Chelsea Boots

Following a chat with a dapper friend of mine, I've decided to focus on Chelsea Boots for this blog post.

Like three-piece suits and Peter Andre, the Chelsea Boot keeps forcing its way back onto the scene after long periods as the preserve of the die-hard and the professionally quirky.

The fundamental shape and look of a Chelsea Boot is pretty standard and recognizable, but the come in a few subtle varieties that gives them a versatility many types of boots can't give you.

To kick us off (pardon the pun) is this from the good folks at Debehams

 This is the standard Chelsea Boot. You probably recognize them now.
The simplicity of the boots is part of its appeal. No laces, no buckles, just slip it on and away you go.

Most Chelsea Boots are leather and will have a corse but flexible panel on the flanks to give a bit of supplness for the ankels.
These are currently on sale for £112.59 which is pretty good. The stiching looks solid and the flap (which is key to putting the boot on looks sturdy too. The leather sole will leach a bit of warmth out, but the are perfect for the High Street and a night out.

For those with a little less to spend, Mr Shoe has these

As you can see, the have a buckle above the ankle which sets them apart from other Chelsea Boots.
There is also a zip on the inner side (which I don't really like but does make putting them on easier)
These are on offer for £49.99, but beware, there's a reason....
The sole is glued to the shoe, not stitched. They aren't leather, but rather some synthetic substitute which scuffs and flakes off.
If you don't plan on wearing them often, then I guess they are alright, but I would advise against buying them.

Third up we have these from John Lewis

I really like these.
The wing-tip style is a bit bold for some, but I think it works.
If you feel racey, you could even put them with a suit and wear them to the office. The leather is good quality and they are currently going for £90.00 which is excellent value.
The sole is textured rather than leather, so you get a bit of grip too. My one reservation about them is that they may take some breaking in, but that's a small issue for what is otherwise a real treat.

Last up today is another pair from John Lewis

I reeeeaaallly like these
The red panel at the side is nice enough, but the stiching at the side and below the panel reminds me of a glass of red wine. As you would expect from Kurt Geiger, the leather is divine. The pointed toe isn't to everybody's taste, but I think its a boon.
They are going for £110.00 which is very tempting. I might wait and see if they are in the January sales...


Good luck and good hunting!

Knitwear and Sweaters

You'll have no doubt noticed the change in the window displays on your local High Street. Gone are the shorts and t-shirts (and those stupid narrow brimmed hats) and in are rugged manly man items for days out in the park with your dog.

Following on from my last post on winter jackets, you could do a lot worse than treating yourself to a reasonably priced new jumper this season.

Below are few treats you might fancy checking out.
This first offering is from Bank Fashion which as you know isn't my favourite shop.

On the face of it, its a pretty unremarkable garment. The colour is pretty safe, the pattern is subtle and the lengths are pretty conservative. However there in lies it's beauty.
You can wear this with jeans, chinos and maybe even a pair of trousers with a pink or light bue shirt underneath. Pop a tweed or houndstooth jacket over the top and you've got a belting little Sunday afternoon pub lunch outfit.
It's a really rich and thick material, but cut loosey enough to prevent it being suffocatingly warm when worn inside.
It's currently going for £32.00 which isn't bad at all. Oh, and the brand is called Nanny State which made me laugh too.

Second out today is this jumper from Next

I don't very often go into Next as it tends to be a bit dearer than other places on the High Street, and at £42.00 they are continuing the trend. However I'll give Next some credit; they are excelent at Autumn/Winter wear.
The cable roll neck jumper isn't to everybody's taste, and the model on the link looks like a tool as well which doesn't help matters! I rather like this though. It's a classic pattern and the armpits are cut high so you can use your arms without the whole thing riding up and exposing your midrift.
The roll neck will keep the cold away from your neck which is always a boon. As you would expect from Next it's very sumptuous material and feels exquisite to wear. The elasticated cuffs add to the snug feel of it too.

