KolaKuddus: taking native international.

and Mr KolaKuddus himself(in green)

PRADA FALL/WINTER 2012

PRADA

PRADA

 

 

 

The Smoking Jacket

 

A smoking jacket is an over garment designed to be worn while smoking tobacco, usually in the form of pipes and cigars, or for domestic leisure. It stems from a time when men were true “gentleman” and women had to be protected from the rancid smell of smoke. Ladies had nostrils too sensitive for the smoke to linger on their partners clothing, or so it was believed. Men would even go as far as putting on smoking caps to protect the hair (smoking slippers too). Aside from protecting the women, the jacket would also protect coats, shirts, and pants from ash or cigar burning incidents.

Smoking Jackets are cut longer than the regular jackets sitting just past the waist. The material would be a rich colored velvet or silk, it would have a shawl collar, and turn-up cuffs. Colors are typically a deep bottle green, red-burgundy(ish),  a deep colored blue, and sometimes dark brown or black, but always elegant and stylish.

Another style smoking jacket resembles more of a shower robe (as we would know it today). This slightly less formal jacket was loosely cut and sashed, had patched pockets, and was secured with a tassel. This was a favorite look of Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street fame.

The Smoking jacket should be worn with a formal shirt (with bow tie) and trousers (black or midnight blue) or gray flannels and a pair of black velvet (personalized motif optional) or leather Alberts.  You can also wear a less formal shirt with a scarf or ascot tied jauntily about the neck.

The  smoking jacket is one of the last vestiges of men’s wear which survives from the era when men wore different clothing based upon time-of-day and location. It is for this reason that different opinions as to where and when the smoking jacket is to be worn.

The smoking jacket was originally made as an ‘at home wear’ or when entertaining close friends. However if you are not the type to spend hundreds on a jacket to stay at home in, the modern smoking jacket would perhaps be a more suitable option. The modern smoking jacket is a stylish piece that can be worn while in a lounge, out in public, and works with any style of clothing (jeans, chinos, wingtips, loafers, etc).

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Cool as white.

I don’t care what you say, but to me nothing looks cooler than a white well fitted shirt. Worn alone it looks absolutely stunning. Think about it. this single piece of clothing is so cool when worn well it makes people look twice when you walk down the street or into bar.

A well fitted white shirt, like blue denims and a classic cut black suit is one of the safest piece of clothing you can own, and its also the perfect base layer for pairing underneath cardigans, blazers, long jackets or just about anything else. Now if that isn’t cool, I don’t know what is.

From preppy to punk the white shirt is a basic must have for all wardrobes.

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Navy blue, the new Black?

When I was young, I thought black was the ultimate colour for a suit. Of course the ultimate colour of a suit depends entirely on the person being asked. Their preference, their style, their individuality amongst a vast number of other possible reasons, however this post is not about the ultimate colour of a suit.

I really can’t remember the last time I saw someone wearing a black suit. A while ago grey was the new black, but it seems navy blue has taken over. And why not? I personally don’t know what it is specifically, but there’s something about a navy blue suit that makes the wearer look distinguished, sophisticated and exudes class. Even Le Ross, Esquire’s best dressed real man in Britain 2010, had three bespoke suits made recently, setting him back between £800 to £3,500 for each, all in shades of navy. He talked about it on his blog, and the first line he wrote is ‘At what point do you suddenly become aware that you’ve “made it’’?’

I am still of the opinion that every man should have at least one well fitting classic cut black suit in his closet, but if you want a suit that could possibly get you an upgrade from business to first class on an aeroplane, I think you should at least give a navy blue suit some strong consideration.

 

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Getting a Signature Fragrance.

As far back as I can remember, my dad has had three signature fragrances; Old Spice, Polo Green, and Aramis. They all have strong scents in common, and they last.

Like my dad, you should know what you want in a signature fragrance as people will come to associate you with it.

Finding the perfect fragrance  isn’t a walk in the park however, as its not just about picking a nice smelling perfume. A perfume could smell really good in the bottle and even when sprayed in the air, but smell quite differently when sprayed on your skin.

So here are a few tips on choosing a perfume that will be your signature fragrance.

Know your preferred scent. There are about four categories of perfume scents: FRESH (citrus, marine, green grass/leaves), Floral (rose, gardenia, jasmine) WOODY (woods and moss), and ORIENTAL (spices, vanilla, patchouli). So if you do not like floral scents, you will not want to wear a gardenia perfume.

Utilise your sense of smell. Go to a perfume counter and ask the sales associate to try some of the perfumes. Try as many as four perfumes, spraying a different one on each wrist, and inner elbow. Don’t make a decision just yet, leave the store and walk around for a good 30 minutes or so to give time for the scents to mix with your body chemistry. Write down the names of the fragrances on each corresponding inner elbow and wrist so you don’t forget what scent is where. Avoid spraying your neck and behind your ears, as you will not be able to accurately judge the scents there.

Ask for opinions. When walking around ask for opinions. A fragrance only you approves of won’t do much good. The look of disgust on people you stand next to on the way to work can easily put a dent in your confidence.

Also, hunt around for the best price. You’ll probably find that department stores have the highest prices. With that in mind you can save money by purchasing your fragrance through an outlet mall. Usually anything purchased at an outlet mall is a little bit cheaper. So it might make the fragrance you are seeking for, a little more affordable.

Finding a signature fragrance could take a while, but its definitely worth the journey.

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London Fashion Week round up in pictures…part 1.

Paul Costelloe

Jean-Pierre Braganza

Mulberry

Paul Smith

TOPMAN.

JAMES LONG

Mr Start

Christopher Shannon

J. W. Anderson

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For Accessories sake.

I have recently been asked about accessories quite a bit. How to wear them, what type to wear, what to wear them with, and even if certain pieces, a bow tie for instance can be worn as an accessory.

So I have decided that over the next few posts I will focus on accessories and shed as much light as I know on it. However before then, there are certain pointers I think should be known about accessories and wearing them, or as I like to say ‘learn the rules, then learn how to break them’.

With that said, keep this in mind before and when wearing accessories.

The ‘job’ of accessories is to detail your outfit, giving it character and depth, and making you stand out. Its said that details is what makes the gentleman, but what should also be said it that too many details could easily ruin your look. There are outfits and occasions where accessories would be complimentary, but you can also look as good without wearing any accessory. Yes accessories are great, I have quite a collection myself, but don’t feel the need to always wear some form of accessory when you dress up.

When accessorizing, there isn’t a specific amount to wear, but to be safe one or two pieces is standard, three is a maybe. Anything more HAS TO BE DONE TASTEFULLY. Remember accessories are meant to spice up your look, not be the spice of your look.

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