CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

Words by Lisa Findley

With only a few days left until children across the UK return to school, what have we learned about how children are coping, and how can parents help?

Staggered schedules, 2-metre bubbles, teachers wearing PPE – September is nearly here, and with it, a schooling experience unlike anyone in living memory has ever seen. Families are facing a monumental emotional and mental challenge in returning to school during a pandemic.

In the UK, we are in our fifth month of responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. Adults have had to juggle working from home and parenting, and children have had to cope with abruptly ending schooling, not seeing their friends for months, and waving hello to grandma on Zoom. Permeating all this is worry about contracting the virus, concern for loved ones who have it or have died from it, and stress about how long our lives will be upended in this way.

How Children Have Reacted to the Pandemic

One of the main responses from children has been an increase in anxiety, from the specific (what will it be like to return to school?) to the general. Parents may notice this increased anxiety taking the form of angry outbursts or disturbed sleep. Teenagers may engage in more risky behaviours like drinking excessively or self-harming. They may also develop eating disorders, which is often a way of attempting to control some part of life in a world that feels out of control.

How Parents Can Help Children Cope

Dr Lucy Russell, clinical psychologist and clinical director of Everlief Child Psychology, says that the main thing parents can do to help their children is to ‘offer increased nurture and understanding’. Spending time each day listening to what their child is thinking about will help parents monitor their child’s well-being, and if they notice any sudden deterioration, they should seek help from their GP.

Listening is key, agrees Jane Teverson, who has worked as a counsellor for over twenty years. Also helpful is meditation or anything that helps to calm the mind in these stressful times. In terms of daily life, she recommends, ‘Keeping life simple with gentle, flexible routines gives structure that can have a stabilising effect.’

On Dr Russell’s parenting and wellbeing website They Are the Future, her article on lessons learned during lockdown includes the note that routines keep us mentally well. ‘Our brains generally like to know what is coming next; they can adapt, prepare, and in some cases look forward to the next activity’, she explains.

Going Back to a Different Kind of School Experience

School has its own rules, and even in schools that will be enforcing new distancing and other policies in response to the pandemic, there will be routines to follow.

Dr Russell is optimistic that children will be able to navigate these rules fairly easily, but advises that ‘the brain processes visual information much better than verbal information. If a child is struggling to understand new rules that come into force, it can be helpful to create a colourful poster using both words and pictures. The poster can be displayed in a prominent place and talked through regularly.’

Teverson agrees that although ‘it is often said that children are resilient, and they are, they shouldn’t have to be, so the transition back to school should be handled sensitively’. Children particularly anxious about returning to school will need an individualised plan worked out between parents and the school. Dr Russell’s TATF site recommends increasing downtime to help the child process the change, both at school and at home, as well as graded exposure to school, and quite likely some counselling or therapy.

Children returning to school will be exposed to children from families with varying approaches to avoiding Covid-19, and parents may want to go over these differences in advance so that children are not surprised. Dr Russell advises, ‘I would suggest that parents have regular chats with their children, trying to be non-judgmental, about why families might have different approaches to the pandemic. For example, a family shielding someone with a health condition is likely to be more risk-averse than a family who are all healthy.’

Parenting in the Ongoing Pandemic

The pandemic is not over yet, and there will no doubt be more adjustments that families need to make as conditions and policies change.

Teverson believes a compassionate parenting approach will be the most helpful. ‘Children learn by example’, she says, ‘so it follows that if parents model a calm acceptance of the situation, children will have a greater chance of feeling and acting the same. Our acceptance becomes the mirror for their acceptance of the situation.’

Simple things can go a long way to helping both parents and children cope with the changes. ‘Families need to prioritise the cornerstones of wellbeing such as sleep, healthy eating, exercise and quality time together’, says Dr Russell. ‘Many families are managing to do this and are thriving.’

Dr Lucy Russell is a clinical child psychologist and founder of Everlief Child Psychology in Buckinghamshire. She has two children aged fourteen and eleven. She is co-author of the book, “Brighter Futures: A Parents’ Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Children in the Primary School Years“. She also runs the parenting and wellbeing website They Are The Future. 

Jane Teverson has worked as a counsellor for over twenty years. She is the author of the book “Born Beautiful: How Counselling Theory Can Enrich Our Parenting“, which will be published by Free Association Books in November. Her initial training was in Person Centred Counselling but, because of an interest in unconscious processes, she gained her accreditation in Psychodynamic Counselling. Both disciplines informed her work.

As people head back to the office it’s time to ditch the slippers and put your smart shoes back on! Heading back to the old routine or the new normal means adopting old traditions and those reliable slippers may for cut it as footwear du jour for the last 5 months, but no more my friend, we all need to buck our ideas up and return to our former dapper self. So to assist you in the matter is a selection of far more appropriate footwear for the office environment.

