Meet Our New Associate Editor
Finally, it’s time to put a face to the SLMan name. Maybe you’ve already seen Harvey James across the SLMan social accounts over the last month, but we want to introduce our new associate editor properly. So here he is, sharing some of the style intel that’s been hard won during a decade-long modelling career…
All products on this page have been selected by our editorial team, however we may make commission on some products.
Describe your style, Harvey…
Historically, I’ve always been drawn to cosiness. I think working from home and the instability of an 11-year modelling career forced me to seek comfort. At my lowest, I used to pine after a pair of puffer trousers. A final slither of self-respect meant I never did buy them, but Yohji Yamamoto’s AW25 show might make me 180 that decision…
I’ve drifted recently into more formal styles – nice trousers, derbies, loafers, playing with shirts, investing in a few suits, and expanding my outerwear options. I’ve acquired these through buying vintage, working with brands, and a few choice investment pieces.
Now, my look is somewhere in the loose definition of ‘preppy grandad’ and I feel my soul is deeply enmeshed with knitwear. I’ve known, loved, and become famous in my friendship groups for a few statement knits. I’m drawn to the pattern and textures of knits but, as a skinnyboi living in the UK, I’m also petrified of being too cold. All of this said, I do occasionally remember I’m not 70 years old and slip on some jeans and trainers too.
What influences your style?
Genuinely, it’s just the people of London. I think it was Samuel Johnson who once said, “Sir, when a man is tired of Londoners’ ’fits, he is tired of life.” So, yes, on top of knitwear, another compulsion of mine is to note precisely what people are wearing around me, how they’re wearing it, why it works, and why it doesn’t. It’s always from a place of love and it just fascinates me. It could just be the way someone pops a white collar over a blue crew-neck jumper and it cuts through the jumper so cleanly. Or how an older man might deftly balance his colour palette with shades of brown, beige and white. It’s all out there on the streets of London, and this is a pastime I will never get bored of.
It physically pains me to see how stylish Richard Biedul is. Other honourable mentions go to Tyler, The Creator, Cary Grant, COS, cinema (recently Il Chimera and The Producers), Drake’s, Jacob Elordi, my local vintage store Blue Feather, Matty Matheson, Depop, Pinterest and my Instagram feed. I suppose I have to mention Adam Sandler too for not giving a singular f*ck. I respect that.
And if you could have anyone’s wardrobe?
Tom Guinness styled the Church’s campaign I shot last year and had the most mouth-watering array of clothing present. It filled about half of an extremely cavernous, vaulted-ceiling room at St Giles House in Dorset. It was mostly vintage tailoring of every proclivity, plus separate trousers, belts, shirts, hats, and some sweet fair isle knitwear. That was a wardrobe to behold.
Tell us about a favourite piece…
As I mentioned before, I’ve been known for various jumpers throughout my life. One that I think is just wholly me is a vintage Trussardi jumper I got on Depop a few years back.
And the best city for shopping?
London. I don’t know if that’s true. It’s just that it is for me because I know how to shop it for all it’s worth. While modelling and travelling, one of my favourite ways to explore was by visiting vintage shops. I had a lot of luck in Paris on that front, but also in Nashville, San Fran and NYC.
What’s been your favourite place on your travels?
Los Angeles. It has a psychological grip on me. It’s the only place in my life where I’ve felt what it means to be truly free. I wasn’t pinned by anxious thoughts and I could just enjoy myself and exist. It’s experiences like that that change you as a person and are the reason you travel.
How do you shop?
I mix online, real-life and vintage shopping. I do tend to avoid shopping online where I can, though, to avoid having to return. I’m also blessed to live in London, where I can shop in interesting areas, discover brands, and return home with something unexpected.
What do you invest in?
Recently I’ve been investing in the holes in my wardrobe. I was in desperate need of a large winter overcoat. As a 31-year-old fashion writer, it was a travesty I didn’t own one. So, when I walked into A Day’s March in Soho and saw a gorgeous, large, double-breasted grey overcoat, I knew that was the one. Plus, it was on sale. Invest in staples and if you can get them in the sale, even bloody better.
