Every man should make an effort to develop his own style, he should seek inspiration from others and allow for seasonal changes in wardrobe, but at the core of his look there should be a sartorial theme which is entirely his own.
That being said, there are those days where you just can’t be arsed…
On these days, and on these days alone, it is acceptable to partake in some light thievery. When at your lowest ebb, it is fine to look to icons of men’s style and to hijack a few key items to give your look a bit of a boost. To find garments which not only add to your own personal style, but are the tried and tested staples of menswear and can make any man look and feel cool.
For this particular experiment to work you’ll need an almost flawless icon, enter fictional dreamboat Dickie Greenleaf.
There are many reasons to love the 1999 film adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's psychological thriller, The Talented Mr. Ripley. Matt Damon is sublime, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman is better, but the real tour-de-force of the whole production is Jude Law looking really quite good in swimming trunks and short-sleeve shirts. Dickie Greenleaf may come to a -SPOILER- grizzly end at the hands of an oar-wielding Damon, but up until that point he's always smashing it. Copy him a bit. Go on.
Realm & Empire - Shortsleeve Desert Shirt
Dickie has a fine array of shirts. Whether he's cruising through devastating Italian landscapes on his scooter, getting off his cake at an underground Jazz club, or being bludgeoned to death, his shirting (Yes. Shirting.) is always on-point (Yes. On-point). This eye-catching floral effort from British brand Realm and Empire, will not only keep you cool this summer - it's made out of 100% cotton, you see - but will also help you channel your inner errant trust fund kid. Accesorise with Gwyneth Paltrow and disdain for the American dream.
Marshall Artist - Resort Swim-Shorts
These may not be as jazzy, or revealing, as those worn by Greenleaf Jr. in the film, but it is 2014 after all. You're going to need some swimming shorts this summer, and to avoid falling victim of the T.K Maxx-Animal-and-Billabong-Bargain-Bin, you should invest in these from Marshall Artist. They're sky blue, so they go with anything and they don't go down below your knee, so people will know that you're not into Warhammer, or kite-surfing.
Realm & Empire Blazer - French Blue
Off to an all-night Jazz club with a confidence trickster intent on murdering y0u and stealing your identity? You're going to need a Navy blue blazer. This one from Realm and Empire is a classic British blazer, but it comes in French blue, so it's got all bases covered in terms of internationalism. It's informal, light-weight and perfect for unpredictable summer nights.
Superga is the people's shoe of Italy, and if you haven't got any white pumps for this summer, you are really going to struggle to pretend to be Dickie Greenleaf. Superga can't be bettered, they're a cost-effective, versatile option. Just be careful you don't team them with a full white sailing rig-out, you're not actually Dickie Greenleaf. Or David Bowie.
All items available from Steeple Pine
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