My favourite find this week was this gem from River Island

Shawl neck is a happy half way house between roll neck and round neck. It's more commonly seen on cardigans but this a cracking example of it too.
The button on the right hand side gives the jumper a bit of focus, which is good as the colour is nothing to write home about.
The cut of the neck is fairly loose so you could even wear it over your shirt and tie on the way to the office. However it is best worn with jeans and a proper pair of boots. Although this isn't quite as versatile as the first jumper, it has a decent range and you just know you wife or girlfriend will 'borrow' it so you'll earn yourself some brownie points there too.
It's going for £30.00 which makes it the cheapest of the three today, and in my opinion, the best.

Happy shopping!

Winter Coats

You've probably noticed the weather turn and the nights starting to draw in.
With this in mind it's probably an idea to dig out your winter coats.

If your winter coat has seen better days and you want to look for something new, you might some of these on your outings

This jacket is from River Island and is retailing for £90.
This might be a bit steep for some, but you'll feel the benefir when the weather truly turns!

This item has a lot going for it. The collars are very large so you can turn them up when the wind is bad.
The double breasted buttons give a double layer of warmth. The pockets are very deep to, so you have plenty of space for your phone, wallet, gloves, and even a book.

The colour is very rich and this could be worn just a easily with a pair of jeans as with a suit. It comes in other colours too if you aren't feeling the green.
The buttons are study metal, and the material is very pleasant to the touch. The epaulettes are a nice touch too, even if they don't actually add anything practical.

This would look great with a pair of leather gloves and thick wool scarf.


The second item is from Bank Fashion and can be found here

I won't lie, I'm not a big lover of Bank Fashion. It's like shopping in a night club, without the booze.
This jacket hasn't endeered me to the brand either.
For a start, they want £225.00 for it! That is hideoulsy over priced.
The buttons look nice but are a cheap resin material. I like the asymetric design, especially the the right sholder flap, but the pocket on the left breast is distracting. The zip makes it look cheap.
The epaulettes are cool but it's a small boon in an otherwise lackluster item.
The colour is solid, but it's a shade short for my taste.

I would steer clear.

Third up we have this little doozey from Topman

There's a lot going on here. The designer obviously had some spare buttons they wanted to get rid off.....honestly, there are buttons everywhere!
The navy blue colour of the trench coat is a little dull, but the shoulder flaps, oversized collar and belt help to bring it to life.
The pockets are a nice size, even if the verticle style does make it easy for stuff to fall out.
The ringlet on the cuffs are rather nice too, you don't see them too often.
The one drawback of the belt however is that if you were to wear it open, the buckle would keep hitting your left hand which could get quite annoying.
It's going for £90.00 which is about right. It's not my favourite jacket in the world, but you could do a lot worse.

And when I say worse......I mean a lot worse. Brace yourselves for this nightmare

......where do you even start with this? It doesn't help that they've picket a model who looks like he tortours animals in a house he shares with his dead mother.
The shiloutte of the jackt is...ok. But that's as good as it gets. The faux leather looks like plastic, and the studded belt is something you would find at a BDSM convention. To make it worse, the back looks perfectly normal. I can only assume the desginer wants wearers to be able to shock people who approach from behins.
The final bit of salt in the wound is the price; Topman want £250 for this gauche hell spawn of a garment.


Of course you could do what I did and find yourslef one of these

Army surplus. I think it's from East Germany. It's in too good condition to any more than about 20 years old.
It's the warmest thing I have ever worn. And the best part.....it cost me £12.

I win at clothes!

Cheeky Jeans Piece

What She Really Thinks of Your Jeans - http://pulse.me/s/dIDAG

Stumbled across this and thought it was rather good...

What I wore at Conference

As some of you may be aware, I was away at a conference this weekend gone.
However a trip away from home is never an excuse to let sartorial standards slip. On the contrary, it is an opportunity to showcase your wardrobe to a new and grateful audience.

With this in mind, today's post is a review of my three wardrobe selections, and the thought process behind each.

First some context.

