Keikari.com

‘At the time of writing, I am three weeks short of D-Day, my thirtieth birthday. I am single and really want a dog, although numerous people have said this may not be a good idea. I was educated at King’s College London, where I studied history, for a very long time. If memory serves, I started my single honours history degree in 2001. Three years later, I started my Masters in medieval history and one year after this, I started my doctoral thesis, which involved transcribing and analysing the household accounts of King Henry III, England’s fourth-longest reigning monarch. The household accounts, which are written in a heavily abbreviated Latin cursive, are really interesting documents. Truly. They are the main source to tell us about Henry III’s personal expenses, which cover everything from building projects and food to jewellery and dress. I was, and remain, interested in the accounts for what they reveal about the material culture of the royal court. This has been the focus of my subsequent academic publications, which have considered the social and political meaning of (royal) jewellery, textiles and clothing.

Initially, I think, family, friends and colleagues thought my focus on the ‘frilly bits’ of the past was frivolous, especially as I was a politically trained male historian. For a male historian to be interested in dress was, for some reason, ever-so-slightly taboo. But I don’t think people were that surprised by my academic leaning. I heard recently from a friend that somebody I used to know at university, and whom I have since lost contact with, recalled that I was ‘quirky’ and ‘well dressed’. So, I suppose people came to realise that my study of the history of dress was natural, if not inevitable. That is how I came to think of it, anyway.

When I was young(er), my first love was art. The open secret is that it really still is. I used to love drawing and painting, and would spend many afternoons sketching make-believe worlds and designing luxury cars. I paint and draw now, when time permits, and some of my creations hang in my apartment. But art was never respectable enough for a career. Apparently. So I was dissuaded, subtly but surely, to focus on a subject with more gravitas. This was how History, my second love, became my first choice for university. It was during my time at King’s, studying history and being surrounded by so many beautiful buildings, exhibitions and interestingly dressed people (in the main) that I began to realise that my passions for art and history were not mutually exclusive. Most people would have probably written a study of Henry III’s household accounts that focused on finance and administration. That would have been obvious, easy and sensible. I did cover these areas, but my work really centres on ceremony and art, although I still wish I could have gone further down this route. I’m not sure that I am completely happy with the published book. I am now working on something for Palgrave Macmillan, but it is hard going. I am not nearly as disciplined and organised as people think – working long hours and being slightly OCD tends to mask my inefficiencies.

My decision to write about contemporary (men’s) style and dress on the web is undoubtedly connected to my university studies and academic writing, but the decision to start Linleywild can be dated very precisely to a lunch date with a close friend last September. My tendency to view the present through the lens of the past, which is the theme that links all of the articles on my site, is almost instinctive. As I have had more suits made for me, I suppose I began to reflect more critically on the comparisons and juxtapositions between contemporary and classic styles. Thinking about the cut of a lapel, making the decision about whether to have jetted pockets or no pockets, a double- or single-breasted waistcoat, a pleated or plain trouser front, cannot but make you think about past vogues, the few men who got it right and the multitude who did not. The design process also made me think more about representation and semiotics, about the reasons why people dress the way they do. I shall explore these ideas further in the guest lectures that I will deliver at the Condé Nast Vogue College of Fashion and Design, which opens in London in April. I am chuffed to be involved in this exciting venture, if only in a relatively minor way.

But does all this mean I have a style? I’m not sure. There are certain details that all of my suits must have: Jacket = side vents; working cuffs; two-buttons; Waistcoat = five buttons; Trousers = no belt-loops; no front pleats and no turn-ups. Much of my Look, if I can even call it that, is determined by the fact that I am colour blind. I do not like to wear many colours, although I do like colours with strong contrasts. My suit colours are blue, brown or grey, or a combination thereof. I prefer white, pale blue or pale pink shirts. My ties, usually woollen or knitted silk, are plain, but bold in colour, and I frequently coordinate them with my socks.

