Dear friends, it's a pleasure to meet you for new nuggets.
Right now, I'm in a phase of building my wardrobe where I'm focusing on elegance. However, I still refuse to settle for "classic", or as Benoît would say, "very basic" clothing.
What I am showing you here are three nuggets, elegant, even formal , but which respect my criteria of subtlety and originality.
Semi-cutaway striped shirt - Gyappu
I've mentioned Gyappu in the past, particularly for their ties , the only type of product that the brand offered in its early days.
Since then, the brand has come a long way, and deserves to be looked at again. Especially for their shirts.
As I told you, I am currently in a phase of increasing the elegance of my wardrobe, and that also involves acquiring more formal pieces. However, if I have already acquired a certain number of casual shirts "with a twist", whether through the details or the material, translating this requirement into formal is not so easy.
Because you see, the characteristic of formal is that it is very codified, and therefore, imbued with a certain classicism. So I need shirts that respect these classic canons while adding something, a refreshing and discreet particularity...
This is where Gyappu shirts come in. Let's take this one as an example.
First good point: a beautiful semi-cutaway collar, which will highlight the tie knots. Easier to wear than a “full spread cutaway”.
Beyond its level of manufacturing, by a high-level Indian workshop
The striped shirt is a formal wardrobe essential: after the white shirt, and the pale blue, the striped shirt is undoubtedly the one you will want to acquire. But even if you buy stripes, you might as well choose them with relief.
And this fabric does exactly that: at first glance, the ecru background immediately gives a little something extra compared to the white. More vintage, more “imperfect”, and therefore with more character.
Now let's take a closer look at the scratches.
Up close, the stripe appears richer than from afar. This is often what gives Japanese fabrics their charm.
On the one hand, they alternate between a plain “stick” stripe and a stripe formed by three rows of dotted lines. And on the other hand, the stick stripe is not quite plain, its weaving makes it sparse with ecru, which gives a very interesting "faded" effect , as if it were chalk which persisted on a slate after having been erased a little.
Besides, the indigo color of the stripes
Result of the races: we have a shirt which manages to transcribe a "je ne sais quoi", both palpable, and yet discreet enough for it to remain within the canons of formal.
Belgian Moccasin "Gattaca" - Caulaincourt
Despite my weak affinity for moccasins in general, I realized, this summer, that there was indeed a time of year, as well as a certain type of outfit, which seemed to make its use almost essential.
I want to talk about “sartorial-casual” summer outfits.
For example, if you wear a shirt with a slightly dressy Gurkha Bermuda shorts . Or, a linen safari jacket with a polo shirt (or a polo shirt ) with a well-worked collar...
In other words, all these outfits which evoke the sartorial world, without being formal , and which are worn in summer.
So, put like that, it may seem a bit "niche" as a job, except that I realized that it represented an important part of my wardrobe. Important, and growing at that.
So I was forced to capitulate to the moccasin . Yes, you read correctly, I admit defeat.
I decided, however, that I would do some research on the type of loafer that appealed to me the most, rather than just going for the classic Penny Loafer, which is too Preppy and Ivy League for my tastes. And while searching I found... The Belgian moccasin.
"Heeey... Hello there... Would you like to join my shelves?"
The Belgian moccasin is defined by a distinctive element: contrasting leather knuckles , which follow the edge of the back of the shoe
It can then be embellished with various flourishes such as tassels (or “tassels”) as well as decorative knots. But if I like the Belgian moccasin, it is because it is sufficient in itself in its purest version: beautiful lines, beautiful leather, the touch of elegance brought by the contrast of the joints, and that's all !
Seen from above, the top stands out particularly. That's why you need a slightly elongated shape, to avoid a "dad's slippers on vacation" look.
After browsing the market a bit, it appeared to me that Caulaincourt was among the best options: well-designed lines, beautiful leathers and colors, no frills, and Blake stitching. I emphasize this last point, because at the moment some brands that are in the ascendancy are selling glued-on "Belgian loafers" for over 300 pounds sterling.
I simply preferred to highlight a small French brand which has always done good work, and which has always stood out in the design of its shoes.
Richelieu Balmoral Grained "Astoria" - Malfroid
These oxfords perfectly meet my current need: to acquire basic dress shoes so that I can wear the suit more often... But not too classic basics either. Wearing the costume above all for pleasure, and on occasional occasions, I have no use for it.
And what I appreciate about Malfroid is that the shapes seem particularly well-designed for the price positioning. On a shoe for less than 300 euros, we have the right to expect good or even very good leather, good assembly, clean or even very clean finishes... But it is rare to have anything other than simple shapes or very practical designs while respecting these quality criteria.
An elegant, very balanced shape, which I would describe as "tapered rounded".
However, I find that this is the case here. We clearly feel a desire to go further than the norm in terms of design and form. Look for example at the small “V” notch that forms in the middle of the “balmoral” seam.
Or again, the very slight angle that forms on the “smooth”
In short, these little details associated with good quality and a competitive price lead me to an obvious conclusion: I really have to go see Malfroid shoes in real life.
Look at the line of the sole, from left to right: delicate rounded at the heel, then curved near the arch... And HOP, that little angle just after. (Yes I'm obsessive)
PS: If you are lost by the amount of technical vocabulary used to talk about shoes... It's high time to read this article.
