I’ve quoted from that book before, because teenagers in the early 60’s in London were obsessed with style. The real modern jazz creation was realized from the American college boy Brooks Brothers/Miles Davis model of the same period. But he had rules (as did his female counterpart). Later those rules would stipulate that pockets, for instance, had to be cut at a strict 45º angle and the angle between the toes of one’s shoes and the cowling on one’s Vespa or Lambretta was very important.  Playing within those rules, he distinguished himself from the pack of rabid individualists. It might be the way he wore his watch, or the knot he used for his tie. It was most certainly the tailor’s touch in the cut of his suit. He was unthreatening in society, although he didn’t quite blend in, as he escaped into the clubs and tailoring shops.

In short, the Mod fit in and stood out, which is another way of saying that he had style. At least that’s the impression I get. What is your style quirk, the thing that goes largely unnoticed by the population at large and gets you the once-over by the Elegantologists in the crowd?

Now playing: “Catch Me If You Can” by Outasight (free download from iTunes this week.)

Outside of the fashionable trend to wearing workwear and “heritage” brands, two designers, in my opinion, have shaken things up over the last few years.

This guy, for whom dressing is performance art:

(No attribution, sorry. Found it here.)

And this guy, who sexed it up again (seriously,  have you seen his perfume ads? Sex sells.)

They are, respectively, a caricature of the early 60’s and an updating/toning down of the 70’s. I find this a bit of a shame, because the “average” guy is going to be convinced that he needs to wear something he shouldn’t necessarily wear.

Le me go on record as stating that traditional clothing will never go out of style, whether it’s Savile Row or Brooks Brothers based. Pleats, gentlemen, are nothing of which to be wary. Pleats do not look sloppy. Trousers that have not been fitted to you or are not being worn correctly look sloppy. A fuller cut “blade” suit isn’t baggy if it has been tailored to you, it is simply a different look. Witness Michael Douglas in Alan Flusser in “Wall Street” or Redford’s Gatsby in Ralph Lauren. The problem is that these traditional looks were coöpted by designers and, like the Zoot Suit, taken to extremes. Football player padded shoulders, triple pleats, sack suits with no shape whatsoever, and unstructured garments incorrectly cut to suit everyman (Armani suits rely on the rigourous cut to keep their shape as they are unstructured) added to the general distaste for dressing up.

Today’s designers seem to think that everyman is very thin and fit. I hope that’s more the case, but I’m not sure it is. I say improve upon what nature has granted you by carefully selecting your clothing and having a good realtionship with your tailor — bespoke or alterations. It is the difference between looking good and just being good looking. Be comfortable in your own skin and have your clothing comfortably fitted to follow the lines of your body instead of fitting you like a second skin.

Unless, of course, you are as fit as Mr. Ford. In which case, flaunt it while you’ve got it and leave seam allowances of at least an inch in the event that you age less gracefully than anticipated.