Shades - Most Exerent

PG's supremely sharp vintage Ray Ban aviators.

Patrick Johnson

"Praise from Caesar is praise indeed" is a favourite expression of mine, so anyone who comes recommended by the god of ties - Mr Michael Drake - is someone I want to meet. And today I did.

Patrick Johnson is an Adelaide born Sydneysider, by way of London and Holland. A tailor by way of wine making, and a fantastic guy by way of his general being. Operating out of Paddington in Sydney and another store in Melbourne, Mr Johnson is passionate about men's clothing, and shares my belief in educating the next generation of stylish and classically dressed young men with product that is accessable and service that is never pushy.

Ranging from $1500 and up, Mr Johnson's Made to Order suits are available with all the bells and whistles to keep the younger generation excited, but all the fit and classicism to give them something their boss will admire. Shoulders are light but still have a sense of regality, the quarters closed enough to ignore trends, and the overall feel a perfect blend of Sydney and Lago di Como.

Patrick Johnson

www.pjohnson.com.au

Chewie

Chewie's ability to mix patterns amazes me.

Summer

It's all about fresh fruit.

Polished - The Crockett & Jones Alex

A version of a wholecut made on the 348 Last - Crockett & Jones' longest and most Italianate last - the Alex is much like the Edgware, but pared back to it's cleanest and most elegant line.

This pair was specially ordered by a young gent getting married in a fortnight, and I figured a polish is the least I could do to have them dinner suit ready. Along with a bespoke square end bow tie I produced, I really feel that I have invested some effort into making sure he looks the part on his big day. And there is something extremely satisfying about that.

Lives of quiet desperation

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life…"

Henry David Throeau

Value

My old pair of C&J Audleys - looking the business still after many years.

Being an avid reader of the exploits of my friend over at mostexerent, I am struck by how often the issue of value vs price comes into play, and agree fully with PG's succinct explanation of it;

"There really is no cheaper alternative. You get what you pay for. "

Pg hits the nail on the head here for me in an issue that I think more and more defines the sort of peron you are - living within your means is the most liberating stance you can take in the evolution of your style, but to live within your means doesnt mean settling for what is cheapest, it means having less but having better. A single great cigar, once a month, with one great meal is better than a hundred cheap smokes. Likewise with clothing, to be "cheap" often does you more disservice in the way you treat your own things. If you have two great pairs of shoes and three well cut suits, all of which you treat with something like reverence for the joy they bring you to wear, you will always look sharp.

So, for myself at least, after many years dealing with all things classic menswear, I have come to this conclusion - cheap is always just cheap. Less, but better, is the path of the quality man.