Let’s Just Call Me Mr Porter

The gentlemen of our town know how to dress, and have a good taste in all things sartorial. However, in passing, I have noticed that most men fail to appreciate the nuances of tailoring, and the magic within each woven thread. 

You see, suits are a form of illusionism. They serve to accenuate your physical merits, and stealthily hide your short-comings. For example, the peak lapel, in comparison to the regular notched lapel, will broaden your shoulders and make the waist look narrower. It’s also more formal so gives you a sense of gravitas. A good suit should be as comfortable as a pair of pyjamas and look better on you than any other piece of clothing. It’s a great shame that the sartorial culture of the 20th century is behind us; the suit has lost it’s prominence in the male world. It seems a chore and has become synonymous with the stern, dull silhouette of working life. It’s lost its joy. It seems that the tailors of today have lost the golden middle: expensive Savile Row or top designer boutiques drain your bank account, while high street shops mass-produce standard suits that are rarely a good fit.

I mean, look at this guy:

His name is Lino. Look how happy he is. He’s not doing anything special, he’s just wearing a suit, but there’s something about it that looks so casual yet elegant, and so effortless. Well, truth be told, it’s probably not effortless. He’s taken a few minutes to add little touches that make all the difference: the handkerchief, the double-breasted instead of single, the smaller extra pocket. But he’s not rigid. He doesn’t care that his tie is slightly askew, or that he’s leaning his elbow against a stone wall, or that his handkerchief is sticking out a little. That’s why it looks so effortless. In his eyes, a suit does not require a different mind frame and does not need to make you look like a politician, who’s about to give an interview. 

A suit is still the unique trademark of a man. Those small nuances open up endless doors of possibilities, and in a world where the way you dress has lost some importance and follows generally the same trends, the suit is immortal. Men’s tailoring advances with age, yes, but you can still wear an old-school 60s suit like Sinatra and look the best you ever have.

So, take more pride in your suit, enjoy wearing it and spend thirty extra minutes picking one out or having it adjusted.