Ever since we featured E. Tautz's SS10 collection, I have been obsessed with the idea of an Englishman abroad. Now we've entered the month of June I just had to offer up my own interpretation. Ordinarily the words 'Englishman abroad' conjure up images of over hanging beer bellies and loutish poolside shenanigans (I would know, I've been on such holidays!) but I'm thinking more about an English gentleman abroad. For SS10, E. Tautz were inspired by just this very idea but not just by any Englishman, the Duke of Windsor to be precise. When Patrick Grant and his team were creating the collection they were thinking about what the English like to do during the Summertime; they like to go to the Mediterranean, sit on beaches and wear hankies on their heads. As much as we'd like to, we can't go on holiday all of time but we can at least dress the part from time to time...
An Englishmen in Summer rain. Navy Premium Linen Regular fit jacket from Uniqlo, slim fit denim long sleeve shirt from Uniqlo +J, Gingham trousers by b store, navy socks from Uniqlo and Joe Casely-Hayford for John Lewis Pukk Leather Brogue Shoes. The Polka dot umbrella was found on the tube.With the idea of an English gentleman abroad bouncing around my excited brain, I needed to breathe fresh life in to my holiday wardrobe and I picked up two pieces to help me accomplish it. A feather light linen jacket from Uniqlo and a pair of tapered gingham trousers from b Store.
A close up look at the featherlight linen jacket from Uniqlo.The featherlight linen jacket was a real find in Uniqlo. Once in a while the Japanese retailing powerhouse releases a product that leaves me and many others foaming at the mouth. This linen jacket is one such product. The Premium Linen range is a Uniqlo collection that uses only natural and high-quality 'French linen' sourced from Northern France and Belgium. The fabric has outstanding water-absorbing/divergent properties. The fabric does not cling to your skin, and is nice and dry to the touch. The texture is filled with a pleasantly refreshing feel. The linen naturally creases as you wear the garment, one of the features that makes linen so attractive to me. I picked up the navy version but I was severely tempted to walk away with the entire range of colours and have been thinking about the blue version ever since.
Gingham trousers by b Store.Entitled 'Benjamin Braddock', b Store's SS10 collection was inspired by Dustin Hoffman's character of The Graduate. The b store guys are purveyors of perfect basics and this collection practically bulged with enticing pieces. From sheer knits to scoop necked t-shirts to b Store's signature boxy jackets and pleated trousers, everything combined to create a modern preppy look. My own Summer ensembles tend to suffer the moment the eye gazes to the bottom half but I saw a pair of trousers that could solve my problem. b Store's 'Basil' gingham trousers are the ideal lightweight option for the warmer months. The following morning I excitedly tried on my new purchases only to be met with depressing skies. No matter I thought, must push on, stiff upper lip and all that. This is my interpretation of an Englishmen in the summer (rain)...
Navy Premium Linen Regular fit jacket from Uniqlo, African print hankie from Darkroom, slim fit denim long sleeve shirt from Uniqlo +J, Gingham trousers by b store
Gingham trousers by b store, navy socks from Uniqlo and Joe Casely-Hayford for John Lewis Pukk Leather Brogue Shoes.Unfortunately, we can't be on holiday all of the time but, weather permitting, we can dress the part from time to time. Grey clouds should not stop an English Gentleman in Summer.
13 comments:
Shame about the weather but this post is great. Nice outfit.
that outfit works so well, mixture of different shades of the same colour. thumbs up(both). and the hanky is charming.
hopefully i get to go on my hols this year, it's been too long
J: Thanks. The weather has improved! Time to continuing dressing the part.
Mat: Thanks. I'm a sucker for mixing blue hues (mainly because I have so many blue garments). Here's hoping you get away soon! Where would you like to go?
Dashing. But white and blue gingham bottoms in the rain? I'd be paranoid to go on public transportation and brave the crowds! Perhaps an English chauffeur waiting outside at all times could best complete your Englishman-in-the-rain look.
i love the outfit.. sadly, it's not something that will flatter my petite body type. or maybe it's just me. the prints are fabulous though.
NOUVEAU SKIN
Love the Uniqlo linen jacket and they have it in XS! Too bad they only ship to UK. We should have Uniqlo in Sweden too!! :(
Izzy: I have to confess that I spent most of the day inside looking glumly out of the window. Ha!
KC: It would definitely work if you switched the prints around, gingham shirt and linen trousers perhaps?
Tom: I'm always surprised to hear that Uniqlo haven't taken over the world just yet. EJ is still crying out for them to open a branch in Manchester. I'm sure they'll sort out European shipping soon though.
Have a read up on jackets - Hardy Amies wrote a good book I recall - you'll see why not all jacket buttons should be fastened.
You know my view on fold up umbrella's... a tipped collar and a newspaper would be preferable.
x
Mr Brown: I do tend to take notice of the jacket buttons rule but not in this instance. I feel this lightweight linen jacket needed the added shape afforded by having both buttoned.
Amies also said no turn ups...whoops. His ABC of Men's Fashion is sitting right next to me. I know it well but I don't blindly follow his rules. I know them only to tweak and disregard them. Have you read all of Hardy Amies' rules on style, if so I have a vision of you wearing a carefully mismatched outfit with a fur coat nonchalantly hung over one shoulder. It is 2010 not 1964. Things have moved on in style and men's fashion since Amies' penned his most celebrated work. Follow the rules by no means but don't expect everyone else to do the same on every occasion and in every instance.
Nice outfit and I really like how you've combined the differing tones of what is basically a single colour - apart from the pocket square and shoes that is.
Speaking of the shoes how are they wearing in?
The brolly's very Cath Kidston!
Great Look!
Nice outfit! And that linen jacket reminds me why I miss Uniqlo so much ... haven't made it to the NY store yet but I miss being able to walk into any of the London stores on one of my trips into the Big Smoke.
Wrong book me old son.
Amies book on the history of English tailoring.
Nothing to do with rules.
I'm not a believer.
Ps. That ABC till tat thing was written for the karzy I'm sure.
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