Tattersall Tales

The exclusive photo (at port) depicts one of my Tattersall shirts in action. It is a fine number from W.H. Taylor. The Tattersall cloth is derived from the horse blankets used by Tattersall's horse market in London in the 18th century. I pair it with a Tweed jacket, denim or cord trousers, and brogues from Gaziano & Girling. However, I must report that I'm no longer able comfortably to fit into this shirt. Due to an intense weight-lifting regimen, my pecs, biceps, and shoulders have greatly increased in size. Also pictured is a Rolex Perpetual Datejust watch, a classic model first introduced by Rolex in 1945.

Über-Euro Males (WSJ)

'For starters, the Über-Euro male (UE) would never be seen carrying a man bag. He's a car keys, wallet and Marlboro Light carrier. Here's the subtext: "I drive an Audi/Aston/BMW/vintage Merc; my wallet (ancient Gucci, or more recent Bottega Veneta or Valextra) is full of platinum credit cards that, given my credit rating, I could never max out; and yes, I smoke, particularly in places I'm not meant to, during dinner, after a squash match and long before I remove my jacket or anything else on intimate or formal occasions."

The UE favors hair that is a little too long at the back. He likes the way the slight unruliness hints at youth and active endeavors (and he figures you will want to run your hands through it). His hair never looks freshly washed, neither does it look dirty. He uses a gentleman's pomade—likely the Blue Pomade hair wax from Geo. F. Trumper (£18)—to get that tousled look, and he has a barber in every city, who gets scissor-happy at his peril. His aftershaves are Creed (from £143 for 75mL), Aqua di Parma (from £47 for 50mL) and, more recently, Tom Ford, who is adept at creating great-smelling "old man/old school" fragrances (from £45 for 50mL).

Doriani in Milan is the store of choice for the Euro male. This old-school Italian tailor supplies him with his cashmere sweaters in vaguely feminine shades and his outré sport coats and ties. Blazers are the universal uniform of the UE (and his South American counterparts). But these are not finely fitted Gieves & Hawkes or even Dunhill models, complete with shiny gold buttons; they are deconstructed numbers from places like Brunello Cucinelli (linen, wool and silk, from £1,495), Boglioli (from £495) and Canali (water-resistant "Travel" blazer, £695). This type of blazer suggests confidence and a great physique, for only a man in good shape can wear deconstructed jackets without looking like a rumpled university professor.

My fashion friend describes the other part of the universal uniform of the UE thus: "This sort of superior Euro never wears socks in his suede driving shoes [Tod's, £235, or Car Shoe, £240]. He never gets a blister and his feet never smell. It's miraculous, really, but not quite as miraculous as the fact that Über-Euros never seem to put on weight and they are often kitted out in suits left to them by their father." Apparently, the UE is not an underwear man. "Commando," my friend says, decisively. "I think there's a special talcum powder that they wear to smooth the creases, from Santa Maria Novella."

A slightly baggy bottom in one's trousers and jeans is another sure Über-Euro indicator. UEs don't show off their physiques (they like to think women are attracted to their magnetic personalities and, anyway, they leave the "cute butt" stuff to the regular Euros). As a result, their jeans tend to be rather old-fashioned in cut (high) and make (Armani, or Acne if they are really pushing the envelope). If it's not jeans, then it's chinos, and here's where they will fly the American flag, with Ralph Lauren Black Label (£235).

UEs wear white to offset their omnipresent tans—but shirts only, and these are strictly from Charvet (cotton Oxford, £285), which they team, top button open, with everything from jeans to suiting. Incidentally, the UE does not sunbathe, he multitasks with an activity and a BlackBerry in hand—skiing, sailing and big-game hunting are all UE pursuits—and he eschews the gym for a game of squash (at Mayfair's Bath & Racquets club) or a run along the Seine, the Thames or the Hudson in his age-old Nikes, his Sunspel shirt and his baggy Fila tennis shorts.

While contemplating the suiting of the UE at Savile Row tailor Spencer Hart, which certainly has its fair share of UEs (one of whom, when he last visited, bought 15 suits in one go), I bump into man-about-town and stylist Tom Stubbs. "Stubbs," as he is affectionately known, has the air of a Dickensian dandy and a razor-sharp insight into the buying habits of his clientele. He knows what I'm talking about immediately.

