The 7 Things I Never Leave the House Without!

Here is a list of seven things that I always have on me when I leave the house.

1. Watch. I have several watches, but my day to day watch is a black 3000 Series Luminox. 
2. Wallet. This slim black black wallet has plenty of room for student cards. As I suggested here.
3. Phone. My old, but much loved Backberry. 
4. Notebook. For jotting down ideas between lectures or anything else that interests me.
5. Keys. 
6. Glasses. I have to wear them, but I often carry my prescription sunglasses too.
7. Lighter. I smoke rarely, but have found that a lighter is always useful to carry.

So there you have it. I think it is important to know what you will be carrying on a daily basis. For one thing it allows you to be prepared for the changeable nature of everyday life, and for another it allows you to invest in the things you use the most.

As always thank you for reading.

The Essentials - The Repp Tie

The striped tie was once a clear mark of a man place in society. The stripes showed regimental, and club colours, that marked him out instantly to fellow members, and those in the know. This is seldom now the case.

The repp tie was popularized in the Untied States after the Duke of Windsor donned the tie of his regiment (the Grenadier Guards) whilst visiting the country. The tie was adopted into the preppy culture of Americas east coast. Although Brooks Brothers later bowed to pressure from the British, (who were understandable annoyed at their American cousins 'flying under false colours') and took to running their stripes right to left, rather that left to right.

With the demise of the gentleman's club, and the cutbacks to the military, the class connotations of the repp tie have largely disappeared. It is now an essential item for any man's wardrobe. It can be dressed up with a suit to evoke the elegance of the Duke of Windsor, or paired with a cotton button down to channel your inner preppy.

Edward Duke of Windsor - Style Icon

The Duke of Windsor was one of the best dressed men of the 20th century, and perhaps of all time. He understood the value of well made comfortable clothes perhaps even better than his tailors. However he was also something of a dandy, and his personal style was often adopted by the fashion world. A royal trend setter is something the world has not really seen since his passing, and the way things are going we probable will not see another one for quiet sometime. So without further preamble lets look at the mans' outfits and see just how cool he could be.

The Duke arrives.

The Duke of Windsor was a world traveller of the first order, and as we can see here he always arrived well dressed. A model for travelling men everywhere. No one looks good in flip-flops and shorts at the airport. Plus also if you travel well dressed you won't look out of place in first class and that means your that much more likely to be upgraded.

British Summer attire.

The Duke was a great patron of British tailoring, and this classic double-breasted navy blazer would have been crafted by a Savile Row master tailor. Combining it with a pare of white trousers give a classic and distinctively British look.

The Duke as a country dandy.

Like most of the aristocracy the Duke had a love for the countryside. For his self imposed exile after his abdication he chose a country house in France rather than a luxury apartment in the city. Here we see one of his more innovative ideas. Wearing a V-Neck jumper under a suit jacket or blazer. This idea has since been adopted by academics and country bumpkins alike.

It all comes together.

The Duke of Windsor had a profound impact on the way men dress today. Asides from the Windsor Knots, the Duke also had the famous Windsor Collar (which was specifically cut to accommodate the Full Windsor Knot) made for him, both the knot and the collar can be seen in the picture above. He also introduced the rep-tie to the Unite States.

The Duke was actually short in stature, but he compensated by staying thin and athletic (his waist size fluctuated between 30-33 inches throughout his life). This not only meant that his thin frame lent him extra height, but it also meant that he could wear virtually everything he owned for the whole of his adult life, as he did not out grow his clothes. 

The Duke also understood the value of patters, and fabric which allowed him to choose clothes that made him look taller that he actually was. Regardless of what you may thing of his dress sense it would be hard to deny that Edward Duke of Windsor was one of the most savvy dressers of his or any other generation.


Dress Like the Duke:

• A plain blue suit or double-breasted navy blazer (cut in the British style).
• A rep-tie.
• A range of v-neck jumper to wear under your suits and country blazers.
• Finally a well fitting shirt with a Cutaway or Windsor Collar.

The Essentials - The Humble Handkerchief

I wish to discuss an item that is in the opinion of some is the mark of a gentleman. Now I find that idea a little absurd, but I can't denie that the handkerchief defiantly has uses that befit a gentleman.

On a purely practical level it allows you to keep your nose clean and is your best defence against that most potentially difficult situations (being confronted by a crying female). However I recommend that if you do intend to offer your handkerchief to a woman you carry an entirely different handkerchief expressly for that purpose. The Art of Manliness has an excellent set of example of what one can do with the common handkerchief (reproduced below). The only thing I would add to their list is that a handkerchief can also serve as a particularly good pocket square as it can be both decorative and practical.

As always thanks for reading.