If you're starting from scratch when it comes to wearing a suit or dressing in a more formal style but don't know who to ask or where to start, you've come to the right place!
We give a no nonsense approach to information about wearing a more elegant and sophisticated look.
We provide basic education about men's shoes and clothing and offer enduring advice and information about looking after them.
It's our mission to fill the gap of understanding and knowledge that's needed to source, wear and maintain more distinguished and refined apparel.
We aim to support and encourage those wishing to wear sophisticated clothing for whatever reason so you can confidently own your personal style.
We also provide ideas about how to replicate specific looks in a cost-effective way that can suit most pockets and consider the expert craftsmanship and timeless design in men’s attire.
Hello Chris. Another great video. I have been wearing a fedora and flat cap since the 1970s . I also have a deerstalker. Always wear a pocket square with a jacket. Most people appreciate A well-dressed man the ones who don't or make fun are either jealous or don't matter. Agree with your comment on tweed jackets. As for bow ties I'm not going to wear them except for black tie. But I would suggest if you are going to wear one learn how to tie one and not wear a pre-tied bowtie. Thanks for sharing Chris. Cheers Ron
Hi Ron, glad you enjoyed the video and your comments show a man with self confidence and a good grasp of sartorial matters. I full agree with you about - if you are going to wear a bow tie, best practice is to wear a self tied one rather than a pre-tied one. Thanks for your continued support Ron👍🙂
Hi Mark, it is all about self confidence and that that is built up by exposure to new things and taking advancing steps in what we wear. Glad you enjoyed the video Mark and your continued support👍🙂
Great content Chris. Confidence is everything. Wear your style with impunity. Stand tall and stand out. Pocket squares, neckties, cravats, braces, hats, waistcoats, bulled shoes, scarves, wear all of them. People love to see a well dressed man. They just smile and wonder how you do it. Cheers
Hi Douglas, you are so right! People do love to see a well dressed man, even if not spoken, it is always noticed. I regularly receive positive comments from people young and old, but primarily I wear things for me and how they make me feel and I always advocate the same to others. Glad you enjoyed the video 🙂👍
That's very interesting, I assume the L-Theanine is taken to improve your sleep, reduce anxiety or stress level and boost your mental clarity. Or do you use it to aid weight loss or reduce cholesterol?
@@TheBritishDapper Less anxiety, better sleep and mental clarity. Not for weight loss or cholesterol. No side effects or toxicity. Seems quite safe to use.
I wore a double suit to a matine. event, for a vintage movie, a fellow loudly commented I was overdressed, I let it go! he was dressed like a slob, his poor Mrs
Hi Sheridan, I commend your efforts to dress well for such an event and sartorially well dressed. Good of you to let this persons comments pass. Not only did this person's wife, partner or significant other have the feeling he had not made the effort to dress well when taking her out, but also suffered the embarrassment of him making rude comments and acting ungentlemanly. Manners costs nothing and mean much to many👍
Years ago I decided to embrace my eccentricities. So I'd wear a suit even though I'd be working from home or whilst dog-walking and using a cane. Lately, I've been mustering up the courage to purchase a smoking cap. Do I smoke indoors? Of course not. Is a tasselled hat "outlandish"? Perhaps. I enjoy your videos and always imagine you to be some well-heeled man about town.
Hi there, lovely to hear you embraced your eccentricities. Wearing a suit is always a pleasure for me and even if I'm casually dressed I still apply some style to the way I dress. It is great to hear you employ a walking cane. The smoking cap is definitely a statement piece, I have seen people wear them in public, they did have a particular function historically although rarely used in this day and age for their original function. Based upon the loose design of the Fez commonly in velvet, I personally love the look of the embroidered version with a tassel. There is always the Pill box version and the late Lord Bath "Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath" was regularly seen sporting one. He was known for his eccentric ways, and unfortunately passed away on the 4th April 2020 after he was admitted to the Royal United Hospital in Bath having contracted Covid 19 at the age of 87. Lovely to hear your views on embracing your eccentricities 👍🙂
I love your style. I do wear hats, but only one particular type. Pocket square, I've never worn in my style, but I'm more now considering adding to my wear. Thanks
Excellent video Chris, really enjoyed it. I liked the combinations with the tweed jacket (was it outfit 2 and 3). Also the socks in the end is a great idea. Question: which colour shoes go well with grey flannel slacks and a navy blazer? Best regards.