• Occasion: This was a political conference. I don't want this to descend into a propaganda piece, so the Party in question will remain undisclosed.
• Location: City Centre
• Activities: Lots of sitting and standing still during the day, but also lots of rushing between buildings. There were one or two drinks consumed too <ahem>
• Weather: Clear and sunny, but with a nice breeze

Thursday

Thursday was spent partially travelling, and is tradtioanlly the least formal of the days. This tweed-esque two piece suit travels very well indeed. The material doesnt crease, and is well endowed with pockets for tickets, wallet, phone, and assorted bits of paper. The leather trip on the lapels is matched on the elbow pads and pockets.
I normally don't go for these types of suits, but it was a bargain at H&M during the sales last year, and to be honest it's served me well. As with all of thier jackets, they fit my triangle figure very well.
The trendiness of the suit is tamed by the tradtional regimental style tie. The tie is from Tie Rack which is normally very hit and miss, but do churn out some good ties, even if they are a little thin.

Friday

 Friday is the first proper day of conference and I thought it important to go in with a bang!
This is my Unapologetic Evil Bastard Suit. You can almost picture a snarling hyena or wolf wearing this type of suit in a cartoon.
The suit itself is a one buttoned single breasted number from Topman. I got this for an absolute steal two years ago...a mere £25 for jacket and trousers!! To this day I think they mis-labbled it. It is very very fitted but the price you pay for that is very very shallow pockets.
The shirt is what's known as a City Shirt. The collars and cuffs are both white. Not everybody likes these, but I love them and have three or four, all from different stores. The handkichife matching the shirt was unintentional, but worked quite well. It's important to note that handkichiefs should be worn loosely. I can't stand handkichiefs that look like a work of oragarmi. They are there as a foppish foil to the formal feel of the suit. They are there as a bit of fun.
The lighter coloured tie needed to be a block colour or I was in danger of giving my friends a seizure.
Oh, and I was wearing braces too.
All in all, a smasher of an outfit, if I do say so myself.

Saturday

The last day of conference gave me an opportunity to premier my latest suit. It's a gem I picked up from a second hand shop. The whole thing cost £9. The trousers fit like a dream but the jacket was a shade to big so I took it to have it tailored. That cost just shy of £25, but it means I now have a gourgous Savile Row designed double breasted suit for less than £35. If you are in the North West, I can highly recommend Reeds at The Trafford Centre. They had me measured in ten mins and the garment ready within three days.

The shirt is another City Shirt, this one from Burtons. The only problem with this shirt is that it isn't double cuffed meaning you can't wear cufflinks. However as I seldom remove my jacket, it's not a deal breaker. The tie is from Primark. The photo doesn't do it justice but it's a lovely deep purple and worked well with the thin purple and blue lines on the shirt.

The photo below shows more of the shape of the suit.

Not the best picture in the world, but my arms are only so long. It's an older suit so the jacket is longer than most modern ones but that sets it apart a bit more. the trousers also have turn ups which you don't see on many High Street suits. Although you can't tell from the picture, it is very well fitted and follows the form of my torso very well.


So there you have it, three diffeerent suits for three different days at the same event.
...and who said conferences were boring?!

Oxford Shoes

***Sorry for the delay in postings team, I have been away at a conference in Birmingham this weekend. I am planning a post about what I wore...so watch this space!***

Today's piece is about, what I hope is a staple of all chaps wardrobes, the stout Oxford shoe.

A good pair of Oxfords are the workhorse of mens footwear. They are very versatile item, and need to be able to ensure a lot of punishment. For many, they will be the footwear of choice for the Monday to Friday grind. So if you are going to invest in a decent set of shoes, you'll not go too far wrong with black Oxfords.

Strictly speaking, all Oxfords should be black. They are the footware for town. Equally, Brogues should always be brown and should be confined to the Country Side. However, this blog is nothing if not flexible, and it would be hypocritical of me to impose this rule on others as I am guilty of blurring the line.

I was disappointed to find that I had to go to page 6 on the website to find these on the Debenhams website.

These are a very good choice if you can only stretch to one decent pair of shoes. As a rule, Debenhams tend to provide good value for money. At £145.00 you might wince a little, but here's some selling points;
The are leather soled
They have a padded heel for comfort
The softer leather will be easy to polish
The stitched detail is subtle but keeps the style clear
The upper stiching around the laces gives the shoes a modern edge
The lines of the design are generally quite pleasing.

