Military Tailoring: Sarah Wilkinson's 40 Years at Dege & Skinner

The year 2023 saw much ceremonial: the sad event of a royal funeral and the happier one of a coronation. The array of uniforms was dazzling. We tend to forget that their complexity relies on rare tailoring and sewing skills that deserve recognition. I wanted to mention just one of the crafts people responsible for some of the displays of magnificence. 

Sarah Wilkinson military tailor at Dege & Skinner of Savile Row

Dege & Skinner’s military tailoring specialist Sarah Wilkinson joined the bespoke tailoring and shirt-making company based in Savile Row in 1983. During her forty year career she has worked on some striking pieces of military tailoring including uniforms for the Royal Family, The Yeoman of the Guard, the Guards regiments and The Royal Company of Archers, which acts as the Sovereign’s official bodyguard in Scotland. She was a trailblazer for women working on Savile Row and has been forty years at Dege & Skinner, who hold the Royal Warrant for work on these specific and historic uniforms.

Sarah told me that, in her teens, she was determined to find an apprenticeship in tailoring but, as was the attitude in the early eighties, she was told many times that tailoring was a man's trade. She persevered and eventually was offered an apprenticeship my Michael Skinner, then Managing Director at Dege & Skinner, joining the company at the age of sixteen and starting in August 1983. 

The intricate work required to make a Yeoman of the Guard uniform

She trained in both military and civilian tailoring, from  making naval uniforms at the time of the Falklands War to attending the Queen's Birthday Parade and seeing the uniforms she had made being worn for The Trooping of the Colour.

Sarah began to specialise in military uniforms, attracted by the wide variety of technical skills required to produce their unique shapes, sew their quilted linings and attach the ornate braids with which they are often decorated.

Examples of Sarah’s work include: 

• The Royal Lancers uniform that featured in Victoria & Albert Museum's 2014 exhibition titled 'What Is Luxury?' and now part of the official archive at the Museum. 
• Prince Harry's wedding day frock coat when he married Meghan Markle in 2018; as well as the attending Page Boys who wore miniature versions of Prince Harry's Blues & Royals Mess Kit.
• HRH Prince Louis' doeskin tunic that worn at the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III in 2023.

Sarah Wilkinson shows more of her military tailoring work at Dege & Skinner

Sarah is always busy as their work is so niche and she finds herself making uniforms for non-military clients attracted by their colour, design and the skills involved in their construction. Above all she feels great pride in looking back over her work of 40 years, which has helped establish Dege & Skinner as a leading military as well as civilian tailor. As the owner of two bespoke suits from Dege & Skinner I can confirm the exceptional quality of their work.

With many thanks to Sarah Wilkinson and Dege & Skinner

What is Style? How to Achieve Personal Style in Menswear

What is style? Pinning down the meaning of the word is like trying to grab a piece of soap in the bath. When we describe a man as 'having style' we mean that he has good style. A man could have style that's appallingly bad, but we assume when we say that he 'has style' that it's good.

Leaving aside that that etymological quirk, let's attempt to identify what good style and is and how we achieve it. [Note that this is an update of an article that appeared here a few years ago].

Cary Grant - traditional style

Style is Multifactorial

What makes good style? It goes beyond how we appear and the clothes we wear. Proportion, colour, pattern act alongside how we move, behave to others and hold ourselves to add to a general impression. Style is multifactorial and this is why some men and women can wear an old bin bag and look good, while many of us struggle to do so with even good, well-made clothes.

What makes good style? What do you like/not like with these images? Are these men stylish?

What factors are relevant to finding style? I call them factors as I dislike setting 'rules' about style. I'm occasionally berated on Instagram for doing up this button or undoing that one, or wearing a tie too long or too short (see more on this in my post on The Rules of Style). Such expectations - rules if you like - are nonsense. Part of the pleasure of style is playing with its elements to find new looks. Just as a piece of music can be played in countless different ways, so a blue suit and tie with a white shirt can be worn in many ways which subtly differ. Playing with the elements of style enables these differences to be subtly adopted and used.

Here are what I see as some of the elements of style. I don't pretend that they're complete or accurate; we all learn as we go along.

Stand Proud

Standing and walking confidently is a good foundation to looking stylish. Clothes are designed to fit best when we are upright and that aura that self-confidence brings adds a to the overall impression.

In selecting clothes stay within your comfort zone so that you look happy with  your outfit. As you test out your preferences you'll feel more confident about your style and confidence brings that look of style and comfort with yourself.

Money Doesn't Buy Style

The richest are often the least stylish. While this doesn't apply to all, tasteless displays of wealth focus on bling rather than well-designed substance. A huge gold neck chain will never give the impression of sophisticated style that a discreet, well-designed vintage watch (which needn't cost much) can impart. 

Buy well-made, quality, well-designed clothing. Don't buy simply for the name. There's great pleasure to be had in finding a small business that makes excellent menswear that you love to wear - this is why I promote brands that made in Britain. You could end up spending less if you purchase wisely and well. 

Aim for a compact capsule wardrobe where a modest number of pieces work together to make a variety of looks that you feel good wearing, rather than filling your wardrobes with potential landfill.