And anything you don’t?
What’s the opposite of investing? Wasting? Yeah, I have been known to waste money buying trainers or hyped footwear I thought I’d make money on. Inevitably, I didn’t. But I’ve matured emotionally since then and I’m proud to say, I have transcended drop culture. I’m just about dressing well now.
Do you follow trends?
To an extent, yeah. Thankfully the trends in menswear don’t move at the brain-melting speeds of womenswear, so it’s possible to take what works for you at a natural pace. Trends allow you to accentuate and experiment with different parts of your personality and style. And the fact something is a trend means that if you hit it at the right time, people are almost primed to be receptive to it. Beware of the saturation point though. Some people might make the argument that to deviate from one’s style is to be inherently fake, or not true to oneself. But who is authentically one solid, unchanging personality throughout their life? We are fluid. The art of dressing well is a timeless one, and trends will always be ebbing and flowing. If you can engage with trends in a way that feels right to you and only requires a relatively minor change to your current wardrobe, then go for it. Just don’t make drastic changes overnight. Book yourself into a sauna, have a little chat with yourself, and see how you feel then.
Talk to us about accessories…
TAG Heuer, Rolex, Casio, Orient… My interest in watches is starting to deepen now that I’m building my collection, writing about watches more, and discovering the sheer diversity of styles and creativity in the horological world. I can see this becoming problematic.
What have you been wearing a lot of this year?
Generally, a trouser and knit combo. I love it. Even in the summer, I was wearing vintage Racing Green thick white cotton trousers that fit me perfectly with a lightweight brown John Smedley knit. Top tip: thin knits in the summer are perfect for our unpredictable climes. Also, since a beautiful SS Daley knit has come into my life, I’ve worn that on repeat and I’d say it’s the most complimented item of clothing I have ever worn. I’ve also been repeating a pair of grey vintage trousers I found in a vintage store in Berlin. The fit is perfect and they just mesh with my wardrobe in a way I didn’t comprehend until after buying them.
Finally, Harvey, you’re going out for dinner tonight. What are you wearing?
I like food spots where the food and the vibe are out-of-kilter. I want the food to taste like it’s been excruciatingly refined over a lifetime and the atmosphere to be yeah whatever. The epitome of this is The Tent (at the End of the Universe). It’s my favourite restaurant in London and it changed my expectations of what a restaurant can feel like. The food is very impressive too – shout out to John Javier. I want my clothing to reflect this dichotomy. I want to feel completely at ease in what I’m wearing but still deliver a squeeze of good style. I’d probably opt for a pair of suit trousers, chic knit, smart shoes, and my new A Day’s March coat. Did I mention I got a new coat?
Harvey’s 10 Pieces Every Man Should Own…
- A pair of black derbies. I recommend Dr. Martens (invisible stitching) or Paraboot. Good with jeans, good without jeans. Loafers are proving similarly versatile to me too.
- A pair of comfortable sneakers. I tend towards New Balance as I’m a sucker for the designs.
- A good suit. I’ve really been enjoying COS tailoring in recent years. You can use it separately as a blazer or trousers. People really need to remember that a suit exists separately.
- Jeans. I’m loving Agolde at the moment.
- A watch that can do it all. Mine is the OMEGA Seamaster with a grey rubber strap and orange stitching. It’s the best.
- A panoply of Uniqlo sock colours. I can’t stress this one enough.
- A stock rotation of good white t-shirts. Uniqlo, COS or Weekday. My go-to nice one is from Ami Paris.
- A fleece. Mine’s cream from ISTO. It’s just so versatile all year.
- A decent pair of sunnies. I will never forget the Zayn Malik x Arnette sunnies I lost last summer).
- A good cap for summer. And a beanie for winter.
…And His 5 Latest Purchases
- Large grey overcoat from A Day’s March
- Western belt from Weekday
- Docker cap from Vinted
- Brown trousers from Les Deux
- Green/yellow/white collared knit from COS
Follow @HarvJam
Photography: Victoria Adamson
With thanks to 1Warwick
All products on this page have been selected by our editorial team, however we may make commission on some products.
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