At Pitti Uomo back in January I took the opportunity to wear mostly tailoring and ties – the two outfits shown above and below. And it felt great.
I know there are traditionalists who see me as the antithesis of this, as I’m rarely pictured wearing a tie these days. It’s mostly open collars, jackets with jeans, and even (horror of horrors) workwear at the weekend.
But I’ve never stopped loving ties, it’s just that they don’t fit as much with my lifestyle and with the world around me anymore. I won’t dredge up the arguments about dressing for yourself or others – we talked about those at length here – but even if you want to ignore society and the age you live in, dressing for your lifestyle is still a fundamental part of dressing for you.
I also believe that stylish men are those that can wear a range of styles – either because that’s the best fit for their life’s activities (not wearing a tweed suit to garden in, even if they’re grandfather did) or because they have a broader appreciation of fashion than just what they themselves wear. They appreciate clothing as a whole, not just the things they wear.
So for me, while wearing a tie looks great and feels great (the flattering vertical line, the feeling of the collar on the neck) it’s something I do when I have the opportunity, rather than forcing it into a situation it doesn’t suit.
Manish is a great one for wearing a tie. If we go out to dinner in Mayfair, chances are I’ll be in an open-necked shirt and he’ll be sporting neckwear. When this happens I kick myself for not doing the same – for not taking the opportunity.
But that doesn’t mean the outfits I’ve shown here, featuring my PS Plaid jacket and Taillour suit, are appropriate for many people, in many situations. The black knitted-silk tie I’m wearing with the first outfit is actually something Manish would often wear for dinners – but not with a green-and-purple checked jacket; more likely a grey herringbone jacket or a charcoal suit.
I love the PS Plaid for a real event, for eveningwear and cocktail attire, but it’s not a day-to-day material.
The same goes for my brown chalkstripe suit from Taillour.
It looks wonderful with a white oxford shirt and orange challis tie, and I really enjoyed wearing it at Pitti. It felt elegant, subtle and personal. Even though I had lifted the combination wholesale from Yukio Akamine (below), who was the original inspiration for the suit.
But this is Pitti. The outfit is a very vintage-y, being almost entirely shades of brown. I can’t think it would be appropriate for many readers, very often. It’s not really officewear or eveningwear.
That’s why when I reviewed the suit, I showed it with a black shirt, which I think is a nice evening combination. I’ve also shown it with a black knitted T-shirt. A denim shirt is cool too, and makes the suit a little fashion-y and contemporary.
If I could only wear the suit as pictured below, with a wool tie in such a vintage mode, it would have very limited use, and I wouldn’t have commissioned it.
When I was coming into town this morning, I saw an older guy (perhaps early seventies) in a very traditional trench coat and fedora. He wore a grey suit underneath, and looked great because everything was well executed – good quality clothing, well looked after, well put together. (You need all three.)
I wouldn’t dress like that, even though I can fully appreciate why it looks good on him. It’s not me and it’s not what I like – I would always want something with a bit more personality, less of a traditional uniform. Perhaps some Ivy influences, some of kind of messing with that standard.
But he would also have looked out of place in either of the outfits I’ve shown here. I’m not sure they would have been his style, and at 9am on the Tube, it wasn’t the time or place.
Of course that doesn’t mean the outfits (his or mine) should be ignored. Instead, as with all inspiration, you lift elements you like.
You observe the combination of burnt-orange challis with brown flannel, and try a similar pocket square with a brown-tweed jacket. Or you admire the chic of the black knitted tie with pink oxford, and try that with your navy suit next time you’re out for dinner.
Wearing a tie is not a question that’s worth arguing or debating. It’s a question of personality and of opportunity.
The PS Plaid cloth is being rewoven and will be available again in late Summer, together with other PS cloths.
The jacket is worn with a pink-striped PS Oxford shirt, charcoal flannel trousers from Whitcomb & Shaftesbury, and vintage Polo alligator loafers. More on the loafers at a later date. The shirts and fabric are being restocked (potentially for the last time) this Spring.
The suit is worn with a white PS Oxford shirt, old Church’s tie (we’re talking 20 years here) and bespoke shoes from Yohei Fukuda.
Taillour suit picture courtesy of Fabrizio Di Paolo
