Style Crave » Uncategorized

The different formalities of shoes

Simon Crompton — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:00:54 +0000

This is a casual shoe. Can you point out why? (Lodger Finsbury shoe)

As with much of menswear, there exists a sliding scale of the formality of footwear that the obsessive can get caught up in if he so chooses. I think this is generally to sacrifice the beauty of personal expression to the uniformity of correctness – a correctness that doesn’t exist today and, much to the disappointment of many, never existed in the first place. (It is a similar disappointment to the revelation that Italians don’t dress particularly well as a whole, very few Englishmen wear the good suits their country is famous for, and Americans wear Ralph Lauren polo shirts but otherwise singularly fail to look like Ralph Lauren.)

However, there are some differences in shoes that are worth remembering. Here they are.

Some shoes are entirely inappropriate for some occasions, even today. You wouldn’t wear an out-welt cordovan boot to a black tie dinner, and you wouldn’t wear a velvet slipper to go tromping through the countryside. Those are probably the two ends of the spectrum of formality, and the key thing to notice is the difference in delicacy. Formal shoes are delicate, casual shoes are rough. Just like worsted and tweed, or satin and knitted wool. The point is universal.

Apply this to every type of shoe. A derby is more casual than an oxford because it has two humping facings strapped across the instep. A brogue is more casual than a whole cut because, well because of the broguing. It breaks up the line of the shoe and makes itnjagged. A leather sole is more formal; a thinner sole is more formal; a closer-cut welt is more formal. You get the idea.

This is worth remembering because there is an actual, noticeable difference in the formality of a derby with a double sole, broguing and outwelt stitching, and an Oxford, lace-up whole-cut. It’s the kind of difference that someone will notice at a job interview. Perhaps not consciously. Plus if you have ignored this part of your outfit, doubtless other elements are just that little bit too casual and unconsidered. It makes an impression.

So that’s worth being aware of. What it’s not worth losing sleep over is whether a derby can be worn with a worsted suit. For a start, there are many many types of derby. Some have just two holes and the facings are cut so high you barely see them under the trouser leg. They present merely a glorious, shiny expanse of very-formal leather. Smarter than a rubber-soled Oxford half-brogue certainly. Stating that it is not correct to wear a derby with worsted (because it is a casual, country shoe suited only to tweed or – at the most – flannel) is to draw a misleading hard line.

Second, any rule would be self-defeating, even if it were easy to define. A derby shoe is just as appropriate as a wool tie. Denying both and confining a man to worsted, silk and Oxfords is to defeat the self-expression that lies at the heart of good dress. No one who plays entirely by the rules has ever been considered a good dresser – and not because they merely stood out by innovating, but because to be a good dresser, to develop style, you have to be encouraged in your dress and feel free to revel in it. Otherwise you are merely the man in the grey flannel suit. It doesn’t matter how much I love grey flannel (and I do, oh I do), if everyone wears it and I’m being told to wear it then it cannot be stylish.

Understand the rules so you know how to break them. Understand the formality of shoes.

What have you learned from bespoke?

Simon Crompton — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:00:04 +0000

He would have been measured like this. You shouldn't be

This was a question put to me the other day by a friend. He was asking about shoes, but I think it applies equally to suiting, shirts and other items of dress. Hopefully you will find my response interesting.

1 It will not be perfect

Bespoke clothing is a wonderful thing, but the first time you have anything made it won’t be perfect. There are three reasons for this. One, it is handmade, an individual item with minor flaws (or perhaps just characteristics). Without them, it would have been made by a machine. Second, you’re new at this, and chances are you can’t describe the image in your head accurately. Third, so is the craftsman. As good as his first attempt to fit anything to you will be, there will always be something he would like to do different the second time around.

2 Act naturally

This covers the fact that you have to stand naturally when you are being measured – particularly for suit. Laugh, flex your hands, move your feet; try not to look like a man who has just heard the command ‘attention!’ The point also covers the fact that you should consider how you wear your clothes. Don’t buy a Super 140s suit if you go drinking and leave your suit on the floor when you get home. Don’t get super thin soles if you never remember to check whether it’s going to rain before leaving the house.