The Devil's in the Detail

Exude style from every pore. Every aspect of a look counts. A superb suit will be nothing if worn with a cheap pair of shoes or a shapeless and boring topcoat. Every detail should shout style, design, quality, from your socks to your wristwatch.

Closely inspect a photograph of a look that you like. Look at the smaller elements; accessories like the watch, the pocket square; the colour of the socks, how patterns are made to play with each other in harmony or contrast. Colours are a powerful element; are they monochrome or contrasting, what hues work best together? Are the clothes brand new or do they have an attractive patina of wear and age? How are scarves and ties tied - carefully or with artful abandon? Do you prefer a regimented tidy look or a careful attempt at sprezzatura?

Whatever conclusions you come to, don't be shy of experimenting with ideas you adopt from elsewhere or using thoughts of your own.

Grooming

Good grooming is essential. Like shoes, a good haircut is vital as are clean nails and a generally scrubbed appearance. This isn't the same as looking tidy; an artfully unkempt look can be successful but has to be very carefully curated.

Personality

Style is about your character - it's not about slavishly following fashion. Fashion models seldom show their own style on the catwalk. Catch them after the show, dressed in their own clothes, and the picture is very different; they know how to dress well and reflect their own tastes and characters, showing true personal style.

It's important to stick to clothes that you feel comfortable wearing. I don't just mean physically comfortable, I also mean that we should never have to feel self-conscious in our clothes. 

Confidence is a large element of style. That's why some wear more outrageous, colourful or different clothes from the norm - they tend to have the confidence to make such looks work. In my experience, confidence comes with practice and experience. I wear clothes now that I would have felt uncomfortable with before I started my search for style nine years ago.

Your personality and tastes will change with time, so don't get stuck in a rut. Try new things, try to push out the boundaries of your comfort zone, without going beyond the personal bounds mentioned above. I've found that this opens up a wider choice of outfits and looks and I've occasionally found I like things that I thought I'd never wear (such as denim jackets!)

What style elements do you like?

Style isn't about imposing your own taste on others

How often do you see someone stylishly dressed, but you wouldn't choose to wear what they're wearing? The older man in double denim, the loud check suit, the orange knitwear - you may not like them, but the wearer looks great in them.

I'm surprised how often the Instagram audience is prepared to comment when they don't like something. Variety being the spice of life we should respect different styles. With an open mind we may even come to adopt elements of a look we had thought we didn't like. I never thought I'd like to wear a denim jacket, but a vintage example is now part of my wardrobe, often worn with tailored trousers and a roll neck or a linen shirt.

So, style is hard to define, but we know it when we see it. We sometimes disagree over what makes good style, but that's linked to our individual tastes. Thankfully we don't all like the same things. If we did, the world of style would be monochrome and boring and we would never develop our own likes and looks.

Finding inspiration

It's impossible to be totally original in your style choices so don't try to be something that's unique; that's simply never going to happen. There are only so many styles of garment and there's nothing that hasn't been tried before. Keep an eye on The Sartorialist, Scott Schuman's images got me started on the blog, and collect looks you like on Pinterest, using appropriate search terms to help you find looks you might like. 

The rise of the street style image, largely through the work of Schuman and others like him, has democratised style. Fashion has had to take second place to the choices of individuals whose personal tastes have, for a decade, driven style to become more diverse. Fashion is now inspired by street style. The dog now more obviously wags to tail, rather than the tail of fashion wagging the dog of individual style.

This has been fuelled by a rise in respect for personal choice. Gender is now fluid and masculinity no longer requires manly clothing. As prejudice is rightly condemned in so many spheres of life, so people feel freer to wear what they like. The increasing richness and variety being worn on our streets and captured by photographers gives a hugely inspiring source of ideas to anyone interested in searching for an effective personal style.

Use elements of these looks yourself, or even whole outfits if you wish. See what works on you (ask friends and partner for opinions) and stick to what you feel comfortable with. Gradually you will evolve an understanding of your own style.

Good luck with your search for style. Mine has lasted twelve years (I started late in life) and continues. With experience I now know what I like and what works - some of the time. The search for style is never-ending.

******

In the companion part of 'What is Style?" I ask my favourite personal stylist, Sarah Gilfillan of Sartoria Lab, to give her views on style. She helps men select stylish clothes for a living and has much experience and many useful thoughts on the topic. Read 'What is Style? How to be Stylish' by Sarah Gilfillan here.

Vintage Polo by Ralph Lauren Tie

This tie came from @vintageprl  who, from time to time, sells high quality vintage Ralph Lauren through his Instagram account.

It's just over 4" at its widest and is labelled Neiman-Marcus, a store founded in Dallas Texas in 1907 and which started to stock Ralph Lauren products in the late sixties (starting, I believe, with ties) and still sells them today. I don't know the date of this tie, but would guess seventies.

Seersucker: Summer Style

Increasing summer heat means that the search is on for fabrics that are cool, stylish and, for holiday use in particular, easy to maintain. A cloth that has become a summer favourite for me is seersucker.

