Do you remember this gentleman?
He offended a few traditionalists with a creative take on the tie.
I found him again last week in Pitti Uomo. At a first glance, very conventional in brown-green tweed jacket, grey flannels, red foulard tie, dark brown suede shoes, and a cheroot.
At a second glance, though, we discover the peak lapels and extra row of buttons.
In other words, we are witnessing the shocking double breasted tweed jacket.
He has done it again.
Source: The Journal of Style
The Prince of Wales of the 1920s authorized combining suits and suede finish shoes. As I understand it, the PoW paired a medium or light grey flannel suit with brown oxford buckskin shoes.
Nowadays, suede finish shoes have spread to worsted blue and grey suits. While I recognize that few dressing rules and norms apply anymore, I do find the combination off now and then. The smooth worsted and the “dirty” suede become an odd couple easily.
I like how the man on the left in upper photo approaches the configuration. Instead of the common brown suede shoes, he sports a pair of black suede monks with his striped navy blue suit.
Another solution, if you prefer brown suedes, is choosing a French blue or lighter blue suit. It makes the suit less formal, and it brings it closer to the nature of brown suede.
Source: The Journal of Style in Italy
I am not the one, who spends 3.348 Pounds Sterling on a pair of shoes. That is too steep for me. I prefer lesser known – and more accessible – makers .
However, I know a gentleman, who doesn’t hesitate to climb Everest. Above his latest purchase from John Lobb on St. James in London, a pair of nubuck shoes with a napped suede finish or “medium brown repello calf brogue oxford caps”, as the invoice states.
Source: The Journal of Style
The New York based fashion blogger The Sartorialist has brought them internet fame. I guess they personify an American (and Northern European) dream about Italy: Proud, elegant, romantic.
I am talking about the Ricci brothers, Nicola and Valentino Ricci, who run the firm Sciamat. The former will often look joyful, the latter more gloomy. Both are super dressers with an eye for distinctive, yet harmonious apparel.
Could I dress like that myself? No, it is too refined for me. I am a tweed man, basically.
Source: The Journal of Style (in Florence, Italy)