I have two drawbacks, however. Firstly I can see the back of the heel getting worn and tired with constant use. All shoes get this to some extent but the shiny finish will make this more pronounced. Secondly, I don't like the laces. In my experience they come undone far too often. That being said, you can change these very easily.

All in all though, a good buy.

This next offering is from Clarks, which many of you will know form your childhood.

You might be windering if I have accidentally uploaded the same picture twice. Rest assured, they are different...honesy.
For a start, the price. These are £84.99 which is a good chunk less than the Debenhams pair. These are made for comfort and durability, not style. They are wider fitting which some men need. The soles are rubber, not leather. These will give you more grip, but will deprive you of that satisfying 'clip-clop' noise when you walk. I like to cal that the PWA, or Purposeful Walk of Authority.
The laces are done in the traditional pattern which I prefer too.

The reviews on the site are extremely good, and I would recommended these for those of you wanting a good general purpose shoe, but who aren't that bothered about looking slick.


The younger readers here, who might not need a durable office shoe might want to look at these from River Island

These are a curious hybrid of Oxford and Brouge. In fact the pointed toe would look at home on a pair of Derby's shoes!
As you would expect from River Island, the ephasis is on style rather than quality. Even a brief glance at these tells you as such. The sole is thin, the stiching weak and loose, and the sole might actually be glued to the rest of the shoe. I can't see the sole, but I imagine it's a thin rubber/plastic resin.

This is reflected in the price. These are only £50.00. They will serve you well if you are going to a bar or club, or maybe for a meal now and then. They are certainly not a shoes for day to day wear on the job.
In their defence, you could just as easily wear them with a suit or jeans.


I hope these had given you a useful starting point. They say a decent outfit starts with the shoes. I certainly heard worse advice...

Happy shopping chumrades!

The Need For Tweed

It's now officially Autumn.....(unofficially every day is an Autumn/Winter day in my house, but that's between me and my thermostat)

There will be those among you who mourn the passing of Summer, with it's BBQ's, Pimms, assorted sporting cappers. But fear not chumrades, because this is preceisly the time of year to dust off that most versatile of garments...
...the tweed jacket!

Now technically speaking, tweed is a very specific fabric, made in a very specific way. However the spirit of this blog has always been to help the modern gentleman get by on a High Street budget. A brand new Harris Tweed jacket can easily set one back a cool £400. Yes, it's a jacket for life, but you I for one can't justify spending on a jacket what I could pay for a second hand car!

We are lucky in that may High Street stores offer a range of tweed-esque jackets at reasonable prices.
Here's a starters for ten from Next and can be found here

It's called herringbone but we shant be picky. It's a solid choice.
It's two buttoned which means it'll hang well if left open but equally won't look too forced if bottoned up. The colour is understated without being boring, and the sloped pockets (and cheeky extra small pocket on the right) give it a modern feel. The good folks at Next have also given you a handkerchief as well, so there's no excuse not to wear one!
It retails for £75.00 which is the higher end of this type of jacket, but the material looks good and and this can be worn with a range of looks and in various situations, so you'll get your money's worth.

Our next offering comes from H&M and can be found after the jump

I'll start brutally, I don't care for this look and the model looks like he needs a decent meal....and some vitamin D
Rant over
The jacket is another faux tweed number, but different from the previous one from Next. This is far more comtemporary and is in keeping with the H&M look and feel.
It's darted so will look fitted without having to be tailored. As I have said before this is great for me, but not if you have a bit of a belly.
The colour is....ok, but unless it's worn with bright colours or you are a naturally bouncy person, it'll wash you out and make you look, well, like this guy.
The pockets have no flap which is a personal preference, but I am old school in this sense and would rather have the flap.
The stiching on the buttons doesn't look too sturdy and I doubt the material is very durable either. That being said, it's made for the club, not the country side.
The only redeeming feature of this jacket is the price. At £34.99 it's half the price of the one from Next.

