Like many (dare I say most) dudes, I have been in search of the elusive perfect leather jacket.

It needed to be short, in the way that Springsteen’s jackets were short. Black, obviously. And I wanted the leather to have some kind of grain or patina that made it not feel like the kind of leather jackets you see the men wearing in Friends. I wanted something distinctly not modern. Something that I could pop the collar on and put my hands deeply into the pockets while walking in the rain hunched over ala Bob Dylan.

The problems I kept running into were:

• Too expensive. There’s an Our Legacy leather jacket that ticked all the boxes, except it was £1.5k, which is just more than I think is reasonable to spend on most things, let alone one piece of clothing.

• Too dorky fitting. Too long, too wide in the shoulders, too long in the sleeves.

• Over-designed. Panelling, padding, details that I think are a bit outdated and very annoying.

• Great, but vintage and the wrong size. Finding what looks like an ideal jacket but then it’s made for essentially a child with a motorbike.

I spent months saving inspo pictures, trawling eBay and irl vintage stores every time the desire reared its head, each time to no avail.

Part of me had resigned myself to either saving up for the OL one, living with the bomber-style variant I had that could only really be worn in the colder months due to its warmer lining or throwing in the quest altogether.

But let this be a lesson to you adventurer in the realms of cool boy jackets - I waited, and I was rewarded.

This morning I collected a 1940s (possibly 30s) Italian made, goatskin leather jacket from an inpost locker. I had watched the price get dropped 3 times in a day on Vinted and sent a lowball offer that was accepted and I now anxiously stood in front of the mirror as I slithered into it on yet another heatwave day.

I’d measured the supplied proportions against one of my fave jackets and they were almost identical so I wasn’t shocked when it did indeed fit perfectly, but as I stood there admiring the silhouette of I think one of the most special pieces of clothing I’ve bought I felt a sense of accomplishment, which is aware sounds ridiculous.

The result of my searching and saving and waiting and wanting was a result that felt far more interesting and specific to me than if I’d succumbed to the itch too early and bought one that anyone could own.

Just enough detail, like a beautiful western-style yoke. Four zip pockets, for AirPods and possibly a small packet of sweets. Raglan sleeves, that sit neatly and don’t make me look like I’m trying to appear more imposing that I am. Goldilocks leather jacket if she was a 31 year old menswear writer who listens to Joy Division

This has reaffirmed in me that the hobby of being into clothes is more about the of finding the right item for you than getting the version that is ‘just okay’. It happened with the military boots I wear every winter that slipped on like they were made for me, and now with this find too.

I now own not only a jacket I will wear endlessly, but also something that feels sort of like it belongs in a museum being given a new lease on cool jacket existence thanks to its strange circularity in silhouette from almost 100 years ago. I also didn’t spend the equivalent of rent money on it, and didn’t give in to something that didn’t tick all the boxes I required for something as sacrosanct to a #menswear guy as a damn leather jacket.

Wait it out, what is meant for your wardrobe will not pass you by. Catch me post-heatwave feeling very smug and telling everyone I’m wearing the best jacket.

Which is when I realised my wardrobe is revelling in being a bit weird as of late.

Not capital-F Fashion weird. I’m not dressing like a Rick Owens Sith Lord or trying to convince myself a boiled wool cape is actually really versatile. It’s weirder than that because it doesn’t announce itself. Somewhere over the last year I’ve become completely obsessed with clothes that feel just a little... off. Shirts with SO much fabric they seem to arrive half a second after the rest of your body. Weird shorts worn with tiny little slip-on shoes. Knits that look as though they’ve been gently unravelled by a cat of some sort. DISTRESSING on stuff. An element of worn in mayhem. The sort of clothes that make your silhouette and aesthetic feel slightly unfamiliar.

I’ve started calling it peasantcore, largely because the name is so silly that it makes me laugh every time I say it. It suggests a life of carrying mud, dying of preventable diseases and paying your landlord in turnips, when the reality is much closer to wearing Adidas shorts with leather mules and convincing yourself that a knit with visible holes in it was absolutely worth the money. This isn’t an aesthetic built around historical accuracy but an attitude and a willingness to embrace clothes that don’t spend every waking second trying to flatter you. That’s the thing I’ve become increasingly suspicious of: flattery.

Menswear has spent decades trying to solve the body. Every cut, every fit guide and every style tip is really just another attempt to engineer a more conventionally handsome silhouette. These trousers will make your legs look longer. Those shoes will make your feet look smaller. This jacket will broaden your shoulders. That knit will skim your frame. It’s all optimisation, as though getting dressed is an elaborate maths problem where the goal is to emerge looking like the most statistically attractive version of yourself. It reeks of the relentless march of stripping away anything fun in the pursuit of things being efficient. I’M BORED BY IT.

Some of the most interesting outfits I’ve seen recently don’t optimise anything. They distort. They exaggerate. They make your feet look oddly small beneath a sea of fabric or your torso look delightfully boxy underneath an oversized tee. They ask you to stop thinking about whether your clothes make you look taller and start thinking about whether they make you look interesting. If anything they make it harder to walk because the shoes keep trying to fall off your feet.

It’s why I find myself drawn to brands like Our Legacy, Lemaire, mfpen and Auralee, but equally why I’ll happily throw on a pair of battered Adidas football shorts with those absurd slippers. Which btw are a hand painted pair from the OL Workshop which makes them even more oddball. On paper it shouldn’t work. One half of the outfit says it’s coming home (rip), the other says eccentric medieval landlord. Together they somehow create something that feels much more alive than another perfectly balanced outfit built around tasteful loafers and straight-leg chinos.

That’s what peasantcore really is when I talk about it glibly in the office and in group chats. Not linen. Not beige. Not looking like you’ve just wandered away from an expensive sourdough retreat in the Cotswolds. It’s that my current fave outfits are slightly folksy and often contain one decision that doesn’t quite make sense. A shoe that’s too delicate. A shirt that’s too big. Shorts that feel almost cartoonishly wide. Clothes that refuse to sit neatly within the rules we’ve inherited about what menswear is supposed to look like. Pulling from a period where the rules didn’t exist? Maybe. It’s all just fun. Some have unexpected red theory. I have this.

I think the slippers felt a bit inevitable once I started wearing them every day. They weren’t the beginning of anything; they were merely the first pair of shoes I’d bought in a long time that weren’t trying to ground an outfit or complete it. They were there to make everything else feel slightly wonkier, slightly softer and infinitely more fun.

Anyway, I’ll meet you in the fields, I’ll be in little slippers with my amazing new handmade woven bag.

Not because I’d hidden it there. Not because it was a sensible place to keep important documents. Simply because that’s where the knitwear lives now. There’s a jumper colony forming in the corner of the room, another one in storage bags under the bed, and I think a cardigan has legally claimed squatter’s rights on the back of my desk chair.

For years I’ve defended owning loads of clothes.

Not just in a capsule wardrobe is a prison sort of way (although I still kind of think it is), but because fashion is supposed to be fun. Clothes are hobbies. They’re references. They’re little souvenirs from phases of your life. The weird pair of trousers that only worked with one pair of shoes you sold three years ago? That’s history baby, that’s the rich tapestry of your steez.

I’ve always rolled my eyes at people who preach owning exactly fourteen garments in shades of oatmeal. Some people collect records. Some people buy guitars they’ll never gig with. I have friends who collect Sylvanian families. I buy jackets that require weather conditions Britain increasingly refuses to provide with enough regularity to justify the extent of my stash.

But recently, a horrible thought has started scratching away at the back of my head. Maybe I have too many fucking clothes.

Different from that performative influencer sense, where someone sighs dramatically before revealing a walk-in wardrobe the size of a Premier Inn. I mean genuinely too many. Too many to remember. Too many to actually wear. Too many for any one wardrobe to contain without becoming structurally ambitious.

It’s the duplicates that are the real issue. Not literal duplicates, but the way worse idea duplicates.

Three vintage black sweatshirt because each one is slightly different,  but I have a fave that means I don’t wear the other two.

Genuinely hundreds of vintage T-shirts bought because of some interesting design and the fear of ‘never finding it again’.

I’ve realised I spend an embarrassing amount of time curating outfits around clothes I’ve never actually worn.

• “I’ll save that.”

• “For the right occasion.”

• “When it gets colder.”

• “When I lose a bit of weight.”

• “When I buy the boots it needs.”

Congratulations me, you’ve curated a museum.

The irony is that choice eventually stops feeling like freedom. You stand in front of a wardrobe containing enough clothes to dress a small town and somehow end up wearing the same black tee because your brain has blue-screen-of-deathed.

The more options you have, the harder it becomes to pick one. I’ve somehow built myself the Netflix homepage of wardrobes. There’s always something better buried three rails deep.

Some forgotten grail that would make today’s outfit perfect, if only I could remember where I put it.

Instead, twenty minutes disappear while I excavate a box labelled “summer”, which somehow contains wool trousers, a weird old shirt and one shoe.

Buying clothes and wearing clothes, I’ve realised, are almost separate hobbies. One scratches the itch of possibility.

The other requires commitment.

It’s much easier to imagine the bloke you’ll become in a jacket than it is to actually wear the thing enough to become that person.

I don’t even think this is about consumerism anymore, I think I’m practicing delusional optimism. Every purchase is attempting the same thing: future me is going to be brave and cool enough to justify this mad fucking T-shirt.

Future me apparently attends gallery openings, drinks natural wine on rooftops and owns trousers that can only be described as “fascinating ”. Current me is going to Aldi.

Maybe that’s why the clothes pile up. They’re less about who you are than who you keep expecting to become. And every time you buy another immaculate oversized shirt, you’re placing a tiny bet on that version of yourself finally showing up and looking good in it.

The annoying thing is, some of my favourite clothes aren’t the rare ones. They’re the battered jeans that I got for a steal, the loafers that have moulded themselves to my feet. The T-shirt that fits right but has also been sun bleached because I wear it on dog walks. The things with stories. The things I’ve actually fucking worn.

So maybe this isn’t the beginning of a clear-out. I still don’t believe in ruthless decluttering. Your style shouldn’t fit inside a spreadsheet.

