Gentlemen, A Timeless Guide To Menswear is one of those menswear books that is a comprehensive delve into the world of menswear, though you can get a lot of what his principles are and a portal into his world by following his Instagram account which is more current and sees him visiting his favourite tailors regularly.
To get a sense of his basic principles I found an interview in which he states in a group of ten commandments:
5. “It’s difficult to create rules that apply to everybody, because everybody is different. One of the few rules that seems to apply always is this one: Watch out for harmony of proportions, unless you deliberately want to create an effect based on disharmony. Here’s an example: When I wear a close-fitting suit I will complement it with narrow shoes with thin soles, a hat with a narrow brim and a close-fitting overcoat. When I wear a 1940s style double-breasted suit with pleats and wide trousers, I would pick a generously cut raincoat with Raglan sleeves and a hat with a higher crown and a wide brim.”
4. “I also apply the idea of harmony to the style I choose. I never mix English style with Italian style or middle European style. This doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t wear an English raincoat over an Italian bespoke suit because this would be a very Italian thing to do. It means that I wouldn’t wear a scruffy old Barbour jacket with a smart Italian suit, because it is very English to see an extremely worn out garment as more beautiful than a new garment.”
3. “Every outfit that you wear may contain one eccentric detail — but be careful if there are more than two. If you wear red socks with a dark blue suit and black shoes, you do not need a red pocket handkerchief.”
If you have time, check out his Instagram here - he is worth following because his is a lifelong pursuit and refinement of his personal style.
Bernhard Roetzel (@bernhardroetzel) • Instagram photos and videos