Gregory Peck wears seersucker as Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird 1962

Tailoring is becoming less structured and more comfortable. Linen is popular for summer but can be hard to look after as a tailored linen garment is best dry cleaned. A better choice is seersucker. Easily maintained (it can be washed in cool water, more below) and relatively crush-free, seersucker is ideal for travel in warmer climes where a lightweight, airy, and relatively crushproof cloth is essential. While remaining crisp and elegant in the heat seersucker develops a slightly lived in look which Gregory Peck displays to perfection in To Kill a Mockingbird (see above).

Originally from India, it was introduced to Europe on the eighteenth century and while we now associate it with the USA (where it started out as workwear for the poor but later became an essential part of a preppy summer outfit), it was originally adopted by the British and other Europeans for wear in hotter climes.

Seersucker is woven from cotton, linen or manmade fibres, although I suggest you avoid the latter. Some years ago I was loaned a seersucker suit. It looked great; navy blue, double breasted with tapering trousers with turn ups. However, the cloth was made from a synthetic fibre which meant that on hot days it became almost unwearable: hot, damp and smelly. Natural fabrics, on the other hand, remain breathable and comfortable.

The cloth is woven at varying tensions so that it has alternating puckered stripes which are said to lift the material away from the body, allowing cooling and drying air to circulate; whether this is a valid scientific explanation I don't know. Certainly seersucker is light in weight and I find it cooler to wear than medium-weight linens, even though it has a tighter weave. Its slight elasticity adds to its comfort.

We tend to associate seersucker with blue or grey and white stripes, but it's available in plain colours and a wide variety of stripes (see below). 

And of course seersucker has been worn by the congenitally cool for many years, as can be seen from this selection of images:

Cecil Beaton wears Anderson & Sheppard seersucker in 1936

David Hockney 1967

James Stewart in seersucker, Spencer Tracy in linen

Miles Davis in seersucker

So, seersucker provides a summery alternative to linen. Both have similar casual, slightly rumpled, preppy looks. The choice between them is down to personal taste. Many dislike the wrinkled nature of linen: while seersucker rarely looks too crushed. Linen has a looser weave and, if not too heavy, ventilates better than seersucker - but the latter is a lighter weight cloth so doesn't seem to retain heat as much as linen while still protecting against the heat of the sun. 

In terms of maintenance, seersucker seems to hide stains more effectively than linen, especially if striped or checked. Seersucker (unlike linen which will need dry cleaning) can in theory be  washed in water, but linings may complicate this, so check the washing instructions. Despite these considerations, I have no preference between linen and seersucker and wear whichever I am in the mood to wear on a particular day. I do prefer seersucker for travel as it's so easy to look after and is relatively crease-free

Try mixing seersucker with other cloths: seersucker trousers with a linen or lightweight wool blazer or vice versa, a seersucker jacket with shorts or trousers from a contrasting colour summery cloth.

Wearing seersucker

I own two seersucker suits. A navy blue suit was made to measure some years ago by King & Allen. The striped suit shown below was off the peg (altered to fit) from MbE at Grey Flannel. This is the cooler to wear of the two as the jacket is unlined, single breasted and loosely cut to ensure ventilation. The navy blue suit has a partly lined, double breasted jacket, making it slightly warmer to wear on a hot day - but it looks great as a more formal, warm weather work suit. 

Both are worn regularly as separates, indeed, the casual nature of seersucker means that you don't so much buy a suit as matching jacket and trousers - the future of the suit indeed (see my feature "Will The Suit Survive?")

RIP Edward Sexton - bespoke tailor 1942 - 2023

I was very sad to hear of the death this week of Edward Sexton, that impeccable tailor and gentleman who was so much part of the modernisation of Savile Row since the seventies. 

Always impeccably cut: Edward Sexton 1942-2023

I was lucky to interview him some years ago and to meet him on occasions since - the last in November last year when I took the photograph above of his celebrating both his new Savile Row store and his birthday. He will be much missed.

Below you can read the feature I wrote in 2015: 

After decades as a lawyer, essentially an uncreative and often destructive profession, it's a huge pleasure for me, in my new life as a blogger, to talk to people who make it their task to create quality, elegance and style. I recently went to Beauchamp Place, in the shadow of Harrods in South West London, to meet Edward Sexton, bespoke tailor and striver for perfection, in his studio.

I can, even as a then disinterested youngster, remember the impact made on Savile Row by the opening of Tommy Nutter and Edward Sexton's Nutters in 1969. I even went over there to press my nose to the window. For some reason I can't now explain, I thought that Nutters was mentioned in one of the James Bond books as 007's tailors. The last Bond book was written a few years before Nutters opened, so I'd just got it completely wrong.

Of course, Nutters wouldn't have made suits to Bond's tastes anyway. Although the quality of the tailoring was high, the clientele was international pop and rock stars and the styles were those of Carnaby Street rather than the establishment of Her Majesty's Secret Service. Images of stars wearing Nutters long waisted coats with huge, wide collars, exaggerated roped shoulders, flared trousers and clashing checks advertised Edward Sexton's creativity and sixties style.