But maybe next time I convince myself I need another black jacket because this one’s slightly boxier, I’ll ask a different question.

Not does this fit my wardrobe? But will this ever make it onto my body?

Because somewhere beneath the piles of knitwear, the archive boxes and the jackets waiting patiently for a more interesting version of me, there’s a wardrobe full of clothes I’d probably love if I just gave them half a chance.

I find great joy in the ever evolving clothing chat that punctuates the usual parenting messages, and especially now that we increasingly find inspiration in a similar spot, which I can’t say was the case when I was 16.

I’d broadly describe my dad’s dress sense as ‘good clothes worn well’, but I don’t think it captures the nuance of what makes his approach to style truly inspiring to me still. He’s an actor, and that’s relevant because he understands the importance of how you come across, but also because I think it’s allowed him to draw heavier influence from the idea of ‘character’ than most men I know.

Not character in a way that is cosplay, but that understanding of who you are being telegraphed through your look. A long, heavy wool coat (he’s got a great one he bought in Berlin that I’m very jealous of) worn with popped collar and beanie placed just so, evokes a certain atmospheric aesthetic of wintery indulgence. The cold not getting in the way of your style, not making you sacrifice anything to maintain it but actually allowing you to embrace a different level of your style as seasons change. It’s a deft skill, and one that I know a lot of men don’t navigate well. But not my dad.

He has also drilled into me the value of clothing. Like the actual benefit of spending that bit more on what you’re going to be wearing.

He occupies a stylistic place in the same vein as a Steve McQueen or Paul Newman, that excellent ‘heritage’ feeling bit with some modern sauce thrown on for good measure. This aesthetic interest has meant he’s been buying good denim and good footwear for a long time before Reddit told you about selvedge jeans. And, as I move through my life in menswear I have increasingly been able to emulate his approach of not opting for something lacking to get a quick fix for your look, but going for the better choice and staying in your aesthetic world.

I don’t think I can remember a time where I’ve turned up to see my dad and not complimented him on something he’s wearing. There have been the requisite ‘loans’ of a good jacket that becomes semi permanent (because I refuse to give it back), which I’ll always appreciate but I genuinely enjoy the fact that he gives a shit about the thing I’ve made my career out of.

There’s a part of me that wonders if I’m doing what I’m doing BECAUSE he’s interested in it too, maybe it’s in the DNA.

He also has fun with his clothes. I think a lot of men who are into style take it all a bit too seriously, something I’ve tried to avoid doing in general. Me and my dad both care about clothing, probably too much, but something I definitely have learned from him is to not be afraid of trying something. Mixing influences, going punchy with some element of silhouette or colour or print, freakin’ it a bit.

I could go on about the good taste he’s got when it comes to the frequent acquisitions (game recognises game in this respect), his luck/talent for vintage hunting that he’s been able to employ throughout Europe much to my envy, or the way he really understands instinctively what makes a suit fit well. But honestly, what I learned from my dad about clothing and style, is that it’s okay that it matters to me. He’s encouraged it. Funded it, often. Revelled in it. He taught me that dressing well is a hobby, and he’s inspired me to make that hobby into a career.

So, thanks dad. I’ll be ready to take that coat off your hands whenever you find the next good one.

I spent a lot of my youth (I’ve left it now that I’m the big age of 31) chasing trends and trying to make an impact with my clothing. In my teenage foolishness it was easy to conflate impact with, and I say this with all the care for my younger self, ‘fucking crazy shit that no one should wear’.

I worked in retail, and spent my days surrounded by a bunch of cheap clothing that was sort of bridging the trend slog of indie sleaze into streetwear. I thought it was my job, responsibility even, to wear the wild stuff. To show off, because I was into FASHION. And what that meant in the small countryside I grew up in was that I was into what others weren’t.

The decade or so of dressing while living and working in London was a real exercise in aesthetic discovery. Good to bad to good again but what I’ve largely landed on right now, and I think for the foreseeable future is that I like kind of boring clothes.

Unfussy, no frills, no embellishments, just good shit. A straight or slightly loose pair of jeans in brown excites me more than the pastel bullshit that Versace pumped out at the last show, and a long black coat that from a distance makes me look like a sort of silhouette only, interests infinitely me more than a jacket that’s also a bag that’s also a car that also lights up and also is made of a fabric that changes colour based on the NASDAQ.

The endless circus that pumps out bright and shiny as best and can turn on a dime from year to year of what shape is the right shape can drive you mad if you let it. But more than that, it can make you miserable in comparing yourself to those that adopt the new and wear it with gusto.

Right now the industry seems like it’s setting the stage for a return of skinny. I won’t be partaking. Not only because I largely think I don’t want to leave the comfort of my more relaxed silhouettes but also because, I’m 31. I don’t have the frame of my 16 year old self that embraced that world fully and I don’t want to make myself feel worse by trying to fit into something that isn’t designed for me.

I’ll be wearing my black hopsack suit and Dr Martens, looking like a background actor in a film about the railway workers of the 1920s and that makes me happier than being seen as ‘on trend’.

Even as I write this I feel ancient. I feel 1 million years old shouting at clouds to not just run to the next thing but look at work works for you and live in your own world like all the cool dudes before you but it’s where I’m at.

My fave items I’m wearing right now are my pair of brown vast cut Our Legacy jeans, a seersucker shirt from mfpen, an old black knitted polo that’s got burgundy buttons that look like bloodstone in the light and a cap that I think I’ve worn 200 times. Are they boring? Maybe to some. The palette is largely that of a peat bog in the bleak midwinter, but the fabrics are nice and I like how I look in them and even my old leather boots have worn in and feel more comfortable than ever.

When I see the menswear bois on my timeline wearing gargantuan trousers with shirt and tie and denim jacket and chains and a hat and massive sunglasses I just do an exhale. I see the instinct that I occupied at the same age and part of me misses the charade. A bigger part of me feels comforted by the sense of self I now feel when getting dressed, but that twinge of feeling like I’m out of the loop or missing something still bubbles up and I have to quickly return to my own little world before being sucked into something that I won’t enjoy.

I wonder what me in 10 years will think of me now. I wonder whether I’ll write another scrawl about how much of an idiot I was to be so restrained in what I wear and that I should have spend my money on something more dazzling. Maybe I’ll succumb to ditsy print shirts and a comfortable shoe. Either way, it’s all a journey. Overthink your clothes, you’re going to anyway, might as well make it intentional. Boring is maybe good and also maybe doesn’t exist so don’t let yourself feel like you can’t just wear something simple to the circus.

It’s become a bit of a joke that everyone who considers themselves ‘in the know’ is gravitating towards the Danish label that’s made an aesthetic out of essentially just *good clothes*. That’s the whole thing. No logo mania, no shouty collabs, no gimmicks disguised as innovation. Just understated pieces with a whisper of something odd going on — a slight off-ness to the proportions, a sense that the garments were cut by someone who wanted to do tailoring but ended up in a garage in Copenhagen.

mfpen doesn’t really try to reinvent anything. Instead, it refines or more accurately, recontextualises. The brand’s shirts are a perfect example. You’ve seen button-ups before: cotton, crisp, usually with a pocket. But the mfpen version fits a little looser in the body, a little more exaggerated in the sleeve, and a little more laid back than you expected. It’s the kind of silhouette that makes you feel like you’ve tried, even when you’re just wearing one over a vest with wide jeans. And speaking of the jeans — they bang, they’ve become difficult to not wear. Roomy, structured but soft, a little cropped in the leg. It's like they’ve made the perfect big-ass jean for people who don’t want to TikTok insane shapes but want something a bit billowy.

mfpen also sit in a more sustainable section of the industry, but not in a virtue-signally way. Most of the collections are made using deadstock or leftover fabrics from European mills, which means the clothes feel special in a subtle way. I recall an anecdote about a blazer being made that had ‘Margiela’ within the pinstripe. It also means you’re less likely to run into someone else wearing the same thing. There's a built-in scarcity — not for the hype, but just because of how the brand works, not pumping out rubbish product, but making good things and letting them exist within their own means.

There's something incredibly modern about the brand’s worldview too. Everything feels a little soft around the edges, almost shy. Which sounds like an odd compliment, but in a menswear landscape that still celebrates performancewear and military codes as shorthand for masculinity, that softness feels like a rebellion. mfpen’s world-building is low-key but present. You can picture the mfpen guy in his flat: books stacked not shelved, an unmade bed that has a lovely blanket on it, some sort of art he found cheap at a flea market but is undisputedly sick as.

What makes the brand feel cool right now and I mean actually cool, not trend-report cool, is just how off-trend it all is. While a lot of labels have pivoted to performance or plunging the Y2K resurgence ad nauseam, mfpen is just doing its thing. Every collection feels like a continuation, not a reinvention. There’s consistency, but not repetition. You get the sense that they care more about making nice clothes than about telling you how to wear them.

Also, and this is important, mfpen looks good on just about everyone. Genderless styling, but not in a contrived way. Just great clothes that fall well, layer nicely, and never look like you’re trying too hard. There’s a reason all your cool friends are quietly buying into it. And why you’re seeing it pop up in more wardrobes — but never in a look-at-me way. mfpen is the brand that gets complimented with ‘You always look put together,’ not ‘Where’d you get that from?’.

It’s a kind of stealth wealth, but without the wealth. Or if not stealth wealth, then maybe stealth taste. It's how someone dresses when they’ve graduated from the hype cycle but still want to wear something considered. When they’ve grown tired of overly referential dressing but still care deeply about what a shirt does for an outfit.

I’m not saying mfpen will dethrone Our Legacy in my wardrobe rankings. But I am saying that every time I wear the boxy shirts or those double-pleated jeans, I feel more like myself. Which is probably the biggest compliment I can give a brand. It’s not trying to be the main character. It’s just trying to make you look like the best version of you — slightly slouched, well-layered, and quietly cool.

Shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Twin Peaks didn’t just tap into teen angst or small-town dread, something I relate to despite my small town being a distinctly English and countryside one — they also nailed a kind of aesthetic conviction that still feels fresh today. Dark trench coats, beaten-up boots, longline silhouettes, and tailored jackets worn with some existential weight on the shoulders. The fashion wasn't just part of the plot — it helped tell the story. It created atmosphere. It looked… moody.

