Christmas Gift Guide: The Academic
From tailored cardigans to hand-finished spectacles, here’s what you should purchase for the academic this Christmas.
Smart enough to be worn as a jacket but with the warm and softness of a cardigan, this piece from Anderson & Sheppard is a perfect indoors garment, but works equally well as a layering piece on a cold day, coupled with a pair of corduroy trousers. Corduroy has long been a bastion of understated charm, and these trousers – designed by The Rake in collaboration with Drake’s – bring a touch of tactile elegance to any ensemble. Pair them with arguably the most versatile knit of them all – a good roll neck. Equally in it’s element when lounging in the reading room as it is when out and about, layer it under a tailored jacket for an understated look.
This raglan overcoat by Private White V.C. (or balmacaan to the cognoscenti) not only offers a beautiful touch of rustic distinction, it’s also damnably practical – comfortable to wear and painless to layer over thick winter garments and chunky shoes. For the latter, Ludwig Reiter’s peerless Budapester has the body and heft of a country shoe, but with a discrete toe shape, making it just as perfect for urban dress. The Scotch grain leather’s rich oxblood hue pairs very well with charcoal and navy tones, and is equally at home teamed with dark denim. For finishing accessories, Rubinacci’s scarfs are famous for their elegance, softness and drape and this one is pure an expression of its expertise, with its subtle kelim print a great way to add a dash of colour to an outfit.
Whether worn for reading or full-time, The Bespoke Dudes’ Cran frames are smart, subtle and timeless. And what academic would be complete without a good writing implement? This leather bridle hide case by Ettinger offers the perfect way to store yours, whether in a bag or tucked away in a pen pocket. To finish off, this is an ideal fragrance for a traditionalist with a sense of adventure, this cologne from heritage Italian barbershop Antica Barbieria Colla layers touches of lily and geranium atop a rich base of petitgrain, musk and vanilla - perfect for keeping the cold at bay.
