“Edward VIII replaced his fly buttons with a zip, a revolutionary move; and his Fair Isle pullovers, shorts and Windsor knots were considered by some to foreshadow the end of Empire.” –Angus McGill
“Morality is always the product of terror; its chains and strait-waistcoats are fashioned by those who dare not trust others, because they dare not trust themselves to walk in liberty.” –Aldous Huxley
“Once you accept the universe as being something expanding into an infinite nothing which is something, wearing stripes with plaid is easy.” –Albert Einstein
”I was in fact produced as a leader of fashion, with the clothiers as my showmen and the world as my audience,” the Duke once recalled.
The Duke of Windsor stood only 5′ 5″ and favored comfort in his clothes, free movement and a style that he referred to as ”Dress Soft.” His jacket waists were uniformly set high to elongate his silhouette. His pockets were cut wider on the left side of the trousers to accommodate his ever-present cigarette case. He wore elasticized girdles inset beneath his waistbands to preserve the flat appearance of his stomach. He tweaked the proportions of all his clothes, Mr. Bolton said, for effect. ”Even when he wore a lot of patterns, which are a no-no for small people,” making them seem squat, the Duke gave the impression of being a taller man.
The Duke’s dressing room at the Paris residence with a suit (above) in medium-weight worsted with darker blue checking. The jacket is dated 16/11/56 by Scholte, London and the trousers dated 3/4/57 by Harris, New York. Jacket has side vents and substantially padded shoulders.
Paul Smith always stands for color, pattern and cheek; but since so much of his tailored clothing this season was cut from conservative fabrics with gray or brown backgrounds, what was under the jacket became the statement maker. Sportswear came in corduroys, stonewashed black denim and lots of tartan, especially Black Watch. Foulard print scarves were layered for a bohemian effect.
Tartan makes me feel like no other fabric. I can’t say it any better than the book, a must read- “Whenever the word tartan is mentioned, scores of exuberant images abound. Like a flag, tartan evokes the Scottish nation and its colorful kilted clans. It resonates with the wail of bagpipes. It snaps to attention with its smart, symmetrical design.
But tartan is more than a design, it is a sign; and while it signifies kinship (real or imagined), country, and celebration of the Scots, its subtext is dignity, distinctiveness. and a sense of belonging- qualities that possess universal appeal. That is perhaps the reason why tartan, a textile indigenous to the Highlands, has evolved into one of the world’s most popular fabrics, beloved by just about everyone. Scot or not.”
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Knowing Jeffrey Banks, I can tell you that writing this book was a passionate labor of love for him. An avid collector of all things tartan, particularly Black Watch, Jeffrey is the tartan authority and owns some of the greatest pieces I’ve seen– apparel, accessories, home furnishings, tartanware– you name it. Jeffrey- I want that Black Watch toggle coat when you die! No hurry, chap.
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Jeffrey Banks is one of those guys that seems to have been born with impeccable style. As a high-schooler working at the legendary shop Britches, he was tapped by Ralph to come work for him. Ralph became very fond of Jeffrey– he even lent him his own personal tuxedo and pumps for his Senior Prom. Polo was a small company back then, so he worked directly with Ralph as his design assistant, and they are still close today.
Jeffrey, passionate about design, made the decision to leave Polo and finish his studies at Pratt Institute and Parsons. Jeffrey later designed for Calvin, and Merona Sportswear, among others. He launched his own menswear collection in 1977 to much acclaim, and is among the “who’s who” of fashion. Jeffrey is one of the most dapper guys going, and a two-time winner of the Coty American Fashion Critics award.
I have a great story for you about Jeffrey in a kilt- but that’s for another time.
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