Before long a well-meaning partner will try to subtly instigate a strained shopping expedition or engineer the mysterious disappearance of various well-worn items from the wardrobe; yet these are but the death throes of a previous life stage, when such things mattered.
It’s game over from a style perspective – there are simply bigger fish to fry from here on in. And who is to say there is anything wrong with that, anyway? A second path does exist, however, for middle age is also when we begin to have a sense of our true self, of our enduring passions and interests, our dietary and exercise preferences, even our requirements in a life partner.
Style provides the keys to a lifetime of elegance and good taste
Matt Morley discusses the non-stop and expensive fashion revolution
There comes a point in most men’s lives when, with the endless novelties of fashion, keeping up appearances feels like increasingly hard work. In extreme
cases, even downright unreasonable. Be it for lack of time, willpower or resources, unless you happen to work for Dolce & Gabbana, life eventually catches up with you. Depending on the circumstances, reality typically starts to bite some time in our 30s or 40s and from then on things don’t get any easier.
The impact of a serious relationship at home, the arrival of kids, dogs, a mortgage and some kind of a regular exercise regime all translate into less free time and more responsibilities. Worrying about how you look when you walk out the front door suddenly isn’t such a priority anymore. Following fashion requires an ongoing investment of time, energy and cash in order to constantly renew one’s look according to the trends and seasons.
Fashion, therefore, like the latest cellphones, comes with a built-in shelf life. It is in a constant state of flux, of never-ending revolution, and a costly one at that.
All of which brings the average male adult to a common inflection point. One path ahead, and the default option for many, is to claim a complete disinterest in dressing to impress, relying instead on practical, riskfree outfits both at work and home.
White-collar workers can fall back on the corporate uniform of a business suit and all but the most progressive of creative agencies make do with a loose dress code of “smart casual”, meaning this step-change can often go unnoticed by anyone but the closest circle of confidants at home.
Before long a well-meaning partner will try to subtly instigate a strained shopping expedition or engineer the mysterious disappearance of various well-worn items from the wardrobe; yet these are but the death throes of a previous life stage, when such things mattered.
It’s game over from a style perspective – there are simply bigger fish to fry from here on in. And who is to say there is anything wrong with that, anyway? A second path does exist, however, for middle age is also when we begin to have a sense of our true self, of our enduring passions and interests, our dietary and exercise preferences, even our requirements in a life partner.
A second path does exist, however, for middle age is also when we begin to have a sense of our true self, of our enduring passions and interests, our dietary and exercise preferences, even our requirements in a life partner. The Greek philosopher Epictetus was on to something when he said “know first who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly”. Self-confidence and indeed self-awareness can only come from life experience that in turn allows us to dress for ourselves, with style, rather than for others, according to the dictates of fashion.
In fashion the only rules are the wearer’s creativity and appetite for pushing the boundaries. Style, on the other hand, is comparatively regimented, giving clear directions on what should and shouldn’t be worn in certain circumstances. In return for giving up that degree of freedom, however, the wearer secures the keys to a lifetime of elegance and good taste. Perhaps even more importantly, it reduces the number of choices required while getting dressed in the morning and makes shopping incomparably easy.
Style beats its own drum, moving at its own pace on the other side of the street from fashion, largely oblivious to her existence. Style may not innovate or venture too far outside its comfort zone but that is the whole point – it offers a tried and tested approach to dressing right every time, no matter what the situation. As the designer Yves Saint Laurent once said, “fashions fade, style is eternal”.
So while fashion deliberately attempts to reinvent itself every season, style sticks to what it knows, drawing on the knowledge of generations of snappy dressers who have gone before. And therein lies its enduring appeal. The building blocks of colour are, and have been for many years, a palette of neutral beige, grey, black, white and navy. In winter it is wool and cashmere, followed by lighter cottons and linen in summer.
The foundation stones of a fine suit (preferably Italian from someone like Sciamat in Milan), a well-cut shirt, smart leather shoes and a Swiss-made automatic watch give instant reassurance and can all be dressed up or down. Knowing that these pieces are not going to look foolish in five years’ time opens the door to treating each new purchase as a long-term investment rather than merely a quick fix.
Once you’ve got that worked out, and lined up the budget to back you up, the world of bespoke tailoring steps into the picture where your body shape, lifestyle, skin tone and personality provide the subtle inputs needed for a tailor to confidently create clothes that will fit like a second skin. Gently renewing the look from time to time is then all that’s required. A fresh pocket square or watch strap, for example; replacing the sole of a leather brogue or adding an elbow patch on a beloved blazer – small details that, when taken together, can make the difference between a forgettable outfit and one that is guaranteed to turn heads, no matter your age.
Photos courtesy of Sciamat, an Italian bespoke tailoring company. +39 080 3715426 sciamat.com