Simon is barely our second reader profile from outdoors the UK. He lives in New York, though after we speak on the cellphone he’s truly in Washington DC, having simply landed on the crimson eye from Arizona.
Simon travels rather a lot. He’s a journalist and his travels drive a whole lot of his wardrobe, which needs to be sensible off digicam but additionally presentable on it. Though this may be restrictive, it’s additionally launched him to many little outlets and types, from Miami to Belfast.
Having met at our pop-up store in New York final yr, it was nice to have the time to speak to Simon extra – about his time as a DJ, about menswear silhouettes, and about comfy sneakers for the (barely) older man.
Outfit 1:
- Jumper: The Actual McCoy’s
- Linen knit shirt: The Actual McCoy’s
- Socks: Rototo
- Trousers: P44s, The Actual McCoy’s
- Trainers: New Stability
Inform us concerning the type of journalism you do, Simon.
Effectively I labored for a few years within the UK for Panorama, as an investigative reporter. After that I used to be the present affairs correspondent on The One Present for a white. And now I work for Al Jazeera within the US – I’m the senior reporter on the investigation workforce. So a whole lot of shifting round, a whole lot of interviews.
Are you able to put on garments like those pictured on the job?
The informal items like this primary outfit, certain. The job has two phases actually: on display screen and off display screen. In the course of the off-screen half I can put on what I would like, issues which might be very me.
I can’t put on garments that take an excessive amount of preparation – shirts that want ironing, trousers that want urgent – as a result of it’s simply not sensible. However I costume in very practical garments anyway, so it’s straightforward. I’d put on the outfit proven right here for a espresso within the morning in New York, but additionally yesterday strolling round in Arizona.
And if you’re on display screen?
If I do know I’ll be doing interviews on display screen, or a get up, then I’ll put on one thing smarter – but additionally that doesn’t stand out. I believe most journalists would agree that the purpose along with your clothes there may be to not distract from something you’re saying.
I bear in mind within the days once I was doing The One Present – the place it might be two days of travelling, two days of taking pictures on display screen – I drifted right into a type of Ivy League look: chinos, button-down shirt, jumper. It was nameless. The shirt would have been OrSlow, the jumper from Scotland, however it might be quite simple.
The garments you’re sporting listed here are slightly extra characterful than that, although.
True, and generally I’d tone it down slightly. Yesterday I used to be sporting these identical Margaret Howell trousers with only a navy jumper and a few Alden loafers, for instance.
However truly I discover as I become older – I’m turning 50 this yr – I can put on extra fascinating issues. I believe if I’d worn white trousers like this 20 years in the past, it might have been seen as extra of a vogue selection, but it surely doesn’t now. A part of it is likely to be that I’m simply extra comfy in these garments – they’re very a lot me, they swimsuit who I’m, and I’m used to them.
Are the trainers a part of that journey too?
Sure, partly. I used to put on Converse on a regular basis – excessive tops, low tops, with all the things. However strolling round New York all day I ultimately felt the impact of getting no help in any respect – it was killing my again.
And these felt like a very good compromise – they’re not the hyper-cool coach that an advert exec wears, to attempt to look down with the youngsters. However they’re not the outdated particular person’s comfort-is-everything coach both: the type of factor a politician wears to a convention.
Outfit 2
- Flannel swimsuit: Drake’s
- Denim shirt: Classic, from Entrance Basic
- Undershirt: Classic, from Entrance Basic
- Pocket handkerchief: RRL
- Socks: Drake’s
- Footwear: Black-scotchgrain longwings, Alden
How did you get into extra traditional, crafted menswear?
That was a operate of journey. My work has meant that I’ve lived in DC, Belfast, travelled nearly all over the place all over the world. And in every place I discovered completely different kinds, was uncovered to new issues.
I bear in mind strolling into The Bureau in Belfast, and seeing a raft of manufacturers I hadn’t seen wherever else. Then Oi Polloi in Manchester. In Florence I found classic locations, and little menswear outlets that you simply couldn’t purchase wherever else. This was partly earlier than social media too, pre-2010 or so, when there was a lot much less consciousness.
I bear in mind once I first discovered your web site, I used to be stunned that everybody knew about these manufacturers – that it was a a lot larger world than I’d realised.
Do you continue to search out these sorts of locations if you journey?
Sure, completely. The wonderful thing about the web is that now once I know I’m travelling someplace, I’ll search for whether or not there’s a pleasant little classic store I can go to.
So there’s an amazing classic store in Denver I went to as a part of a piece journey for instance – La Pretty I believe it’s known as. There’s Provide & Advise in Miami, that’s nice. And once I lived in Brooklyn I’d go to Entrance Basic, the place this shirt and undershirt are from.
