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With Rachel now covering Oxford and Reading the City Road team has had a bit of a re-shuffle. The City Road girls, me and Rach are only together two days a week and in honour of this we decided to collaborate on a blog, me on the words, Rach on the pics.
Our normal turn around is 6-8weeks plus fittings so even if you are still swanning around in your light grey suit and shades don't leave your Autunm option to the last minute. My favourite time of year is Autunm, the evenings have only just started to get dark and the colours are brilliant, perfect inspiration for your suiting designs.
Me and Rach have come up with three outfit ideas to get you started. First up, 'A Classic Three Piece with an edge.'
This is a great outfit for the more classic gent. The use of a contrast collar, pocket flaps and waistcoat give it that extra special something. The contrasting colour choice can be as wild or as subtle as you like. For this design we've gone with FLA-26, a grey heavy weight wool and cashmere cloth contrasted with HAB-2; a light brown herringbone cloth, also a heavy weight wool and cashmere. This is a real winner for Autumn and an idea that can be adapted for all seasons, events and occasions.
Fashion Forward suiting
Now, if you want something a little more on trend but still subtle, concentrate on your detailing. It is said that menswear is all about the details, something quite small can make all the difference. Again we've gone with a herringbone;HAB-3A, a grey wool and cashmere. The HAB's are such great cloths for the Autumn and can be really jazzed up with a splash of bright colour. With this outfit we've gone with straight flapless pockets with an extra ticket pocket all edged in red velvet. The red theme is carried on through to the cuff and lapel buttonhole stitching as well as a fushia lining.
Wild Autumn Oranges
Sometimes, classic and trendy are not what you want, sometimes, you want to walk into a room and make everyone go, wow! Our Sharkskin 5603-6 is a bronze cloth with a tonic weave that can do that. Keep the design very simple with a notched collar, slanted flapless pockets and straight leg trousers. With a really simple design you can afford to add a silk orange tie and really turn heads. The main thing to remember is that although suiting has a strong connection to the world of the nine to five it does not have to be dull. Tailoring is all about beautiful garments and amazing details.
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Planning a wedding is a challenge, ask any one, but it can become even harder when you're instructed to stick to a theme. Hands up guys if you've ever been faced with 'sticking to the theme' for either your own or a friends wedding? Or indeed if you are currently faced with such a hurdle and all you want is a classic stylish suit that fits like a dream and you can maybe wear again? The desire to fulfil both the role of wedding suit and future use is becoming increasingly important to the dapper chap as the purse strings are pulled ever tighter.
My quick fix guide will hopefully give you a few ideas to make sure the theme is met and you've got a suit you love for however long you want it. Remember, sometimes thinking out side the box can lead to stunning results. This week I'm looking at 'Reds and pinks.'. Pink and Red
This is a lovely option if you want to keep your suit classic. Go for the contrast detailing on the button holes and a bold red splash of paisley in the lining. This option looks fantastic with the mid to dark greys or black. If you wanted to be bolder with your pink theme choose the orchid lining and slip a hot contrast colour in for added fun. When using lighter pink and red tones you can also happily play with the lighter greys.
For something really stunning go with the the image below. The mixture of both a tailcoat and waistcoat in red tones is kept classic with grey trousers and a white shirt. It's got an amazing Ascot-esk feeling and for future use you could get the lounge jacket to match.
If you going for a more subtle look you could go with a light grey two piece suit with red melton. This way you wedding suit can more easily morph into an events or work suit.
One of my clients really pulled off a more classic interpretation of the red theme by sticking with burgundy tones:
Mark really shined in his suit on his wedding day. He was a little worried at first but now he really loves it. A great outfit for versatility; the jacket works well with jeans for casual honeymoon wear and it looks good with a floral Hawaiian shirt, although I did promise Mark I wouldn't put up that picture.
Mark really shined in his suit on his wedding day. He was a little worried at first but now he really loves it. A great outfit for versatility; the jacket works well with jeans for casual honeymoon wear and it looks good with a floral Hawaiian shirt, although I did promise Mark I wouldn't put up that picture.
So, reds and pinks are a relatively easy one but getting the balance right is very important. If you really don't suit bright reds as a colour pick on softer shades and blend tones rather than having perfect matches. Having everything in just three shades can be harsh on the eye and while you do want to follow the theme, you don't want to look as if you are the theme.
As for Zombie themes, it's not something I'd advice but a background level of red works really well!
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Being a bit of a rock and metal head myself I must admit that I somewhat over looked 'One Direction.' When they first hit the UK. I thought to myself 'well they'll be gone by the end of the year' and now they're storming the states.
They are suiting ambassadors for a younger generation. One that would have otherwise totally miss out on how good a suit can look. Having a younger brother I have some understanding of the inner workings of a teenagers mind. They generally associate suits with their dads and a lack of cool. With One direction getting themselves suited and booted I think we are going to be seeing a general smartening up in the 16-25 age group over the coming year. I say lets make this the decade of the really cool suit. A nice nod to Elvis with the suede shoes in this shoot for Nokia (looking down at my desk this may even be the shot that made me get my new phone).
But really what I want to focus on here is their use of casual slim line jackets paired with bold colours. Since the Puritans got involved in British culture and the French killed their monarchy, menswear has generally been on the sombre side. There have been brief periods where men have step out of the shadows but these have had a tendency to be short lived. But these days I see more and more gents coming in to the studio wanting something a little different and 'One Direction' are a great example of how a man can wear colour.
So lets Get the Look!
Liam Payne
One of the more subtle looks, a real winner for casual summer evenings.