3 Ignore what people say about other people

Sad as it may be, tailoring and shoemaking are bitchy businesses. Everyone has some form of grudge and everyone is some form of salesman. Never trust a tailor who says he is the only man who can cut a good suit. From the opposite point of view, a cutter once told me: “Someone came in and said he’d been to Caraceni, Anderson & Sheppard, Camps de Luca, Huntsman and Poole, and they were all terrible. He asked me to measure him. I showed him the door. That man will never be satisfied.”

4 Be conservative

This is investment dressing. Investments should be conservative. They need to last the fickle fancies of fashion and – more importantly – they need to last through your personal changes in taste. Get a navy single-breasted suit and a black pair of lace-up shoes. Then get a mid-grey single-breasted suit and a dark brown pair of lace-up shoes. Then blue again for the suit, perhaps double-breasted or a flannel, and another pair of black shoes, perhaps a Derby. Ties and socks are much easier to swap than suits and shoes. And a navy suit can be Italian classicist or American prep, depending on what you wear it with.

5 Do it

I once saw someone comment on a forum that he was interested in discussions about bespoke, but was never going to do it himself. The results appeared to be too volatile, given the money. Ignore forums. They are talking over minutiae. They are never going to spend pages talking about the fact that all the bespoke suits they are comparing make them look better than 99% of men in the world. Because it’s obvious, a given. They’ve all accepted that and moved on to discuss the Tautz lapel. If you like the idea of bespoke and can afford it, then do it. You won’t regret it. People will always have one tiny thing they dislike about your suit. But it’s not theirs. It’s yours.

Simon Crompton is the author of Permanent Style

The perfect polo shirt

Simon Crompton — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 14:00:59 +0000

Shirts can be hard to wear casually. Even the biggest fan of bespoke shirting for wear with his suits during the working week can find himself defaulting to a T-shirt under knitwear at the weekend. I suggest the alternative of a long-sleeved polo shirt.

Shirts can be difficult in leisure time for many reasons. One is that the shirts one has made for the week are often not suitable for wear without a tie – without enough rise, or a button-down to support them, the collar of a shirt can collapse apologetically beneath the neckline of a jacket or sweater.

So you might have to have shirts specifically made for time off. The alternative is ready-to-wear chambray or oxford shirts, but once you’ve got used to bespoke shirts that fit perfectly and sit long enough beneath the waistband, it can be hard to return to these ill-fitting, always-untucking cousins.

Another reason is that the things one wears over a shirt at the weekend aren’t necessarily designed for it. A jacket is rare. A V-neck or round-neck sweater will probably suit wearing with a shirt, but it is unlikely that both will. And more casual mid-layers like hooded sweaters and old sweatshirts do not sit well with a shirt.

A T-shirt, on the other hand, will go with all of them. Presuming it is well made and well fitting, a T-shirt cannot fail to look good and requires no thought whatsoever – which is frequently what one wants at the weekend.

T-shirts are fine. But it is nice to have an alternative. Particularly when you feel like wearing a soft, unstructured blazer at the weekend or a shawl-collared sweater – something that looks so much better if the layer underneath has a collar.

Best in that regard is the polo shirt. Long-sleeved, so that it fits well under a jacket and doesn’t leave any skinny wrist on display during gesticulation. High-collared if possible – that is, with the same height of collar as your weekday shirts – so that it doesn’t disappear beneath the neckline or lapel of the layer above just as readily as a ready-to-wear shirt. And fitted right: slim enough in the body to appear more than sportswear, of the right length to either tuck easily into the trousers or sit just in front of them without bagging.

I admit, there aren’t many of these long-sleeved polo shirts around. Don’t worry: anything that meets just some of these criteria will be a nice alternative to the T. But just so you know, the perfect specimen is a piece created by the Italian shirt company Guy Rover (despite the name, but then Tod’s was picked to sound American too) for Al Bazar, the idiosyncratic little shop in Milan owned by Lino Ieluzzi. He is pictured above, wearing a white version.

Lino has achieved worldwide fame as a result of exposure on The Sartorialist, and in magazines such as The Rake (to which this writer is a contributor). However, he has long had a passionate following among sartorialists with a small s, particularly in Japan. Milan isn’t best recommended for those seeking quality and craft in clothes, but Al Bazar is certainly worth a visit.

