Splitting hairs

Oh I have a odd and complex relationship with my hair. It is a strange part of both myself and my attitude to style and grooming. I should take more interest in it and at time i do but something is missing. I don't love it as much as what hangs in my wardrobe or what hangs on the rails of my favourite shops and items undiscovered! my current attitude to hair and how best to style it revolve around the following:

• Invest in a good hair cut, (which doesn't necessarily mean expensive but living in central London it normally does)
• Wash your hair as often as you need to. use Baby Powder if you don't have time to wash it.
  
• Spend money on good hair products and use them moderately. I like Bumble and Bumble.
  
• Take note of your hair and what it wants to do - after straightening it for a while I've realised that it is far better to let the natural gentle wave of my hair do its thing!

There it is, my simple hair advice. I will post (in the next couple of days) about my advice on how best to achieve various looks complete with pictures of course but today is a bad hair day!

On the subject of hair I enjoyed reading The Post Office's account of the rise of the square haircut, as shown on catwalks across the land, in editorials and most recently on the cover of V magazine with Brad Pitt. In front of Mario Testino’s camera Brad Pitt showed his many different faces for V Magazine. I have dabbled with these styles in recent years but unfortunately the curse of my laziness means I always go back to my tried and tested! What do you prefer, the Fight Club Brad Pitt or the more refined and slightly geeky versions? Which version has the best hair, how would you wear yours? Can't decide, well just enjoy both versions!With party season upon us if we need inspiration on how best to wear your hair, look no further than Cary Grant.

The only thing I'd add is to make sure that you get it cut short enough at the back!

Sunday Monkey Business

Nursing a hangover and all alone in the flat (because Susie is in Paris for the week) Sunday has been a lazy day for me. My time lounging on the sofa was well spent though because Film4 were showing the perfect Sunday afternoon film, Monkey Business. The film has a star studded cast including Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Marilyn Monroe and Charles Coburn but more interestingly than boasting stars the film shows them in a very different light than to how the audience expects to see them.

There is no doubt that Cary Grant is one of the most stylish men ever. While most have seen Cary Grant and indeed remember him for the romance and Hitchcock films of this decade such as An Affair to Remember, To Catch a Thief and North by Northwest, Monkey Business is reminiscent of the screwball comedies of the 30's. Very funny and full of just plain silliness, this film is a great way to pass a Sunday afternoon. Although in a more comedic role than I'm used to seeing in, he's still as stylish as ever. The style on display is more than similar to Mad Men. As Valet showed us how to get the style from the show of the moment and I just had to share it with you all once again.

1.) Sterling silver tie bar by David Donahue, $40 at Nordstrom. 2.) Lemtosh frames, $169 (without prescription) at Moscot. 3.) Sidecar gunmetal briefcase by Dunhill, $1,240 at Dunhill, 212.753.9292. 4.) Bow tie by Band of Outsiders, $92 at Blue Bee. 5-7.) Ties, (from left) Mike & Chris, $83, Ralph Lauren, $125 and Shipley & Halmos, $92, all available at Blue Bee. 8.) Suit by John Varvatos Star USA, $795 at Nordstrom. Shirt by Theory, $125, at Nordstrom. Tie by Hickey, $115 at Hickeystyle.com. 9.) Wool hat by Rod Keenan, $360 at Barneys New York stores. 10.) Cotton handkerchiefs, $25 for a pack of seven, at Brooks Brothers.

I will leave you with a piece of wisdom from Grant's character - "You're old only when you forget you're young." Now I'm off to buy a pair of braces after being inspired by this film.

That Sartorialist is stealing our thoughts!

Hey EJ

Have you seen how that pesky sartorialist has been inside our brains or maybe he is just one step ahead! I let him off the first time when he mentioned Fred Astaire's use of the tie as belt (although I mentioned this in an earlier post) but now it seems he is delving into the inner depths of my inspiration. Is this just a coincidence? I think not. I will have to don my trench coat and fedora and snoop around his archives. Regardless of whether he has or not (I really don't think he has been reading this blog) I am extremely happy to see him bring up the great style icons that are Cary Grant and Fred Astaire and to see the that the level of response following this post far out number the comments left for other posts. If you missed it, although I very much doubt you have, here it is.

My own personal favourite of the two has to be Fred Astaire. He was not blessed with the natural aesthetic beauty of Grant but Astaire used his style to allow his aesthetics to bloom and even surpass Grant's. The little touches within his style that at first can go unnoticed but once seen excite and wow the viewer, such as the tie as belt (my personal favourite which I have salvaged for myself), the slanted tie clip and the slim cut sleeves on his suits. In contrast Grant was always sleek and well styled but not stylish to the extent of Astaire whose style was simply breathtaking on camera and off. I commend the sartorialist in bringing this style debate to the fore. I hope to continue the good work and will post in much more detail at a later date.

I say we approach the sartorialist for a collaboration of some kind, are you with me?

Oh Stevie, you know my adoration of Fred. Looking at pictures today has made me realise that I might have been channeling him a little, but it's probably best not to dwell too much on that. My most favourite thing of all about him is his apparent lack of conceit and his fantastic smile. In every photo I see (bar the ones where he is concentrating on a scene) he has that lovely, open smile. He never seems aloof or mean, particularly not in any films that spring to mind. His style is so casual that any surprises it brings seem even more wonderful- dandyism without the pose and knowingness. Other people may disagree with me on this one and hold a completely different view, but for me he's the tops.