These elements still echo in his tailoring, providing a refreshing and individual alternative to the classic styles available elsewhere in London. These style clues from earlier and possibly more original days of tailoring reminded me of Mark Powell, another tailor whose work I write about here. The relationship between cutting edge tailoring, depth of experience and heritage is complex and so interwoven that they can never be separated. Without tailors with a foot firmly in the best of the past, we would be much the poorer.

But Sexton isn't dwelling on the past. The focus of his skills, and the very obvious pride he has in them, is on the quality of his tailoring. He showed me how he structures, sews and manipulates canvas, cloth and thread to make a garment that moulds to the wearer, moving with him or her and masking unevenness or pocket contents in way which, to me, seems magically mysterious. 

Despite his depth of experience, he told me that he can learn something new every day and he admitted to me that he has never made the perfect suit. This must make him the perfect tailor. Who wants to go to a craftsman who claims always to make perfection? It's the striving for elusive perfect tailoring that makes the genius. Luckily he also loves to pass on his skills to a younger generation and seeing him work with a young apprentice made me envious of the creativity and skills he has to pass on. 

Everything is completed in his studio; cutting and tailoring. Sexton offers a made to measure range, offering all that we love of the Sexton style. Suits in this range cost around £1800 [written in 2015] and are made in China from his own patterns. The block is then altered back in London after fittings with the client. A large proportion of Sexton's clients are women.

Sexton is obviously a man of great generosity and the number of young tailors and apprentices working closely with him highlights his desire to pass on his many years of experience to a new generation, ensuring the future if his business, and indeed of London tailoring.

See Edward Sexton.

Men's Fragrances for Summer

Summer brings warmth and sunshine, but it also brings new scents after the long dark days of winter and the fresh green of spring: mown grass, hot sun on bare soil, sun on skin and that mood-lifting airiness of a sea breeze. This is the time to fill your senses with the cooling aromas of the countryside, of the mountains and seaside and to reflect these in the fragrances that you choose for the warmer months.

The choice for men is vast, from Avon through the alphabet to Zadig & Voltaire there are scores of fragrance brands to select from. Many are suitable for men and women, adding to the richness of the choice. I favour buying a voucher as this gives either you or the recipient of a gift the time to select a favourite.

Summer scents for men

We tend to choose fragrances that echo seasonal moods; florals, citrus and fresh woods replace the heavy spiciness of winter's smells. The green scents of leaves and grass, the fresh sharpness of a cold swim in the sea and the warm dusty scent of a pine enclosed village square.

Here are a few suggestions:

Florals

Florals are best for summer when they have a fresh edge to them. Too sweet a floral note may not work in hotter weather. For a fresh floral affect try Versace Eros whose notes have a citrus/woody edge.  Yves St Laurent Y and Etro Man Rose also both contain flowery elements made masculine by other ingredients.

Citrus

In my view citrusy scents work best in warm weather. The sharp, clear fragrance has a cooling edge which cuts through the heaviness of a hot day. Try Novelista Citrus Affair, Limes by Floris (a firm favourite of mine), or Lemon Line by Mancera. All give that sharpness that works well in summer.

Grassy and Fresh

For that grassy green freshness that brings summer to your senses I suggest you try Creed's Green Irish Tweed, Parfums de Marly Greenley or Ralph Lauren Polo Green Classic. All will give you elements of apples and the zingy natural fresh air scents that go so well in warmer times.

Summer Scents

When selecting a perfume for summer use it may be best to avoid the spicy, smoky, heavy scents that we associate with the colder months. Warmer weather needs a fresher approach that won't cloy. Being sharp and fresh the products I've suggested can be worn at any time of day and for any event.

Whatever takes your fancy, there is a scent for you for the summer months. Take your time over your selection and be sure to try a few; you will soon find your favourites.

This is a paid collaboration with Notino. Such collaborations help me to maintain this blog.

Military Wristwatches - Collecting Vintage Style

[Note: My apologies that I haven't posted for some weeks. security issues with the blog have  taken some time to sort out. I hope you enjoy this feature on collecting old military watches].

How many men do you know who are obsessed by collecting something? It may be cars, watches, clothes, cameras, books, golf clubs, rare birds, works of art or racing bikes. We're no doubt reflecting some ancient instinct which had us accumulating weapons, vital tools or whatever was required for our survival.

British military watches from the forties to sixties - collectible style

One item that a man of style might collect is watches. A watch says much about its owner - just as a what we wear reflects our tastes and personality. For those who like to focus their collecting impulses, I'd suggest looking for vintage military timepieces.

The last few years have seen a move towards smaller watches of plainer design. To many this is a welcome move away from the growth in watch sizes throughout the 90s and 00s when some watches soared to approaching 50mm in diameter. 

In the early to middle years of the last century a man's watch could measure anything from around 28mm in diameter; a watch of 36mm plus would have been relatively large. While 40mm is now considered average, watch companies are gradually reducing the size of men's watches again in response to the growth of the Asian market (where wrists are smaller), the popularity of men's watches for women and the increasing interest in smaller vintage watches. Small is becoming more sophisticated. 

