Interview: James Aubrey Gets Groomed

I've been in contact with the British menswear brand James Aubrey for some time now. It's a brand which is very proud of its heritage, and its image - think Harris Tweed with a contemporary twist - is founded upon its use of local and high quality materials.

Recently I asked the team there to think about the "James Aubrey man”. Not only what he wears, but also how he presents himself to the world.  As a result they have paired some of the highlights of their AW13 collection with key grooming products, to bring you their signature looks for the coming months. 

Take a gander!

1) A walk in the country

Biker Jacket - a transitional piece into
Spring 2014

For any man at this time of year key considerations are comfort, weather resistance and warmth, especially when walking the dog or taking a long afternoon stroll in the country. James Aubrey’s timeless Wax Biker jacket ticks all of these boxes, whilst also serving as the perfect transitional piece from Winter to Spring.

Wear with Baxter of California’s super shape SPF15 moisturiser to defend your skin from the elements.

2) Sunday afternoon in the pub

Texture and layering continues to be a staple of the stylish wardrobe. So, for an effortless and stylish look that allows you to sit comfortably but impeccably with your friends and a pint, team the British wool trellis knit in mocha with the corduroy twin pocket shirt and your favorite jeans or cords.

As your local may not always have soap in the gent's bathroom, choose Taylor of Old Bond’s Street's sandalwood hand wash, which will cleanse and moisturise your skin.

Acqua Di Parma - for the special
evening out

3) A formal evening

The dress shirt is a cog in the well-oiled machine of the stylish man’s wardrobe and is the backbone of British menswear. To channel style and elegance for an evening out without looking too 007, layer the Corduroy jacket over the country check tweed waistcoat and a white Oxford shirt.

Wear with Acqua Di Parma cologne, which is reserved only for the most refined of gentlemen, to enhance your style and character. 

4) At the match

The shawl collar jumper is a key extension to your basic knitwear collection and easy to add as a second or even a third layer if you’re out in the cold watching the match. Throw over one of the luxury cotton check shirts and under a six pocket wax quilted jacket. You might even go with one of the British wool scarves for even greater protection from the draft.

Wear with the geranium and orange hand cream from Neal's Yard, which will keep your hands from getting dry when you’re cheering on your favourite team.

5) Meeting the in-laws

Make the right impression with James Aubrey’s limited edition Covert coat in Harris tweed, which strikes a balance between classic tailoring and contemporary design. Dress it down with jeans or the five pocket moleskin trousers with a plain white tee.

British Wool Crew Neck in Natural

To keep your hair in check as well as your outfit, style it with Myrsol revitalising hair waxfrom Cater and Bond London, which is pleasantly fragranced and includes anti-dandruff properties.

6) Weekend away

Going away to visit family or friends is exciting, but sometimes packing to go is not. In reality, you don’t need a lot of options, just the right ones, so be ruthless! Neutral colours can help you create a plethora of stylish looks, so the British wool crew neck jumper in natural is a great option, along with the six pocket wax field jacket in brown, which should also prove very serviceable, especially for a day out.

Take a grooming product you can rely on when you’re away. Try Taylor of Old Bond Street’s aftershave lotions, which are discreetly fragranced to ensure you smell as good as you look.

I'm Wearing: Sunday 1 December 2013

Black and silver like a gothic Christmas tree this week. Fashion from Scandinavia is, naturally for Stuart Is A Modern Man, prevalent, with Danish brand Norse Projects being teamed with Swedish raincoat manufacturer Stutterheim for a brooding winter look. 

Jumper: Norse Projects

Scarf: Sandro

Raincoat: Stutterheim

p.s., If you decide that you want a Stutterheim then definitely order direct from the website - there's free delivery and no retailer mark-up!

Louis Vuitton Trunk in Red Square!

Beautiful and political. 

This two-storey Louis Vuitton suitcase was planted in Moscow's Red Square a few weeks ago, just a few minutes away from Lenin's Mausoleum. 

It looks magnificent to me, but the trunk is causing a bit of a political furore in Russia, where the Communist Party have criticised placing such a capitalist symbol so close to "sacred ground" for Communism. 

People from the United Russia Party have even called into question whether the trunk violates national advertising law in an attempt to try to get it removed.