As a child, I remember reading Hergé’s Tintin and Edgar Pierre Jacob’s Blake et Mortimer and being totally seduced by the colour choices. A poster of Hergé’s On A Marché Sur La Lune hangs in my study. I love the orange space suits with red and cobalt blue detailing. These colours really shouldn’t go. But they really do. The accent colours in my sitting room are orange and purple. The colour of one of my suits is blue (tweed) and orange (lining). So I think it would be fair to say that the bold and flat colours in these comics remain an inspiration. I like to think my choice for bold and flat colours works because the effect is combined with, and softened by, different textures. I like to wear tweed suits with linen or silk pocket squares and woven silk or woollen ties. The mixture of textures creates depth and interest. But again, my sartorial choice is shaped by the fact that I am colour blind. I cannot always rely on my perception of colours to identify things, so I focus on texture instead. My Look therefore becomes personal because it is shaped by my foibles, rather than by any force of will. The only thing I do use to check myself is a colour wheel, which is tacked up in my study.

I have friends who semi-religiously follow the edicts of Alan Flusser, Hardy Amis or Simom Crompton, but I do not. I have never sought to fold my pocket squares into the ‘Astaire’, ‘Cagney’ or ‘Winged Puff’ and I would struggle to name the variety of shirt collars. To focus on these rather anal details is, I think, to miss the point about dress; it’s almost akin to people saying the study of history is all about dates. I hate that. I have read many style guides but I view these books as guides, rather than law codes. The majority of clothing books that I read have a sociological twist in that they think about the role and meaning of clothing in particular social settings. I have just ordered Harry Wallop’s Consumed: How Shopping Fed the Class System and David Hopper’s The Branded Gentry: How a New Era of Entrepreneurs Made Their Names. Regrettably, a lot of clothing books are picture heavy and content light. The same is true of style magazines. I occasionally buy GQ, Esquire and Vogue, as you might expect. Port Magazine is more interesting, but I really enjoy the style supplements in newspapers, especially the Financial Times, which seems a really odd choice of paper for me to read.

I am very loyal to my local tailor, Jason Regent, who owns the eponymously-named Regent Tailoring in Salisbury. Jason and I have quite different tastes – he is influenced by the dress of the Seventies, whereas I am more generally enamoured of styles from the Thirties and Forties – but I think this is what makes his clothes so interesting. He is currently working on a double-breasted three-button suit for me, which will be very different to what I have worn in the past. The suit will also be very, very tight. I’m not quite sure what the finished article will look like yet, as I have given Jason carte blanche to make decisions about buttons and pockets. I do know that the trousers will have turn-ups, though! There are a few clothing shops that I like to visit. I adore Drakes’ ties and pocket squares. I recently bought one of their new-line cashmere ties in pink. Beautiful. I also like Anthony Haines’ woollen ties, which are mostly available in plain colours. Their ties are also very reasonably priced. Paul Smith can be good for quirky bits of accessorising, and playful socks, although for cufflinks I tend not to buy new. Most of my cufflinks are in silver or gold and have, quite appropriately, a historical theme – a mounted knight in gold; a viking warrior in blue and silver enamel. For leather goods, I like Dunhill and Mulberry, although I don’t wear belts and I don’t have a wallet, as I think this distorts the silhouette of my jacket and trousers. I love Lanvin metalwork, particularly for formal evening events. I am currently eyeing up a pair of Lanvin Oxford shoes in a burnished burgundy. Otherwise, I like Grenson, John Lobb and Alfred Sargent for shoes. Monks are my favourite footwear style. They are comfortable, practical and elegant. I do hate it when laces come undone.