Final yr I went to Tokyo for the fifteenth time, and irrespective of what number of instances I am going there I at all times uncover one thing new – some cities are simply constructed like that, so large and so arrange for small retail.
This second outfit is smarter – is that this the type of factor you put on at present if you’re on display screen?
Smarter than this actually – this Drake’s swimsuit however with a shirt and tie. Though, sporting a tie on TV now nearly looks like an excessive amount of: as a result of so few folks put on them, sporting one would possibly stand out greater than not sporting one.
I put on this swimsuit with a tie once I’m giving speeches at conferences although, and the night time earlier than these pictures had been taken I wore it to an awards ceremony in New York, with the identical denim shirt and handkerchief, since you could be a little bit extra expressive there.
Outfit 3:
- M65 area jacket: Classic, The Classic Showroom
- Trousers: Margaret Howell painter trousers
- Beanie: Drake’s
- Jumper: Margaret Howell
- Boots: Alden Indy boots
- Bag: Classic
The M65 right here appears nice, the place was it from?
From The Classic Showroom in London, again after they had the shop. A lot of my data about garments comes from speaking to managers of classic shops, who 99% of the time are extremely useful and pleasant.
I truly bought caught in London throughout Covid, and The Classic Showroom was one of many solely outlets that was open. It was about 100 metres from the Air BnB the place I used to be staying, so I used to pop in most mornings and simply have a chat.
They’d a primary mannequin M65 and I’d at all times needed one. It’s onerous for me to seek out classic although, being a much bigger man. Every thing is at all times too small. So once I tried this one and it match completely, it was a finished deal, no brainer. I really like classic sweatshirts too, however throughout their 50 years of existence they’ve all been washed a thousand instances, and now they’re all tiny.
How did you get into classic clothes?
My curiosity has come and gone over time. The primary time was most likely once I was rising up within the mid-eighties: the style was Lacoste and Lyle & Scott knits, with Sta Prest trousers, however lots of people would search out earlier, uncommon variations of the knits in vibrant, lurid colors.
Then once I was 18 and 19, I used to be DJ’ing and the music was funk, Northern Soul. Everybody there would costume in classic from the fifties. They’d put on white-collar shirts, vests, leather-based jackets, all from classic markets round London. I didn’t put on most of it as a result of it felt like costume to me when it was all collectively, however I noticed it and appreciated it, and adopted the odd piece.
In my twenties classic wasn’t actually consideration, it was new manufacturers – Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein – and I used to be working too onerous to essentially take into consideration clothes a lot. However then classic got here again round in my thirties, simply because I noticed extra folks sporting it, stuff you couldn’t get in regular outlets.
I vividly bear in mind seeing this older man sitting on a bench in New York, sporting an incredible, thick suede overshirt with a crimson beanie. It regarded about 100 years outdated. I attempted to seek out one thing related all over the place, however with none luck.
I’ve been eyeing one in Drake’s, but it surely’s $2000! Perhaps certainly one of lately. With the crimson beanie that would definitely be a really present look.
It sounds such as you’ve honed your style over time.
Yeah, I believe once I was youthful I’d be very influenced by each store I went into – it might be about making an attempt to put on what they had been providing. As we speak I’ve a a lot clearer thought of what I like and what fits me, so it’s extra a case of going into a store and seeing what fascinating issues work with that.
Is the bag classic as effectively?
Sure. Some time in the past I went to Brimfield, this large antiques market upstate. I didn’t discover something there, however on the best way again I dropped right into a classic store in Sag Harbour, on Lengthy Island, and located this nice outdated bag.
Do you assume you swimsuit larger items like that, as a much bigger man?
I by no means considered it truly, however you’re most likely proper. Folks do remark that it’s the most important bag like that they’ve seen, but it surely by no means feels large to me – most likely due to my peak. I must restore it truly, I’ve finished that a couple of instances with an outdated pilot’s bag of mine, and this wants some consideration too.
It additionally jogs my memory of a profit I discover in websites like yours: explaining why issues work and don’t. I don’t learn guides to discover ways to costume, however from time to time certainly one of them will clarify one thing effectively. On this case, it jogs my memory of a degree I learn that garments are rather a lot about silhouette – this scale of bag works with the silhouette of my form and the type of garments I put on.
I bear in mind years in the past I purchased an enormous Stetson hat, and thought I regarded 1,000,000 {dollars} in it. I wore it in LA – carrying it on my lap on the aircraft from New York. However once I walked right into a bar I noticed one other man sporting one too, and it regarded so a lot better on him – a billion {dollars}! I realised the proportions simply didn’t work on me.
It now sits on prime of a wardrobe in my home, and makes an amazing decoration.
Thanks Simon, a pleasure and hopefully see you in New York within the Autumn.
Sounds nice Simon, trying ahead to it.
Pictures: Christopher Fenimore