The Brogue –  The Billy Ruffian Kendal Brogues are a great handmade shoe for your first day back at work! With a strong city vibe, the brogues are smart enough for the office yet cool enough for after work drinks at the pub (can’t wait!).

They’re available in navy or brown suede, or for a smarter look, black. 

The Chukka Boot – a boot that can serve you year-round. The Chukka boot is a versatile lightweight boot that looks great in the office when trainers just don’t cut it – they’re casual, yet always on the mark. If smart-casual is the look your after these are perfect as they smarten up an outfit in an instance without being too stuffy and formal.

The Derby Shoe – Step out in these men’s leather derby shoes from none other than M&S, bringing a sophisticated blend of style with fabulous function. The leather lace-up shoes are the perfect bit of style for all occasions, made from soft leather for durable and comfortable wear, they team perfectly with jeans and chinos for a sleek finish.

The Oxford –  The Oxford shoe is often referred to as the most elegant and formal type of men’s shoe which is thought to date back over two centuries was reportedly named by the students from the famous English institution, Oxford University. From classic, toe-cap, to wing tip, other worldwide references include the ‘Oxonian’ shoe, and from across the pond the ‘Balmoral’ or ‘bal’.

The Monk Strap – We love a classic. This monk shoe from Office has all the traditional details such as the double strap buckle, reinforced toe cap and comes in a quality leather upper

The Loafer – Un Aldric Step, from Clarks. This black leather men’s loafers,  From their Unstructured collection, these loafers are a timeless addition to your work wardrobe. Slip your feet into shoes lined with leather to offer breathable comfort as you walk, while the durable sole unit offers functional grip and the strobel construction method aids flexibility.

Luxury menswear can be an intimidating world for first-time suit buyers or men looking to smarten up their wardrobes. Buying the perfect fit can prove tricky without any prior- knowledge. 

Aristocracy London, a Belgravia based suit brand offers a luxury retail experience from their online boutique and appointment-only showroom, boasting elements of a tailor-made service without the hefty price tag. Customers are guided through the purchasing process by in-house stylists before choosing from a range of expertly-crafted suits, each in a limited edition run, with certain collections featuring monogrammed inside pockets – for that bespoke effect.

So, before you buy your first or next suit, be sure to read on as Aristocracy London founder Laz Tyrekidis, has highlighted the top mistakes made by men when it comes to suits and offers guidance on how to achieve a smart, stylish aesthetic.

1. Your fit is way off –too big or too small

An ill-fitting suit looks cheap, no matter how much you paid for it. A well-fitting suit should follow the natural curves of your frame, with no wrinkling or excess fabric, and allow for reasonable movement. Choose a style and fit that will flatter your body rather than one which will highlight problem areas or make you look bigger/shorter depending on your frame.

2. Your cuffs aren’t visible

This is another giveaway sign that separates the expert from the novice. When you are standing with your arms relaxed by your side, about ½ inch of your shirt’s cuffs should remain exposed. Many men think if their cuffs are on show their blazers are too short, this is a common misconception!

3. You’ve forgotten to unstitch

Most brands, including Aristocracy London, will stitch up pockets, vents and  labels on to blazer sleeves. Another common mistake lots of men make is to not unstitch these once they take their suit home. Ensure everything is unstitched before wearing your suit.

4. You button every blazer button

The bottom button of your jacket and waistcoat should always be left undone and you should unbutton your jacket completely when you sit down. This will ensure your suit always flatters your shape and maintains a smart, sharp aesthetic.

5. You match your pocket square to your tie

Your pocket square and tie don’t need to match, either in colour or pattern. In fact, a true fashion connoisseur will match his pocket square to secondary colours from his outfit palette.

6. Your jacket shoulders don’t sit on your actual shoulders

The seam of your jacket’s shoulder should be at the end of your shoulder, exactly where it meets the arm. Any bulges or wrinkles in this area draw attention to the suit’s bad fit and make you look like you borrowed the jacket from someone with a different body type.

7. Baggy Trousers

Despite the popularity of Madness’ iconic song, this trend should be left firmly in the 80s. When choosing your trousers, ensure the length isn’t too long. If your trouser leg is too long the excess material will pool around your lower leg and create a messy, wide silhouette not to mention an old-school 80s power suit vibe – and no one wants that!

Top tip from Founder of Aristocracy London, Laz Tyrekidis, to ensure you choose the perfect fit suit:“When trying on a new suit, make sure you stand upright, in a relaxed posture. You need to know the fit of your suit, e.g. all Aristocracy London 3-piece suits come with a tailored slim fit, which means they are snugger than a classic cut but not as tight as a slim one. Picking the correct fit for your body shape is crucial for achieving a polished, bespoke look.”

