The Perfect Gentleman Issue 1 - March 2016 | Page 7

STYLISH GENTLEMAN
he shows that only 30% of the clothing donated
to such shops ends up on display. The poorer
quality, fast fashion items are instead sold on to
textile agents and sold for low prices in
developing countries. For these countries,
primarily in sub-saharan Africa, this has
decimated local clothing industries. Nigeria,
Ghana and Zambia are among those he
describes as particularly affected.
This may make it seem hard to pick clothes that
are not over-priced, damaging to others and
badly suited. This is not the case however. By
following some simple principles it is possible to
dress well, avoid being ripped-off and support
good businesses. This is where style comes in.
Style is based on five main principles: Fit,
Proportion, Colour, Pattern and Texture. While
these are not hard to learn, they do take time to
understand. Over the next few months we’ll
break these down and explain how and why
they’re important. This will allow you to dress
well easily, and to understand the clothes that
work well for you. It also allows you to build a
good wardrobe over time, buying quality clothes
that will last you many years and cost you much
less money in the long-run.

It can be tempting to go for clothes a few sizes
larger in the hope it will disguise some of that
extra weight. It will not. Whilst there are
techniques that can help with this which we will
cover in later issues, in general we want to draw
as little attention to our large tummies and bums
as possible. This means not baggy, not tight and
with few extra details, like pockets or designs.
Proportion is important in making the most of
our natural physique. Style legend Alan Flusser
calls this the “The Foundation of Style”. His
advice is equally priceless. Clothes should be in
proportion to your body. When dressing
formally the lapels of your jacket, tie and shirt
collar should all be in harmony with each other
and yourself. This means long and thin for tall,
slim men and broader for stouter chaps.
Jackets and coats should be long enough to
cover the curve of the buttocks whilst allowing
for as long a leg line as possible. The short suit
jacket cursed as a “Bumfreezer” by tailors should
be avoided. Trousers should be comfortable, but
not snug, and the rise (The height between
crotch and waistband) should be enough to be
comfortable, whilst not giving you a patch of
shirt visible under your buttoned jacket.

Fit can be surprisingly hard to get right. When
faced with images of models and movie stars
wearing over-tight and too short suits, or singers
in bizarrely proportioned sportswear it can be
hard to find good examples. In general, clothing
should follow the lines of your body. It should
not be tight and clingy, nor should it be baggy. It
should gently help suggest an idealised physique
or broad shoulders and narrow hips but it
should also be comfortable and able to be worn
for long stretches without being tiring.
For those of you. like me, who care carrying a
few extra pounds the point about avoiding
bagginess is especially important.

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