Linen Suits for Glorious Goodwood races.

Alas Royal Ascot is over for another year, but hard on its heels is Glorious Goodwood, providing everyone with another reason to don their glad rags. Dates are 26th - 30th July.

With Ascot, it was all about being ‘dapper’ in your formal morning attire, now it’s the turn of the quintessential summer English gentleman look in a light linen suit and Panama hat.

Unlike the morning suit in Ascot’s Royal Enclosure, the wearing of linen suit is not obligatory to enter in to Goodwood’s Richmond Enclosure. But it is a tradition that caught on ever since the trend setter King Edward VII wore one (and a Panama hat) in 1906. 

M&S Collezione linen blend suit

Linen suits will give you a casual chic look when dressed down with t-shirts, polo shirts, light wool sweaters and open necked shirts. But for Goodwood the dress code for the Richmond Enclosure is a jacket worn with a tie, cravat or polo neck sweater, so you need to wear a shirt and tie with your linen suit.

M&S Collezione collection have a range of pure linen and linen blend suits. The beauty of linen blend is the suit has the appearance of linen but doesn’t crease as easily.

The above image we have M&S Collezione linen blend blazer (£99) and trousers (£49.50) in an almond shade and worn with their Blue Harbour white t-shirt £6. But for Goodwood replace the t shirt with a shirt and tie.

Details of suit: Jacket -2 button fastening, notch lapel, 5 button cuff, front flap pockets. 50% linen, 28% silk and 22% cotton. Trousers- straight leg, on the waist, single pleat, rear pockets with button detail. www.marksandspencer.com

Goodwood's Horse Gallop ties

 

Get really in to the horse racing mood with one of Goodwood’s Horse Gallops tie at £70.  They are pure silk tie with detailed weave of a racing horse at £70. Colour choices are gold, navy, lime,lavender and pink.

www.goodwood.com 

The wearing of light coloured linen suits became popular in the Victorian era when gentlemen travelled abroad and wanted to look well dressed and elegant whilst keeping cool in the sweltering heat.  Linen was ideal as this natural fabric is loosely woven allowing air to circulate freely and the skin to keep cool.  Plus it suits a looser fit style which is more comfortable in hot sticky climates than the more tailored suits and is great for most body shapes.

Karl Jackson at Debenhams

 

The stone colour of Debenham’s Karl Jackson linen 2 button suit £130 is a light shade which won’t show the dirt as much as the creams and whites, plus will look great paired with shirts in most hues.  You could opt for the crisper clean look of a white shirt; an elegant tonal look with creams, ivory and beiges; a cool chic look with pastels or the statement look with bold brights.

Details of suit: Single breasted, notch lapel, 3 button cuff. Left and right straight pockets plus breast pocket, side vents, 100% linen, lining polyester.  www.debenhams.com

If you opt for the white, cream or beige shirt, add a touch of colour with your tie.

The more popular colours for linen suits at Goodwood are the neutral creams, beiges and taupes.

Stvdio Jeffe banks at Debenhams

So stand out from the crowd in your Stvdio Jeff Banks light blue linen suit (£135) from Debenhams. www.debenhams.com .

Pachacuti's Fedora Llano weave Panama hat

Team with Pachacuti’s Fedora Llano weave grade 8 and its luxury teal silk band £139.  The Llano weave is a flexible durable herringbone weave and the teal silk band is made in Devon by UK’s last remaining silk band specialist mill. www.panamas.co.uk

Charles Tyrwhitt Liberty tie

Wear the suit with a white or cream shirt and either a floral or paisley patterned tie to complement the embossed pattern on the silk band of the hat. Charles Tyrwhitt blue and green cotton Liberty ditsy floral handmade tie says ‘English summer’.  100% cotton in a genuine Liberty design fabric. Was £70 now £19.95 www.ctshirts.co.uk

House of Fraser

This Paul Smith cream double breasted linen jacket £550, worn with Kenzo cream linen trousers £170, may not be an actual linen suit, but still looks the part of the English gent.  Unfortunately the Kenzo cream granddad collar t-shirt (£79) won’t pass the dress code for the Richmond Enclosure so go more dapper with a white shirt and coloured flamboyant cravat. The double breasted blazer and cravat are a winning combination.  www.houseoffraser.co.uk 

And don't forget to team with your Panama Hat - see tomorrow's article for more details 

Oliver Sweeney brings out App for Custom Made Shoes

Yes you can now design your own shoe in the comfort of your own home or when snatching a few minutes out of your busy work schedule.

How? By downloading Oliver Sweeney's iPad app from iTunes. And if you are a true satorial mister, then you can surround yourself with your own wardrobe whilst designing your new shoe to make sure everything is spot on.

First, choose the style and shape of the shoe.

Once you have your basic shoe style, then the fun begins with choosing the colour and leather. Leathers range from the plain to the exotics such as crocodile, ostrich, stingray and iguana. And you can choose different colours and leathers for different panels creating a Spectator effect. Plus you choose lining, lace and piping colours.