Mr. Hare King Tubby & Camus

Meieli Detoni — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 02:16:47 +0000

Mr. Hare’s S/S 2011 shoes are here, and the newest ones are available at LN-CC now. Two of the nicely turned-out Mr. Hares are the King Tubby (white outsoles and black suede/leather) and the Camus Lace-Up (black patent leather with a black leather sole). The King Tubbys are available in a range of 39 to 46–respectable–and the Camus starts at 40 on LN-CC. Shoebags included, of course. [via selectism]

Remember texture

Simon Crompton — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:00:27 +0000

Drake's grenadine tie

I think if you were to categorise the main aspects of cloth, they would fall into colour, pattern and texture. That’s probably the order most men would notice those aspects in as well, but I would argue their importance is the other way around.

Not that you can wear a lime green suit if the texture is right, but rather that the more sophisticated a dresser you become, the more you will concentrate on and find pleasure in the end of that list. It’s about pattern and texture, and even texture is merely pattern on a small scale.

When you’re trying to explain why the surface of a suit looks dull, it’s because it lacks texture. When you’re trying to explain why you like the look of one cloth over another, but can’t quite put your finger on why, it’s because one is a nail head and one an end-on-end.

It’s fair to say that this focus on texture can be taken too far. Woven silk ties, for example, come in reppe, end-on-end, grenadine and oxford, plus variations in scale of the weave. Each of those four certainly looks different, at least up close, but the differences are minor compared to satins, foulards, wool and knitted silk. I’ve yet to find an outfit that just doesn’t work with a grenadine, but shines with an oxford-weave. It’s a level of detail that it’s not worth getting into, unless you have nothing better to do.

But big changes in texture change an outfit fundamentally. Flannel and mohair, for example, could not be more different or have more diverse associations. Silk and woollen ties equally. Each must be considered for propriety and harmony as carefully as the scale of a pattern or addition of a pocket handkerchief. Mohair is not for a sombre business meeting. Woollen ties will strongly echo the woollen look of a flannel suit: only wear them together if you consciously want that effect. Tweed is different – it talks to a wool tie rather than mimicking it. The texture is different.

To begin with, I recommend experimenting with the textures of your suit and your tie. Try woollen and knitted ties, perhaps with your normal worsted suit. Try a flannel suit, with your normal printed silk tie. The difference in texture of a shirt is too minor to bother with, unless you start wearing chambray or cotton/cashmere mixes.

Texture in a suit will often save an outfit from appearing too dull. It gives life in the same way a small glen plaid or herringbone will do. Texture in a tie should be seen as a real alternative to pattern. Rather than buy another striped tie, try swapping your navy reppe for a navy knitted silk – the effect of such deep texture is startling; it sucks in the light.

Remember the importance of texture. Style is subtle.

Y-3 F/W 2011-12

Meieli Detoni — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 02:21:28 +0000

Y-3′s honoring a decade with Yohji Yamamoto–times flies–and they gave the first peeks this week in Paris. “Nature” and “escape” are two prime points of inspiration, with army green heavily represented in the collection. Japanese print and printed sneakers break up the solids, and comfort junkies will find solace in knitted pants and sweats. [via selectism]

The Best Marilyn Monroe Shots You’ve Never Seen

Meieli Detoni — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 01:14:54 +0000

Via Notamachine.tumblr.com

Marilyn Monroe: incredible beauty, icon, the center of heady conspiracy theories. We’ve gotten to know her oft-repeated snaps, from The Seven Year Itch subway-grate picture in the white dress to her Last Sitting images by Bert Stern (unfortunately replicated with Lindsay Lohan by the same photographer). These photos–some of the lesser-known ones of Marilyn Monroe that turn up the heat–still remain as hypnotic as their famous cousins. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed finding the ultimate collection of Marilyn photographs at NotaMachine.tumblr.com. Bookmark it and enjoy much, much more.

Via Notamachine.tumblr.com

The World Knew Her as Marilyn

Marilyn Monroe’s ID reads “Norma Jeane DiMaggio,” but the world knew her at Marilyn Monroe. Smirking above the placard, Monroe made one of the best ID photos we’ve seen: now that is a beautiful photo for more than just an ID card! It’s sort of a shame, really.

