PUBLISHED February 28th, 2013 10:11 am | UPDATED July 22nd, 2024 03:28 pm
“When a man walks into a room, he brings his whole life with him” – Don Draper
Think about that for a moment.
When you realise the magnitude of that statement, I think it should induce a moment of self reflection. That quote feels even more relevant to me personally, as it echoes one of my grandfather’s many diktats that I gleaned from him as a child; which was that as a man you needed to present yourself as though you were going to an interview each day. That may sound like a lot to ask of a man, however in all my childhood spent living with my grandparents, both of whom were retired, I never once saw my grandfather out of a shirt, tie, tailored trousers and a cardigan.
Each day without fail he would wear something to that effect and spend most of each day reading the newspaper on the ‘veranda’ or at other times dozing off. All the while I’d be sitting close by, and I could hear his smart dress watch ticking steadily, his elbow on the arm of his chair, his head rested against his folded fist. My grandfather had a strict demeanour about him- he was born in 1919 and grew up in a time of rigid formality and discipline. If formative years are an individual’s character development for adulthood, then my grandfather’s must have been imbued in a kind of discipline and formality that we only see on television period dramas today. But in retrospect I realise that I was in awe of his sense of self, he seemed unequivocal in his sense of masculinity and confidence, albeit quietly so.
That sense of manhood, assurance and ‘self’ was no doubt his ‘essence’ but his unyielding sense of style and total lack of compromise when it came to his daily attire fortified the impression that he made, and inspired in me a fascination with menswear. Or rather, how to define oneself as a gentleman in the way you dress.
My prerogative ever since I began my foray into men’s attire, as a bespoke designer and personal stylist has been to understand the meaning and place of masculinity in today’s internet, digital and 21st century socio-scape. In this column we will discover where to get a great suit, a close shave, a fine pair of shoes, and an overall sense of what it is to be a gentleman in this modern world.
I would like to think that this is going to be a 2 way conversation between myself and you; on style, work, the balance between the two and all the other things a man go through each day. We will discuss objects of desire – I immediately declare my fascination and obsession with good shoes: both on men and women. They say women look at what’s on a man’s feet before looking at his face. I have found this to be all too true. As such I have always made sure to wear a pair of shoes that indicate a semblance of thought and care to their design. And, shoes are what I look at first on the fairer sex. There is something respectable- I personally find- about a woman in a good shoe whether they are flats or heels. I pay so much attention to shoes I test myself at the end of each day on how many good shoes I saw on both sexes – the colour, the style, the material and how they looked with the rest of the outfit. I firmly believe that when an individual takes the time to put on a good shoe, the rest of the ensemble tends to follow suit (pun intended!).
So, let us begin…
Next month: “A gentleman never underestimates the value of an excellent barber”
Then: “Always keep your feet on the ground, just make sure they’re wearing good shoes”
Written by guest writer Style & the Dandy