There’s something deeply appealing about the drama of it all. In a sea of fast fashion dopamine dressing and carefully curated casualwear, revisiting this era — where a black turtleneck could signify inner torment/that you were an evil twin and a leather coat meant you might know how to use a stake — feels surprisingly modern. Because even though the gothic lean is a little camp, a little costume-y, it also cuts through the noise.

Spike’s all-black-everything and peroxide blond hair (icon). Angel’s oversized wool coats with boxy shoulders. The way Giles dressed like a quietly stylish academic (because he was), or how even the throwaway high school extras in Buffy looked like they’d walked off a Helmut Lang lookbook if you squinted hard enough. The X-Files (side-note, I just got a very sick X-Files tee), where Mulder and Scully’s wardrobes were 90% mood and 10% mystery-hunting practicality — charcoal tailoring was basically its own character.

What made it work wasn’t just the clothes. It was the attitude. The commitment to tone. And now, in a moment where fashion has circled back a bit of theatrical melancholy (see: Kiko, Bottega, my fave Our Legacy’s darker moments), it tracks that 90s gothic would be in the air again.

You can see its influence all over today’s menswear. Buttery leather trenches making a slow, confident return. Structured tailoring that reads more secret-society than startup founder. In slimmer black jeans (I’m a long way from being convinced by this FYI), pointy boots, the occasional silver pendant. The good kind of drama. Well-lit drama. Melodrama.

And you don’t need to go full vampire cosplay to make it work. The key is restraint: pick one or two pieces with presence — a dark overcoat, a textured knit, a shoe with edge — and ground the rest. Stick to washed blacks, stormy greys, deep oxbloods or a bright pop of red (y’know, vampire shit). Make your fabrics matter: brushed wool, mohair, suede, matte leather. Think a bit more I’m brooding and need to look great while doing it, less ironic Halloween.

I’m also obsessing over quiet confidence of this vibe. It’s not chasing trends — it’s dressing like you’ve got a spooky secret, and you’re not in a rush to share it. Which, honestly, is half the point of style anyway.

Consider this a formal invitation to rewatch Buffy as I have been doing — not just for the nostalgia or the surprisingly sharp dialogue, but for the sick fits. And if you walk away with the sudden urge to wear more black and listen to a bit more Bauhaus, welcome to the party pal, we’re all brooding in corners and none of us are dancing.

T.

Brands, and an affinity for them, have become the new subculture. The scandi-coded ‘Ganni Girls’, queues of preppily-dressed Aime Leon Dore die-hards, even the bloody Supreme line, brands are now who we frequently latch onto for a sense of identity. I’m as guilty as can be with this. My Our Legacy love borders on obsession akin to the constant chasing of the perfectly neat fringe of scene kids in the early 2000’s, and while my interest largely stems from the brand playing with styles that draw influence from subcultures I do identify with, it’s the world of OL that I buy into more than anything, saving campaign imagery and posts on Instagram in the same manner I might have cut out pictures of Bowie in decades gone by. Where this brand=subculture conflation falls apart, is that brands are intrinsically, corporations. They care about their customer base, sure, but at the heart of the output it’s about building business and increasing earnings. Why then do we feel like these corporations owe us something?

When Our Legacy garnered headlines within the fashion space at the end of 2024 due to investment from arguably the corporation, LVMH, many were quick to decry the death of the brand and be disappointed in the decision to no longer operate out in the Wild West of independent business. I wasn’t one of these naysayers, but someone in a group chat did sum up certain feelings well — it’s like when the band you love starts playing arenas, you’re pleased for their success, but can’t help feeling like said success comes at the cost of losing the secret that you thought was just yours. This is a fallacy of course, bands only reach those stadiums when they have 1000’s of fans already, and brands only get calls up to the big leagues when they’re raking in money and have 1000’s of customers, but in the absence of belonging to a wider group of likeminded dressers, it’s easy to see why people feel dismayed, anxious or even betrayed when their fave purveyor’s of jawns ‘sell out’.

This story of brand betrayal is never more prominent than when smaller designers or brands collaborate with the devil of the industry — Zara. The first truly eyebrow raising collaboration in recent memory for me was the Studio Nicholson x Zara collection, that saw Studio Nich silhouettes and brand codes delivered through the affordable Zara lens. It left a bad taste in my mouth at the time if I’m honest. Studio Nicholson was such a respected brand in my internal ranking, partly down to the philosophy of a conscious and long-lasting wardrobe that formed the backbone of the brand. This felt at odds with the mass-production, ethically-questionable, trend-loving, cheaply-made output that I associate with Zara. Then came and Wander x Zara, which felt again at odds with my understanding of and Wander’s focus on making deeply technical garments that surely will be lessened by having to work within Zara’s supply chain to meet price points that their customer would buy into. Then, Samuel Ross, founder of A_COLD_WALL*, whose recently launched made-to-order brand SR_A focusses on made in England footwear, and utilised Italian and Japanese fabrics — quality that is decidedly hard to achieve at the Zara price point. Ross said to Vogue that the discussions with Zara came about from him ‘looking at the foundations of what apparel is for, and finding a way to make a sense of magic in that space’, which he felt hadn’t been achieved at Zara yet. Worthy approach? Maybe. Perhaps a more reasonable assumption is that if brands like Studio Nicholson didn’t collaborate, Zara would simply replicate their styles without them. Maybe it’s better to be in the room than outside while someone steals your stuff.

Most recently, and perhaps most frustrating for me, was when one of the people in menswear who I (and many others) look up to, Aaron Levine announced a project with the highstreet behemoth. At first my reaction was disappointment, followed by slight relief that it was a curation not a collaboration, which in truth only furthers Levine’s positioning within the industry, which I do consider a big win. When then thinking more about the man, who is no stranger to the highstreet after his rebirthing and revitalising of Abercrombie and Madewell, something like this made perfect sense. It was about democratising style and an approach to dressing well without needing the luxury budget, as opposed to a simple money grab. But why would the money grab have been a bad thing? Why did I feel like this man, who I’ve never met, owed me more than working with a brand that I didn’t vibe with, when his collaboration with a brand like Drake’s only garnered him more goodwill? It’s because he had cultivated a persona that I wanted to emulate, in the same way that Our Legacy has made a world I want to live in — both man and brand had given a semblance of culture that is missing, and when the reality sets in that Aaron is a man with a family who simply needs to keep working, and OL is a brand that needs to keep selling clothes, it’s not the betrayal of the person or brand that actually stings, it’s the understanding that a sense of belonging to an authentic group, local or global, is increasingly harder to come by.

Brands like Studio Nicholson might not be able to continue to exist without an injection of money and awareness from a collaboration with Zara. Our Legacy might begin to dwindle without investment. Aaron Levine simply likes making cool stuff easier to get. Sometimes the cost of riding and dying for a brand means that at some point, you’ve got to accept that they don’t owe you much beyond sending you the item you ordered.

The Bits

• Emily Dawn Long Jeff Shirt - This has been on my radar for a month or so, and has given way to a real interest in seeing where this brand goes (the upcoming swan jumper is a real lovely piece too).

• Plegada Shoes from Hereu - These little shoes fit into a sweet spot of what I’m into right now, kind of classic and normal, but then kind of weird. My partner hates them.

• mfpen ‘Bigger Jeans’ - Found the grey pair of these for a steal and they’re really lovely. Nice little pleat front and very soft. If you can find ‘em, highly recommend.

• Arket cashmere socks - These were a feature on my gift guide at the end of last year, and I ended up being gifted them, they rock.

• This beaut 1970’s jacket - North Workshop proving once again they have some of the best vintage menswear available for some insane pricing.

The Bobs

A Complete Unknown

I have had a long time love of Bob Dylan’s music, and I’ve also been a Timmy C appreciator (although less said about his personal style the better IMO), so this movie was ready-made for me to enjoy, but it didn’t disappoint. The performance is likely an Oscar winning one, and made me go deep back into a Dylan catalogue listening marathon, but the costume design really rocked. We get to see Dylan go from little hat, and Levi’s jeans wearer to big hair and leather jackets, and both are worthy of a moodboard — any film that makes me reconsider polka dots as a pattern option has clearly made an impact.

Having a Reason to Dress Up Again

I’ve been going to an office twice a week for a few months for the first time in almost 2 years, and as much as I will always value my WFH-ified life with my dog and hours of Mad Men, having a reason to put a fit together has been really lovely. I’ve been noticing some patterns of dressing I didn’t anticipate, such as sticking largely to more subtle colours and patterns (this may change when the weather perks up), and more often than not opting for a smarter leather shoe. There’s almost an element of costuming going on in my head I think. I'm in an office, therefore should put on ‘proper clothes’, despite the office I work in being a very casual environment. Having purpose in my dressing has been really nice, and has given me a good excuse to wear some of the more outlandish stuff I own, like my OL beret.

Layering Layering Layering at the AW25 Mens Shows

I love a layer. Autumn and winter are my fave seasons purely for the chance they give to wear big coats with interesting textures poking through. It seems this love is shared among some of the best brands around right now. Standout faves were Lemaire, who have consistently nailed the art of building outfits that feel voluminous but not bulky. Auralee, who did the dastardly move of layering a jackets on jackets (including a doubled-up leather biker) and increased their position as one of the more exciting things in fashion right now. Our Legacy (of course) continued their output of making outfits specifically for me and had collars galore and mfpen’s expertly un-neat styling, resulting in a blending of attitudes — punk and put-together all at once.

I’m off to Paris for the first time in my life next week (I know, I know), so plan on doing a little roundup of some good stuff I find/see out there.

TTFN, thanks for sticking with me over here.

T

This little outlet of mine has become a real highlight, so I will once again endeavour to get a good schedule going for posting, as those of you here are showing some lovely support, and I want to make sure I’m living up to that.

The Bits

• This mfpen dark brown polo that I saw Daniel Craig wearing on the Queer press tour, it’s a great chocolate brown colour and that more rugby shirt leaning collar is a really underrated one. mfpen do phenomenal knitwear (I am wearing a big polo of theirs as I type this so you can trust me).

