirt with black shoes, but the reverse is not true as I pair black shoes with whatever shirt;
- I like the blue blazer/grey flannel trousers combo, but never with white shirt and black shoes. With only one exception: when I attend the meetings of the association I belong to as a former Carabiniere: as blue coat, grey worsted trousers, light blue shirt and black shoes are considered a sort of 'social uniform'.
EDIT: along of course with The Tie:

Again, nice theme you chose for this thread and all good luck!

 

[Clouseau]

I didnt mentioned rules in the opening post guys, but to talk about your own look and your preferences.

If you want to speak about rules, i always found the Japanese concept of Shu - Ha - Ri very interesting. It is an important evolution/progression concept in Tea ceremony and Japanese Martial Arts, but it can be expanded to all form of Arts, including dressing.

Shu : follow the rules

Ha : detach from the rules

Ri : Leave the rules

 

[Svzn]

My current thoughts on clothing and footwear:

If I was starting I wouldn't be starting from here, not quite

Texture becomes more important than colour

Coarsen gradation of formal to casual, fewer intermediate steps

But more is less, so how

 

[tbrock]

Well, I'll kick it off with today's ultra informal fit. Was going to wear my new Harrington and some Chelseas but it's showering. Need to pick up my car after a few socially distanced beers yesterday. Ignore the lockdown locks blown about. Booked into the barber now. Was supposed to have been in London by this point and concerned my Trumper voucher will expire. Hopefully they will honour it.

Anyway, to cement the move from the other thread, sod the Harrington, here's a fitted barber Bedale. Stripey T due to all the breton talk. John smedley sea Island cotton cardi. And C&J Pembroke. All made in England. Could have completed it with a stripey MiE sunspel but I think I chucked it last summer and I don't think they make here anymore.

Probably a scruffier fit than normal to post here! I do scrub up, promise...

 

[Clouseau]

Well done @tbrock and Welcome !

 

[Clouseau]

Well, I'll kick it off with today's ultra informal fit. Was going to wear my new Harrington and some Chelseas but it's showering. Need to pick up my car after a few socially distanced beers yesterday. Ignore the lockdown locks blown about. Booked into the barber now. Was supposed to have been in London by this point and concerned my Trumper voucher will expire. Hopefully they will honour it.

Anyway, to cement the move from the other thread, sod the Harrington, here's a fitted barber Bedale. Stripey T due to all the breton talk. John smedley sea Island cotton cardi. And C&J Pembroke. All made in England. Could have completed it with a stripey MiE sunspel but I think I chucked it last summer and I don't think they make here anymore.

Probably a scruffier fit than normal to post here! I do scrub up, promise...
View attachment 1409903

I find your fit interesting. Kind of a young guy (colours, slim-fitting) take on the traditional Brit Country Look. Some strong items (Barbour, Smedley, C&J). Among them my favourite are the Pembrokes.
Always a bonus in an outfit to have quality footwear.

 

[tbrock]

I'll be honest, 'aubergine' (as they term it) isn't a colour I would usually wear but I think it helps a dull 'country' coloured outfit like this, of olive, denim and tan. And my wife constantly says I buy too much blue and navy clothing. Can't disagree. Says he, awaiting his new navy suit from Steed and new navy sta prest...

You have to be careful what country type stuff you adopt around here, for wear in North Yorkshire. Don't want to look like a toff, but there is that risk. Would tend to avoid anything quilted or a gilet (although I do have a heavy 'teddy' shooting waistcoat that goes in the Bedale), or rugby shirts!

Actually, come to think of it, the only time I've been called a toff was by some unhinged stranger in central London. I was only wearing an OCBD, chinos and brogues, so I'm not sure why he took such offence at me. Stuff like that doesn't happen up north.

 

[Clouseau]

Country and regional differences are interesting.

I think that in the future years i will wear more French items.
For two main reasons :

Quality of certain items. I now tend to (at least try to) buy less but quality, and if i look at the items in my wardrobe, the best ones are from French and Brit Maisons (Arnys, Hermès, Cordings, Church's).

The other reason is economical. We will have to support our own countries Economy in the years coming, you know like me why.
I also think it is time to move away from the "made in China", very difficult as almost all brands have their stuff made abroad.

Hence the interest of the old Maisons who have their stuff made in their country of origin, or at least in Europe.

 

[tbrock]

Your post sums up something I've been obsessed with for years. Long before Covid and people pretending to care about British manufacturing. I'm not saying we should be protectionist, but there is something rewarding about supporting local manufacturing, if you can afford to. And I have visited both the Barbour and C&J factories. It's good to know the terroir of a product, at the risk of being pretentious. What I find funny is all the comments I have heard recently IRL, from nationalist/protectionist individuals saying that after this virus, 'we need to go back to buying British' or saying that they are only going to buy British now, not realising that their £40 shoes turn into £440 shoes (C&J say) or that best case scenario, still £200 shoes with Loake. I was walking with a friend on Jermyn Street a few years ago who can well afford British made shoes and pointed out a pair of Loake 1880 I had recently purchased. He winced at the price and he has an exceptionally good job and well off family. People have different priorities I suppose. You just don't really see British people in British shoes anymore, outside the City and even then there are a lot of abominations. If Instagram is anything to go buy, the Japanese seem to be singlehandedly keeping Northampton afloat, with a little help from the yanks.