The last jacket today is from Topman, found here

This is a 'difficult' jacket, which is presumably why the model asked to have his identity hidden!
When I first looked at it I though a derranged canibal had made a jacket from human skin....
The colour is flattering to nobody's skin tone, and the leather pocket adds nothing to the garment. Oh, I've just noticed they added a similar flap on the left lapel. Why? Your guess is as good as mine...maybe they had some material left over? The material is too thin and the pockets are ludicrously large (is he a clown?)
Oh, and it's needlessly short
The only thing I sort of, half, kind of like is the different coloured buttons. But it's a sad day for the sartorial world when 'the button' is the best feature.

If you want to know the price, it's £80.00. Personally you couldn't pay me £80.00 wear this.

I always like to end on a high, so here's a smasher of a jacket from M&S

...proper job!

Old Modelling Shots

This is primarily a blog about formal attire, but I was sorting through my photos and found a file of shots from my short lived modelling career.

Enjoy.......or recoil in horror, it's up to you.

I'll sling some more on if I'm having a slow day!

Bow Ties

A controversial one here team....
Bow ties.

Dr Who had a lot to do with bringing these back to the High Street. Previously they had been the preserve of the university don or a children's entertainer. For most men they only ever got worn with a dinner jacket, on your wedding day or an ambassadorial reception.....you know, because we all get invited to those.





The question is, how should they be worn as part of a day-to-day wardrobe, and how can they be integrated into an existing collection?
As with all accessories, it's about two things; context and confidence.

Context is key because it has to go with the rest of the outfit. This may seem obvious enough, but I saw a lad today wearing a shirt, tie, and tracksuit bottoms.........I kid you not! I had to do a double take.
Firstly, bow ties need to have an element of whimsy to them. However I must urge caution. Whimsy does not mean wacky. This poor soul took a very lovely outfit and ruined it by going too far with the bow tie.

A plain block-colour bow tie would have been perfect. Intstead, he looks ridicuolous. It's bordering on fancy dress territory. To be fair, judging by the background, he may actually be at an audition for a childrens TV presenter, so we shouldn't be too harsh.

This young man has the right idea.

The same trousers and pale blue shirt, but a far more subdued bow tie. The pattern on the tie is very close to matching his belt, but I don;t think that was intentional. The whole look is clearly very preppy, even down to the ruffled hair and clean shaven uber-jaw. That look suits the bow tie and you can't really go too far wrong with this style in any season.
It's also nice to see the lowest button of the cardigan left undone. Well done that man.

This final look is a bit more Mod inspired, but I like it.

OK, the jacket is a bit short and the trousers a bit tight, but the bow tie and pocket silk really pulls it together. Again. the bow tie is a simple colour so it isn't distracting. I also rather like the shoes.


The models here are, well, models so you would expect them to look confident. However if you decide to venture into the realm of bow tie wearing, make sure you have the resolve that goes with it. If a man is visably uncomfortable or nervous wearing it, it'll draw more attanetion to him and the bow tie and the whole image will fall apart faster than a sandcastle in a cyclon.

Like a good suit, a bow tie should look as if the wearer has put it on in the morning and forgotten about it. You don't need to swagger or be brash. Just convey an air of quite, dignified, self confidence.

There's a reason bow ties are synonymous with British men....

Style Salvage - A men's fashion and style blog.: A visit to... Other

Style Salvage - A men's fashion and style blog.: A visit to... Other: "It has a different feeling, there is a definite sense of evolution with a great deal more visual stimulation but ultimately, we have retur...

Coloured Suits

The last year or so has seen a rise the range and availability of coloured suits.
Previously these had been the reserve of Teddy Boys, Lounge Lizards and people going as the Wedding Singer to a 1980's fancy dress party.

Topman and River Island have taken the lead on the High Street, with H&M not far behind.

This number is from Topshop and can be found here

For a start, whatever the website tells you, it is NOT a 'tux'. The word tuxedo is a wretched American import and it has no place here.

The suit has a modern short cut which suits shorter men, but makes taller chaps look like they have donned their younger borther's jacket my accident in a hurry to leave the house.
That being said, its fairly well fitted (at least on this model) and the armpits are cut quite high so your sleeve won't ride up when you lift your arm.
The satin lapel is a nice touch, and is complimented well with the smaller pocket on the right hand side.