• Levi’s x Satisfy STONER jeans - I’m a big Satisfy fan, I pretty much exclusively wear their stuff when running, and when I act on my new years resolution of getting properly into climbing, I’ll be hard pressed to resist wearing their Stoner collection then too. These jeans are wild. They were limited to 200 pairs of vintage 501’s that were climb-a-fied to make them rock face worthy.

• Auralee x New Balance 990v4’s. These sneakers made me put my GR pair of 990v4s on this week for the first time in maybe a year? I’ve been living in loafers and boots all year long so think that’s a testament to Auralee’s power of persuasion based on their brand vibe alone.

• Our Legacy Sling Bag - I got this recently for my new work bag as I wanted something a bit more hard-wearing and roomy. It’s great, feels like it can take a bit of a beating and can fit a lot more than it first seems.

• How Directors Dress - Got this book for my birthday recently and it’s now a must recommend to anyone who sits in the middle of the ‘into clothes’ and ‘into movies’ Venn diagram. It’s a great pick up and flick through kind of coffee table book that doesn’t take up much space and is really beautifully designed. It’s also got a murderers row of good writers contributing to it so buy buy buy.

The Bobs

au CONCOURS ‘The Cervert Fabricators Coat’

This is a slightly biased one as Chris, one half of the brains behind au CONCOURS is part of my online menswear heads group chat, and aside from being a gem, I know how much genuine joy and thought goes into the designs that he’s putting out. The Jacky Western Shirt is rightly getting its dues right now, being shared across lots of newsletters and wish lists - but my god this leather. The shape is inspired by early 20th century welders which gives it a workwear lean, but delivered in a very luxurious package. au CONCOURS details are where the real wins are for me, the V-shaped coat hooks are a particularly lovely one. It’s coming soon, made to order, and I’m awfully tempted.

Everything From Aaron Levine

There’s a couple of people I truly look up to in terms of their output in the menswear sphere - topping that list is Aaron Levine. The guru of menswear, Aaron has occupied a slightly nomadic place in the industry since his tenure at Abercrombie ended - a tenure that completely revolutionised the brand. It’s impossible to really undersell his impact on the current overall vibe of how men dress, but if anyone will, it’s Levine himself who maintains the attitude of humility and genuine excitement about getting to be involved in making cool stuff. He’s finally put out his own line, and it’s just as good as you’d expect - I particularly like the brown polo cardigan (a favourite silhouette of mine in general), and his 1950s inspired hoodie. All made in the USA, it’s good clothes made by good people from good material. Good stuff.

Our Legacy Workshop Holiday Market

My regular OL shill section. Look, I get it. At this point it’s a bit of a meme how much I love this brand - but I truly can’t help it. They make the clothes I want and create a universe I want to be a part of. Even as they begin to get bigger than ever before, I’m along for the ride and won’t jump off just because they’ve gone big time. The holiday market is a yearly output of very lovely items for the coldest time of the year, and this collection is no different. Howlin’ knits (they’re great I have one from a couple of years ago), blankets, hats, stoneware and even chairs. Dear reader, if I had all the money in the world I’d still go broke buying everything from this collection. If anyone wants to send me £300 so I can be swaddled in an Our Legacy blanket, wearing Our Legacy pjs and writing about Our Legacy online you know where to reach me.

Bob Dylan’s Style

So, Bob Dylan might be my favourite musician of all time. Ever since I was about 14 and I first listened to Blood On The Tracks, I’ve kind of been obsessed with him as a songwriter. My TikTok is in a full Dylan swing right now as we gear up to see Timmy C take on a portrayal of him in A Complete Unknown, which has also meant that I keep looking up cool old images of him - and I’ve been finding ones I’ve never seen before. Everyone knows the Dylancore inspiring small jackets and blue jeans, and the black sunglasses clad, epitome of skinny jean Dylan, but these images of the more interesting and wearable stuff have really been inspiring me lately. Even Dylan loves a cool weird hat.

Hope you all continue to dress well in the coming year - thank you as always for taking the time to listen to what I have to say.

If anyone is interested in reading more of my output, you can find me recently chatting about jewellery over on GQ Recommends.

TTFN.

I’m a bit of a stickler for the brands I love. Outside of my well-stocked vintage clothing collection, I mostly stick to a trifecta of Satisfy (for running), Our Legacy (my obsession) and mfpen (a growing obsession). I tend to avoid the luxury end of the menswear spectrum, mainly through lack of funds, partly through a streak of hipster-like enjoyment of the more unknown or lesser-known gems.

In this avoidance of the bigger players in the clothes making space I’ve come across a few smaller makers that frankly don’t get enough of a look in, or not often enough.

So here’s a little list of menswear makers that should be in the conversation more.

• A Kind Of Guise

  By no means an unknown, AKOG is stocked in places like END, Liberty and Mr Porter, but strangely not a brand that gets as much love as some of its similar counterparts. With designs rooted in classic menswear, but with specific freaks and skews applied, AKOG feels at times like a much more considered version of Aime Leon Dore (not a comparison that they’d maybe like nowadays). The muted tones, with occasional pop of bolder colour form a very curated and tasteful collection of clothes that easily occupy a space alongside some of the brands du jour in menswear. The outerwear is roomy, textural and impactful, the knitwear is punchy but wearable, suits are supplied in loose silhouettes with often more vibey fabrication and the shirting is a foolproof run of simple essentials. Good hats too.

• L.E.J London

I once described L.E.J to a friend as if Drake’s slightly rebellious sibling. Which isn’t surprising considering Luke Walker, the brain behind the brand has spent time within Drake’s before L.E.J, which shares an element of the heritage-meets-hippy attitude. Vintage, thrashed denim are paired with a beautifully cut stripe shirt that is slouchily unbuttoned and finished with a heaping of art direction that brings the mission of ‘casual can be better’ into tangible and very desirable reality. L.E.J shockingly has sub 10k followers on instagram, but is consistently one of my most saved inspirations as the clothing is again rooted in the classics of menswear but with a dose of freakiness applied. The Plage Coat with the ‘quick release’ tie fastening is a signature style that showcases the L.E.J approach to design well, basis in an old work jacket, but eschewing tradition in favour of a compelling flair.

• Another Aspect

Another Aspect have positioned themselves as clothing very much for the everyday. Where places like OL or mfpen (the brands Scandi neighbours) make clothing that feels somewhat out there, with bold silhouette or fabric, Another Aspect go decidedly more low-key. The mission of designing timeless clothes that can work cohesively together isn’t one that’s new - places like GAP and even Arket have been tackling that corner of the menswear market for decades - where Another Aspect rises above the rest is with making their product and collections not simply a time saving exercise of ‘one-stop-shop’, but a world that’s desirable and aspirational. Along with making the occasional big hitter item that isn’t just norm core incarnate. A deep consideration into responsibly manufacturing clothes that last long and don’t adversely impact the supply chain is just the cherry on top.

• Olderbrother

Specifically not menswear, or womenswear - but just clothing cut for anyone who wants to wear it, Olderbrother can at times feel like a bit more of a grown up Story MFG. The earthy and washed colour palette that comes from natural dyeing techniques is definitely why that familiarity is so apparent, but while I love Story MFG, on occasion I question the daily wearability of it unless you buy into the whole shebang (which is great move, just not one for me personally) - Olderbrother feels like an answer to getting that same ultra-conscious and nature (often gardening) inspired clothing but in a way that feels like you can adopt into your wardrobe a piece at a time without said piece becoming the defining aesthetic. The jackets are particularly good.

• Olive Menswear

There’s two things I struggle to understand with Olive. 1). How they’re able to have the pricing they do and 2). Why they’re not the brand that everyone is flocking to at the moment. It’s clear from a browse on the site that the brand is wanting to occupy a specific space in menswear at the moment - adjacent to brands like Our Legacy or Studio Nicholson - but they’re able to undercut the price point consistently without sacrificing the aesthetic side of things. Are the fabric luxury? No. But then again, neither are some of the Our Legacy knits that routinely run 3 times the price of Olive, and in hand their stuff is legitimately nice - my younger brother recently bought a couple of pieces and they’re nicely made, and better than something you’d find for a similar price in a more well-known high street brand.

• Carter Young

Carter Young is one of those brands that I cannot help but save and share whenever they post. The clothes have a confidence and clarity of design that is incredible considering the brand is only 4 years old. Started in New York, and aiming to make clothes ‘to be worn’, Carter Young roots the design language of their clothing in classic Americana (‘Easy Rider, William Eggleston, Coca-Cola’, to quote the About Page), but don’t try to recreate the past, but rather use the established classics to carve out their place in American fashion’s future. Jackets are cut boxy (or with a sick drawstring cinched waist), denim is roomy, modernly draped but with a feel and wash of the classic Levis you’d see in those sick pictures of early 1900’s miners. The vibe is immaculate, and shocking that they are another brand that is sub 10k followers.

You can see some of my opinions in previous posts, but I wanted to pool the opinions of some of the most stylish people I know and follow to get an understanding of where their enthusiasm started, and why they think style is more than a frivolity, and more important than a lot of people might think.

Here are the responses -

Jockum Hallin, Co-Founder of Our Legacy

• Style is the most direct communication with the world, to show what you are about, to show that you really care or don’t care at all and anything in between.

  A good outfit can consist of new things, but an interesting one tells something of your history.

Lawrence Schlossman of Throwing Fits (aka The Only Podcast That Matters)

• I love getting dressed for myself and myself alone because it gives me the foundational confidence to attempt to be the best version of myself when I walk out of the door every day.

Nethaneal Zechariah, Designer

• I think style is important on a few separate levels, first being the obvious which is self expression and individuality…especially in this day and age where everyone is a carbon copy of TikTok’s latest micro trend, style is what sets you apart…but it’s so much more then the clothes, it’s the way you walk, the way you conduct yourself, the energy you evoke, it’s all in the subtle nuances. Then you have the cultural aspect, which is very important to me being that I grew up on the border of Mexico in a small farming town…there’s so much influence from the Chicano silhouettes, which includes Pendleton board shirts, dickies, Levi’s 501s that are 2-3 sizes big, white tees and Stetson hats. To the western apparel, the cowboy boots, distressed workwear, and Pearl snap button downs. Style is a beautiful way to tell your story and do it in a way that lets the world know YOU’RE in the room.

