Online Editor's Letter: Love & Marriage

I’m afraid that as a very recently detached man I’m going to be rather down in the dumps about this whole ‘love and marriage’ lark - unfortunate timing you might say. Nevertheless, ‘love and marriage’ is our theme for TheRake.com this July and both love and marriage we shall bring you by the rose-tinted bucket-full. Of course, the realms of romance and matrimony are both beautiful things (when they are working out reasonably well) and I could babble on with clichés about felicitous success stories and unending happiness until the cows come home in irritatingly harmonious pairs. Instead though, let's critique some of the more interesting aspects of love - love not just of other people, but also for rakish things - for loin-achingly desirable suits, the most delicious of cigars, for honest yet elevated dining experiences and for the glorious, other-worldly movements that make the most extraordinary timepieces on the planet tick. To this end, we're going to be extolling the virtues of the lost art of wooing (whatever it is), proffering some thoughts on the timeless nostalgia of the white suit, and I'll even be talking to some thoroughly rakish craftsmen about what exactly it means to ‘romance the suit'. What’s more, our regular column 'The Impractical Choice' will continue apace, looking at luxurious investments that get the pulse racing, even though they’re doubtless going to be a pain in the arse to live with. Of course, the theme of love and marriage also enables us to explore some lessons to be learned from the darker side of love – to which end our noble Editor-at-Large Nick Scott is turning his quill upon the tempestuous love stories of some great all-time rakish couples; including F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Birkin and Gainsbourg and Mick and Bianca Jagger. Additionally, we'll be reflecting upon the infamous Miller Sisters and the most rakish man-eaters of all time. Our Asia Editor-at-Large Christian Barker Esq. will likewise be exploring the more dangerous aspects of relationships, including the perils of pre-nups and propose, controversially, the case for being single. Equally, our resident fashion history expert Josh Sims is penning some thoughts on the romantic nostalgia to be found in vintage workwear and sartorial specialist Christopher Modoo will be tackling a specialism of his, rakish wedding dress. We’re also going to bring you the most dandified dressers in history and our luxury travel correspondent Matt Hranek will be proffering some thoughts on genuinely romantic destinations for those of you who, unlike myself, are lucky in love. All this and much more will be gracing your screen over the coming weeks and as always, we hope it will provide a source of amusement, stimulation, provocation and hopefully of satisfaction too. And for those like me who are in the depths of romantic despair, we hope that there’ll be some form of distraction in there for you too.