My favourite of the boys looks, understated and contrasting. Straight flapped pockets allow the mis-match of colours to remain separate and balanced as the eye is not drawn up. Liam has paired his trousers and jacket with a simple shirt with contrasting black buttons
Niall Horan
Get the jacket as part of a two piece to give this super look more versatility
My favourite of the boys looks, understated and contrasting. Straight flapped pockets allow the mis-match of colours to remain separate and balanced as the eye is not drawn up. Liam has paired his trousers and jacket with a simple shirt with contrasting black buttons
Niall Horan
Get the jacket as part of a two piece to give this super look more versatility
This is a really slick casual look; a classic jacket worn with a shirt with a button down collar. My only point of contention would be the extremely low slung trousers, but this is a personal choice. I would suggest going with a more classic rise.
Zayne Malik
This look shouts 'I want to be Elvis!'
A bit of a 'Wow' look, to really glam up the jacket get a black satin lapel and contrast satin details. If your going bold, don't be shy, go the whole hog! The skinny collared shirt ads a nice break point between the face and the rest of the outfit which would otherwise be unbalanced. The trousers add a more sombre tone to keep the everything together.
Louis Tomlinson
Bright blue is the colour of summer, mixing it can add that certain something.
This is the 'Hoxton' look with a large dose of colour! It's a great for spring/summer 2012 and in keeping with the season. I've used a fine puppy tooth lambs wool for the trousers and combined this with a jacket in ultra chique cobalt blue from our VBC wool/mohair range. An electric red pocket square finishes the look although I'd go for a white shirt over a T-shirt (what can I say I'm a tailor).
Harry Styles
Cheeky with a touch of geek chique.
I am a great lover of bow ties so this one naturally wins me over. A nice balance in the jacket with tonal nods to the trousers in the velvet contrast collar and stitch detail. This could work well in orange or red too. I like the weight contrast between the jacket and trouser; very light trouser with a moderately heavy cloth. This lends itself to summer evenings with a short sleeved shirt.
A few things to remember when emulating these looks; The trouser shape is important, ask your style advisor for an ultra skinny leg and a lower crotch measure. Adding a prominent seat to an other wise flat one will help by give extra space in the back, keeping the front flat.
Choose a funky suede brogue or another statement shoe to go with this outfit. My favourites this season are from Grenson's and Dr.Martin's.
For a more general breakdown of their style check out Eddy's One Direction blog.
So pop over for a FREE no obligation appointment at our London City Studio with me Rachel Harries.
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An adaptation of 'A Servant and Two Masters' by Goldoni it is set in the 1960's and perfect for a modern, British audience. I failed to go and see it while James Corden was in the role of Francis Henshall but the other week I treated myself to a little after work outing with a girlfriend.
I loved the way the production focused on taking visual clues from the costume to inform us of the character types and their function within the plot. This was subtle but still visable to the theatre savvy. But probably my favourite aspect of the performance (given my profession) was the attention to detail in the costume of this 60's extravaganza.
Here we see one of the iconic 60's looks; carefully contrasting cloths, trousers with a single pleat and braces with a sports jacket with a slight longer length. In the context of the play it shows the rakish vanity of the character when combined with the slick hair and general demeanour. To bring this look up to date create a slimmer line to your trousers and jacket, cut out the pleats, airing on the slim side with your lapel. White collar and cuffs are really in style at the moment and mixed with a striped cloth for the rest of the shirt, this look is just super!
A note for any ladies reading; the use of suiting separates and carefully mis-matching cloths gives you great versatility. When choosing your suiting go for a few full suits in cloths that will work with each other. Then pick a few stand out cloths for single garments again remembering versatility is the key here. Bold trousers and skirts with simpler blouses and jackets are must this year.
I find the costume of the character Francis utterly charming. A little nod perhaps to the diamond print of the harlequin role that he presides within. Checks and tweeds within suiting have been really winners on the catwalks the past couple of seasons. Brown and blueish tones work beautifully together and something like the Check-875083-2 or our TPO range are all appropriate here. With summer not far off though it might be a good idea to bear in mind the CB range of checks as light weight alternatives.
Looking at other characters within the play we come across the use of crisp white shirts. This look is simple but kept almost comically 60's with this crazy paving tie with a diamond print. A style tip here would be to try not to mix check suiting with bold print ties.
Another great tip this play has to offer is the use of classic men's tailoring on women. Provide you are not to full in the chest this can create a bold look. A slim fit dinner jacket can give you great taster of this look, a great advocate of this being Kate Moss (see Hana's blog for more info). These slim line slightly masculine jackets offer great options for pairing with jeans for a more casual look.
Another great tip this play has to offer is the use of classic men's tailoring on women. Provide you are not to full in the chest this can create a bold look. A slim fit dinner jacket can give you great taster of this look, a great advocate of this being Kate Moss (see Hana's blog for more info). These slim line slightly masculine jackets offer great options for pairing with jeans for a more casual look.
One of the reasons the characters costumes are so important is that visual character clues are a must in any comedy of errors. The importance of dress is also true in every day life. A persons first impression of you is often based on the your handshake, your smile and the way you dress. A crisp well cut suit speaks volumes but the devil is in the detail
-A slim lapel can give a slick modern look suggesting you're a forward thinker and like to keep up to date. But be warned if it's wrong for your build (such as a very broad or boxy shape) it may suggest that you follow fashions blindly and need a lot of direction even if you are a hard worker.
-Peaked Lapels look great and ladies can wear them all the time but gents need to be careful as they suggest power and if you're a young guy in a low level job it might come across as arrogance. It might be best to keep it for sports jackets until you've got a few more years under your belt.
- Small, bright contrasting details on a very sombre suit hint to a fun side of your personality. It's a nice detail and subtle enough for a day in the office but be careful, a full set of contrasting button holes is a statement not a detail.
If you have any worries about coming over as 'just another man in a suit' come and see your local Style Advisor. We'll help you pick details that are right for you.
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