  ---

Chris Henderson, Stylist & Vintage Seller

• I grew up in a place called Preston during what I would define as my formative years and it’s not a place that is known for its diverse style. My brother is a bit older than me and so to have that slightly older influence meant that I was introduced to music and cultures that maybe I wouldn’t have otherwise been aware of on my own. We were both slightly alt and would go to rock shows and stuff and wear greebo clothes but definitely not in a very ‘cool’ way, but I guess that was the beginning of having a personal style that wasn’t exactly the status quo. When I was in my mid teens I started going on holiday to Cornwall every summer for a skate/music festival thing and I remember going for the first time and thinking how insane it was that I could get away with wearing whatever insane stuff I wanted without anyone judging me because it was more of an open and likeminded community? Way different to wearing skinny jeans in Preston and getting given a load of grief for it.

• I don’t think anyone necessarily ‘should’ care about their style per se, I often think about how much more I might get done if I wasn’t wondering about what jeans to wear haha. For me it’s a fun way to look a bit freaky, I think my mindset on a lot of things is that of hoarding/collecting depending on who you ask, and to have this weird passion for something so specific and be able to integrate it into my life in such a tangible way is a nice feeling. I guess it’s the same way people who collect old cars or whatever would go on a drive on a weekend maybe?

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Freddie Kemp, Stylist

• It sets a standard for living. If everything you do, everything you consume, everything you create, what you wear, you do with style and thought it’s going to enrich your life and your experiences. There is of course individuality and flair within style, but there’s definitely ground work that needs to be done.

Sigurd Bank, Designer, Founder of mfpen

• I started skateboarding in my early teens. To me, a subculture is a great way to enter into fashion. So it's more connected to a culture, rather than just "fashion".

  [Your style is] a great way to present yourself in my opinion - and therefore it can be easier to connect and interact. 

Alexander McCalla, Stylist, Creative Consultant

• My interest in clothing most likely started with something as simple as non-uniform day. I was excited to just experiment with outfit ideas and cuz we didn’t have much growing up I had to find creative ways to dress in interesting ways - sometimes it was a hit and I enjoyed that buzz, other times they were shockers - dressed in all yellow tones once and got called banana the whole day. Even when it didn’t work though I always enjoyed it.

• Your style can say a lot about you - a lovely blend of your culture, experiences, tastes and values. For me it’s constantly changing - I’ve had moments where I prescribe to uniform dressing with a capsule wardrobe with a Dieter Rams sort of mindset and other times I’ve let a bit of nostalgia and sentimentality guide my style as a sort of reminder of my journey, whilst keeping me grounded in who I am as I explore new aesthetics

Tanner Dean, Photographer, Content Creator

• I started getting into fashion via thrifting and working at a secondhand consignment store. i also was thrifting things to wear to comic con because i would dress up for that. I think it’s really nice to be able to put on identity everyday and fashion who you want to present to the world and to yourself.

• Fashion is a form of communication with self and others.

Ryan Fidell of North Workshop

• As with a lot of people, I got into vintage through a desire to wear pieces I didn’t see anyone else wearing. I’ve never been into heavy branding, I don’t like stepping out the house and seeing someone wearing the same piece of clothing as me, identity is super important, style over substance. Couple that with having no money at university and second hand clothing being a lot cheaper to buy, my passion for vintage and experimenting with fashion grew from there. Since then it’s evolved, and through NW I can now draw reference from vintage we come across to contemporary pieces I’ve seen, which is cool.

• First impressions count. Your individual style is your identity, it breeds self confidence, it’s really important to have your own. It’s subjective and that’s how it should be - a well put together outfit with the right proportions will always look good, regardless if your style isn’t everyone else’s cup of tea.

  ---

Charles Xiong, Stylist & Photographer

• My interest in clothing started when I discovered K-pop around 12 years old. I was captivated by the self-expression and individuality in the way idols dressed, both on and off stage. The styles were so distinct from anything I’d seen in Western fashion, which made it even more fascinating. Later, Tumblr and the rise of the YouTube fashion influencers became huge influences, fuelling my curiosity about different brands and styles and expanding my sense of what fashion could represent.

• I don’t think everyone should feel pressured to care about their style if it’s not something they’re interested in. But for those who do enjoy fashion, style is a powerful form of self-expression. It’s like building a character in a game—what you wear tells others about your interests, lifestyle, and personality. Style helps tell your unique story and creates an identity that others can see and connect with.

  ---

Luke McDonald, Art Director

• I’m from a really small town in western Canada and I discovered my style through the local DIY Punk and skateboarding scenes, so style to me represents culture and freedom of expression in a really accessible everyday way. I was able to absorb all these ideas about music, film and art from people who looked great but whose style was a byproduct of what they were doing whether it was Karen O or Ali Boulala.

  ---

Gauthier Borsarello, Creative Director of Fursac, Co-founder and Fashion Director of L’Etiquette Magazine

• Coming from a family of 6 kids with no much cash, [fashion] was originally an obsession to be able to look cool at school when I couldn’t afford any new clothes, even less branded. So I had to make look cool things I found in thrift stores. That is where my passion for clothes and vintage started (at a time when going to vintage stores was not cool at all…)

• [Style is important] because it’s the very first message they send, even before « hello » and a handshake. It’s ok not to care about clothes, but you have to know it’s already a message sent.

A consistent theme popped up when talking to these fellow menswear heads - the idea that your style tells your story, and can telegraph who you are to others. The music we listen to, hobbies we have and the part of the world we’re from are all things we can show through how we dress - something that has become lost with the seeming death of subcultures and an general approach to dressing that is much more motivated by being the first to adopt the newest thing, as opposed to something authentic. It seems as though many of us who think about our clothing often are using it to tell our personal stories, not just trying to make ourselves look or feel nice.

Thanks again to all those who got involved. Hope this little passing of the mic to some of the people that inspire me to stick to the path has been of interest.

TS.

Homebody must-haves

Yoko Wool Slippers

I’ve had these slippers for a few years now (well two pairs actually but don’t blame Yoko, blame moths), and I honestly never tire of putting them on, especially on a cold January morning. Yoko is a low-key wool wholesaler out of Dublin that has been adopted by fashion-focussed businesses like Goodhood, who are currently stocking their second collaboration with Yoko, including this fuchsia pink pair that are a far cry from your dads slippers that have been worn into oblivion. I’m always surprised by how actually inexpensive Yoko slippers are, they’re not luxury by any means, but they are 100% wool and are 100% a vibe. It’s easy to see from the images alone that these would be the cosiest, most comfortable slippers you can find for the price point.

Tekla Poplin Pyjama Shorts

Look, I get it, seeing the price point of Tekla is an immediate switch off for a lot of people, myself included - until I was generously given a pyjama set last year and I get it. The shorts are one of my most worn items of clothing (probably top 5 of all time if you’re measuring by hours worn). The loose shape and second-to-none cotton quality make me realise that maybe I’ve never owned a pair of good lounge shorts before. Aside from the quality and wearability aspect, Tekla is one of those brands that has an undeniable coolness to it, and this time of year they offer gift boxes of their equally cool boxer short that would deliver a top-notch unboxing Christmas experience for anyone. I may have just convinced myself to buy another pair soon, and when I do it’ll be this solid coffee brown coloured pair, which I was convinced were a win by 03j90 on IG. Wear about the house in the cold, and out and about when it’s warm (they make a great summer short).

Arket Cashmere Socks

I love a good sock, it’s a Christmas cliche, but there’s absolutely ways to give socks without being cringe. Firstly, avoid novelty, no one actually ever wears those Homer socks with days of the week on them, and if they do it’s time to stop. Secondly, take your cues from some of the coolest brands who highlight socks as a feature not simply a necessity - such as Auralee, who make a pair of socks look as desirable as a cashmere scarf. It’s about texture, and not much comes close to cashmere in terms of the nicest textures to put your toes into. If whoever you’re buying for isn’t colourful sock inclined, then earthy textures are always a nice option. Darker browns don’t feel as formal as black, but tend to wear for longer than a starker light colour. These chocolate brown socks would go great with their new Tekla shorts, just sayin’.

Daily Accessories

Rototo Bulky Watch Cap Beanie

It wouldn’t be a STAMPS* list if I didn’t put a hat in the mix. I’ve been wearing Rototo beanies pretty exclusively for a few years now - they’re without a doubt my faves I’ve worn in the decades of of hat-wearing and I own 6 total in various colours. As gothed-out as I’m prone to be, I do have a love of a brightly coloured beanie a-la Steve Zissou in The Life Aquatic. This lime joint is probably next on my personal Thanos-like quest for beanie supremacy, it’s slightly acidic green tone is a surprisingly versatile, but has just enough earthy-ness to not look like some kind of traffic light.

Wallet on a lanyard, c/o A Kind Of Guise

I got a card holder on a leather lanyard recently, mine’s from Our Legacy (quelle surprise), and I love it. It’s got a keyring to attach my mad level of key trinkets to and have it hang round my neck like some mad janitor - the additional accessorising opportunities of this kind of wallet is great, it’s not quite jewellery but can be a really lovely addition in the same vein as a necklace or neck scarf can - but with function! How novel. Lemaire have a few options for this kind of thing, as have all manner of brands from COS to Bottega, but I’m fond of this one from criminally underrated A Kind Of Guise, it’s got an additional coin pocket and the leather looks grainy and soft as hell. The black is sadly sold out, but the natural brown or olive colours are equally lovely.

A Knitted Bandana

I’ve written about my love of a little scarf before, and it’s really something I’m embracing this winter. Don’t get me wrong, I still love a dramatic sweeping scarf, but there’s something about the low impact, more louche knitted bandana that is just hitting for me. I’m salivating obviously over the Our Legacy one for this season (I really like the little hole to be able to fasten it), but there’s a lot out there at the moment, in particular from MHL, & Daughter and even more affordable ones from Urban Outfitters.