Hi Sjoerd, glad you enjoyed the video and the ensembles. in answering your question, they colour of shoe, depends on the level of formality you are looking for. Classically black goes well with grey flannel slacks and a navy blazer for the more formal look. Burgundy is another great colour to go with your example (I find these a great middle of the formality spectrum) and dark brown would be my more casual look, I personally wouldn't go any lighter than a dark brown with the more traditional look you have described. I would suggest for the more formal black oxford closure semi or full brogues would be a great choice. hope this helps🙂
Good stuff, Chris. I always feel better about myself and more confident when I'm well dressed. People in my office comment quite regularly on my clothes...always complimentary, sometimes with an undertone of 'why do you bother?". Ah well...noone said being dapper would be easy!
Hi Yoric, lovely to hear from you and glad you enjoyed the video. I agree with my comments, I also feel more polished when dressed well and that comes across in my confidence. I would confirm that you always are the consummate dapper my dear fellow. Your choices of attire of top notch an d it is understandable that you would receive compliments on the way you dress👍🙂
Great content, Chris. I echo what others have said here. Dressing well is part of our state of mind that extends into all other parts of our life. Sometimes we have to reach a nadir to kick-start the process. Decades ago, after being unceremoniously dumped by a girlfriend, rather than wallowing in self pity, I used the epiphany as a springboard of determination to improve myself and my living environment to prove that I was deserving of someone much better. Sharpening up my appearance was the best place to start, and while I certainly wasn't a scruffy dresser, it was amazing how much better I felt wearing new suits, shirts, ties and buffing up my shoes. Add a decent haircut and sharper grooming and I went from a position of despair to gliding into the office energised like actor Bradley Cooper in the film `Limitless'. The act of power dressing opened many doors for me and encouraged me to stretch my self belief and my abilities. When you look the part, you feel the part and that re-sets the mind to act the part. Long since retired (and becoming a nobody) all of this earlier attitude was re-awakened during the Covid lockdowns and with it has come a whole new lease of life and sense of purpose. Dressing well does matter.
Hi John, lovely to hear from you and glad you enjoyed the video content. thank you for your comments and sharing your personal story with others. It is a powerful tool to dress well and intentionally so. It is uplifting and confidence building to improve one's overall image. It makes you feel more positive and your comment about gliding into the office energised like actor Bradley Cooper in the film `Limitless' really does nail the feeling gained from dressing well. Dressing well does make a significant difference in the way others treat you. It is great to hear and witness your changes in retirement and I can assure you dear friend you are without doubt a an extremely well dressed man. You always inspire me and i consider you to be a significant somebody! 👍🙂
@@TheBritishDapper Thank you for the kind words, Chris. For the past month I have been dog-sitting and house-sitting for dear friends. Believe me, trudging through mixed woodland, along dusty / muddy bridleways, and across open fields, in all weathers, I look anything but the well dressed man. I am not going to ruin good clothes on brambles or when my four-legged companion (a beautiful golden doodle) wants to share her affection... and her mucky paws! Like any man who wants to look like a proper gent, it is when we go out to social events, as I will, to the local cricket club on Saturday evening, that the chance comes to shine sartorially. Even though the dress code will be casual, for me it will be smart-casual. I never know who else I am going to meet. It might even be one of my female dog-walking friends who only ever sees me looking less than my best. We all have the ability to 'scrub up well', and it is quite empowering for others to see us looking well turned out in a social setting other than how we would normally meet.😎
Hi Robert, in the video I show several different methods, that particular one tends to be used as a finishing or final shine. I tend to use cotton wool balls, a smear of polish and a slash of ice water and that works well for me 👍🙂
Great advice and the blue/burgundy is a great look, so much more sophisticated than the stereotypical "flag" aesthetic. You know the amount of men I speak to who feel nervous about wearing a pocket square. I say just wear it around the house for a month to get used to it then you'll just end up leaving the house wearing it without a thought, same with getting into proper hats.
