Prince Charles

Happy Birthday Sir

Love of an old suit

In their blog, the apprentices of Saville Row tailor Anderson and Sheppard tell the story of their Managing Director/Head Cutter Mr. Hitchcock and the box of fabric remnants left from suits made for the Prince of Wales that he keeps under his cutting table. The accompanying photos showed the before and after of one of the Prince's suit jackets, which he harmlessly left hanging on the back of a chair. While unattended the jacket skirt was shredded by a dog. Somehow Mr. H was able to make it right, using saved fabric.

Mr. Hitchcock will soon be called upon to right another suit casualty. Prince Charles is catching grief for repeatedly wearing a hastily patched suit. Seven times in the past several months Charles has been spotted wearing his favorite suit in not like new condition.

His peeps contend he'll have it repaired while on holiday, there's no call for DB during grouse season.

What would the Queen wear?

From our friends at Graphjam.com

I envy the stamina and dedication to duty the Queen of England has. Every day, same stuff different day, it's got to grate at some point, yet she puts on her smile and faces the crowds day after day.

Having dolts for children may be her worst failing, one of the few occasions she let down the side. Britain has survived worse than Charlie, hopefully they will survive him as well.

Vogue chased the Queen down to finally put paid to the question of what colours does HM favor for her public outings. The answer?

4% Yellow

11% Green

29% Blue

10% Purple

11% Cream

10% Pink

4% Red

4% Orange

13% Floral

2% Black

1% Checked

1% Beige

Now you know too.

toad

Happy Birthday Chuck

"Trust not," warned Carlyle, "the heart of that man for whom old clothes are not venerable,"

For those interested in clothing, today's birthday boy, Prince Charles, the original clothing recycler, is heaven sent. Consider his wardrobe. Poster boy for keeping your size in check, much of his wardrobe is older than his children. It's alleged that most of his tweeds belong to his grandfather, King George VI.

Below are a few photos of his favorites through the ages.

The photos above from Maxminimus and the Anderson Sheppard book, taken certainly within the past several years. A handsome jacket. Ever seen it before?

HRH is not above getting full use from his John Lobb Oxfords. Going on 40 years now, and just about broken in.


Something sporty for Royal Ascot? Charles isn't amongst the wear it once crowd.





Tweed coats?



Hatter James Lock is next door to John Lobb. Not that he gets there often.

Early on he latched on to what was then the unfashionable double breasted suit, and made it his own. His style, was no style yet over time it became HIS style. It works beautifully.

He is rightfully one of the best dressed men on the planet, due primarily to unerring consistent taste nurtured over a long time.

Happy Birthday Sir.

Toad

It sounded like a good idea at the time

Not long after Christmas, taking advantage of a J Peterman sale, I acquired 2 double breasted cotton twill jackets. One screaming yellow, the other Georgia Bulldog red. At the time they didn't fit well, but they didn't have to in January, besides my investment was minimal.

So now it is June, they do fit, but what was I to do with screaming yellow? It's a tad loud, and not in a good way. There is nothing subtle about this coat.

Double breasted jackets come with rules. Since they are more formal than singles, the shirt is expected to be more formal, hence no button downs, and look better with a tie. DB's must also be kept buttoned. An unbuttoned DB looks sloppy. When in doubt about how to wear DB take a gander at almost any photo of Prince Charles, he usually does it right, except when... I blame the wife.

So I have this formal jacket in an particularly unformal shade, in which I fully intend to break most of the rules while wearing. It's a summer jacket after all! For starters I had to turn the flavor down a few notches. Two days soaking in the pool worked like magic, and provided another opportunity for Mrs. T to counsel about how I took a perfectly good coat and now it looks 10 years old. That's how I knew the color was perfect.

Now the coat needs a bath to get the chlorine out, a good pressing, someone to stand straight while wearing it, and it's ready to go.

I've tried the same pool treatment on the red, it just won't fade. Currently it's hanging outside in the sun. I've no call for a Bulldog red coat, but I can visualize the faded hunting coat red it could be.

I've got time.

Toad

Prince Charles - Birthday Boy

Talk about a tough job. A truly bifurcated life. Before mom dies, after mom dies. It would make anyone schizophrenic. Today's birthday boy is perhaps the most misunderstood man in the world, a dreamer, or the village idiot, and those that know which aren't telling.


Father, husband, sportsman, car guy, businessman he has done it all, every step of the way in the public eye, receiving a daily deluge of controversy for every utterance, idea and articulated thought he may have. For the most part, he has borne his responsibilities well, marching to his own drummer.

I like the guy, mostly for speaking his mind, forcefully when necessary. Anyone who is a thorn in side of greed heads and land rapers gets my vote. Hell of a dresser too.

Happy Birthday, Charles

Toad

Obsession

Three photos. Three summer looks. I'm besotted

The first shows Prince Charlie at a Cartier Polo match.

It's rare to see the Prince in public looking so casual. Must be the new wife. Perfectly turned out of course. Usually he looks like he has a stick up his *** . Today he simply looks well dressed.

The next photo from The Sartorialist. Ah, to be so young, or so trim. I love this jacket.


Simultaneously, casual, formal, and elegant. Note the opposite of ADG's conceit with the open ticket pocket. There's something about white linen jackets in the summertime.




Finally, also from The Sartorialist. I think this is perfect, and not just for West Palm or Miami Beach. There is something so right about the color. I've kidded myself into thinking I could pull this off, without looking like the Great Pumpkin.

Having spent the last week searching for orange linen jacket material. This is as close as I've come.



I'm just not sure it's heavy enough.

Toad