Britain needs its own Ronald Reagan July 5, 2011 HERO-WORSHIP is always a mistake. No statesman is perfect: all make mistakes. But Ronald Reagan – of whom a statue was unveiled in Grosvenor Square yesterday – was one of the few major figures of the 20th century to leave their country in a hugely better state than they inherited it. He helped America regain [...]
Sorry, money doesn’t grow on trees July 1, 2011 AT LAST, an interesting idea to tackle the something for nothing culture that has corrupted so much of Britain’s political debate. Sajid Javid, the MP for Bromsgrove and one of the Tories’ rising stars, will be introducing the National Debt Cap Bill (under the ten minute rule) in the House of Commons later this month. [...]
Sharp style comes home to the City June 29, 2011 THE City’s menfolk have been through various versions of the traditional business uniform, each a reflection of the age in which they were worn. The pinstriped, bowler-hatted patrician of old; the jacket-off, red-braces bravado of the ‘80s; the dress-down-Friday scruffs of the ‘90s; the wide-tied, wide-striped wide-boys of the more recent boom. Clichés all, but [...]
SQUARE MILE STYLES June 29, 2011 Left: pinstripe suit by Hackett, price on application. www.hackett.co.uk; Middle: navy double-breasted suit by Gieves & Hawkes, £2,250 www.gievesandhawkes.com. Right: two-button navy suit by Brooks Brothers, from £349, www.brooksbrothers.com
Bespoke, made to measure or ready to wear? June 29, 2011 THE difference between bespoke, made to measure and ready to wear is neither incidental nor arbitrary. It is very important in the consideration that goes into buying a new suit and is tightly defined. The term “bespoke” tends to be bandied around pretty liberally today, but inthe context of tailoring it represents a wonderful tradition [...]
The rise and rise of tailoring that won’t break the bank June 29, 2011 THE resurgence in suit wearing over the past few years has seen a slew of young companies appear offering tailored suits at recession-friendly prices. The denizens of Savile Row may turn their noses up at such upstarts, who make no bones about saving costs by making their suits abroad, but there’s no denying the value [...]
Accessories for sartorial success June 29, 2011 Multi-point fold Wear it for: making a speech It’s the trickiest to fold, and is a bit showy for wearing every day, but if you’re getting up in front of people it will add flair. Lay the square flat and fold the corners across and up to overlap each other, forming an arrow shape. Fold up [...]
Tips for looking after your suit June 29, 2011 IF you spend a lot of money on a suit, and even if you don’t spend that much, you want it to last. That much is obvious, but very few men treat their suits with the care and attention they should. Those frayed edges, creases that wont disappear and worn out linings are just as [...]
How to take a Savile Row legend global June 29, 2011 FOR all that it’s seen as a bastion of steadfast, stiff-upper-lip Englishness, Savile Row has always been a place of shifting sands. Tailoring houses have hopped from one address to another, others have swallowed up their failing rivals, new blood has appeared regularly to shake up the establishment while other tailors have come and gone. [...]
NEWS FROM THE SHOPS June 29, 2011 CHESTER BARRIE’S OFFER FOR READERS Chester Barrie, the made to measure and ready to wear specialist with shops on Savile Row and in the City branch of House of Fraser, is offering Morning Wire readers an extra 10 per cent off in its current summer sale. The offer is only available at the House of [...]