July 2011
99 posts
How Do You Furl an Umbrella?
Hugh Griffith-Jones of Fox Umbrellas, one of the finest umbrella makers in the world, recently stopped into The Armoury to check on the latest stockist of his company’s fine products. Fox’s fine umbrellas typically have a slim silhouette but it takes a certain know-how to maintain that tidy look. While Hugh was in, he gave us a quick tutorial on how to properly fold an umbrella...
“A woman needs love, just like you do. Don’t kid yourself into thinking...”
– Ray Parker, Jr. (“A Woman Needs Love”, 1981, Arista Records.)
Project: Manila Paper
pinoytumblr:
by Sol Palakol, Lala Torres, Mots and Raffy Parcon, this is their version of Ben Heine’s Pencil vs Camera.
(via akosimangpedring)
"I Still Get Goose Pimples." Steve McQueen Reviews...
"Sometimes, You Gotta' Be Cold" – Miles Davis
Always count your money.
~*~
“My father told me, that my grandfather told him, whenever he got some money, no matter where or who he got it from, to count it and see if it was all there. He said you can’t trust no one when it comes to money — not even people in your own family.
One time my grandfather gave my father what he said was $1,000 and sent him to the bank with it. The bank was...
The Black Tie Wedding (for when you get tired of...
The United States is unique among the Western countries of my acquaintance in that people are sometimes married in the evening rather than the daytime, and that permits an “only in America” style of semi-formal dress for the wedding party which is the substance of today’s essay. Evening black tie does not offer a plethora of options but some are less than ideal for weddings, in...
Black is for Evening
Designer John Varvatos stated that a black suit should be worn in the evening. And that is the right idea. Black is for evening.
There are two reasons why men should not wear black during the day, a statement intended to encompass black trousers and black socks though not black shoes. The first, and less important of them, is that wearing black goes against accepted custom. Since the demise of...
Have Your Slacks Tailor-Made. Or, Wear Heavier...
It is a curious but well established fact that a man does not feel the warmth of heavy slacks to the extent that he does when he wears a jacket made from the same cloth. And, since slacks are all about drape - we want them hanging in a straight line from the waist - heavier cloth makes for a better-looking pair. That means it is a good idea to wear slacks that are a few ounces heavier than...
Fall (and the rainy season) is Patterned
It is most noticeable when the summer clothes are in storage and cool weather things hanging in their place but fall is patterned. While summer things tend towards solids in lighter colors, fall is the time for a variety of checks as well as large herringbones like the black and white one in the Esquire illustration below. These patterns are mostly the influence of the Scots, if you will, and...
Color in the Breast Pocket (Laddies, take note.)
The display of a breast pocket handkerchief is a conscious act of dressing up, and many men fear that it might look pretentious or effete. When a hank appears in a jacket’s breast pocket at all, it is usually white (particularly if worn to the office). The challenge of course is that in terms of enhancing the look of the day’s clothing the practice has its limits. A white...
Out in the Heat
“In tropical climes there are certain times of day When all the citizens retire, to tear their clothes off and perspire. It’s one of those rules that the biggest fools obey, Because the sun is much too sultry and one must avoid its ultry-violet ray — Papalaka-papalaka-papalaka-boo. (Repeat) Digariga-digariga-digariga-doo. (Repeat) The natives grieve when the white men leave their...
Jackets for Sultry Summer Evenings
Perhaps less has been written on the topic of summer evening dress than on any other subject connected to menswear. This may be because until recently the English have had no summer (I believe it was Lord Byron who wrote that winter in England ends in July and begins in August) but whatever the reason we are for the most part left to adapt cool weather customs to the heat on our own. Summer...
