Simon Carter’s inimitable blend of British elegance, practicality, tradition and timeless style have won him a dedicated following, which boasts Gary Oldman, Will Smith, Jonathan Ross and Robert Downey Jnr amongst others. Team this with his love of croquet and classic car makes him all round sartorial connoisseur, in our books. So we caught up with the man himself, to seek his wise counsel on his top ten tip on how to update your Winter wardrobe.
1. Knitted silk tie. Think Sean Connery leaning on the DB5 Aston Martin in Goldfinger. Effortless style; pick a plain one that will go with a patterned shirt.
2. Paisley pocket square. There’s really no excuse for not having a pocket square. Always silk and never blow your nose with it.
3. Shoe shine kit. There’s nothing appealing about scruffy shoes. Shabby chic is ok in a New England drawing room but not on your feet.
4. A good raincoat. Length is key here. I favour just above the knee, very much in the style of Michael Caine in the Ipcress File. Personally, I don’t care for a belt. I’m over the whole Humphrey Bogarte thing.
5. Bright socks. Lift your mood with a splash of plain colour. Never EVER novelty and try to avoid pattern.
6. A good scarf. Pick a lightweight wool one. It’s look more elegant and keep you just as warm. We make some of the very finest woollen fabrics here so no excuse for not buying British.
7. Patterned shirt. I’m always bored by plain white. OK it’s ‘classic’ but it’s so safe. Express your self. Make a statement. Excellent with good, flattering jeans and a fine blazer.
8. A decent umbrella. It rains here. A lot. So why go through six of those disappointing cheap collapsible things that blow out in a breeze? My umbrellas are hand made in London and you’ll never leave one on a train.,They cost too much for that.
9. Tweed jacket. I’m talking new generation of tweed; light, stylish, crisply cut. This will work well from Autumn through to Spring. We work with British mills such as Robert Noble and Moon’s.
10. A manicure. Go on. Admit it. Your nails are grim. There’s no point in spending all this time and money on a new wardrobe if you’ve got tramp’s fingers.