What British men can learn from Cary Grant about how to dress as the temperature rises
Well, that came around fast. Setting aside concerns about what this means for global warming, the unexpected hot weather has come just as we emerge, blinking like moles, from a long, dark winter. And us men have got the pallid faces and hibernation paunches to prove it.
Warm weather and British men are like oil and water; we do not mix. Our continental brothers are deft in segueing effortlessly from lightweight gilets and neat suiting to pristine white shirts and driving shoes when lighter nights arrive, whereas from central London to St Andrews, beetroot faces and questionable orthopaedic shoes seem to be the order of the day.
We’d all love to look like Cary Grant in To Catch A Thief, raffishly making our way around the Côte d’Azur in a Breton top, jaunty neckerchief and breezy trousers, but Mr Grant never had to deal with the Victoria line as the temperature climbs. So now that buds are in bloom, what should we be wearing?
First up, don’t get overly optimistic. Yes, we’re creeping close to 20 degrees, but don’t confuse Putney with Puglia – best to keep the shorts at bay until summer proper. Knobbly knees turning blue as the sun dips in over the pub beer garden are never a good look. Instead, look at lightweight chinos that carry less heft than jeans but still lend a degree of cover. A whole cottage industry has blossomed around men’s breeks in recent years; independent labels such as Spoke London, L’Estrange and Incotex focus on making trousers that fit brilliantly, in a nuanced spectrum of colours and designed to steer men’s chinos away from the Sloaney salmon variety.
Similarly, a host of brands have drilled down into men’s warm weather attire to make it their mainstay and finesse the formula; see the likes of Luca Faloni (a new favourite of the Duke of Cambridge), Orlebar Brown and Frescobol Carioca. A lightweight, long-sleeved polo shirt is a wardrobe workhorse here, in linen or pique cotton as opposed to a wool-blend; the collar’s preppy and makes it smart enough for al fresco lunches, but it’s easy enough to roll up the sleeves during a picnic in the park too. It’s also worth assessing your shirting; there’s nothing worse than a City boy wearing his standard workaday shirt off-duty. Linen and grandad collar varieties are your friend here.
Layers are essential at this time of year, but although Ralph Lauren adverts sell a convincing East Coast collegiate dream of casually draping a knit over your shoulders when the temperature drops, I can’t help but feel like I’m rather primly off to tend to the church flowers. Far better to stick to that spring perennial, the blouson, if you need a cover-up – it’s easy to carry along with you and it’s less heavyweight that a knit.
One thing we can borrow from Cary Grant is that sleek Breton top, always a safe investment for warmer months. It’s pleasingly jaunty and nautical, and versatile enough to work in both smarter settings as well as casual pub garden drinks. Armor-Lux, along with Saint James, is one of the few authentic Brittany brands (where the Breton top was born) to still make them. Its versions are reassuringly solid – in thick cotton – and come in a vast array of striped variations.
Of course, my advice wouldn’t be complete without touching on the issue of footwear. I have a well-heeled, man-about-town friend who abides by a golden rule; no toes unless you’re at the beach. I’m minded to agree; there’s nothing worse than the sight of some unkempt hooves and yellowing toenails as you sip a dry rose and listen to the birdsong. Instead, opt for espadrilles or driving shoes. The former were good enough for Alain Delon, Dali and – him again – Grant, and they look suitably Riviera-ready. The latter are a tad more formal and considered, particularly given that they’re often made in supple suede, and look pin sharp with a more polished spring wardrobe. (On the subject of men and feet in warm weather, we shall draw a discreet veil and revisit in summer.)
The final accessory to your spring attire should be a proper SPF, something so many men forget about and end up cherry-red towards the end of the day. That, and a lighter cologne with some zesty, mineral notes, will set you up for sunnier times ahead.
Look ready for the Riviera
Clockwise, from top left: Armor Lux breton top, £45, endclothing.com; Long sleeve polo, £59.95, charlestyrwhitt.com; Heroes chinos, £85, spoke-london.com; Gommino driving shoes, £390, tods.com