Via Notamachine.tumblr.com

The Less-Than-Primped Shot

Marilyn might have her hair perfectly done, plus that requisite shellac of lipstick, but a simple terry robe is more unusual than the marabou-trimmed sex kitten stuff. A closer look shows terry-covered heels framing Marilyn’s ankles. This looks like a Seven Year Itch dream! Spring blossoms at the window and a bottle of beer in the fridge, I think.

Via Notamachine.tumblr.com

Light as a Feather

That’s a lot of leg! Marilyn lounges with an expression similar to the Last Sitting: dreamy, eyes nearly closed, skin aglow. While her legs are summer bronze, that expanse of lighter thigh hints at days out wearing ’50s wiggle dresses.

Via Notamachine.tumblr.com

Early Norma Jeane

Some of those early Marilyn Monroe shots truly make the rounds, particularly her early beach shots. The candy-striped bandeau bikini photo, left, looks incredibly modern, and we get an early look at Norma’s curly hair. Before Marilyn went platinum, she was strawberry blonde and a lot more natural. Early portraits show a different kind of vulnerability than her practiced fan-mag snaps of later years.

Via Notamachine.tumblr.com

Via NotaMachine.tumblr.com

Outtakes

Monroe never denied her early nude portraits, simply saying that she had to pay her bills at the time. These portraits aren’t featured as often as the ones on the plain red spread, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t interesting. In one, Marilyn brings back the languorous bed lounging she did in Niagra before getting bumped off in the film; in another, she accidentally displays the exact trim of her bikini line. Oops.

Via Notamachine.tumblr.com

Captivating Red

Red is a good background for a smoldering star, and Marilyn gives the camera an eyeful. The close-up allows us to catch a glimpse of her famous peach fuzz that supposedly diffused light and aided her photogenic quality. Thick red lipstick shows the careful work Marilyn did to contour her lips to perfection. Word has it that Marilyn’s makeup application was a science, and I’m inclined to believe that.

Via Notamachine.tumblr.com

Out in the Wilderness

If you’re in the forest, you can only hope that you’ll find someone half as lovely as Marilyn trekking through the woods. As entrancing as short shorts are on Marilyn’s backside, doesn’t she look adorable in jeans, too? Judging from the footwear, these pics were taken at around the same time.

Via Notamachine.tumblr.com

Likes and dislikes.

Marilyn’s own hand proclaims that she likes this one “the best.” The stunning spot, the wide-open space, and the beaming smile? I can understand why Marilyn loved that snap.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to interesting Marilyn Monroe shots. I highly recommend checking out the updates at Notamachine.tumblr.com.

More in the gallery!

My daily inspiration

Simon Crompton — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:00:25 +0000

Check out Tommy Ton's work on GQ USA

I wouldn’t wish that everyone dressed like me. But it’s hard sometimes to find inspiration for the day’s dress when all around you is a sea of jogging bottoms, polyester and denim.

For those that get great pleasure from thinking about what they wear, and a particular thrill from a well-cut jacket and starch-sharp shirt collar, this is my experience on where I find my daily inspiration. I’d be glad to hear yours.

The greatest comes from reading. There are of course many films in which the dress inspires, but reading is closer to hand and more quickly consumed. It would take up much of one’s life if it required watching a classic movie every evening in order to feel stimulated for the following day’s dress. Though you’d learn a lot about films in the process.

No, reading is the key. First off is the internet, again because of ease and speed. Great blogs are few and far between, but Will’s thoughts on A Suitable Wardrobe often spark a raid through the closet and when Scott Schuman covers men on The Sartorialist, which sadly seems to be less often these days, there is usually some takeaway on classic Italiana. Scott’s virtue in this respect is that his taste in menswear is far narrower than women’s. So while it may be more sporadic, it is more consistently inspiring.

Industry shows like Pitti are a great occasion for such inspiration, and this year Tommy Ton’s coverage of the streets – as well as those at the Milan shows, to a lesser extent – has been a revelation. Although he is probably less consistent than Scott, the emphasis on details is great. From this year’s shots my takeaways are tan corduroy and buttonhole pins.

The style forums are a wonderful resource for research, but in my experience less useful for daily inspiration. While the threads illustrating what readers are wearing that day are impressively eclectic, there is rarely one good idea in 10. Cynically, the lack of professional photography probably doesn’t help either.

