I generally avoid colourful shirts, preferring white, as we all should. But where dress shirts are concerned I occasionally make an exception. And when I do I keep it simple and classic. Depicted in the photo (at left) is one of my butcher's striped shirts from W.H. Taylor. It's an old Jermyn Street design and typically associated with financial workers in the City. The pattern actually originates with the striped aprons worn by butchers, which in turn derive from the blue and white crest of the ancient Butchers Guild, hence the name. The alternating blue and white stripes measure slightly under .25" and a full .25" respectively. Pair this sort of shirt with relatively sober-looking suit and tie. Dressing well, it is true, is a balancing act and requires attention to detail, but don't lose sight of the larger picture.
11 October 2011
Butcher's Stripe
I generally avoid colourful shirts, preferring white, as we all should. But where dress shirts are concerned I occasionally make an exception. And when I do I keep it simple and classic. Depicted in the photo (at left) is one of my butcher's striped shirts from W.H. Taylor. It's an old Jermyn Street design and typically associated with financial workers in the City. The pattern actually originates with the striped aprons worn by butchers, which in turn derive from the blue and white crest of the ancient Butchers Guild, hence the name. The alternating blue and white stripes measure slightly under .25" and a full .25" respectively. Pair this sort of shirt with relatively sober-looking suit and tie. Dressing well, it is true, is a balancing act and requires attention to detail, but don't lose sight of the larger picture.
Blue and white butcher stripes is by and large a young man's shirting. When you get old, and your hair is white (if you still have it), the pink and white butcher stripe works much better.
ReplyDeleteAdmiral, Must look magnificent paired with blonde hair, blue eyes and a tanned physique...
ReplyDeleteAs usual: fantastic. My OCD is alerted to the fact LBF's bezel is five minutes off, however.
ReplyDeleteGiggling at AEF's comment, we all have your imagined portrait in oils above our desks.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting about the butcher's stripe, I wonder why Jermyn St gentlemen adopted such a obvious guild/trade pattern?
Good stuff. I always think of it as a summer shirt and a great one to take on holiday on the Riviera.
ReplyDeleteshirt might look rather neat with a very thin gold watch also.
ReplyDeleteMon Amiral,
ReplyDeleteDo the baker and the candlestick-maker have stripes of their own?
LBF,
ReplyDeleteyour Rolly is behind in time, about 20minutes to the post!
Thailand made?;-)
Just kidding, as it seems more likely that you just have to many Rollies to keep all of them in the correct time;)
Perfect combo, looked like this in the office yesterday myself!
Have a good day
Solid look old chap.
ReplyDeleteShort Back and Sides ~ I'm quite sure the stonecutters have their own stripes.
ReplyDelete@w.adam mandelbaum esq.:
ReplyDeleteHear! Hear!
@Anon:
ReplyDeleteOld men in pink shirts are ludicrous.
Anonymous (@Anon) - Don't be ridiculous. All men over the age of say, 8, look lovely in pink!
ReplyDeleteThe last sentence is especially important.
ReplyDeleteOstentatious wristwatches and readers who seriously suggest pink butcher stripes.
ReplyDeleteWhat's this blog coming to?
"Ostentatious", claims the man whose own watch came from a vending machine.
ReplyDeleteThomas & GGG ~ I configured my watch in such a way as to flush out the iGents! ;-)
ReplyDeletePeople are always complaining about how blogs change. People should shut up and let the bloggers just do their own thing. Plus, men love watches, its no need for words like ostentatious. This Rolex is a classic. James Bond wore it!
ReplyDelete@LBF: Makes Sense-didnt work though;-)