The super-trunk, based on a design for a trunk owned by Russian Prince Wladimir Orloff, will house an exhibition of Vuitton luggage starting 2 December. What do you think!?

Fashionspiration: Bryan Ferry

I'll admit that I'm hardly breaking barriers here. Bryan Ferry's classic tailored and fantastically British style has endured throughout the decades since Roxy Music formed in 1971.

Dance Away, More Than This and Ferry's version of Jealous Guy (following John Lennon's death in 1980) are just a few credits to a lasting and quite fantastic music career. But from the 70's to 2013, Ferry's style has caught the attention of fashion magazines and retailers alike.

And if you're onto a good thing, why change it!? GQ paid testament to Ferry's enduring style only earlier this year, pointing to his understated looks and the power to make the traditional appear modern. Too right.

And, by the way, I couldn't be more on board with the wayfarer sunglasses.

Sharp & Dapper presents: the Shirt Stay

I don’t generally seek out anything that makes dressing more time consuming or inconvenient. There's just so much more to do in the morning. Like pressing snooze on your alarm, for example. You might therefore think that I would dislike Sharp and Dapper’s Shirt Stays more than a little bit. Foremost, to wear them you have to remember to put your clothes on in a particular order (shirt first, trousers second – which is quite counter-intuitive for me) and you have to fasten four elasticated strips to your shirt and to your socks too.

 

But I actually don’t dislike them at all. In fact, apart from the odd interesting moment in the bathroom (you know, where you are in there an uncomfortably long period of time post-toilet flush), the Shirt Stays have proved very welcome in my wardrobe.

Mr Ekelund in his
Shirt Stays

I wear a shirt every day for work and I often like a collar at the weekend too. As a result, like many, I encounter that perennial problem that begins about three to five minutes after dressing. The problem of my shirt becoming untucked or riding up incessantly over my very smart wool trousers or, an even more heinous crime, over skinny jeans. When there’s no jacket to hide it you at best look like someone who just doesn't care about their appearance. At worst you look like Piers Morgan on the way home from the gym.

Shirt Stays, which the co-founder of Sharp and Dapper Johan Ekelund tells me date back to around the 1870s, attach to your shirt and socks and gently pull your shirt down to give you a clean, creaseless silhouette. They work, too. My only problem is that, like Johan, I now have the constant desire to either pull my trousers up or down to show everyone around me what this hidden accessory is doing. You’ll be pleased to hear that I’ve managed to control myself thus far.

On the intricacies of the product itself, I was a little concerned that the rubber fastenings might damage my rather expensive fine cotton shirts. However, so far this has not been the case. They are entirely comfortable to wear, although, if you don’t already, maybe go to a yoga class to give you the extra twist in your torso you need to fasten the Stays to your shirt tails (or, alternatively, attach them before you put your shirt on (it took me one wear to realise this...).

One point I would make: ensure you wear trousers that fit when you wear your Shirt Stays. As your shirt is pulled down any extra room in your trouser waistband becomes readily apparent. If you’ve lost weight recently, it might be time to take those suit trousers to the tailor! To look "Sharp and Dapper" you need the entire look, not just the Shirt Stays.

But at £15.00 my instinct is to say go buy them; they’ll come in handy for you one day!

Available from sharpanddapper.com

I'm Wearing: Sunday 11 November 2013

It's autumn, after all. The season of the gilet...(or so MR PORTER told me). And why not!?

Jumper: Norse Projects

Denim Shirt: Wrangler

Bow Tie: Zara

Gilet: Folk

Fashionspiration: Paul Newman

If ever a lad was a lad that lad was Paul Newman. 

But not only a lad. Also a true fashionspiration: from "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" to "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", Mr Newman brought effortless cool, style and masculinity. 

So whether it's teaming up a sweater and sneakers like above, or rocking casual tailoring, a skinny knitted tie and (amazing) beard like below, there's never a need to look any further for sartorial inspiration.

Great hair, too.

Missoni, Knitted Wool Blazer (£730.00)

This Missoni knitted wool blazer, available online at Mr Porter, would make my Autumn/Winter wardrobe infinitely better.

At £730, it might be beyond the pockets of most (and me). But I know what I'll be dreaming of tonight!