Acqua di Parma’s colonie family welcomes a new addition, in the form of Colonia Futura. So much more than just a fragrance, this new family member is a genuine emblem of the sustainability manifesto of the historic Italian Maison, and significantly takes the name of Acqua di Parma Futura.

Sustainability, in Acqua di Parma’s view, means preserving traditions, respecting and renewing them in a dynamic and vibrant transition between past, present and future, to protect and share authentic Italian style, alive and intact, to future generations.

Colonia Futura is the contemporary expression of this drive towards the preservation and promotion of the natural and cultural resources that has existed since the Maison’s beginnings, and that has become an ethical, transparent and sustainable approach. For over a century, Acqua di Parma’s purpose has indeed been to safeguard and pass on the Art of Italian Living. Today, as new environmental scenarios and lifestyles develop, the Maison feels it is the right time to release a new product that encapsulates this commitment. This fragrance is firmly rooted to the heart of the brand, to its original universe – the planet of the colonie. In fact, Colonia Futura follows the tradition of Colonia, an iconic fragrance of the Maison, in the olfactory signature and in the quality of its Frutti d’Oro, but projects it into the future, in the knowledge that sustainability is the necessary condition for evolution.

Colonia Futura is therefore Acqua di Parma’s declaration of love for nature. The composition of the new Eau de Cologne contains 99%* natural origin ingredients in line with the ISO16128 standard. Closely connected with nature and fully respectful of the local crops and human resources employed to make it, this fragrance takes some of the most classical and attractive ingredients of the Cologne scent structure and therefore of the history of perfumery, selecting the best and richest qualities of original sensory tones and reinterpreting them in a vibrating and contemporary key. The bright sparkling tones of P.D.O. (Protected Designation of Origin)

Bergamot from Calabria, the roundness of Clary Sage and the freshness of Lavender are the key essences of Colonia Futura. These olfactory notes are skilfully blended and dosed in a composition highlighting the bright richness of Italian sun-filled landscapes, which has always been the trademark of Colonia.

The packaging, designed in accordance with an environmentally-friendly format, is also sustainable. Among the packaging innovations there is the recycled and recyclable plastic cap, replacing the iconic bakelite one. The dispenser can also easily be parted from the glass bottle making it easily removed for recycling. The label is made with scrap dust from marble quarries: it is applied to the bottle and to the Parma yellow box characterised by its trademark cylinder shape, and by sage green tones that echo the main ingredient of Colonia Futura. The iconic cylinder is made of FSC certified cardboard. Each individual element hints at a sustainability that affects each and every level of the production chain and places the individual components in perspective of a circular economy.

The recyclable nature of all these elements of Colonia Futura embodies Acqua di Parma’s efforts to promote a more conscious use of the planet’s resources and at the same time reap the benefits of the circular economy. Recycling glass, as well as plastic, means a lower emission of polluting materials on the planet, for an overall benefit at every level, from environmental to social.

Besides the Eau de Cologne, the collection includes Shampoo and Shower Gel and spray and stick deodorants.

The Shampoo and Shower Gel, with its light, shiny and transparent texture, develops a soft creamy foam when it comes into contact with water. The gentle formula, enriched with panthenol and marine micronutrients, leaves the skin pleasantly smooth and fresh and the hair easy to comb. It is available in a 200ml bottle, that comes in recycled and recyclable plastic, like its closure cap.

The Spray Deodorant does not use gas for dispensing, and with its alcohol-based formula, guarantees immediate and long-lasting freshness.The Stick Deodorant guarantees pure freshness as well. Its alcohol-free formula is also suitable for more sensitive skin.

The suit has become a hallmark of classic men’s style. They’re worn the world over, and for as many occasions as you could think of.
However, this ‘timeless’ cut of clothing hasn’t been around forever. Let’s wind back the clocks to understand where the suit came from, how it’s changed over time, and how we can reinterpret each suiting style into casualwear today. Suit wearers have looked dapper for centuries!

Velvet and Silk – the Flamboyance of the Royal Court
If you break it down, a suit is a set of garments made out of matching cloth. This means we can look as far back as the ​Royal Court Dress​ of the seventeenth century to find the first suits.
Court style looked very different from what we might wear today. They wore white wigs for a start, as well as knee breeches which were short trousers covering only the top half of the leg. However, their long jackets, breeches, and waistcoats tended to be made from the same, brilliantly colourful materials. They were often very fine, silks or velvets for example, and lavishly embroidered. Already, there was a penchant for smart-looking, matching pieces of cloth.

By the eighteenth century, court dress changed a little. Many European courts created uniforms which members of the royal family and their intimate circle should wear. They were militaristic in style, abandoning some of the pomposity of the former versions of the dress. The outfits were made of more practical materials and individual expression was surrendered for the sake of uniformity.