What better than vintage military watches to fill this niche and to appeal to man's collecting instincts? They are around 34mm to 36mm in diameter, but stand out on the wrist because they were designed to be highly legible. The watches in these pictures were made for the British military between the forties and sixties, a vibrant period of military watchmaking, before electronics brought us rather soulless quartz watches. They are robustly designed with movements which are beautifully made and generally easy to maintain.

Five vintage military watches and a more recent military-inspired Seiko

Many can be bought from around £1000 to £2000 currently (some types for even less), though collectible ones like the Omega 53 or Mk11 navigators' watches made by Jaeger LeCoultre and IWC for astro-navigation can cost many times that. One watch to look out for is a watch made in England by Smiths for the British Army - the 'Smiths W10'. Smiths watches represent the end of a longstanding tradition of British watchmaking and the W10 can be bought for a reasonable figure as it isn't particularly rare. To be able to wear a watch made entirely in the UK - movement, case, dial and hands, is now unusual, although Bremont are slowly reviving British watchmaking.

Military watches should hold their value and in many cases appreciate. Watch prices are in a bit of a limbo at present as the cost of living soars, but in the long term such watches will, I'm sure, prove sound investments.

Inevitably, buying vintage military watches is a minefield - a lot of fakes are sold on eBay and even on watch fora and by dealers - get good advice before you take the plunge. Google 'Military Watches' and get to know the dealers, join a good military watch forum online and read and learn. The watches will need looking after, a service will be necessary every few years to keep the movement in top condition. The costs of this will soon eat into any investment value, but overall a well-chosen watch will give you years of pleasure and represent a fair investment.

[This feature is an update of a piece I posted in February 2012].  

Rotary x Protate Cancer UK '1IN4' Wristwatch

I had no idea until very recently that 1 in 4 black men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, and more than 11,500 men die from prostate cancer in the UK each year – that's one man every 45 minutes!

The handsome new Rotary 1IN4 x Prostate Cancer UK watch 

To highlight these shocking statistics I am wearing the new Limited Edition 1IN4 watch that @Rotarywatches has designed in collaboration with Property Expert and TV presenter, @KunleBarker. The 1IN4 aims to increase awareness of prostate cancer and its increased risk amongst black men. There will only be 1000 timepieces available.

The Rotary x Prostate Cancer '1IN4' Wristwatch

Rotary will donate 10% + VAT from the sale of every 1IN4 watch to @ProstateCancerUK (Instagram tag) @ProstateUK (twitter tag) which will go towards helping more black men understand their prostate cancer risk and what they can do about it.

The Limited Edition 1IN4 timepiece is only available at rotarywatches.com and @fhindsjewellers nationwide.

*The featured Limited Edition 1IN4 watch has been gifted by @Rotarywatches. All donations will be made on behalf of the recipients by @Rotarywatches for all gifted Limited Edition 1IN4 timepieces*

#1in4watch #rotaryxprostatecanceruk #prostatecancer #onemanevery45minutes #menwearewithyou #ad

Monk Straps: The Cinderella of Shoes?

Monk strap shoes tend to be overlooked in favour of oxford, derbies, sneakers and loafers, but they offer both comfort and style and are worth your consideration when next buying shoes for casual or formal use. 

I wear Loake Medway suede monks (socks Peper Harow) - all made in England

I acquired my first pair (pictured above) only two or three years ago when I was looking for something a little different. A suede pair of single strap monks made in England by Loake, they have proved invaluable worn with everything from tweed, through formal suits to knitwear and jeans.

If you search for the history of the monk strap shoe you find references to medieval monks, but how this led to the adoption of the name for the shoe isn't clear. The general view seems to be that the style was developed in its present form early in the last century. Presumably the style reminded people of the strapped closed toed shoes that monks wore when their open-toed sandals were impractical for work outdoors as they let in stones and mud. 

I found an image (below) of a late 15th / early 16th century child's shoe from London's Victoria & Albert Museum which shows that buckled straps have been around for centuries. Although this is a shoe for a toddler, you can imagine monks wearing similarly simple but practical footwear. 

Child's strapped shoe late 15th/early16th century. Image V&A London

Advice on the web suggests that the monk strap shoe is semi-formal, somewhere between the oxford (formal) and derby (less so) with the double monk, which has two buckles on each shoe (see images below) being the more casual. Monks come in all sorts of leather and those in suede or with a brogued finish will be at the more casual end of the spectrum, while a plain pair in black calf would be ideal for more formal wear.

I'm wearing Loake single monk straps in black calf and suede

It's generally said that monks shouldn't be used with very formal wear such as black tie. I disagree. A single strap monk in polished black is an elegant and simple addition to evening wear. It's not uncommon to see men wearing monogrammed velvet slippers and even patent leather loafers with black tie so it's hard to understand how a simple, smart and stylish pair of highly polished monk shoes should be the cinderella at the ball.

Double & single monk straps (Loake Shoemakers)
I wear the black pair with formal evening wear

Click here to find out about the Loake English-made monk strap shoes.

With thanks to Loake Shoemakers for supplying the shoes and some of the images for this feature. 