Non-trad Jewellery

I love jewellery, particularly silver and especially non trad-looking jewellery. I cannot stand when brands offer men’s jewellery that is just a black metal band ring that looks more like a car part than anything worthy of putting on your hands every day, or faux antique-looking signet rings with a stag or a swallow or something but made entirely from tin or copper. Rant over. If you want to get a loved one a piece of jewellery, go for something slightly more interesting from cool-jewellery-darling The Ouze, or this from Bleue Burnham. These are the kind of pieces I love to make and wear personally, the kind of pieces that you can really love every day and feel special every time you pick them up.

If you want something custom, I know a guy. Hit me up on Contemporary Ornaments, I happen to make my stuff from the same recycled materials and in the same casting place as both other brands (what's the point of this place if I can’t shamelessly plug once in a while).

Knitwear for life, not just for Christmas

Toast Jacquard Crew Neck Sweater

I think Toast’s menswear is severely overlooked, especially when it comes to knitwear. They make the kind of knits you see on amazing old pictures of fishermen in the 1900’s, or Paul McCartney post-Beatles in the '70s. But they also feel distinctly modern and perfect for the menswear moment right now - a moment that Magasin menswear writer Louis Cheslaw captured far better than I could in his recent post. This (and the other knits in this section) all feel like Christmas jumpers without the eye-rolling and god forbid the festive-specific patterns that make them only wearable for about 3 days out of the year. The pattern is playful but sincere, and the colour palette will work just as well at the start of Feb as it does on Boxing Day nursing your fourth helping of leftovers.

Percival Mohair Jumper

Percival is likely a brand you’re likely used to seeing everywhere, and on everyone, and there’s a good reason - they make genuinely nice stuff, without taking themselves too seriously, and without charging an arm and a leg. This mohair number from their current collection is much like the Toast style, but skews slightly more modern in its pattern, but also kind of feels like something you’d see in an episode of Seinfeld? That’s a good thing by the way. It’s made from a mohair blend, which gives it some lovely texture and feels festive, but not exclusively so.

Our Legacy Cardigan

Yep. Another Our Legacy piece for me to wax lyrical about. If you don’t think pattern is the right move for your gift-receiver, then why not go slightly grinch mode and go for this fuzzy cardigan? I’ve got one of the mohair versions of this shape and it’s a fairly boxy shape, easy to layer underneath and a textural winner - it can on occasion veer into the dreaded itchy knit territory, but I find I fairly quickly get over it once I see how great the cardi looks and how warm it is on a December dog walk. I’ve also got another Our Legacy knit in this kind of mossy green colour and I love it - looks great with light blue jeans in a Kurt Cobain on MTV kind of vibe, but also works as a light contrast to black and darker hues - again that earthy tonality really makes it a versatile one.

Story MFG Jumper

When I was a kid, me and my brother had this jumper that had a farmyard kind of scene knitted into it - it looked a bit like this. I love a knit that is playful and really punchy, and Story MFG do a great range of exactly that. It’s pricey, yes - but you’re getting a jumper that is made by some of the most ethical sound methods on the planet, and one that you can almost guarantee you’re not going to see on everyone, which isn’t the be all and end all, but we’d all be lying if we said it wasn’t a nice feeling. I got a Story MFG scarf from their sample sale a couple of years ago (it’s the big crochet one), and can vouch for how lovely and tactile their knits feel in hand.

A Cowichan Cardigan

My dad has one of these in his wardrobe that we found when we were in a vintage shop encouraging each other’s clothes-copping-compulsion. It is very much within his style, and is very very cool (I know you’re reading this, Dad - wear the jumper). The style got cemented as a iconic one by The Dude in The Big Lebowski, and ever since it’s been adopted by the coolest of cool, in a sort of knowing nonchalance that is also just very functional and warm. You can find a bunch of vintage ones online (I’ve linked a few below), and a bunch of different patterns, from hunting themed to festive. Obviously shopping vintage for someone else is tough, but if you’re able to get the measurements of their fave jumper discretely, you can use that as a good comparison.

• Vintage Cowichan Hunting Cardigan

• 60s Cowichan Knit Jumper

• Greatful Dead Cowichan Graphic Knit Cardigan

• Vintage Cowichan Knitwear

• Vintage Hand Knit Cowichan Canadian Chieftain Heavy Wool Sweater

• 70s Ducks Cowichan Sweater

• Vintage Genuine Handknit Cowichan Cardigan - 1950's

• 70s Ducks Cowichan Sweater

No Size Required

Aesop Fragrance Tester Set

This time last year, I stood in Aesop and sprayed every one of their fragrances, trying to find a new one that I liked. I landed on Rōzu after ordering a tester online from one of those sites that repackage scents into smaller bottles for cheaper prices - this little set would have been a godsend. I tried a similar one from Malin + Goetz a couple of years ago, and the ability to try out a couple of different smells, for a few days at a time before committing to one was really really useful. It meant that I got to see how the smells lasted, whether they suited me and whether I’d like to smell them day in, day out. The cost of this is a no-brainer if you’re shopping for someone but don’t want to have to think about their sizing or style tastes as a concern.

mfpen Bag

If the person you’re shopping for is stuck in their tote bag they got from a gallery or a £10 souvenir they got from a cool vintage boutique but is essentially just a cotton tote bag, then it’s time to give them an upgrade. I have two more substantial tote bags from Our Legacy, one is the pillow tote and another is a leather one that every time I wear I get complements on and always feels like a much nicer thing to carry than some thin cotton bag that has a wallet and maybe a pair of sunglasses flapping around in. I recently came across this mfpen bag that might be next up on my rotation now that I’m going to be more office-going for a little bit and will need to carry all my important documents (an old sci-fi novel and a packet of biscuits). It has the feeling of a Porter Yoshida bag (best in the game), but doesn’t cost nearly as much as feels a bit more versatile style wise thanks to its slightly smarter fabric choice.

A subscription to the best magazine around

I’ve mentioned L’Etiquette before, and my claim of it being the best menswear magazine going has only been further solidified by the most recent issue. If you’re buying a gift for a lover of men’s fashion, this would be an invaluable resource of inspiration and a gift that keeps giving across the year, reminding them come spring/summer that you supplied them with a really cool magazine and are, in fact, really cool yourself.

I’ve also been fortunate enough to land a full time gig for the next few months, writing mostly about womenswear which I’m choosing to see as a good challenge, but will likely mean that I turn to this page more often to scratch the menswear itch.

Onto some of the things I’ve been into recently, starting with a shortlist of items on my wishlist as of late.

The bits:

• I’m not a trainer guy but these Nike LD-1000’s are right up my street

• It’s fleece season, and Aaron Levine’s collab with Drake’s produced this very nice number

• For the life of me, I’ve never felt the need for a Barbour jacket, but after writing a bit about them for a GQ piece recently I may be a convert, especially for this more cropped version.

• I’ve long been a believer that film directors are some of the most underrated dressers, so this book will be a must for me.

• Oh, how I wish I could justify the price of these mauve Tekla x Birkenstock slippers

The bobs:

• LVMH buys a minority stake in Our Legacy

Someone in a group chat described this as similar to when your favourite band starts playing arenas - and I feel that a bit. I’ve read pretty much every report of this development in my fave brands fortunes mainly to try and quell the doubts and shun the ‘rip’ comments I’m seeing from the discourse online. Is it concerning when something that you feel is ‘yours’ starts to look like it might change, but; A) Our Legacy was never a small brand really, independent, yes, but they’re stocked in over 200 stores worldwide and have collaborated with some very big names already. B) All reporting is saying that essentially nothing will change other than the amount of stores the brand is able to open and expansion of some of the womenswear line, so I’m not worried - if anything I’m glad it means that the brand isn’t going anywhere.

• Rivals on Disney+

Full disclosure, I’d never heard of the novel or the authors other works in the series before this show was announced and I didn’t really anticipate watching it, but as I’m a fan of a number of the actors I gave it a go and was very surprised by how great it is. Its soundtrack is killer, the cast is great but the costumes. I’ve been on an ‘80s tailoring slant as of late (recently chatted about The Apprentice), and Rivals has some of the best ‘80s menswear on screen right now. Aidan Turner wearing a cord blazer with denim shirt to great effect, to David Tennant in some truly sleazy suiting, this show is a great time. Low stakes, big fits.

• Nick Cave and his suiting

I’ve been a long time fan of Nick Cave, since I was a teenager he’s been a very good emblematic example of how to do ‘goth’ without being costumey.

I recently got to see him live for the first time, up in Leeds for his new album tour, and while the show itself was fairly reverent and all-encompassing (2.5 hrs of performance that did not relent), I, obviously couldn’t stop looking at Nick’s great suit. Cut fairly close to the body, single breasted and with an ever so slight flared leg, it reminded me of the suiting that Husbands Paris do, and I was really taken with it.

• Jewellery, as per usual

I have a side project of making hand-made pieces of jewellery called Contemporary Ornaments. Recently I was able to make my first piece that was gold-plated and included a stone setting. Fairly hooked on gemstones now, and I’m in the process of making another couple of pieces that include them.

It’s really revitalised my love of jewellery, something that I personally now have a lot of thanks to 5 years of making things. I think wearing the same pieces day after day is a compelling ritual that makes getting dressed feel more personal - I’ve recently been wearing a ring adorned with ‘XXX’ for my 30th, and finding it a nice reminder to be able to look at and take pause to think about the last few years and the distance I’ve come (cliche I’m aware).

Over the past 6 months or so there’s been rumblings of a return of skinny jeans, spurred on by a so-called revival of the ‘indie sleaze’ aesthetic that the likes of Charli XCX and The Dare are sort of spearheading. Like every new wave of interesting clothes, the idea is being packaged up and delivered to our feeds in a digestible parcel. I frankly can’t go back to a world where skinny jeans are the pervasive ‘cool’ silhouette, after years of comfort in wider shapes I’m just not going to do it when the inevitable resurgence does happen. It has me thinking, though, where are the new ideas? Where are the truly novel aesthetics that don’t look like anything else we’ve worn before?