At £150 it is a decent price. I haven't felt the garment but I doubt its very thick or rich material, but as you are only going to wear it to the Office party or a New Years Eve do, that won't matter because it won't be visiting the dry cleaners very often.


This next outfit is from River Island and you can see the whole page here

I like this jacket...for a few reasons.
Firstly, its darted (you can just make them out on the front of the jacket). This is more of a personal prefernce as I am broad shouldered but very slim, so I need a very fitted jacket.
The colour is also modern without being too brash.
It's also very versatile. You could wear the whole suit to the Office party, on a date, drinks with the chaps, with a white shirt and black tie to work (just) or even with a pair of jeans as a casual day to day jacket.
 If you are *very* hip, you could probably get away with a funky t-shirt too.

It's currently going for £95 which is pretty good. It's available in sizes ranging from 36-46 so most of you will be able to get into one.

My main criticism is that it's also a little short. I also fear that any creases would show up very quickly.
However all in all, it's a good piece and well worth a look.

Getting Shirty... Hawes and Curtis vs TM Lewin

Most chaps, when asked for a good shirtmaker on the High Street will say Hawes & Curtis or T.M. Lewin.

They tend to be at the upper end of most peopls's price range, but good when there is a sale on or if you want to treat yourself.

Most of my favourite shirts are T.M Lewin. For a start, they don't have breast pockets (as a rule) with I like. I really have never the utility in a breast pocket; no sod ever uses it and it disrupts the symmetry of the garment.

Most T.M. Lewin shirts tend to be double cuffed too, which is always welcome as it afford the wearer the chance to wear a pair of cufflinks.

Below are two very similar shirts. The first is from Hawes & Curtis and can be found here

It's slim fit (good) and is currently going for £34.50, which isn't too bad. The website says it's reduced from £79.00, though I think that may just be a marketing ploy.
It's also part of the 4-for-£100 range, which is rather good if you have £100 to spend on shirts at the moment and want some nice items.

This would go well with everything from a simple light grey, two-button single breasted suit, right up to a three-piece navy blue suit. It's available in sizes between 14.5 and 18 inch collars and would compliment the wardrobe of most men.

This little doozey is from T.M Lewin. I was lucky enough to be able to go to the original T.M Lewin store in central London last year. If you ever get the chance, do pay a visit, it's a kind of pilgrames for chaps like us.

.....Before I start, I must apologize for the tie knot. I don't know what happened to the derranged monkey they got to do the tie, but I'm sure he's sorry for what he's done.

This is also a slim fit shirt, but you will notice the different collar style.
I'm not a fan of cut away collars, especially one as extreme as this. No tie will ever look quite right, and if you chose to wear the shirt open collared it just wouldn't sit right.

Oddly, the cuffs seem to 'too' square. I know that's an odd thing to say, but they seem clunky compared to the Hawes & Curtis shirt. It could just be the photo angle though.

This shirt is currently going for £29.50. The website also claims its down from £75.00 but I'll take that with a pinch of salt. For that price it's probably worth a look. If you like that style of collar on a slim fit shirt you probably won't find another one for under £40, in which case grab yourself a treat.


I have a feeling the H&C vs TML  rivalry will carry on a for a while.........if for no other reason that I will always be able to fall back on it for blogging material!

Happy shopping chumrades!

Sound Advice

Just because....

Tweed Wallet

OK, I know I promised to try to make this primarily about the High Street, but this is just *too* lovely to pass up.

It's a tweed wallet......
That's right kids, a wallet, of tweed.

Tweed Wallet OMG

First post. An smashing H&M look.

I love everything about this look, even the facial hair...

The modern cut trousers nicley offset the more conservatively cut jacket without being too disjointed.
As you will find if you follow this blog (and I hope you do) I am very fond of bold trousers. I think they are more veristile than most people give them credit for.

I am a big fan of H&M. They are very reasonably priced, and they suit my frame.
The one draw back is that the clothes tend to be quite thin material. This is not a problem if, like me, you like the cold, but it can be if you are used to thicket garments.

Actually I have spotted one element I don't like; the button down collar.
Why God, why? They are a ghastly American

Tweed and Peach