The contemporary dandy must, as has been well established, dress for himself. However, one must bedeck oneself in habit appropriate for occasion and circumstance from time to time. With the truly oceanic array of event and jamboree for attending at this diverse university, there comes the opportunity for a great depth in outfit. A depth in outfit is not synonymous with wardrobe content, however. A man with a few cotton articles and a kingly imagination can create an ensemble tenfold more splendid than a man with 100 silken articles and a lacklustre mind for fashion.
With this in mind, this week let us consider the ways in which the Oxonian squire can gather together the youthful folds of his attention to collate an outfit from his existing wardrobe for the occasion which calls for what many would call ‘smart-casual’. The cornerstone of fashion transcendence is a prudent adaptability in clothes-choice. Once again the dandy can approach the problem presented to him with flair and panache simply by opening his mind to the endless posSibilities at hand. He need not purchase an entire new selection of clothing nor indulge in any fancy couture.
With smart-casual, the combinations are endless. A jacket should always be close at hand, and trousers of the variety jean, corduroy, chino and flannel can all be slipped on. All manner of shirts and shoes can be worn with this outfit category, too. Some gents will even venture to accoutre themselves with a pair of trainers in this modern era of experimentation and progression. Indeed, footwear of a sort more rugged can certainly be a sensible choice: one wouldn’t want to venture to a garden party in a pair of Turkish slippers – the lace might be irreparably smirched.
Often one will find that the most important element of a smart-casual outfit comes with a decent top-layer. A sports-jacket often works well. (It should be noted, here, that the nomenclature for jackets and coats is interchangeable. A friend of mine often as- serts that “only potatoes have jackets.” This is nonsense: many of the most esteemed tailors will refer to these garments as either jackets or coats. Name the item as you please.) If you do have a particular design to purchase a new blazer or sports-jacket, then be bold in colour choice. While a navy or steely blue works well in many smart-casual settings, surely these colours do not match the audacity of a hot colour! One can really make a statement with a mauve or a citrus.
Indeed, one of my fondest fashion memories was while watching Henry V at the Old Vic. I was then myself furnished in finery which would certainly fit the category ‘smart-casual’. I wore a pink blazer with white piping. The stage was set for a royal scene – not for the play itself, of course. All eyes were on me as I sat in the boxes. As the actor playing the king was about to deliver his “once more unto the breach” speech, the lighting changed, and I gleamed, dazzling in the rays, resplendent in my hot pink glamour! Next week, we’ll have a look at nightwear.
