Anda Rowland wears jackets from Anderson & Sheppard which are cropped shorter for women. We all hope to look ‘effortlessly stylish’, but not to the point of appearing lazy. What are some touches that, to your eyes, suggest a man has actually put some effort and thought into how he’s dressed?
We really admire men who look after their clothes and accessories. Things that are looked after, polished, repaired, cleaned often look better and better, year after year.
You’re the head of a trio of formidable women at 17 Clifford Street (where Anda works with Audie Charles and Emily Lowe). What advantages does having this strong female presence at the A&S Haberdashery bring to the business?
Audie, Emily and I are able to take a back seat and listen. When we work on something new for the Haberdashery, we think of how it would look on our customers rather than on ourselves. I think that that helps. It also really helps that we all love to see a happy, well-mannered and well-dressed man – that is more personal, but I believe that most women feel the same way.
Please cite one simple step can a man take to instantly improve his sartorial game.
Some people just know how to dress – Fred Astaire being our ultimate example of this – but most people need to find what suits them and what they feel comfortable in. Magazines like The Rake and L’Etiquette are wonderful sources of inspiration as they do not follow the ‘No Ad, No Ed’ path that some other magazines now follow.
Is there a style mistake men all too commonly make?
You must have a good clean out of your wardrobe from time to time. It is easy to forget things and to get stuck ‘going to’ the same things again and again. Jeans are an item of clothing that men rely on too much when a new pair of trousers in a different style but in a casual cloth could easily replace them and prove far more flattering.
What should a young chap be conscious of when purchasing a suit, perhaps one of his first?
We encourage younger Haberdashery customers to think about a navy three-piece suit as the suit and its components can be worn in so many different ways and to so many different occasions. If you find a reasonably priced suit in a good woollen cloth in a sensible, durable weight, you can have it altered to fit properly and accessorise it from The Rake Values or from high-street brands. You don’t need to spend a fortune to look good if you choose good cloth, know an alterations’ tailors and have access to therake.com/values
September 2019
