Introduction

I suppose there is no more appropriate criterion that qualifies one to write about style and fashion other than too much idle time. Having said that, I will try to justify my positions with forty five years of evaluating, buying and selling menswear; ranging from the “Jivey Ivey” of the early 1960s to the sartorial splendor from Neapolitan craftsmen and all things in between. I have adopted from all these experiences, a position that merges fashion “de jour” with a personal style so as to alter the latter with nuance from the former. In other words, make the best of the past relevant in today’s world.
Fit, Fabric, Function and Fashion are the ingredients needed to produce clothing in this way of thinking- garments with a fair cost and a high value relationship- clothes with integrity. At the same time these clothes cannot be so mired in the past that they fail to reflect in some way modern culture. Clothing needs to be more than just brigandine (body armor) but not appear as an overstuffed costume which much of the fashion world seems to be so invested in creating.
Over the next few months I will comment on a number of products that embody the characteristics previously mentioned and offer further thoughts on classification dressing and wardrobe building with an emphasis on personal style.