I wrote a little piece for the Rubato journal this weekend, about how good my children's instinct is for clothing. They nearly always give a good steer, I think because they're both very observant and know me very well.
You can read it here. The coat featured is of our English Tweed, worn with a Rubato knit and shot in New York last year by Oliver.
Simon –
Thanks for the sweet reflections on your children.
Apropos the English tweed coat – I really love how when worn open and with collar popped, the rounded feature of the lapel make it almost appear as a shawl collar. Beautiful.
I wonder if you have any thoughts to offer the English tweed coat in other colors (perhaps a nice dark charcoal) in the future? I have a heavy vintage burberrys tweed coat in more or less the exact same color and pattern as the current version and this put me off from purchasing.
Cheers,
RW
Hi RW,
Thank you, yes that’s nice isn’t it? Yes we’re looking at doing another colour for this autumn, so noted on the idea of dark charcoal
Lovely to hear that you’re thinking of new colors in the future. I think even pushing towards and off-black could be a nice way to put a little edge on this beautiful traditional shape.
Dark blue and/or navy would be neat choice.
Id put my vote on dark charcoal too. I am thinking of this coat for years now but the colour puts me of. I know its very versatile and you have show it with many combinations but something a little bit dakrer would be great too. By the way 2-3 days ago a grey one was posted on marrkt and was sold the same day.
Off -topic , but would love a dark brown or taupe!
Great Article and Outfit. Oliver knows his craft too!
Regarding R.W.‘s Comment: I would suggest a nice chocolate brown aswell. This is rarely found in RTW Coats but is such a rewarding and elegant yet modern looking color!
Ditto the kids having the most honest appraisal of an outfit . Especially daughters !
I think for all of us men who read PS the more important question / perspective is how your wife views your clothes ?
We’ve all had do deal with the ….
raised eyebrow ,
the inner voice ,
the feelings of guilt ,
the ,”Oh that ! No, I’ve had that since before we were married .”
the burying of new items beneath older clothes
etc etc
Although, someday we all hope to say like you Simon, “its for my work ” LOL
The “before we were married” line is harder to pull off when you have been married for over 26 years… even with “classic” menswear purchases!
The thing often said to me is “not another navy blue (fill in the blank)?”
But to give you hope she may have just accepted my obsession for (mainly navy blue) clothing after all this time.
My wife is of the opinion that I am continually in search of the perfect navy jacket, coat or sweater and haven’t found it yet!
Hi Simon,
Lovely observations about one’s children. For me it is my teenage grandchildren. And their best advice. “Keep your clothes, Grandpa. Every thirty years you will be in style.”
Cheers,
Jack Williams
Hi Simon – very refreshingly different take in these reflections. The tweed coat + rubato v-neck + white shirt look really lovely together. Is that rubato’s Fawn or a different color? Thanks.
It’s fawn, yes
Simon are you trying to imbue your children with some special talents?
When mine were growing up they always asked questions/expressed opinions/praised and criticised what I (and my wife!) were wearing.
The most forceful comment was insistence I took my tie off when I got home, because in their eyes tie = work.
Hi Simon,
As the father of two very young children, I look forward to the day when I they know better than me. For now though I have a little girl whose approach to fashion to take whatever useful information could be learned from your colour theory post on 10 Jan and do the opposite and a little boy who would spend the whole day in his pajamas and sleepsack if given the choice.
As my daughter’s favorite colour is purple, I did purchase a pair after running across your post “Subtlety and drama: The appeal of the purple sock”. They prove very popular whenever I put them on.
Best,
Will
Nice!
I’ve found the process of getting my daughter (3 1/2) dresses each day has taught me a bit. The colour palette is quite different to what I’m used to, and she also forces some combinations I’d never consider. It’s made me a lot more flexible in trying out ‘unthinkable’ combinations myself. While most don’t work I’ve had a few ‘winners’ as a result. On the whole her example has helped me to take a more playful approach to dressing.
