CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN
The extraordinary mens blog for the modern man
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Oh Brother where art thou – 6 of the best Monk Shoes by Marcus Burns

What a weird name for a shoe your probably thinking? Double monk strap. Well yes there is reason behind the strange name and it dates back centuries from when monks in Europe wanted more protective footwear than the honest Jesus sandals they normally wore gave them, the monkshoe was hard wearing and long lasting, making it a perfect choice as a work shoe. For centuries now the shoe has grown and declined in the style ranks but 2014 has certainly seen the double monk become an essential in every dapper chaps wardrobe the perfect meeting point between both smart- casual dress codes and everyday work wear. Here are six of the best double monks you can get hands (well feet) on.

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These beauties from Oliver Sweeney

 

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Blue Suede shoes are not just fro Elvis, get all shook up, with these by Katie Eary X Grenson exclusively for MRPORTER.com

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A  classic in every way, well what more would you expect from Paul Smith

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Dr Martens have well and truly shaken off any misconceptions of not being stylish, design lead footwear with this example of a Monk shoe

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All British brands so far, and we shouldn’t be surprised with Britain being the home of well made, great footwear and again another Great British brand, this time Ted Baker

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And to finish off this splendid array of Monk shoes we have no less then TOPMAN. Go in peace and spend

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No Mistletoe required – Getting Office Party Attire Spot on

250x250_CMTM_BannerThis Friday night is, that night of the year, some see it as the most dreaded night on the calendar, whilst others count the days down from last years one. Yes, if you work in an Office environment the likelihood is you’ll  be heading off to your annual office party. Making an impact at this event is all too important, be too gregarious and your seen as not being professional. Staying quite and keeping yourself to yourself, your seen as being standoffish and not a leader of people. Plus not attending is not an option as then your seen as. not a committed member of staff, who sees himself as better then the rest and you can kiss goodbye to that promotion or pay rise.

If you feel you need a little more advise to avoid the minefield that is the Office Christmas Party take a look at this link from last year when we covered the do’s & don’ts etiquette of this nightmarish event.

Now to ensure you look your best for the big bash, we’ve selected  an outfit to cover each scenario that could possibly cover the Partay, we really are too good to you guys.

The casual Office event

So it might be a meal, drinks down the pub but essential quite an informal setting, where you don’t wanna rock up looking like you’ve made a real effort and overdressed for the occasion.

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This is a winning choice from Barbour, as it shows your entering into the spirit of the Yuletide without going all out Christmas Jumper extravaganza.
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I know I’ve said this before but its an absolute staple, the Black Shirt, this one from Marks & Spencer, is a great all rounder. If the Christmas do takes a turn and you wanna take it onto a club or somewhere a little more upmarket you can whip the jumper off and it gives a completely different look to your outfit without having to go home and change. Plus if  you pair this with.
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A pair of chinos, my advise is keep the look simple you don’t wanna look like one of Santa’s lil helpers in your fair isle knit and red or green chinos so stay traditional. These are a great example from Ben Sherman and the reason for Chinos over jeans is simple, it gives you more options. Alot of establishments, particularly at this time of year aren’t welcoming of lads wearing jeans so do yourself a favour and make sure your night doesn’t come to and abrupt and early end.
Screen Shot 2013-12-10 at 20.43.26Finish this look off with the highly versatile Finton from Grenson,  these lil lovelies can pretty much be worn with anything, they will see you through so many different occasions over the years. Not only timeless, they can be dressed up or down and still look great.

The Semi-casual event

Now this is when your boss is flashing the cash and has hired a venue for the Annual shindig, whether it be hotel, hall or even if its not been such a great year, pushed all the desks and chairs to the walls to make a dance floor and some room for Sharon from accounts Boyfriend Mark to show what he’s worth on the decks.

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This is a great look that sends out all the right messages, from yeah, I’ve made just the right amount of a effort, to Ohh yes I know how to put an outfit together effortlessly. This herringbone jacket and waistcoat combo can be bought as separates but also include a pair of trousers all from NEXT.

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These are a great pair of jeans from Oliver Spencer, Comfortable fit on the waist, front and back rise and a regular fit on the leg Dark Indigo Denim plus great value for money and will look great with this jacket and waistcoat.

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I’ve gone for a Chambray Oxford style shirt from Joules, rather then a white shirt as this can sometimes look too formal and you can easily smarten this look up with a navy tie and a pocket square. Plus it goes really well with the grey herringbone.

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Once again I’ve kept the outfit simple and finished it off with a classic pair of shoes, this time with Brogues from Oliver Sweeney. You want to keep things simple so there’s less for you to worry about and if you know you look good this will help with your confidence on the night. This look strikes a real balance and shows that you know what you’re doing.

 

The Formal event

So here you have it the final in the options for the Christmas Party looks to impress. The formal event, this is often when you have to attend a ball style function. Now once again you need to strike a balance of looking good, looking confident and standing out form the crowd for all the right reasons.

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Now this is a tuxedo that ticks all of those boxes from Banana Republic, you’re making a statement by going Navy rather then traditional black but at the same time looking totally dapper.