So, what can we wear today to reference back to this time of pomp and flamboyance? Brightly coloured suits are still popular, especially in the summer months. This ​single-breasted wool Sandro piece​, for example, combines a simple silhouette with a stand-out hue. It’s a great suit jacket for if you want to make a statement, whoever you’re entertaining!

Neckties, Dandyism, and Regency Dress
The first significant step towards suits we’re familiar with today occurred in the early nineteenth century thanks to ​British dandy Beau Brummell​.

Brummell was known as a man about town, close friend to future King of England George IV, and general arbiter of fashion. He was a trendsetter within the upper echelons of society and had new ideas about how men should dress.

Instead of the extravagant garments that had come before, Brummell introduced a more simplistic, well-cut look around the turn of the nineteenth century. Rejecting frills and unnecessary decoration, his attire comprised of a darkly-coloured tailcoat, pale trousers and waistcoat, and a cravat. The overall look was muted, subtle, and smart. Thanks to his undeniable influence, the style caught on.

There is a debate about whether Brummell should be the sole receiver of this praise. Some argue that his look was in fact inspired by post-revolutionary French suits which also comprised of tailcoats, double-breasted waistcoats, and full-length trousers. The jury is out on this one! But, we know we owe a lot to this period for the subtle sophistication of suits today.

Since Brummell (or French post-revolutionaries) introduced the muted suit all that time ago, it’s never gone out of style. Just take a look at ​HANSEN Garment’s Christoffer two-button blazer​ as an example. The piece is beautifully tailored with high lapels, a slit in the back, and flap pockets on the front. Made from an Italian linen and viscose blend, the blazer is comfortable and light to wear too. You can either sport the blazer on its own or pair it with matching trousers and waistcoat. It’s effortlessly sharp.

The Industrial Revolution and Standard Daily Dress

A few decades later, at the beginning of the Victorian era, these changes to gentleman’s attire became widespread. The ​morning coat​, a single-breasted coat whose hem sloped into tails at the back, had been considered informal. Its name gives us a clue as to why. This attire had been worn by nineteenth-century gentleman riding out on their horses in the morning – the definition of ‘informal’ has no doubt changed over the years! However, from the late nineteenth century, morning dress became acceptable attire for gentlemen. This was just in time too. A growing middle class of men who had benefited from the industrial revolution wanted something to wear. The morning coat was perfect.

The lounge suit is another type of clothing that links back to this period and is most closely associated with the suits we see today. Previously, this garment had been worn for sports, in the country, or at the seaside. By the Edwardian era, however, the lounge suit was city attire too.

Instead of simply signifying class, the suit instead became a representation of who you were and what your occupation was. Pinstripes, for example, were closely associated with ​the banking sector​. Banks’ uniforms consisted of suits with varying pinstripe patterns on them. Since this time, the pinstripe suit holds associations with money and being well to do. This sort of suiting is still very popular today, such as this ​checkered piece from Corneliani​. The suit’s subtle checkered pattern references the pinstripe in a smooth, modest way. It’s made from 100% virgin wool so is perfect for comfort and to be taken seriously in.

The Interwar Period and Beyond
Our final era of suit development comes between the two world wars and the years that followed.

After the first world war, almost all aspects of daily life shifted, including what people wore. Finally, the impractical and slightly pompous morning coat with tails faded out of fashion. In its place, men wore shorter jackets, much like those in style today. The exact fit of the suits changed over the decades, varying between wider cut trousers and waistcoats which were no longer tight-fitting. The general ensemble kept very much the same and people’s social class was reflected in the finery of the material they wore, rather than the style itself.

After the world wars, suiting styles were even further democratised. Fabric rationing meant that more elaborate styles, such as the double-breasted suit jacket, fell out of favour. Suits became as practical as ever, cutting down on the detailing to create a garment which, perhaps for the first time, looked timeless.
In the intervening years, there have been many more adaptations of the suit such as the Mod suit of the sixties and Disco suit of the seventies. Detailing from workwear, the clothing worn by various labourers and craftsmen, has also merged into the popular suiting styles of today. The HANSEN Garments Nicolai four-button blazer​ in the colour north sea is a brilliant example. With a growing interest in the sustainability of our clothes, durable, practical, and versatile pieces are seeing a resurgence. Suits don’t have to be showy or indicate status. They can be beautifully-made, long-lasting pieces of clothing too.

There’s your roundup of how we’ve arrived at the suiting pieces we wear today. It’s fascinating to learn more about where each of these styles come from and the environments in which they were developed. Take a look at the modern interpretations of each era to feel that bit more connected to suiting history. And, if you need a bit of advice on how to put your suit together, look at our ​Gentleman’s Guide to Wearing a Suit​. We hope you enjoy it!