I have my own little range of gentleman's accessories. These funny creatures were designed and are made for me by the funny creature called Ms ZaZa Delahey. I wear them as brooches. On a smart jacket they rarely fail to elicit admiring comments. I have been stopped in the street all over the place (well, all over Clerkenwell at least) by people asking about them. It is like having your arm in a sling or a small dog in handbag - a real icebreaker.
I recommend them for the shy, for the stylish, for those who like to make friends and for gentlemen for all ages and both sexes. You can of course pin them to a scarf or a bag but remember, each one is handmade so they are all slightly different. They are made in a range of fabrics and sizes. Each has his or her own personality. If you would like one yourself, go over and see my friends at
The Antique Beat Boutique.
There are more images
here and you can see David Piper wearing one in
this film with Marcella and The Puppini Sisters (Hey, that's my jacket too!)
If I am going for pret a porter, I like to shop at Sherrys on Ganton Street or Adam's in Portobello Green (although it is rather exhausting to go so far West). Old Hat at the bottom of Fulham Palace Road has to have the best formal vintage menswear in town. A more convenient but very-nice-too shop is Radio Days in Lower Marsh which offers the advantage of being near the delightful Scooterworks cafe.
Financial crisis allowing, it's always nice to have something made up. You can't really go wrong in Saville Row of course but a more modish (and modest) investment can be made at the excellent Threadneedleman's in Elephant and Castle or at Classic Cuts in Whitechapel. And, if it really has to be new and mainstream, then Dunhill or Daks it is. Phew.
My own strongly held feeling is that men over thirty should wear a suit or at least a jacket when out. Nice shoes are a must of course.