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You’ve made your statement with the Navy tux so you need to keep the rest of the look classic and sober. This is a brilliant dress shirt from the French brand Ami, which does does that, understated yet chic.

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Its all in the detail and this classic with a twist Black bow tie from TOPMAN finishes of this look perfectly, its just a little smaller then the traditional bow ties.

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These are a great dress shoes from Ted Baker and aren’t too traditional so you can easily wear these on other occasions with jeans.

So whatever your Christmas party follow these tips and it should hold you in fine fettle so you can hold your head high come Monday Morning.

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Oliver Sweeney pops up in John Lewis – Oliver Sweeney Shoe Tattoo pop up in John Lewis Flagship Store

Screen Shot 2013-06-03 at 19.19.35Oliver Sweeney is somewhat of a legend when it comes to Mens footwear, from the age of 16 when he ran away from home and lived for a time on the Circle Line in the London Underground, no that isn’t a mistake on my part, you read it right. This is where he saw an advert in a Shoemakers window looking for an apprentice, the rest they say is history.

Since its foundation in 1989, his signature company, has always made its own path through the industry pitfalls. With a good eye for sharp but always comfortable footwear. Built around their unique Anatomical Last, which mimics, as accurately as possible, the profile of the human foot. A celebrated design created after years of research, it’s sculpted to give support to the arch, the instep points to the big toe, like the real foot. A gentle twist through its length simulates the natural shape of the foot, and helps reduce rolling to the outside of the foot.

From now until June 24th, Sweeney has opened a pop up shop housed within one of the UK’s most well known and trusted retailers John Lewis. During this time, in it’s flagship Oxford Street store, the shop in shop will stock a wide selection of their Footwear, Outerwear and Accessories. Throughout its duration Sweeney will be bringing their unique shoe tattoo service, what tattoo a shoe ? Poppycock ! No, no Oliver Sweeney will be offering you the chance to create a pair of shoes with your own exclusive, indelible mark. Perfect for commemorating your wedding day this summer or for letting your dad know that he’s one of a kind this Father’s Day. Tattoos can be of any design, size and location, the only recommendation being to choose a tan or light coloured shoe or accessory to ensure the best outcome, but hopefully, that goes without say, yeah ? And the tattoo service will be free of charge at John Lewis with every pair of Oliver Sweeney shoes or tan accessory purchased.

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Summer Shoes -AskAnt

Morning good readers, I’m not going to beat about the bush today, it’s straight to business as there are good man folk out there in need of helpful, wholesome styling advice. So without further ado lets tackle the issue of the day;

Ahhh, the problems of the Great British Summer weather, totally unpredictable and can cause no end of problems for the well dressed chap about town and what to wear ????? OK Nicholas, as soon as I received your enquiry I turned to my infinite contacts books and sort the advice of some footwear aficionados. Firstly, I turned to the creator of your very own suave brogues, Mr Oliver Sweeney himself. They advised ;

“That will be our Bannister brogue, produced in a very soft leather with an antiqued patina. As he suggests the best way to protect them is to avoid the rain but we live in the UK, so a good care routine for them is the best way to avoid significant damage. To retain the same coloration, always use a neutral cream or polish, we’d recommend a beeswax variety, as opposed to synthetic polishes that don’t nourish the leather in the same way (you can play around with other colour polishes to slightly alter the colour of your shoes, but be aware that, if you don’t like the change it can be hard to reverse).

If they do get wet, stuff them with newspaper to draw out the water from the inside, and let them dry out in their own time. Don’t place next to an artificial heat source (such as a radiator etc) as this may crack the leather.”

Exhibit number 1 me lord, The Bannister Brogues, from Mr Oliver Sweeney, no less.

Wonderful advice as always, from the Shoemeister, but then the wonderful people over at Pierre Corthay, a true French master of footwear, offering me his top tips for shoe care;

– Once you start to feel the bumps on the ground (small stones etc), then it is time to resole your shoes. Once there is hole it is too late !

– The only secret one must alternate one’s shoes. We recommend that one wears a pair of shoes for no more then three consecutive days. This will ensure their longevity, prevent humidity and help keep their original shape. Once a week is even better.

– Leave your wet shoes to dry without shoe trees.

– At least once a week, clean leather shoes with a damp cloth (for smooth leather) or a dry brush (for velvet). Apply an adapted cleaning product for smooth leathers (polish, cream…), then glazing with dry and soft cloth. Polishing will be effective after the shoes are dry.

– When it comes to waterproofing, Pierre Corthay shoes made of leather with smooth aspect are already protected by the finish of the surface. On the other hand, the nubuck and velvet leathers need to be protected by the application of a waterproofing product.

– To maintain a pair of shoes, it is best to remove dirt with a brush or a damp cloth, then apply the appropriate cleaning products.

– Wet leather shoes should never be dried next to a heater. They may harden and become brittle. It is preferable to let them dry naturally and to insert newspaper to absorb the moisture.

www.corthay.fr

So Nicholas, all that is left for me to do is to tell you, the choice is yours ??? Do let us know if you found this advice helpful and join us again soon for another style clinic.