Perhaps this is simply due to the fact that the ‘indie sleaze’ burgeoning revival is the first time I can think of where a style and trend that I was part of is now being discovered by the next generation (I’m turning 30 in a couple of weeks and the existentialism is getting to me), and perhaps I’m now just experiencing what my parents did when I started wearing clothes that were popular in their youth, and thus I’m just now the old man shouts at clouds meme and what’s ‘it’ is now longer with me.

I think back to an exhibition at the V&A a couple of years ago that telegraphed the history of menswear, and the section on the 1960’s that was, for lack of a better word - space age. Silhouettes were different and completely contrasted the suiting and casual wear that the decade before it had. I think about the Captain Scarlet looking outfits of Pierre Cardin and the suiting that was seen on The Beatles and how genuinely different it looks to even things we’re wearing now, which is kind of what men have worn for decades?

We live in a time of genuine societal anxiety, the world around us is increasingly unknowable and looming. Climate collapse, class division, pandemics. All these things don’t exactly instil a hopeful attitude overall. Contrast that to the 1960’s post-war, space-faring, free love (at least that’s what they show in da movies) and it’s a bit easier to understand why designers nowadays aren’t exactly wanting to carve out a vision of a future that might not come, vs Cardin and his dismissal of conventional clothing in a world where the next revolution could well be living on the Moon.

When times are uncertain, reaching for a well-trodden item of clothing like some jeans or a big hoodie is maybe more appealing than something untested, like a smock that turns into a bag or something.

There are, of course, outliers. Brands that make clothes that are truly different, but until everyone is dressing in Issey Miyake, colour coded by their planet of residence, it still seems like we’re going to be looking to what’s come before, as opposed to what could be.

1. Layers, intentional, distinct layers

As I mentioned in the last list, it’s layering season (the most wonderful time of the year), and this time around I’m being real intentional with it. Layering can be as simple as having a long coat on over your jumper’n’tee, but it can also be an exploration of texture, colour palette and about an interplay between dress codes and styles.

I’m particularly loving the overshirt under a big coat, with a collar slightly popped and a little scarf, I’m finding it gives me a wider range of styling opportunity having the multiple collars and textures to play with, especially if it’s a bit chillier and I can also have a contrasting knit under it all. Below are some examples I’m liking from Lemaire, Drake’s and mfpen.

2. Loose gauge knitwear

I love knitwear. My Our Legacy knitwear collection right now is particularly strong, but it can always be stronger. Enter this loose fisherman knit from the newest drop in store. It’s super soft and fits a bit cropped, sits nicely in that punk x tasteful design Venn diagram that I love. The style is one of the ‘Sonar’ knits the brand does every season or so - I’m wearing my black cotton blend one a lot recently, the fit is really great.

It’s got me thinking about all the vintage knitwear out there that’s full of moth holes and tears (more on that in a minute).

3. Visible mending

I did a little post about this on my Instagram recently, but wanted to include it here too.

As a lover of vintage clothing, I’m often picking up stuff that is in need of repairs - the wabi sabi approach is one I’m very fond of. I love a wrinkled shirt or frayed pair of jeans, and highlighting the history of the clothes we wear through drawing attention to the flaws and re-contextualising them as features is something that really plays into the ‘clothes not art pieces’ feeling I’ve been having over the last couple of years.

The best leather jackets have a worn in patina, the best jeans have fading and frays, and I think the best knitwear maybe has the signs of repairs.

5. Messed up jeans

I really love denim. It’s funny, I spent years not wearing anything denim, and now it’s rare that I’m not in jeans. My personal go-to styles are the Levi’s SilverTab ‘baggy’ cut, which has become a particularly sought after shape in recent years, thanks in part to co-signs by impeccably cool stores like 194 Local, but more often than not I’m wearing a pair of Third Cuts or Vast Cuts by Our Legacy (take a drink every time I mention the brand and by the end of my posts you’ll be bladdered).

As with most of my love affair with vintage clothing, I don’t mind my jeans having a hefty amount of wear and tear and paint and stains. I’ve recently been able to get hold of a grail pair of Vast Cuts, but a style I really wanted to highlight are the soon-to-drop Javier Wide Leg Jeans from Bare Knuckles - a brand who consistently deliver phenomenal products that have a real following in the online menswear space. The Javier jeans tend to sell out fairly fast, so if you’re wanting a pair, act fast once they drop. This newest iteration is in their ‘Morrison wash’ which is a cream denim that has scuffs and marks throughout. It’s a killer update to an already killer style.

6. L’Etiquette Magazine

If you buy into one thing this month, buy the newest issue of L’Etiquette magazine. The French publication spearheaded by Gauthier Borsarello, vintage mega-collector and creative director of Fursac Paris is a seasonal mag that has some of the most compelling menswear adjacent storytelling, interviews and styling. Defining themselves as being not led by trends, but by good taste and timeless style the editorials feature some of the most inspiring combinations of garms I’ve ever been able to find and when new issues drop (not regularly enough IMO), it’s like inspo Christmas, and always has me looking at my wardrobe in a new way.

L’Etiquette is 13 issues deep on the menswear side, and is hitting stalls in the English edition (I used to buy when they only published in French, just for the visuals) - I usually get my copy direct from their site, but the shipping to the UK is now a bit steep, so I’m waiting on a copy to pop up in Magma in Soho, or MagCulture near Islington.

The latest issue is the Autumn/Winter one, so will obviously be full of sick coats, but also features an interview with noted fitsman, Spike Lee.

7. The Apprentice (the movie not Alan Sugar’s ego fest)

This film was great. After a couple of stinkers (Megalopolis and Joker 2), it was good to see a film that was compelling in its portrayal of two of the biggest rotters in modern history. Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn was appropriately sinister and had an almost supernaturally satanic air about him in certain shots, and Sebastian Stan plays a subtle Donald Trump, doing minimal amounts of ‘the voice’ until the near end of the film and relying instead on some expert facial performances and mannerisms that make him a convincing version of the liar in chief.

The fits in the film were, I hate to say, exceptional. I’m a big fan of 70’s and 80’s tailoring, and this film had it in spades - some wide lapels and phenomenal flares feature, and show truly how far Trump has fallen in not only his morality, but his ability to get fits off.

I’ll leave you with a good little section of inspiration my Pinterest board for this season served up to me recently. Next month is the final few days of my 20’s, which feel surreal and scary, but perhaps my 30’s will bring a sense of clarity after a decade of decisions and discovery.

It’s a way I’ve found of staying true to myself season after season, and not stray too far from the path of my core personal sense of style.

This time around, the mood is ‘external pressures’.

‘A distinct feeling on seeking shelter from elements and situations. Cocooning shapes and textures, subtle outward palette and a focus on layering, exaggerated shapes and small personal accessories’, as the description of the board says.

I’ve been facing some challenging curveballs being thrown my way this year, both personal, with my ongoing health hiccups, and professional.

My dress sense is reflecting that vulnerable feeling, I think. I’ve been wanting comforting textures, like the chenille, oversized Our Legacy cardigan I’m currently wearing. I’ve been finding in my clothing  the cushioning and shelter that I’m struggling to find in situations I’m in.

Is this overanalyses of something that isn’t really that deep? Maybe. But my rebuttal is, what’s the harm? Why not spend some time thinking about why you’re liking what you’re liking?

I spend most of my time at home with my dog these days, as freelance life has made me office-less, and that means that my interests have really crystallised into more personal ones, and fairly niche in terms of aesthetic.

My current clothing is rooted in a very paired back palette, with my bedrock being my usual, recovering-goth-go-to, of all black, punctuated by colder blues, washed out grey and deep browns.

I’ve always tended to go subtle on the pattern end of things anyway, with stripe and checks being my usual extent, and this is true for this A/W too. I’m a fan of a subtle pinstripe on a shirt and a tartan in very subdued colours (recently got a great OL polo that really fits this vibe). I enjoy finding a version of classic menswear pieces that work for me. An Oxford shirt, but it’s oversized and exaggerated. A knitted polo, but made from a hefty mohair, or filled with moth holes. Normal clothes, but given an ounce of freakiness.

Something else I’m being clearly drawn to at the moment is texture. I truly love autumn and winter because of the knitwear and outwear I’m able to envelop myself in.  Mohair has been a love of mine for a number of years, thanks to its punk adjacency aesthetically. It’s a wonderfully warming textile that tends to be a bit hardier than cashmere, and gives an outfit more impact than something like merino. I’m finding myself reaching for chenille of all things when I’m at home, rain pounding on the pavement outside and my dog curled on the sofa. Chenille is an underrated option I think - super soft and gives the same shimmer as velvet or cord, but without that same weight. I’ve got the aforementioned boxy cardigan that has become a regular ‘throw on in the morning’ kind of garment that’s made from a very loose gauge chenille. Such a lovely weight for this time of year.

The final touchpoint I’ll cover (thank you for the indulgence), is accessories. I’ve always been more keen on accessories as the rituals that go with any outfit. Instead of being something transient like seasoning for your fits, I think of accessories (jewellery in particular), as something that becomes part of the DNA of your style, they’re the items in our wardrobes that become worn most often, reoccurring constantly and being carried through seasons. I’ve got a particular love of silver jewellery - all of mine are pieces I’ve made through my jewellery project Contemporary Ornaments, and they really do hold a special place in my heart. I’ve spoken before of my love of hats, this season I’ve really distilled the rotation to three. The beanie I mentioned in a previous post, a wool beret from Our Legacy, and a well-worn vintage cap that has a bright orange ‘KTM’ across it. I’ve also found myself wearing a small fishbone bracelet that my dad bought back from India at the end of last year pretty much every day. There’s an imperfection to the beads on it, and a very comforting tactile feeling to them. My nephew, however, seems intent on pulling it off almost to breaking point whenever I see him.

I’ve scattered some images I’ve been saving throughout this little write up. You’ll see that not everything is strictly clothing, I think it’s important to try and actually capture the eponymous mood with this kind of practice - not just references, but images that evoke a sense and an atmosphere that feels relevant.

