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.

Jack Vettriano - Style Icon

This post is not about Jack Vettriano himself, but his art work. The style of his paintings is very distinctive, but the style of the men he paints is what I want to examine here. Vettriano's men exude confidence and elegance. Many of them appear to be depicted in the setting of the early 20th Century, but that is no matter - a man with style lasts for ever.

Vettriano has been frequently criticised for his depiction of women,many of them in erotic posses and in various stages of undress. However, I have no intention of adding to this debate. I will say though that every woman I know is more likely to be attracted to a well dressed man than to a slob, and say what you like about Vettriano's depiction of women, his men are always effortlessly stylish.

Lesson one: Formal wear doesn't have to be formal.

Lesson two: Rolled-up sleeves give even the most formal look a certain nonchalance.

Lesson three: Hats give you a sense of balance?

Lesson four: Dress to your surroundings, and the weather. 

Lesson five: Live in your clothes, and be prepared to take risks.

Lesson six: Relax, chill out, and roll up your cuffs when you get in.

Lesson seven: Wear white in the blazing sun. It looks great and keeps you cool.

So what have we learned? Well, formal doesn't have to be buttoned up. Hats look great, and romantic men get the best girls. Vettriano's men emit all the signs of outward success, great clothes, nice cars, beautiful women, and above all confidence. Which is after all the key to success. So follow their example, be confident and live in what you wear. Make that your art form and who knows you might even get the girl and the car as well.

Burberry Rain Mac

Anyone who knows me will have noted that during the spring showers I always seem to wear the same grey rain coat. It is a nondescript grey rain mac, that is a little on the large side. It also happens to be the same rain coat my grandfather bought from Burberry nearly 50 years ago! 

The observant among you will have noticed that I have labelled this post as part of the Style on a Budget collection (many of you may even be scoffing at the idea as Burberry macs are very expensive), let me explain why I chose to include this post under that label. Today a Burberry mac costs approximation £1,500, a princely sum to the average student to be sure. However, if you divide that expenditure by the number of years such a coat will last, for the sake of argument lets say 40 years (although as I have said mine is nearer 50) you get an average price of £37.50 per year. Which is about half the price of a rain mac from the average high street retailer such as H&M or GAP. I doubt very much that their product would last even 20 years.

But we don't all inherit such coats I hear you cry. True I have been very fortunate, and yes there is no way I could even dream of spending that much money on a coat right now. However that is not the point of this post. The point is quality lasts, and real quality saves you money in the long run. So weather its a coat or a pair of shoes or anything in between just think before you rush into H&M. 

Always remember though that you have to circulate your wardrobe to get the best wear out of it, but that is a subject for another post.

P.S. If you see a luxury piece of clothing like a Burberry mac or a Barbour coat going cheap in a sale or a vintage shop go for it investment pieces don't have to be brand new they just have to be the best quality you can afford.

Thanks for read.

5 Additional Items for the Summer Term

Here we have a list of things to add to your summer wardrobe whilst at university.

1. Polo Shirts. The essential summer shirt, comfortable and stylish. You don't need to spend a fortune on them, a simple plain polo shirt from M&S will serve you just as well as an expensive one from Polo Raulph Lauren.
2. Cotton Button Downs. These are my favourite summer shirts, more formal than a polo shirt but just as comfortable. They can be dressed up or down as needed.
3. Deck Shoes. I love deck shoes, they are a nice alternative to sandles. You can still go out without socks in the warmer months, but they are formal enough to wear just about anywhere. 
4. A Hat. there was a time when you could tell everything about a man by his head-wear, but by the end of the 60's the requirement for men to wear hats everyday had been dropped. A hat is now undeniably a statement but it also serves a practical purpose, namely protecting you from the summer sun. My favourite is the classic panama hat. The secrete is to find a hat you love and then wear it all summer until it becomes the most natural thing in the world. After a few weeks it will seem so natural to you that no one around you will think that it is out of place at all.
5. Shorts. Now anyone who knows me will tell you that I HATE shorts. Which is true, but it is not so much the shorts themselves as the way they make me look. Which is in a word pale. Why do I look so pale in shorts? Because I never wear them. Its a vicious circle. The solution is simple when I get home in the evening (or when I am revising) I put on a pair of shorts and go out into the garden. This way I don't have to worry about how bad I look as no one can see me. After a week or two of this I work up a reasonable tan and can wear shorts whenever I want. WARNING: this idea presumes that there is a sunny start to the spring summer period which in England is never guaranteed!

So there you have it. A few simple recommendations for the summer wardrobe. I shall discuss some of these items and others besides in a series of posts called:  The Essentials. Stay tuned and as always thanks for reading.

Need a Break from Revision?

So you need a break for revision. Here's a suggestion: Do some Maintenance!

Put simply do all those little things you have been meaning to do, but haven't.

• Shine your shoes
• Empty the bins
• Tidy your desk
• Call your best friend and see how their doing
• Do some push ups
• Organise you book shelf
• Respond to your emails
• Plan your summer

Those are just a few ideas to get you started, now make your own list. Remember you still have to revise, but when you feel you need a break do one of the things on your list. Then cross it off and you will return to your revision with a feeling that you have achieved something. Best of luck to all my readers in their exams.

Yours,

The Style Student.