A Guide to Perfect Trouser Leg Length

There has been much discussion about the sartorial tastes of Britain's latest Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak. His close fitting suits with cropped jackets and ankle length trousers proved controversial with some (see end of this feature), but his preference for having his trouser cuffs above his ankle bone is a reflection of the upward trajectory of trouser lengths over the last few years. 

While I personally wouldn't wear mine quite so short, I'd argue that the look is preferable to the trouser style of the former US President, Trump, whose trousers fold around his ankle and over his shoes - a look that is mercilessly untidy and unflattering.

Comparing trouser lengths, Sunak and Trump

The Ideal Trouser Length

So what is the ideal length for your trousers (or pants if you are from across The Pond)? As ever with matters of style, it's a matter of personal preference, but, as the above photos suggest, a shorter trouser length gives a cleaner look. Too short can give the appearance of a schoolboy who has outgrown his uniform, just as too long can give the opposite impression, that of the schoolboy whose parents are careful with money so have bought an oversize pair to ensure they last longer. There is a careful balance to be struck.

Guidance about trouser lengths usually discusses the 'break', the fold(s) caused by the cuff lying on the shoe. Significant breaks are now less often seen on those who profess to style. Trousers which taper nicely to a minimal or no break flatter the wearer, increasing the apparent of leg length and giving a neater look. Rishi Sunak is 1.7m (5' 7") and his shortened trousers with their clean line, to my eye, give him added apparent height.

My favoured trouser lengths

Turnups (or cuffs)

I've been having turn ups on my trousers for the last few years and, while I'm beginning to tire of them, this seems a good opportunity to share my thoughts on them. They do finish off more formal trousers nicely but I would avoid them on casual trousers as they fill with debris when worn on country walks. Jeans are hard to shorten without losing the stitching at the cuff (unless you're a dab hand with a sewing machine) so I tend to roll them up. Historically jeans were always sold at standard lengths so folding up the cuffs is a long and honourable tradition.

I wear my turn ups 2" deep. For those with slightly longer legs this works well, but for those with shorter legs I'd suggest 1.5" or 1.75" as deeper cuffs have a leg shortening effect.

Cropped Trousers

Cropped trousers, ending a couple of inches or more above the shoe, are a separate issue and are more of a fashion statement. They are associated in my mind (quite acceptably) with sockless summer wear with loafers, trainers or sandals or with the now rather overdone look of brogues on sockless feet. Cropped trousers look best with casual wear but many (such as Rishi Sunak) wear them tailored with suits and blazers where they give a more contemporary than classic look. 

Cropped trousers / pants - image The Sartorialist

And finally, below I cheekily reproduce a post from my Instagram grid from October 2022. Click here to see some of the wonderful (and less so) comments:

The Rules of Style & Buttoning Your Waistcoat

From time to time people contact me to complain about one or other aspect of a look that I've posted on Instagram. The last I received ticked me off for wearing a cardigan with the bottom button done up; and I suspect they were serious. This got me thinking generally about the 'rules' of style.

Image Whitfield & Ward Tailors who overlook the bottom button 'rule' for good reasons (see below)

There is a convention that the bottom button of a waistcoat (or vest to use its original name - still used in the US) is left undone. Several explanations can be found for this tradition. The most common is that King Edward VII's courtiers undid theirs to emulate their sovereign whose ample girth prevented him doing up every button of his waistcoat. It was perhaps a matter of etiquette: respect or politeness. As that particular King is long dead the convention could be said to have long lapsed. 

Whatever the origins of the habit, there is no 'rule' that demands that you leave said button undone. Look at the image below of a slim Edward VII (taken in 1882), what do you notice about the buttoning of his waistcoat / vest?

Edward VII Image National Portrait Gallery London

Waistcoats are often cut so that the bottom button can't be done up without affecting the line of the garment. That's a result of the convention. This is good enough reason to leave it undone; the cut makes it hard to do otherwise. My advice would be that, if the waistcoat is cut so that the bottom button can be done up, do just that. It will help cover your waistband and also look tidier (see the above image by Whitfield & Ward, Tailors (link below) - doesn't that look neat?) 

But however you want to play that one, there is no law, rule, etiquette, convention or tradition (going back to the recent complaint that I received) that demands that the bottom button of a cardigan be left unsecured. We often see buttons on cardigans (sleeved or sleeveless) left undone. This may be because the buttonholes have stretched and the buttons pop open, or it's an attempt at sprezzatura or in confusion over the waistcoat 'rules'. Or it may be that the cardigan is worn by a genuine sartorialist who has found the best way to wear the garment to make it look as good as possible - read on....

"If there are rules of style they are simply that you should wear clothes in a way that makes both the garment and you, the wearer, look as good as possible"

If there are any rules of style they are simply that you should wear clothes in a way that makes the garment look good and you, the wearer, feel comfortable. There are some ways of wearing clothes that look so bad that it's best to pretend there is a rule preventing them. Ties worn undone and at half mast look sloppy and it would look better to go tieless with collar undone. Wearing brogues without socks is a look has been overdone and is best avoided as it looks too studied. Wearing watches over shirt cuffs is just aping the style of Gianni Agnelli. Doing up the bottom button of a blazer or sports coat is inadvisable simply because doing so will usually spoil the line of the jacket because of its cut. But these are guidelines, not rules.