When I am thinking about an outfit, the decoration of an interior, the structure of an essay or the composition of a painting, the key is simplicity. If the architecture, the skeletal structure, of any one of these creative acts is clear and strong, then I think this allows for greater personal expression and, ultimately, personal satisfaction. If the structure is muddled, then extra details can so easily appear fussy and poorly chosen. In the particular case of a suit, shirt and tie, I would re-emphasise the importance of a limited colour palette, but this is very much a reflection of my own ocular limitations. Above all, aim to dress for yourself and not for others, although as my articles on Linleywild frequently argue, this is so easily said and so rarely accomplished. If you do succeed, drop me a line.’

http://linleywild.com/

Pictures: © Benjamin Wild

A small compilation of the many menswear sites online, organized by initial letters. Contents and outlooks vary greatly, but all concern themselves with more or less tailored apparel.

“I am 27 [this interview is one-year-old], and a small business owner and web analyst. I graduated from law school in Germany, but decided not to pursue this career path. I am married and do not have any children. My wife fully supports my passion, knows how to joke about it and she firmly believes that I don’t need a third tuxedo. My parents never had a deeper interest in clothing or style, but they were happy for me to have found my passion. My sister is six years younger than I am, and when I moved away from home, she was not into fashion but she tolerated my interests. Over the years, she grew more fond of clothing, accessories and style and now she also has a passion for it as well.

My interest in classic men’s clothing evolved when I was 14 years old. I began collecting Montblanc fountain pens – I bought and sold them on ebay as an alternative to delivering newspapers – and cuff links before I transitioned to men’s clothing. Unlike many others, I was never interested in designers but always more in high quality craftsmanship and clothing. I visited craftsmen, collected tailoring books, magazines and everything relevant I could get my hands on. Today, I maintain a small private library for classic men’s clothing, including roughly about 500 books, numerous men’s fashion and men’s tailoring magazines from the 1920’s to the 1980’s and more than 150,000 pictures of men’s clothing – mostly illustrations and the like. Virtually all of my reading – even in my “down” time, in some way pertains to fashion.

Over the course of the last twelve years, I also found a number of interesting people on websites and internet forums. These individuals not only taught me a lot, but they also connected me with other people in the trade so I gained even more knowledge and I continue to meet fantastic individuals. Also, I started to collect and actively wear vintage clothing, which made me aware of all the subtle style differences throughout the decades. Generally, my style and personal passions revolve around quality – no matter whether it is quality food, quality clothes or quality time I spend with people. I prefer to cook a good meal rather than eating at an average restaurant, I prefer craftsmanship over designer goods, and I prefer in deep conversations over small talk.

In regards to clothes, my style is very classic with lots of influences from the 1920’s to the 1960’s. To me, clothes are a form of self expression and my greatest hobby. I enjoy playing with combinations, colors and patterns. I’m not afraid of incorporating pieces that aren’t currently in style, such as a homburg hat or an ascot. My goal is to own a truly complete wardrobe. By that, I mean a wardrobe that covers everything from workout clothes, a Norfolk suit and morning coat to a tailcoat with an evening overcoat and top hat. In combination with a wealth of accessories, such a wardrobe allows me to create an infinite number of unique outfits. I never rely on just a single person or brand. My current wardrobe consists of many vintage garments and items from several craftsmen and brands.

For example, I have a clothes – suits and jackets from A. Caraceni and many shirts from Siniscalchi. I also own a morning coat from San Francisco from 1926 (which I wore at my wedding), a tailcoat from Hussmüller from 1961 and a marvelous overcoat from 1935. Since there are hardly any bepoke tailors left in the US, it is difficult to commission things. As such, the last bespoke piece came from Alexander Amann in Berlin. During my green card application in 2010, I was legally unable to work. Since classic men’s clothing was not just a hobby but a true passion for many years, the Gentleman’s Gazette was my attempt write down some of the things I learned over the years and fill what I felt was a badly underserved internet community of enthusiasts. I wanted to provide unique content and insights that were not available anywhere else. I like to cook and eat well, I adore travelling and photography, and I am also happy to engage in an exciting conversation. Generally, I am very interested in all kinds of things, ranging from interior design to classical music.