Aaron, your comment made me smile as I also have a 3 1/2 year old daughter with very firm opinions about getting dressed (see my comment above). I find that sometimes a particular item of clothing must be worn that day, for instance a pink short sleeve shirt on a freezing cold day, and so the fun challenge is to find a the right combination of layers and colours so it looks like it was somehow planned. Also I agree on the different colour palette, though the eye I’ve developed for menswear translates well to the colours we dress her in. Sometimes I find that I’m taking a palette I would use and then adding a single element that can switch it from a fairly universal palette into something which looks distinctly appropriate for a 3 year old girl. For instance today I dressed her in mauve trousers, a brown & cream striped shirt, and a dusty pink wool jumper with an animal on it. The first two items were colours I would wear together while the pink jumper was the “little girl” factor.
One tip on brands, we have found that Polarn O Pyret produces clothes that last through hard wear by multiple kids, is really functional and warm for winterwear, and in a colour palette where everything kind of works well together. It’s not cheap but there are regular sales.
Lovely article Simon, thank you!
Have you had the chance to try Rubato’s new knit polos (what they call the ’Sportsman’) and cardigans? Would be interested in hearing your thoughts on them in terms of design & styling, especially compared to a more traditional knit polo such as the ones from William Crabtree, Trunk, etc.
Hey Nils,
I have, yes. The fit is great and I would prefer it to those others. I also really like the collar. But it has to be a shape you like – even though it is more moderate now compared to how they started out, the Rubato fit is still a little unusual.
In terms of styling the Sportsman is pretty straightforward, and I have the black which I love. If I could I would change the buttons for something smaller, but that’s it.
The cardigans are great but I haven’t worn the one I have (fawn) much. I think that’s cardigans as a whole rather than Rubato-specific reasons
Hi Simon,
Off topic, but have you ever considered doing an article on deodorants, in the same vain as your article on fragrances?
I currently use an Aesop spray on deodorant but it is currently out of stock. It has a nice smell but i’m not wedded to the brand, so when searching for something else I found a plethora of options (your standard ones available at most stores and more niche ones – natural, high end designer etc). I would ideally want one that is predominantly natural with a subtle fragrance that doesn’t overpower my perfume or mark my clothes. I’ve seen AKT which looks well designed and marketed but I am skeptical.
This might be a more intimate aspect than is usual for PS’s discourse but could be helpful to readers.
Tom
Thank you Tom. I hadn’t thought about it, but I certainly can. Thanks for the suggestion
“…and they’re keenly aware of the context we live in. They, like me, want the two to exist in playful harmony: free to express ourselves, rather than trying to express someone else.” Bravo, my friend; in this alone you’ve successfully furnished them with a baseline for contentment in any number of aspects of their lives. Just lovely.
Hi Simon,
Hope all well.
This really resonated with me. My Daughters (still young at almost ages 7 and 12) already love clothes and regularly show interest in everything from my neckerchiefs to my watches to my vintage coats etc. They are even into accessories of all types from my cuff links to their own wallets and purses etc.
The older one especially is really beginning to get it.
One of my favourites rituals now is when we are off out somewhere as a family, in picking out and selecting outfits together and seeing their tastes and interests develop.
I feel very privileged to be able to discuss my love of clothes with them both and have it reciprocated. Such a great shared pleasure!
My 9 .year old son has been saying for years “can I have that when I am older?” almost on a weekly basis. It could be something that was outwardly cool in his eyes (that may have made me look younger) or something that is a more mature that he has appreciated. I do like to mix up my styles quite alot. I have bought him stuff of over the years that I thought would suit him without turning him into a “mini me” as I have never liked that idea. But of course all he wants is sportswear and stuff that is for suitable for his age. I am hoping that I am priming him to have an interest in future. He can’t have mine as I’ll still be wearing them, until I’m in the ground.