"The overarching question is not 'What is the rule?' but 'What looks best on you?'"

Good style arises from self confidence, wearing good quality clothes that fit well and, most importantly, not looking as if you've tried too hard. The best way to sprezzatura, the art of looking good without appearing to try, is to find your own style rather than copying slavishly what you see at Pitti Uomo or on Instagram or following irrational rules. 

The overarching question is not 'What is the rule?' but 'What looks best on you?'

[With thanks to Whitfield & Ward, Tailors, for permission to use their image above. This is an unsponsored post.]

Collected Articles on Style for Older Men

Early in the days of the blog (eleven years ago!) I began collecting articles on style for older men. I was looking through these recently and found that, while some are now quite old, they all contain good ideas so I've revived the feature and added some more recent material. If you know more, do let me know.

Older men with different styles - I'm with Svante @theurbanhippieswe

[Updated from the original 2011 feature] Here are a few of the better (and not too serious) newspaper and other articles on style and fashion for middle aged and older men. They are in no particular order; just as I find them. 

The important thing about fashion in middle age and beyond is that we are getting too old to take fashion seriously. Dress for yourself, feel comfortable, and don't listen to the fashion police.

What do I do? I keep an eye on Instagram and the better blogs for ideas, but try to use them to dress to suit my own personality rather than slavishly following transient fashions. Whatever you do, be careful about trying to relive lost youth by dressing like a teenager. It may work, if you have an extremely sophisticated sense of style, but you run the risk of looking a little sad. It's also unnecessary; we should be proud of our maturity - there are many classic styles ideal for the older man.

Photo The Sartorialist

Can you wear Topman at 67?
An interview in the Guardian with Nicky Haslam and his sense of fashion and style.

Old men dress cool
From one of my favourite bloggers, Style Salvage.

Take That:Style Icons for Older Men
An article in the Guardian. Take That!! Must be some mistake, surely?

Groovy Old Men: The Rise of the Silver Swingers
From the Independent, 'nuff said.

Can Middle-Aged Men Have Long Hair? 
From that excellent blogger, That's Not My Age.

Styles Middle-Aged Men Should Avoid If They Don't Want to Look Old: These Fashions Don't Make Anyone Look Young

Yahoo Voices.

Middle Aged-Men Who Dress Like Teenagers
Style Goes Strong

Newbie Fashion Tips for Grown-up Men
Stepcase Lifehack. This may seem a bit proscriptive, but is worth a read - most of the rules are sensible.

The Almost Shocking World of Older Men's Fashion
In a Grand Fashion reviews advice for older men. The article mentions Grey Fox as follows, "While there are many blogs for young, definitely under forty, I could find only one aimed at older, middle age men.  Grey Fox stresses dressing for one’s self instead of  for the latest fashion trend".

Why do men over 50 dress like tramps?
Mail Online. For personal reasons I avoid the Daily Mail. The standard of journalism is appallingly, with damaging and hurtful articles published with no proper research or regard for the truth. However, this is an unusually (for the Mail) sensible analysis and it is recommended reading.

Men stop caring about clothes at 37
Apparently the conclusion of a survey, apparently based on a survey, but I'm a bit suspicious about this one - it may be a dubious publicity stunt. Reported in the the Guardian here. Despite my doubts,  there is probably a degree of accuracy in these reports.

Fashion Tips for the Older Man
From the Belfast Telegraph - some interesting and useful comments about older men dressing well and not so well.

Medallion Man is Back - The Rise and Rise of Middle-Aged Vanity
From the Independent - not too bad, in parts. I agree with the warning that '...dignity is in danger of being jettisoned in the rush to drink at the fountains of eternal youth, or at least the rush to the hair dye kit, which is the next best thing'.

The humble Mamil: why we need 'middle-aged men in Lycra'
The Guardian. A nice defence of the MAMIL (middle-aged men in Lycra) by one of my favourite cycling writers, Matt Seaton.

Why do fathers insist on dressing like their teenage sons?
Which increasingly they seem to do although some sons adopt crisp shirts, chinos and brogues. See the picture which shows Tom Cruise and his son. Sydney Morning Herald.

The Sartorial Geniuses aged 60 plus
From The Telegraph - with wise words from blogger Tony Ton of jakandjil.com.

At the age of 37, you needn't start dressing like J*r*my Cl*rks*n
From The Guardian, a newspaper that I doubt Clarkson has ever read.

Skateboarding Past a Midlife Crisis
From the New York Times. Be careful, though; your bones have become more brittle as you get older.

Jeremy Paxman in tweeds is typical of the affliction that grips men in middle age
Hadley Freeman in the Guardian discusses older men's style. All about men reaching an age where they want to try something new. Some vestiges of truth here; maybe.

Why men over 40 are fashion disasters
From the Mail Online. The writer is mocked by his family for his dress sense. He suggests a few ideas, but this article is rather inconclusive, as I feel he doesn't really find a solution. He should find inspiration for his own style, grasp the nettle and confidently forge his own path. Not a happy outcome to this one.

How to dress well after 50
British GQ. Sensible with some interesting discussion; but nothing new.