Books are next. I’m currently reading James Sherwood’s latest take on Savile Row, the coffee table book released last year. While dealing almost exclusively with historical dress, the wealth and richness of photography get the blood pumping (further evidence of the importance of good-looking shots).

Inspirational magazines are rare. I think The Rake is the best by some margin, but then I would say that – I write for it. (I know, equally, that my own site, Permanent Style, inspires men around the world, but it’s hardly an independent recommendation.) The GQ Essentials twice-yearly supplement is worth a look, as is Esquire’s Big Black Book in the US. Fantastic Man is better written than any other fashion magazine, but its taste in clothes tends not to be classic.

Shops provide some inspiration, but when most clothing is bought bespoke you are limited to those retailers that produce good tailoring – Ralph Lauren, Zegna, Tom Ford among them. Equally, sorting through my own closet is unlikely to dig up that many forgotten outfits; it’s not on that scale quite yet.

Which leaves me with you, dear reader, the man on the street. For to come full circle, while I would not wish that everyone was sartorially obsessed, it is a wonderful feeling to see someone walking towards you that inspires in his originality. Yesterday there was a man with a purple cardigan under a navy suit that did just that. It brought up memories of an old Sartorialist shot, of a Bergdorf Goodman window I believe.

That kind of inspiration is wonderful and unexpected. Here’s hoping these words produce some more of it.

Simple Leather Duffle, Marc by Marc Jacobs

Meieli Detoni — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 02:01:41 +0000

Need something to stow your stuff in that’s not going to get dated, wear out, or stain? The Marc by Marc Jacobs duffle bag is fashioned in simple leather, with an exposed zip closure and a logo-embossed patch. Lined in beige canvas, this bag is an example of basic at its best. Tone-on-tone stitching leaves the leather looking as expensive as it should. [$500 at ssense]

The best books on men’s style

Simon Crompton — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Classic men’s style is well suited to scholarly erudition, based as it is in so much history and the trends that speak of centuries rather than seasons. But reading the history of men’s clothing won’t get you very far towards knowing what to wear yourself. You need both. And the best books that have been written on classic men’s style include a mix, albeit with varying degrees of success in the mixture.

It is important to know what kind of book you’re getting, and hopefully this guide will give you a decent place to start.

Dressing the Man, by Alan Flusser

The first book I ever read in this area and still by far and away the best in my opinion. It is a practical guide to what suit to wear, what colours to wear and what combinations to make with the other parts of your clothing, all seen through the perspective of history and tradition. Entertainingly written and the only book to include pull-out sections with shirt and suit swatches, this is your starting point.

Savile Row, The Master Tailors of British Bespoke, by James Sherwood

The other side of the historical/contemporary spectrum, this book will tell you almost nothing about what to wear other than to be inspired by the sumptuous photography. It is a big book, almost a coffee table in itself, and it makes full use of that size to dazzle and delight with sartorial detail. It is also a fantastic history of Savile Row’s tailors, informed by Sherwood’s work on the archives of many of the Row’s finest houses. Entertaining, despite its potted-history approach, and the best place to learn about British tailoring.

Elegance, A Guide to Quality in Menswear, by Bruce Boyer

Sadly now out of print, but available second hand online at very reasonable prices, this is a collection of essays written during Boyer’s time as fashion editor at Town & Country magazine. He takes narrow topics for each chapter (the polo coat, packing, polyester) and expounds its history and rightful place in contemporary menswear. Elegantly and amusingly written, this manages to find a unique voice and unique subjects in a crowded market.

A History of Men’s Fashion, by Farid Chenoune

Again out of print but available online and on the library circuit. Chenoune’s history is extremely thorough and runs from 1760 to the 1980s. His French perspective on fashion (this edition is a translation by Deke Dusinberre) gives a fresh angle on almost every trend of the past 250 years, but is particularly valuable during the eighteenth century discussion and exploration of the 1960s in France.

Sharp Suits, by Eric Musgrave

Listed lower down only for its likelihood to overlap with books you have already read, and those above. Musgrave’s book contains great imagery and excels as a rapid history of the suit in the twentieth century. That is really what it should be sub-titled.