That being said, I think a sportscoat – for example in brown/beige houndstooth and a navy blazer paired with tan or grey trousers are good basics to have. Don’t make random additions but evaluate how a new items fits in your existing wardrobe. Can you combine it with other things you already own? If not, skip it. Paired with the right shirts, ties, scarfs, pocket squares, socks, gloves and hats you can look different every day. There are many examples of what I consider to be high quality goods in these categories that have been profiled on the Gentleman’s Gazette.

Above all, invest in fit and quality – they are absolutely worth it if you want to build a lasting wardrobe of versatile pieces! If you cannot afford to buy a new bespoke jacket, skip H&M stuff, and save your money for a trip to London, Hamburg, Paris, Rome or Naples and try to find the best vintage stores. This will not just result into a more solid wardrobe but provide also a great intercultural experience. Or, look at local vintage stores; Once you know how things fir properly, eBay is a wonderful tool to find lightly used, high quality goods. It takes time to find good pieces. Don’t just settle for the next best thing and know your measurements and your alterations tailor and his / her prices and limitations. I would tell anybody who is building are wardrobe to be diligent and patient in their search, and it will eventually pay off. ”

http://www.gentlemansgazette.com/

Picture: © Rose Callahan

~ originally published in Finnish on the 23rd of May 2012

“Age 45, occupation: Creative Director of Dashing Tweeds and a photographer. Westminster School in London and then a Biology Degree at Bristol University. After university I worked as an apprentice photographer and for a silversmith before going freelance. Three children who often get dressed up in tweed especially when riding our 4 seat bicycle around. I have always loved clothes since my early teens and started making things at a young age. My grandmother taught me to crochet and my step mother had a dress shop in which I used to help sew hems.

I started sewing myself various outfits and had a great interest in textiles and craft from an early age. I really discovered the whole history of menswear at university when we started dressing for balls and other formal occasions, it was then that I realised that there was much more to menswear than was obvious from the high street. Formal wear preserved the smart clothing from previous generations but I soon discovered that the casual and sports wear from previous generations was actually much more exciting than what was around in the 1980’s at the time. It was the discovery of the fun men had dressing rather than so called classic dress that inspired me.

I consider Dashing Tweeds to be a modern extension of classic sportswear rather than in anyway retro heritage. In fact we are keen to be all about the modern man with a fusion of technical yarns and sustainable wool rather than in any way vintage. Also I feel it is important not to build a division and create a classic / fashion paradigm. People assume that because certain elements of formal menswear persist for generations that they are not subject to the forces of fashion, this is just not true, the changes may be hard to detect to the uneducated eye but fashion constantly sways the width of trousers the shapes of lapels the lengths of jackets and the types of cloth used. Obviously these changes can be huge at the high fashion level but they do occur constantly through all aspects of clothing. With this in mind we feel that we are constantly working at the highest level of fashion.

We are living in very poor times where variety of cloth is concerned and most men are ignorant of the choices available. This is due to the predominance of the high street and ready to wear now a days. Only a few decades ago when men went to tailors as a matter of course, magazines would educate men as they the best choice of cloth for their garments. The choice used to be huge and as supply depends on demand, the lack of knowledge has caused a decline cloth varieties. It is important to re-educate a new generation and this will lead to an increase in all cloth types and ultimately a great range of more exciting fashion for men.

I was very lucky to be asked as a photographer to be the image maker for Savile Row Bespoke. The major tailors of Savile Row formed this marketing cooperative in order to expand the famous name of Savile Row and claim its rightful position as the mecca for menswear in the digital arena. My job gave me access to all the archives in the dusty basements of the famous houses and it was here I began to understand the plethora of cloths and clothing styles that have existed. As Dashing Tweeds has expanded Kirsty and I have also been to visit many mills around the country and most of these have fabulous archives which are now being treated with the care they deserve.