I likely think about my clothes and what story I’m telling with them far too much - I’ve spent the better part of a decade telling stories with clothing as my work, so I think it’s second nature at this point, and also something of a coping mechanism as I continue to try and succeed at something professionally, but it’s an exercise I really enjoy every season, so if the mood takes you, I’d love to see the boards.

Personally, I’ve been getting the first wears out of my steal of the century, an Our Legacy Whale DB Overcoat, unworn, for £100 (retail of £730 so you know, just a bit of a discount). Along with finally being able to crack out my stellar knitwear collection that I’ve been accumulating and a new (to me) leather jacket that is my latest secondhand success story, more about that on my IG.

I thought I’d begin my re-motivation for this page by putting together a little list of the things I’ve been saving, salivating over, watching or reading for the first week of October.

1. North Workshop’s Latest Levi’s Drop

If my denim collection wasn’t already bursting at the seams, I’d be very much putting in an order with my favourite vintage online merchants at North Workshop. the selection is really nicely curated, staggering well priced and has a great range of sizing (remember to look 1-2 sizes down for vintage Levi’s). They’ve got some 550’s in the mix, which are a more relaxed cut that are pretty spot on for the more relaxed denim moment we’re having, without being overly baggy or loose. North Workshop also regularly update their selection of vintage tees, which I’m only sharing now so that hopefully they all sell out before I’m tempted to buy more, as I do not need any more but can’t help myself with some of the gems they find.

2. Bond is finally on Prime???

Amazon bought MGM a couple of years ago, and I was very excited because I was assuming it’d be no time at all before I was able to have a marathon of some of the coolest movies of all time. Alas, it’s been maybe 2 years? It looks as though they’re finally all on there for streaming so if you’ve got Prime, give them a watch and get on board with Dalton as the most underrated. Currently have Goldfinger playing in the background which I think has some of Connery’s best looks in his tenure, including the infamous towelling romper which I think only he could pull off.

3. Megalopolis (this is a bad thing)

So, I watched Megalopolis, and I do not think it’s a good movie. It’s sprawling and meandering and talks about a lot without saying anything at all really. HOWEVER. The Roman allegory it’s playing around with means some of the costumes are WILD. Adam Driver wears a detachable cape over his suiting in the film and it rocks. Capes should come back. Don’t watch the movie. Just buy a cape.

4. Satisfy Running

I’ve finally been able to get back into running over the last couple of months. Before I got diagnosed with being *ill forever*, I was running about 45k a week, with some killer timing etc. Trying not to dwell on that and get back into it for my mental and physical health after a bout of arthritis has meant for most of 2024 I’ve not been able to. To aid in this return, I’ve found that buying the right gear to run in as a very strong motivator and I now have a solid rotation of pieces from the coolest running brand around, Satisfy. It’s not cheap, I’ve found most of it on sale and spent a while getting the pieces, but I do think it’s worth the price. I’ve found that wearing stuff I feel good in makes me much more likely to want to get out and put the miles under my feet. I recently got their Auralite long sleeve which makes me feel, in the words of Ned Flanders, like I’m wearing nothing at all. It’s remarkable.

5. New Season Our Legacy

Look, I’m a broken record, I’m a simp, I’m a fanboy, I’m a mark, I don’t care - Our Legacy is the coolest brand on the planet. Their new season is brimming with textures and muted tones that are just spot on for my tastes right now. I think the outerwear is a particular triumph as per usual, and their footwear game has really stepped up. The whole collection is very wearable as a wardrobe in itself, but also you can find something that will fit in nicely with anything you’re currently wearing, even if it’s just as simple as a pair of really good jeans, or a great fitting tee.

6. Rototo Cotton Beanie

I’m a hat guy, but more importantly I’m a beanie boy. For years I’ve sworn by the Rototo C/A watch cap as my go-to, I’ve got 4 of them right now in various colours. I needed a replacement for my black everyday one, and when my dad mentioned he was going to Japan, the brands home, I asked if he could keep an eye out for one. He wasn't able to find the exact one, but came back with my new best beanie. The 100% cotton roll-up beanie from Rototo is perfectly shaped, doesn’t sit too high on your head like the streetwear beanies of the early 2010’s and is a great weight while staying quite weighty and chunky. Top level recc acquired from one of the most tasteful countries on the planet. Good stuff.

7. Little tiny scarfs that are barely there but are so present.

I love a big scarf, but a couple of years ago I bought a brown knitted neckerchief from a maker called The Hackney Hooker, and I completely fell in love with the tinier scarf. It’s something that’s not having a bit of a moment and when I saw OL do one for this season I knew it was time to live or die by the tiny scarf this winter.

TTFN - Hope this was of interest and I’ll try to keep it up, along with getting some ramble about clothes out soon.

Look, I’ve been guilty of talking at length in my jobs as a stylist and writer about the idea of personal style. On the surface of it, it’s pretty simple, it’s a way of dressing that is borne out of an individuals interests, history and inspirations. But thanks to the online menswear space this simple term has often become this muddy, nebulous buzzword to imply good taste.

Like, we know that’s not what that means right? Telling someone ‘here’s 5 brands to help cultivate the best personal style’ isn’t helping anyone. Personal style shouldn’t be able to be based off a 1 minute TikTok from an influencer in Bushwick or Shoreditch, it takes time, it takes passive effort and it takes a point of view.

From my side, my personal style has been a journey, one that has sort of ended up where it started. I watched Nirvana Unplugged when I was about 11 and had this sort of switch turned on when I saw Kurt Cobain in a shaggy mohair cardigan and beat up Chuck Taylors. I spent my youth scouring vintage stores to find the kind of styles that Kurt might have reached for, and along the way other influences shifted this initial inspiration and puzzle pieced together in the dizzy heyday of Indie Sleaze.

When I moved away from home I was exposed to a similar light switch moment as I was now in the big city, out of my countryside bubble and found myself drawn into Japanese designers like Yohji Yamamoto and CDG. The silhouettes of my outfits became wide, moving on from my skinny jean clad youth into 5 years of non-confident forays into every trend that emerged. I got sucked into the trap. I thought, as a certified fashion boy, I had to make it all work together, and in doing so, none of it worked. The true distillation of what I actually liked got lost, and due to my weight at the time, my feeling of confidence in looking the way I wanted to was also lost.

Then, 2020 happened. Removed from the wider world, I found myself watching the Unplugged session again, and with a hefty amount of weight loss thanks to a sanity-maintaining running routine, I started to dress in a more instinctual way again. I grew my hair out. Faced with long days at home, not working, my dress sense became again drawn from what I really loved.

Along the way I’d picked up an affection for a couple of brands that hovered in the orbit of similar interests to me - old cinema, punk bands, cool old suits etc.

I’m much happier with how I dress now than I ever have been and what do I have to thank for it? Certainly not self-appointed experts who have co-opted the idea of self expression to be able to sit in a position of authority over those who want to dress well.

Being trendy isn’t inherently bad. Experimenting with new and exciting ideas can be a great way to explore different brands and styles, but you shouldn’t let the waves of trends dictate your style tides. Personal style is the bedrock of how you’re perceived. Even if you do not have any interest in capital F fashion, or the idea of looking like you’re well dressed, you have a personal style. You still choose to put certain clothes on above others.

I do think, sadly, that the advent of celebrity stylists has had an adverse effect on how we consume style. The people we see most frequently on red carpets, interviews and even just going to the shops are a carefully packaged product of style, intended to convey that this person has taste. If you look to the people venerated as style icons of decades gone by (my personal go-to’s are Harrison Ford or Robert Redford), they weren’t always perfect put together or always perfectly packaged. They were just getting dressed and we were seeing how they wanted to be seen by the world. Like Cobain their style was inspirational because it was, in part, attainable. Seeing Timothee Chalamet in insane Haider Ackerman outfits doesn’t give the same ‘oh shit, I can find that and wear that’ reaction as seeing mottled green mohair over a graphic t-shirt did. Maybe that’s just me.

This is all to say, find a north star, and do not be swayed by stylishly clad sirens on TikTok telling you they know the way.

It’s a running gag in my family that I’d don a hat for the strangest of occasions; for breakfast, for reading, for bed (but removed before sleep) - they each had a different aesthetic, but all gave me the lesson early on that hats, in general, rock.

This is something we used to know. Not to sound too trad, but look at the menswear of the early half of the 1900s and hats are on every noggin you can see, they were used to show profession, status and class. Hats were as ubiquitous and essential as the tie was for formal attire, your fit wasn’t complete unless it was topped off by a silly little hat.

Somewhere along the way we lost the requirement and hats became resigned to only being a necessity in mostly uniformed professions, i.e the military or Subway sandwiches. In fact, turning up to an traditional office job today wearing a hat and most people will think you’re doing a poor Don Draper cosplay rather than embracing a tradition of formal dressing and being the coolest guy around.

Appreciation for hats is something I carry with me to this day. It’s a rare sight to see me without something on my dome! Whether it be a jauntily placed beanie or beret, a big ol’ bucket hat or, come summertime, any one of my vintage caps from my 20+ collection that feature various fire corporate logos of long dead logging or IT companies. If I’m up and about, I’ll likely have a little hat on.

This love letter to headwear was sparked by an image I recently came across. A picture of Neil Armstrong (you know, from the moon), with a bright red cap perched atop his head taking a deep rip from a cigar. Having pinned, downloaded and moodboarded said image the universe seemed to then supply me with a whole heap of inspiration for head adornment. Salvitore Dali’s insane hat game, Leonard Cohen and his beret + flight jacket combo, Bobby DeNiro in Cape Fear and a waifish David Bowie in a huge fedora circa 1975 (dare we bring the fedora back?). What struck me about all these pieces of inspiration was that each outfit would be a great look sans hat, but the little cherry on top of these undeniably cool dudes takes a good look to something more. Putting a hat on is something more purposeful than just getting dressed, especially if that hat doesn’t serve a purpose. It’s an accessory that looks people right in the eye, and acts as a little beacon that can telegraph who you want to be that day.

We need to wear clothes, but the coolest among us choose to wear a silly little hat sometimes, and you should too.

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