Your Spring Style Questions Answered
Your Spring Style Questions Answered

Your Spring Style Questions Answered

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In his latest style clinic for SLMan, Greg Zimmerman solves three more of your sartorial dilemmas. This time, our impeccably turned-out columnist is turning his mind to affordable blazers, classic shirt brands and how to make yourself look taller…
Photography @100HANDS

The first thing I’d say is: temper your expectations. Finding a great wool herringbone blazer for under £300 can be tough, but if you’re savvy and shop the sales, it can be done. Wool herringbone is traditional, so think classic brands like Ralph Lauren Polo, Sandro, Reiss, Hawes & Curtis, Massimo Dutti. Below are some options around your price point.

If you’re thinking about forever, about something long lasting, something you could hand down one day, consider upping your budget if possible – because if you invest wisely, this will be the last wool herringbone blazer you’ll ever buy. 

Important: there’s a lot going on with a herringbone blazer – combine it with a plain, light-coloured shirt to provide contrast. 

There are three brands I particularly rate for this…

Budd Shirtmakers is a destination store for so many of the world’s best dressed. In Piccadilly Arcade, it’s been around for over a century, making and supplying the finest bespoke, made-to-measure and ready-to-wear shirts from the cutting room above the shop. Its ready-to-wear casual linen shirts are perfect for this time of year. The straight bottom, side vents, breast pocket and easy cut make them ideal for weekends and holidays. And like a fine wine, the high-quality linen improves with age, softening and gaining character after every wash.  

Eton Shirts proves that ‘everyday’ doesn’t have to mean mundane. It reinvents classics for today with contemporary street-style elements incorporated in high-end materials. Made for leisure and casual occasions, the straight bottom means they drape perfectly and won’t be too long when untucked.

100 Hands creates its shirts with incredible Indian craftsmanship. It has a beautiful range of casual shirts, from denim and chambray to linen, cotton and soyella. From the traditional Oxford to the more modern one-piece polo, its range will appeal to all tastes and styles. It also offers a mobile made-to-measure service – handy. 

Wear high-waisted trousers. They’ll make your legs seem longer which will lengthen your silhouette. 

Tuck in your top. Leaving your shirt untucked will truncate your legs. Or if your long-line T-shirt hangs down to your knees, it will make your legs look shorter and highlight your smaller frame. 

Keep your outfits tonal or monochromatic. Monochrome outfits help the body appear slimmer. And when something looks slimmer, it usually looks longer. Wearing the same colour maintains your silhouette, creating a fluid line from top to bottom. 

Vertical stripes can also elongate your body and make you look taller. If you actually want to be taller, try a boot with a heel. Many style icons (think Harry Styles and Timothée Chalamet) boost their height with a Cuban heel or a chunky Chelsea boot, so why shouldn’t you? 

Finally, have a look at your posture. In this digital age, far too many of us spend far too long hunched over screens. This leads us to crouch over without noticing, even when we are away from the aforementioned devices. Stand tall, push your shoulders back, your hips forwards and your chin up. You won’t just appear taller, you will feel taller.

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