"There are two types of Euro—the trendy and the classic. You're talking about the classic—the man with very expensive tastes and lifestyle, and enormously successful to boot," he says. Well, yes, but what do they do about their tailoring? "Spencer Hart, Cucinelli (the 1½-breasted suits), Rubinacci, Zegna or an old family tailor in Milan. Jackets from Piombo and Kitsuné, ties from Alexander Olch or Charvet (knitted silk)." Stubbs has definite views on the accessories of the UE, too. "Persol sunglasses, vintage Rolex 'Daytonas' on their wrist. If they wear a belt, it's the Hermès 'H,' and they always have lots of friendship bracelets to show they are spiritual, carefree types." I'm congratulating Stubbs on his insights when he stops me mid-conversation. "And, of course," he says, "they have a new poster boy." I'm guessing Lapo Elkann or Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann. Stubbs has other ideas. "Roberto Mancini," he says of the cashmere-scarf-wearing Manchester City manager. "It's gotta be him."'

"The Universal Uniform of Über-Euro Males: How to Perfect the Tanned, Sockless, White Shirt, Cashmere Sweater Look of This Billionaire Subclass," Wall Street Journal, 18 May 2012

Copyright 2012 Dow Jones & Company, Inc

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.

Summer Rolex Style

The end of summer nears, so what better time to go out with a bang? I am not given much to what I think the under-youth term blynge, but occasionally that is exactly how I roll. Discreetly, of course. The exclusive photograph (at left) shows a Rolex Oyster Perpetual in a two-tone style. I have owned this watch for several years, but rarely wear it now. It is definitely a style for an older gentleman. Indeed most of the chaps I see wearing a watch like this are well into their 50s and beyond. My uncle in Connecticut still occasionally wears one he acquired in the 1960s with the wages of a brief competitive surfing career in South Africa. (How I wish I had followed in his footsteps...!) In the photo I have paired my watch with a Brooks Brothers summer poplin suit with a 3/2 roll and a Brooks Brothers button-down shirt in ecru. If one is inclined to deploy a bit of flash in the timepiece department, I always say, it is best to balance it with more sober clothing.

Rolex Style

If you see me smiling, it is because I have something big, hard, and shiny up my sleeve. The exclusive photo (at left) shows my new timepiece acquisition, a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner, which I wrote about recently in this column. It is the new Submariner model introduced in 2010, featuring cerachrome bezel and solid lug and bracelet. The dial sports a bold black face, which certain people might find offensive; these people should be politely told to fuck off. I do plan to wear the watch whilst swimming, diving and spearfishing, for which it was intended. But in the meantime I wear it to the office, where I can be found pairing it, as in the photo, with a W.H. Taylor candy-striped dress shirt with spread collar and a Brooks Brothers 3/2-roll grey sharkskin sack suit made, I am told, from the skin of a genuine great white shark. Note, too, my deeply tanned hand; tan courtesy of the cocktail garden party circuit.

On The Wrist: Rolex Submariner

The day ends. A writing desk seems the perfect location to enjoy a glass of red wine in Stubbs & Wootton slippers and reminisce in vignettes. I shall keep this tale brief, as I have a cocktail appointment in mere minutes. Three years ago, right before my first marriage to an Arabian beauty, I sold my first Rolex Submariner watch. The reason was to help fund the proceedings, I told family and friends, but really--and be sure to keep this between the two of us--it was because I had heard through the Young Fogey network that Rolex were due to release an updated version of the Submariner in two or three years' time. I had to have it. And I (almost) always get what I want. So I invested the funds, as any prudent chap would do, and by the time the new watch hit the market I had saved more than enough; much more, in fact, than the cost of the original watch. Until, that is, I happily spent the dosh on a new and improved Rolex Submariner in totenkopf black face. Photos to come. The new timepiece is slightly larger and bulkier than the previous model, with a ceramic bezel, puffed-up lug, and solid steel bracelet, but without appearing like the absurdly over-sized men's watches--such as those made by Panerai-- currently favoured by under-sized Asian bankers and their under-sized admirers. It hits that balance between the jumbo timepieces currently in fashion with the bourgeois crowd, and the slim retiring watches from houses such as Patike Phillipe worn by the shy, elderly, and infirm. The new Rolex Submariner takes pride of place beside other Rolex pieces in the AC collection, where, like its owner, it stands as magnificent testimony to Teutonic engineering. Now I really must be going.

Rolex Milgauss

Rolex Submariner: For Cockpit or Cocktail Bar