Rule 6

The Rule

6. Polo shirts. Don’t pop your collar, unless your Eric Cantona or Mike Skinner.

I know I said last time I'd post about something 'summery'.  But, seeing that the weather is still playing silly buggers, it makes a street photography blog post about summer clothes a bit fucking difficult. 

So you can just have a rule instead.  Fat lot of use it will be though with another, glorious English summer were having.

Almost makes you want to move to France, almost.

Rules 3, 12, 34, 40

Like a good self referential blogger that I am, I wrote last time about the ability to mix different patterns. This skill is one of the keys to dressing like a fucking man.  Here we have a nice example of mixing two patterns.

Shorditch

21/06

Rules

3. Your tie knot should frame the collar. Balance here is key. You don’t want your knot crammed in like a fat girl on Ryanair, nor do you want it looking like the last line of coke on a dining table.

12. No Pleats. If you haven’t been at the pies, don’t bother with these. The extra material will puff out making you look like a squeezed sausage.

34. Your jacket lapels effect your body shape.  By the shape of your lapels will exaggerate the shape of your body.  By moving the points, shape and size of the lapels you can enhance, or play down body shapes.  If you’re tall and thin, lower wider points will exaggerate the upside down triangle.  If your short, raising the points and bringing them in will imply height.

40. 2 Patterns. You can “clash” two patterns, but the scale has to be different

By taking a large check in the suit cloth and mixing it with tight pattern it the tie, he is being bang on trend, whilst not looking like a fashion floozy. (the last thing we want it you strutting around in a cowboy hat, looking like a Northern slag on a hen do, just because some knob-jockey in magazine said it was fashionable).  Then, by using similar colours in the suit, shirt and tie, the blue and grey, the outfit is tied together further, ooooooosh!

If you’re the sort of charlie big potatoes who wears a three piece suit to the pub, I like you.  Doing something a little bit classy and stylish is never a bad thing.  The best thing about looking classy, is being debaucherous at the same time: it’s one of life’s great pleasures.  I just can’t imagine Dean Martin going to the local bar wearing his jeans and a tee.  I also just can’t imagine Dean Martin, not leaving the bar with out classy broad, a strong smell of gin about him and everyone in the bar wanting him to stay.  Those two things may not be connected, but looking classy, is a great place to start.

You stay classy San Diego!

Rules 39, 40, 41

The ability to use multiple patterns will become increasingly important in fashion over the next year.  

The Rules

39. 1 Pattern. Work with your colour palette here. The colour doesn’t even have to co-ordinate with anything else on your attire, only a woman would demand something so regimented.

40. 2 Patterns. You can “clash” two patterns, but the scale has to be different

41. 3 Patterns. Feeling fruity then?; Try to get the three patterns in similar size and contrast but of different design.  So a tight check, next to a tight stripe next to tight weave should work.  Nothing should stand out on it own.

If you start to look around you will start to notice people mixing patterns.  This is fucking cool, because it is really easy to fuck this right up.  Getting this right is really going to sort the men out from the boys.

Unlike most styles which rely on an individual theme, this relies on on out and out sartorial knowledge plus being a ballsy mo-fo; you really need the skills to pay the bills to pull this off.

Follow the rules and it should stat to make sense.  Remember what we've discussed with colour and contrast when thinking about which patterns to use.  The pattern doesn't need be a major item: ties, corner pockets and socks can all add that second, third or even fourth layer.  A heavy weaved cloth can also be a sneaky way of eking in a different pattern, you don't just need to think in printed patterns.

Like most things, surgery, sky-diving, poking animals with sticks, it's better to start off simple, then build up your skill and complexity when your confidence grows.  Last thing I want is you running out there looking like you've hit a charity shop with 20 notes, off your box on ket.

Rule 25

The Rule

25. Pick a style icon. 

A lot like, ‘What would Jesus do?’ But with someone cool, who you admire and with clothes.

It's quite simple really.  This should help you justify your some of your sartorial decisions.  It's like having a comfort blanket shaped like Don Draper or Steve McQueen.

"Should I buy this green velour tracksuit with Juicy splashed across the arse?  Well I sure as hell can't imagine Don wearing some bullshit get up like this, I'll dodge this bullet and blow my cash on cheap hookers and rye"

Think like this and literally nothing can go wrong.