Hi Thom, glad you enjoyed the video. Your advise is sound, and it is what I would similarly suggest to someone, taking their first steps in wearing pocket squares or hats. Similarly that advise is still appropriate for bow ties, cravats etc 👍🙂
Hi Clive, that's correct, on the 2 buttoned jacket the bottom button never and the next on 1 up is a must. On a 3 buttoned jacket never do up the bottom button, the next 1 up is a must and then the top button is optional, however on a 4 buttoned jacket, then the top button is optional, the 2 middle buttons are a must and the bottom button never. The only exception to this is when wearing a military blazer, when all buttons should be used. Glad you enjoyed the video. 👍🙂
Hi Chris, great video as usual; really enjoyed the segments on wearing odd trousers and jackets. I find that I'm wearing suits less frequently, as formality has reduced.
Enjoying it with gusto Chris. Great and inspirational content as usual. Seems linen is getting a big push this year. Been wearing it for years and already kitted up. Fantastic cloth for casual hot weather outfits. A long sleeved linen shirt, sleeves rolled up, nice chinos, loafers and a Panama hat can be a smart So Cal look. Don't forget the Ray Bans . BTW, very nice suit. Well done on "unfogifying" the look. Very interesting and dapper. Cheers
Hi Douglas, glad you enjoyed the video. Linen has become more high profile of late not only because of it being great material in the summer months, but also because of its ecological benefits, the only limitation is where Flax can be grown, it can be labour intensive to grow and harvest, but lease chemicals are needed in the processing and the material is long lasting. The look you describe sounds fantastic for those summer or higher temperatures periods. Glad you like the suit and method used to stop it being a dated and fogey (very old fashioned) look 👍🙂
"Look Good, Feel Good" was the program to uplift the spirit of cancer patients going through weakness and baldness at the Cancer Society, Ash Street Vancouver. #freemason When I was going through Chemotherapy, I was given free wigs of human hair and other accessories to feel good during the challenging time when the looks deteriorated.
Hi there, thank you for sharing your story, I hope you are well now and on the other side of those challenging times? It is fantastic that organisations make such a significant contribution to help people feel and look good during these difficult periods.👍🙂
Hi there, I tend to buy a lot of my ties now on eBay or in charity shops, but most of my old ties I have had over the years, were from shops on Savile Row, the tie rack, Liberty's, Harrods etc, as well as Marks and Spencer and many other stores, some are over 40 years old now. The one in this video is from a Charity shop from Bury St. Edmunds in the UK.
Hi there, glad you enjoyed the video 🙂 to answer your question, it really depends on the level of formality, I find that the four in had or the thinker Victoria knots are great for less formal tie wear and the half & full Windsor knots are better from more formal wear. Traditionally a full Windsor would have been expected. Hope that helps 👍🙂
Lovely video, thank you, the best about the Bowler hat I have seen so far. I have such a hat and enjoy wearing it on special occasions, together with my Chesterfield overcoat and one of my bow ties.
For me dressing elegant has become a part of who I am.It also helped me immensely with dealing with my CPTSD. Wearing a nice shirt, suit and shoes makes me more confident,happier and ready to take on the world. I also like to pass my knowledge to younger generations. A great video as always.
Hi there, thanks for sharing and glad to hear you enjoyed the video. Clearly dressing well is important to you for a number of reasons and improved mental health is high on the list for you👍🙂