Black Suit Moan

Just a quick word on the subject of black suits. I spotted a young chap wearing a three-button, single breasted black suit this morning. He came perilously close to upsetting my natural rhythm. I happened to be meeting with his boss at the time, and so I immediately asked him to send the boy home. The reason being, I can not abide black suits. In fact I abhor them. Black suits are symptomatic of the lazy, unimaginative style which is driving this civilisation on the rocks.

Skull & Crossbones Belt

I am a sucker for the skull & crossbones motif. I like it on belts, shirts, slippers, even brogued oxfords. This may come as a surprise, as I am not one to follow trends. But what can I say? The flesh is weak.

So it is with some consternation that I confess I recently broke down and purchased the above skull & crossbones Nantucket belt from A. Tierney on a recent business trip to New York City. Something about it appeals to me, though I would be hard pressed to identify what, exactly. The upside down skull & crossbones, I like to think, lends it a slightly sinister air.

I am not certain that I will even wear it in public. The bright red colour almost guarantees that it will attract notice. And in my case, that is not always a good thing. The last time I wore something so silly--a pair of bright green Brooks Brothers bermuda shorts with little navy whale motifs throughout--I overheard a disparaging remark from a fellow diner at a beachside restaurant. When I confronted the offender, he quickly apologised--under threat of violence, mind you. Which was fortunate, as we were both completely legless at the time.

If I do decide to wear the A. Tierney belt, I will of course submit a write-up here should anything untoward ensue, such as, say, a public bout of fisticuffs. In the meantime, I am starting to buckle under the effort required to stop myself from picking up a pair of skull & crossbones oxford brogues from Barker Black. Say a prayer for me, if you would.

Bermuda Shorts and Tassel Loafers

Around this time of year my thoughts turn to warm weather. And that means shorts. Bermuda shorts in colours such as pink, red, light blue, and lime green go well with plain white polo shirts or OCBDs. I pair them with boat shoes or flip-flops for summer. Bermuda shorts and tassel loafers are two of my favourite things. But unlike the gentleman in Bermuda in the photo (above), I rarely wear them together. And never with socks and a navy blazer.

Overheard in New York

Overheard at Jade Bar, Gramercy Park Hotel, New York City, Friday January 25, 2008 @ 11:34PM:

Girl: “What do you do?”

Guy: “What do I do. By day or by night?”

Girl: “Both.”

Guy: “By day I work in banking. By night I drink and f*ck.”

Scarlet Surf at Ho'okipa

Man With A Spear

For a hunting man, there is nothing quite so agreeable as stalking and impaling an elusive creature, whether it be a big Nassau Grouper in the Bahamas or a young blonde hottie in Laguna Beach. The photograph (above) shows me swimming off Pink Sand Beach at Harbour Island in the Bahamas. I am aiming my Riffe speargun at a large Southern Stingray (Dasyatis americana), whilst my friend Trevor hovers in the background. Whenever I visit my property in Dunmore Town, I make sure to put in a few days' spearfishing. During one spearfishing trip to nearby secluded Man Island, we encountered several Bull Sharks. Barracuda were also to be seen. Afterwards, we returned to Harbour Island and partied in town, later repairing to Elle Macpherson's cottage for drinks.

Creed Royal English Leather

As you know, I have been a devotee of Creed fragrances since I was a young man.

The first Creed scent I acquired was Royal English Leather. As the name indicates, it is a rich leather fragrance with an intimation of tangerine in the top notes. It is a long-lasting perfume, without being overwhelming. I apply it once in the morning. Even after a day in the office and the gym, and then spending an evening in sweat-, alcohol- and pussy-soaked debauchery, followed by a shower or two, I can still detect REL on my skin the next morning. Amazing. This scent's lasting power is about as legendary as mine, which is really saying something. The fact REL was first created in 1780 for King George III warms my Royalist heart.

The House of Creed is a private firm owned by the France-based Creed family. President and Master Perfumer Olivier Creed is responsible for many of the range's most famous scents, including my other favourites Green Irish Tweed and Millesime Imperial, and is a noted yachtsman and polo player. I recently met his son and next-in-line, Erwin Creed, at the Neiman Marcus store in Newport Beach. He is a charming and capable young man and we should have every confidence in the continued success of the firm in his hands.

If I wore a hat, I would take it off to the House of Creed.