I mainly dress to amuse both myself and others. I love the idea that historically there is a dress for every occasion and hobby, this is a continuous flow as technology progresses mankind. Outfits for dancing to fluorescent lit rooms of trance and house music differ greatly to ones for the tango or waltz. However for other occasions the variety of dress has declined now a days and jeans, the work wear of cowboys and gold diggers seem to have entered into far too many arenas. I like to find clothes specific to every occasion and try to change accordingly as often as possible, sometimes up to five times a day.

I may dress in the morning in a colourful reflective tweed cycle suit to take the children to school on our special 4 seat bike, then come back to change for a meeting in Savile Row in a suit appropriate to London’s West End, perhaps a worsted check suit worn with a tie or cravat. After lunch I often have some messier design or photography work to do and will dress in a knock about tweed suit perhaps in a tough Harris tweed. If friends are coming for tea or cocktails I will change into a new shirt and a colourful jacket in one of our art deco or Bauhaus inspired designs. Then often out to evening events or dinner and depending on the occasion a suitable outfit is required, people are honoured if you dress up for them I it’s much worse to be underdressed than over dressed.

Dashing Tweeds can cater for many of these occasions from a knock about tweed suit, cycle suits and something exciting for the evening. We are expanding our ready to wear and will be introducing the most exciting sports couture that people have seen for many years. We work with many of the tailors on Savile Row and I have a suit from at least half a dozen of them. When one understands the subtleties of the various cuts from each house one can adapt the design of the suit accordingly, it’s very hard to choose a favourite. We also work with many other tailors around the world, it’s important to choose a properly bespoke tailor where a pattern is cut specifically for you and the cutter who measures you also works on the pattern and cloth rather then passing on a set of measurements to someone else who has not seen your deportment.

We are only just getting started with plans for a stand alone shop. Our online store is doing very well and we are happy to invite people to the showroom in my house to see cloth and ready to wear. People can also find our cloth in various tailors. We aim to open a flagship store next year in the centre of London full of all our exciting cloth designs and ready to wear collections. I love hobbies and often get slightly obsessed with them. At the moment I have started gymnastics and am learning to do backflips,  I started ukulele lessons two years ago and am keen on song writing. I designed the Hanky Hat last year and wrote a song about it with Guy Chambers which you can buy on itunes, I started a band called the Dashing Tweeds. I went rock climbing in the Alps last summer and intend to carry on practicing on a local climbing wall.

Cycling is also a great hobby and I have recently mastered my unicycle, I enjoy croquet, tennis and fencing. I fence foil and epee at the Lansdowne Club in London, I’m also very keen on wild swimming and dancing. My wife and I had such fun learning the waltz and quickstep as well as Lindy Hop. I really enjoy cooking especially with wild animals, my biology degree comes in handy when skinning or gutting them. We keep a rowing boat at the bottom of our garden in London;  dressing up as a sailor and rowing though town on the Regents Canal is great fun. In the winter I crochet all my children hats, it can become very addictive. A few years ago I became very keen on power kites and welded together a chariot on which I was pulled at great speed along the beaches of Norfolk. I also love making things, I used to be an apprentice to a silver smith and have a jewellery work bench on which I make silver cuff links and presents for friends. Archery is a new hobby, I have just acquired a recurve bow and I find the stillness and concentration required very calming and akin to yoga which I also enjoy.

Dressing in more structured clothes gives one an empowered feeling and it’s also a pleasure to feel well dressed. Buying well made vintage clothes enables one to experience this joy cheaply but there is nothing worse than badly fitting tailored clothes which can restrict movement and prove very uncomfortable. It is important to have anything, either old or new, which does not fit altered. This does not cost much and one soon comes to realise how comfortable  proper fitting clothes are. I often find it amusing how the high street deliberately market clothes that do not fit by encouraging trends for trousers which fall down or are too tight or are ‘anti fit’. Finally the most important thing is to find a personal style of individuality and elegance.”

http://www.dashingtweeds.co.uk/

Pictures: © Dashing Tweeds