Also worth of mention:

Style and the Man, by Alan Flusser – More of a series of essays on quality, followed by a list of the best stores (Boyer’s Elegance is also good on that point, though a little out of date now)

The Suit: A Machiavellian Approach to Men’s Style – An entertaining explanation of the rules of menswear, it is let down by the slightly odd style that is intended to mimic Machiavelli, and the lack of illustrations

Gentleman: A Timeless Guide to Fashion, by Bernhard Roetzel – Very good on the best men’s stores and with good illustrations, it pales in comparison to Flusser for guidance on what to wear

ABC of Men’s Fashion, by Hardy Amies – Exactly what it says, an alphabetical list of menswear with pithy takes on each one. Worth adding to any list. Amies’s The Englishman’s Suit is also worth picking up

History of Men’s Fashion, by Nicholas Storey – Not really a history, but packed full of unusual facts and particularly strong on evening wear

Hand of the Artisan, by Jonathan Lobban – Commissioned by The Rake magazine, this is a whistle-stop tour around the great craft houses of Italy. Best of its photography, and includes furniture, jewellery and cars as well as clothes

Alexander McQueen Spotlight Wool Cardigan

Meieli Detoni — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 22:30:41 +0000

Alexander McQueen’s Spotlight Sweater combines a splash of black and white on a long-sleeved silhouette with a trim fit. Since we’re only dreaming of spring (but dressing for winter), the Spotlight Sweater can lift our spirits as we wait this season out. Simple winter dressing now; freezing-night-at-the-beach layer later. [$1070 at oki-ni]

How to wear tailoring without a suit

Simon Crompton — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0000

A jacket like this but, you know, well made

Suits don’t necessarily fit into everyone’s day-to-day life. For some, in an office full of corporate lawyers, a suit is a necessity and a uniform. It is almost harder to take an interest in clothing that is imposed on you in this way. For other men, the barrier to developing a sartorial interest is the lack of suits in the office. Dressing up when everyone else is dressed down will draw attention; not everyone wants that kind of attention. Trying to show off? Who do you think you are? You’re not impressing anyone you know.

My advice is, dressing well is a question of degrees. So take what your peers wear and up it a notch.
My brother works in advertising. The dress is extremely relaxed. When the Ashes are on TV, and music plays continuously when there isn’t a suitable sporting event, the attitude to attire is unlikely to be strict. I’m not sure it’s encouraged to wear shorts in the summer, but it isn’t forbidden. Mad Men it ain’t.

A suit, shirt and tie would certainly be out of place. But there remain many sartorial possibilities. The key items to dressing well (and, let’s face it, the routes to the most pleasure) are jackets and shoes. So let’s put our hypothetical advertising executive in a light grey, herringbone jacket and brown cap-toe Oxfords. He can wear a bespoke shirt if he wants – precisely ironed, windsor collar – or an old, beaten-up favourite from Brooks Brothers. It doesn’t matter really: as long as he wears the jacket most of the time, its sculpted, flattering lines will make him look good without showing off. He can also wear jeans, preferably in a straight or narrow cut, in order not to distract from the tailoring above the waist, but otherwise of a make and price tag of his choosing. The legs will be perfectly finished off by the cap-toes, which will be benchmade in England, perhaps even bespoke, and so suggest sophistication with the turn of their waist and angled heel. All without shouting.

Bespoke is best, but the bald fact is that any thought put into clothing today will stand out. If not bespoke, then made to measure. If not MTM, then at least a ready made suit with a handful of adjustments. To sculpt the waist and bring the sleeves up to the correct length. As to the shoes, start with something well-made and move up one step at a time. If you’re in the US, begin with a nice pair of cordovan Aldens. Then perhaps something English, an Edward Green. Finally, turn to the masters of bespoke when tastes and wallet have expanded to that point.

The point is, this man would appear casual, relaxed in any office short of an Australian surfing-tour company. You don’t need to wear a suit and tie to be well put-together. You just need an attachment to the classics of style and, most of all, to fit.

Oh, and one last suggestion: rather than wear something that shows off, like a flowery pocket handkerchief, add a cardigan underneath the jacket in a dark colour like navy. It flatters in just the same way as a waistcoat, but doesn’t look cheap (all waistcoats do unless they are tailored – it’s just impossible to make something fitting that close to the skin in a standard model).

Style Crave » Uncategorized

The different formalities of shoes

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