Guys don't be a fashion disaster
Chicago Tribune.

Middle-aged men and their sad self-regard
The Independent. Sadly close to the bone; but then all ages are guilty of self-indulgence, not just older men.

Baseball caps, backpacks and an unlimited supply of flannel shirts: How middle-aged Silicon Valley CEOs compete with their twenty-something rivals

From the Mail Online - given that it's the Mail, it's a surprisingly good read (assuming it's not all made up). It reports, for example, how, 'One tech CEO admitted that he probably wouldn't be in his job if he had not shaved his grey hair and swopped brogues for sneakers to blend in.'

Fifty shades of silver fox: Blog celebrating stylish middle-aged men takes internet by storm

From the Mail Online again. About a blog called Grey Fox started by a middle-aged man called David Evans looking for style. Seems unlikely to me!

What's a man to wear when his pecs turn to 'soft peaks'?

Speak for yourself! From The Guardian.

Dressing your age - 40s
Dressing your age - 50s
Posts on the now dormant Fashionbeans - I don't agree with everything here, but basically sensible advice.

Marc Jacobs at 50
Showing that there's hope for us all in changing our lifestyles and getting fit. From Mail Online.

Male celebrities with grey hair
In case you find comfort in the thought that even they are getting older. From sofeminine.co.uk.

I want to feel like a new man
Guardian columnist has a makeover (apparently paid for by Hennessy - some makeover!)

The Vintage Years: is the fashion world starting to respect the middle-aged market?

More about the women's fashion market, but much is applicable to us chaps. From the Guardian.

How I Became a Fashion Don't A lovely response to a Details magazine article. Simon Doonan describes Katherine Wheelock as 'some kind of conservative anti-flamboyance watchdog for the colostomy-bag brigade'. Brilliant.

Dressing Up is a Sign of Vitality New York Times. Ari Seth Cohen, of the Advanced Style Blog, comments on the Wheelock and Doonan articles above.

Why older men are more stylish than young men A nice piece in The Telegraph, October 2014.

Men's style dilemma: Am I too old to wear this? This Telegraph piece makes some good points and concludes, correctly in my view, that the question is, 'Does this suit me?', not, 'Am I too old for this?'

Men become invisible at 39: Now they know how women feel. Again, from The Telegraph. Reports the conclusions of a survey, but then, as the man said, there's lies, damn lies and surveys.

Is it OK for men not to care about fashion?  The Telegraph (I'm impressed how this newspaper writes about age and style so much). Confuses fashion and style, doesn't add much to the discussion.

What makes certain men more stylish? The Telegraph. A thoughtful piece by David Gandy which comes to the same conclusion as I have in my writing. As I say in my comments at the top of this post, style is about dressing to suit your personality, not following trends. Recommended reading.

How to Dress you Age - Forties British GQ. Good, emphasises style rather than fashion and highlights fit.

How to Dress your Age - Fifties British GQ. Good stuff, based on advice not to give up and again emphasising the importance of fit.

How to Dress your Age - Sixties and Beyond British GQ. Based on the inaccurate (I think, anyway) assumption that most men over 60 want to look younger, but this doesn't affect what is essentially good advice.

20 Things No Man over 40 Should Wear Daily Telegraph. I don't like writing that tells a man what he should and shouldn't wear. We may make suggestions and give our opinion, but not presume to tell others what to do. This verges on that approach. However, I agree with much of it!

Tom Hanks is redefining dad style - Not a bad article at all. Some sound advice from US GQ.

How to Dress Your Age - some useful ideas in this Gentleman's Gazette piece.

And see my own scribblings on this blog, for example on middle aged men and jeans.

Real People: Style for Older Men - I Put This On kindly interviewed me on this topic - sound advice (of course ;)).

What not to wear if you are a man over 50: The Guardian March 2019. Some useful thoughts here and much I'm not so sure about. Worth a read.

Dad Style: How to dress well as an older man: I wrote this here on the blog some years ago when 'dad style' was much discussed. Looking back, I'm not sure I like all that I say here, but have a read and complain to the management if you're unimpressed.

Grey Fox Style on Instagram

The 20 Definitive style rules for men over 40: cargo shorts need not apply - this is one of those black and white advice columns that set my teeth on edge - do this, don't do that. You can always tell what they will be like when you read the word 'rules' in the title. There are no rules - there are guidelines. While I confess I do follow some of their 'rules', I don't believe in being so proscriptive.

Dressing the older man: I came across this nicely considered piece in a blog I was unaware of before, Masculine Style. He makes the important point that staying in shape helps. Otherwise there is little you haven't read browsing the selection above, but a nice summary of thoughts for the older man in search of style.

Experience Required: Style Lessons from Men in Their Sixties: (August 2022) I had just about given up looking for decent articles on style for older men when I found this on Mr Porter's site. It makes a nice change actually interviewing stylish older men rather than telling them what they should or shouldn't be wearing. 

Ten Tips on What to Wear for Older Men by ace personal stylist, Sarah Gilfillan of Sartoria Lab.

What Are Men Wearing Now? NY Times. A useful style update.

Photo Tommy Ton - GQ