Hip to be square

Apologies for the lack of posts recently – I’ve just got back from a trip to sunny Munich. Of which I feel I must mention: the German male’s reputation for poor dress sense is, in a large number of cases, completely unwarranted.

I was particularly impressed with the proliferation of smart casual wear  (jeans paired with polos/shirts, accessorised with well-cut jackets and good shoes), which is perhaps indicative of the fact that Bavarians see themselves as more akin to Italians than the Germans as a whole. The confidence to dress up, albeit in quite a simple, unfussy way, gave the men of Munich an elegance that I very rarely see on the streets of London – but as this article in today’s Guardian shows, perhaps there is some latent desire amongst the English to revive their traditions of formality.

Photo: Richard

I have to confess a love of pocket squares – not overly flamboyant ones, especially with a work suit – and I reckon they’re yet another way to add some style to an outfit with very little effort or outlay. Silk squares are often thought to be the norm, but you can get equally good results with a patterned cotton handkerchief – so don’t feel the need to keep that stalwart of gentlemen’s accessories buried out of sight.