Not forgetting the sole. Here you choose the colour for the sole waist and then inscribe your name, a date or message in to the sole.
More details can be found on www.oliversweeney.com

Goodsouls Men's AW11 Collection at Very.co.uk

Underlining the satorial smart look here with contrast tipping on both jacket and waistcoat:

Goodsouls single breasted suit jacket with contrast tipping on collar and pockets. Single back vent £85
Waistcoat with contrast tipping and back waist adjuster £52
Both 85% polyseter 15% viscose. Colour: taupe
Underneath Goodsouls men and shirt tie set £28. slim fit shirt with skinny black tie. shirt cotton, tie polyester

Chunky knits are always a hit for AW.This shawl collar cardi from Goodsouls adds a touch of military with its epaulettes to the shoulders. Price £48.
35% wool, 35% acrylic and 30% polyamide. Colour: khahi
Underneath is Goodsouls double faced cotton shirt with contrast check inner. £30 Colour: blue/brown

Or just go for the simple shawl neck collar jumper with its button detailing around the neck. £42.
85%acrylic 15% wool. Colour: Black and white mix
Underneath Goodsouls flannel cotton shirt with fine soft cord to inner collar, elbows and cuffs  £30 Colour: red.

The ski/alpine pattern is still on trend;

Goodsouls Intarsia design shawl neck jumperwith button details to neck  £60
35% wool, 35% acrylic and 30% polyamide.Colour: grey marl
Underneath Goodsouls black and white check shirt with small round collar £30

And for those Xmas parties:

Goodsouls peak sating lapel suit jacket with jetted pockets and sinlge back vent. £85
75% polyester 25% viscose Colour: black
Underneath Goodsouls printed t shirt £18
70% cotton 30% polyester. Colour: grey marl

George at Asda is 21 this year.

Yes George is all grown up now.
He continues to look his satorial best with the collaboration with bespoke tailor Charlie Allen. Here he goes for Prince of Wales check suits, striped shirts and spotted ties.

Charlie Allen

For a more smart casual feel there is the tweed jacket which can be mixed with the mainline George collection.
The above tweed jacket costs £45 and shirt £18.
The inspiration for the mainline collection is the preppy Graduate and the military Urban Hunter;

The Graduate

For the above preppy look is a laid back faded red zip up hoody £12 teamed with faded blue trousers £16. Chunky zip hoodie over the shoulders

Urban Hunter

For a walk in the wilds, go for the check shirt £16, biege cargo pants £20, biege button down jumper £11 and padded gillet. At these prices the Urban Hunter won't have to forage for his food, there are always the nearby food aisles.
Available soon at Asdas or online www.george.com

Semi Bespoke Cashmere Knitwear.

Have you a drawer full of sweaters but not one in the right shade or the right fit?

Check out semi bespoke cashmere knitwear company Belinda Robertson  who offer more than one hundred colours ranging from sharp brights to softer natural shades.

Crew neck in oatmeal

They even have a swatch service (charge £10) where they will send 10 cashmere swatches in the colours you have selected so you can feel and see the actual shades before deciding on your final choice.

Plus for the style, you have a choice of slim or classic fit.

The bespoke service doesn’t end there, they will alter the sleeve and body length for a charge of £35 per alteration so you’re guaranteed a perfect fit, a great benefit for the taller or smaller man.

V-neck in cielo

All knitwear is in 100% pure Scottish cashmere using traditional production methods and skilled artisans. Delivery takes approximately 6-8 weeks.

For more information check out www.belindarobertson.com

Fruit of the Loom's Born in the USA AW11 Collection

Fruit of the Loom's Autumn/winter 2011 collection was inspired by Outdoors USA, fruit style.
So let's take a style trip around the states:

Starting with Arizona Polo in violet and 100% cotton double pique. Other colours available are black, white, spearmint, azure blue and burnt orange. Worn here over a deep navy Blue Ridge T.

Looking hot in a mustard yellow fleece Michigan Hoody. Also comes in cactus green and more subdued marina blue, chocolate, deep navy and black. Worn with hooded Jefferson checked shirt in 100% cotton twill and vanilla Nevada T.

 Or cosy up in a cactus green fleece Seattle Snoodie. Ohter colours black, heather grey and marina blue. Again with a vanilla Nevada T.

Keeping the fruit style in a cranberry fleece Jackson Gilet. Or go for mustard yellow or heather grey. Here worn with Rhode Island T in aubergine.

No sweat in this cool forest green Yale fleece sweat jacket . Other cool colours are heather grey and black. Teamed here with aubergine coloured Alabama shirt in 100% cotton twill with a vintage wash.

 Another cranberry fruit colour in this 100% cotton single jersey Hampton Polo. Also in white and marina blue.

Finishing off with a burnt orange Delaware T in 100% cotton single jersey with a vintage wash. Also comes in vanilla, spearmint and black. Underneath is the Rhode Island T in aubegine.

Vivienne Westwood 'man' collection at Royal Ascot Fashion Show 2011

Along with Westwood's women's couture Gold label SS11, some pieces from her 'Man' collection graced the Royal Ascot Fashion Show this year.

The title of VW’s SS11 ‘Man’ collection is Climate Change

‘Global as if the world were a smashed mirror’ – with checks worn with other checks and stripes.

White and black Tattersall check wool suit with integrated waistcoat and baby pink cotton shirt. Trousers have loose tapered legs, belt loops and two internal back buttons for braces. The pink shirt's high three button Krall collar has been reworked this season in to a button down collar.

Peach and black striped blazer matched with tartan trousers , floral shirt and grey waistcoat. The floral shirt is a red flower print on a navy background

Black double breasted tailcoat teamed with low crotch trousers and gingham check shirt with a three button high Krall collar.

White double breasted tailcoat with straight cut trousers.