Victim (1961)
Homosexual acts were illegal in England and Wales until the Sexual Offenses Act in 1967. Despite the law, police in 1960s England tended to be somewhat lax about actually enforcing an antiquated law that even then seemed an affront to…
Essentials: The Trench Coat
During the Crimean War (1853 - 1856), tailor and entrepreneur John Emary outfitted British soldiers in coats made of a waterproof cotton he had developed for his company, Aquascutum (Latin for "water shield"). A couple of decades later, in 1879,…
Essentials: The Black Knit Tie
The solid black knit tie is the perfect tie. It's the no-brainer tie that goes with just about every shirt/jacket/suit combination. It's perfect with a crisp white dress shirt, a casual gingham shirt or even a good denim shirt. Of…
Essentials: The Great White Dress Shirt
If, for some reason, you only need one dress shirt in your closet, let it be the white dress shirt. It's the most versatile shirt you will ever own, appropriate for business, dress or casual. The right white dress shirt…
Essentials: The Weekend Bag
Summer is upon us, and it's time for weekending, which requires a smart weekend bag. Zara wouldn't ordinarily be on my radar for this, but as I walked home tonight down Broadway from the Upper West Side, I passed the…
Essentials: Chinos
Chinos are trousers made of chino cloth with origins in the British military in India from the mid to late nineteenth century. A staple of casual wear for decades, they are a man's wardrobe essential. Wearable with dress shirts or…
Essentials: The Garrison Belt
The Garrison Belt has its roots in the military as the Sam Browne belt, which was a heavy-duty leather belt for holsters and duty gear. The Sam Browne belt was characterized by the additional leather strap attached to the belt…
Essentials: Dress Socks
My hard rule about dress socks: show no skin. For some reason, the majority of dress socks I see in stores are really crew socks that don't cover the calf, causing the socks to slide down after taking a few…
Essentials: The Blue Suit
The modern urban hipster tends to spend a lot of energy and money on that thing called fashion. But when it comes to showing up appropriately turned out for a wedding, a funeral or an evening at the theater, they're…