Excuse me, sir...

[couch]

I bristle at the idea that people should be able to deduce my political sympathies from my manner of dress. I'd much rather they be surprised when they actually engage me in conversation or read my writings. I've always rather enjoyed Keynes, who led quite an unconventional, not to say bohemian, personal life, and whose economic ideas were (and are) held by some to be next to bolshevism, yet he dressed like this at various ages:

[Luca]

Yesterday evening in The Old Ship, Richmond....
"you must be a UKIP supporter because you dress like Nigel Farage"

Preposterous!

Then again, I once saw a brief documentary about "stuckist" artist Billy Childish, whose florid moustache was described by some random numpty as a "Hitler" moustache.

As native Londoners say: You've got'a larf, dontcha?

[Man at C&A]

That made me chuckle Luca, thank you. Over half a lifetime ago I used to watch Billy Childish and The Milkshakes at the Hammersmith Clarendon.

Little did I suspect then that he would mature in to the post-punk generations version of Ivor Cutler, and I in to the presumed role of xenophobic little Englander.....

[Frederic Leighton]

*
Today, at the fitting for trousers and DB waistcoat in Fox's cream flannel.

My tailor:

You look a bit like a Colombian drug dealer!

...and his brother, the cutter:

Drug dealer? he looks like the boss of the cartel.
and why Colombian? from the Vatican!

[davidhuh]

[Frederic Leighton]

The crease on the trousers is not sharp.

After hello, these were Mum's first words when she saw me on December 31, 13 months after my previous visit. Despite the 7am flight and a full day in Milan, at 8 pm I was still in the same 3-piece tweed suit (bespoke), white shirt and tie. Of course she was right.

[hectorm]

The crease on the trousers is not sharp.

Of course I might be very wrong, but I suspect that this has more to do with what you have gotten your mother accostumed to expect from you under any circumstances, than about your mother herself.

[Frederic Leighton]

Of course I might be very wrong, but I suspect that this has more to do with what you have gotten your mother accostumed to expect from you under any circumstances, than about your mother herself.

Thank you for the kind words, Hectorm. I thought that was the result of her 38 years with Dad more than anything else

Anyway, this morning, 10am, Old Street tube station to pick up the new tie from Drake's factory shop. A total stranger stops me just down the train. No hi, no excuse me.

- How do you do that?
- Sorry, what do you mean?
- How do you do that? [he moves his index finger up and down under his chin]
- Sorry...
- How do you do that?! ...the tie, the tie thing!!
- Oh! ...you mean the arch... [relief]

[Luca]

Me: wearing very subdued tweed jacket and waistcoat, white shirt,very conservative blue tie and grey trousers (and a hat).
Security guard at my office: typically has a propensity to scowl at people and generally cultivates being forbidding,

As I entered the lobby, this morning, the man smiled broadly, fairly shouted "Mr Casanova!" across the lobby and patted me on the shoulder.

[Luca]

I was walking around Clerkenwell with my family on Sunday, wearing a light grey trilby, flannel jacket and tie. An Italian (tourist?) couple walked past from the opposite direction and the woman said, knowingly:

"eh, stile inglese!"

I just didn't have it in me to contradict her. I just kept walking while my wife had a big grin on her face.

[davidhuh]

About a month ago at Santa Maria Novella, Piccadilly Arcade in London. The customer who just paid his purchase sees me entering, turns around - "Are you David? And that's 'Eden in Paris', very nice."

Of course we had a little chat. Always nice to meet fellow members

Cheers, David

[Luca]

At the weekend, wearing an otherwise unexceptional rig of blue blazer, light grey trousers and navy knit tie, but also spectators and a straw boater A number of people inlcuding twio strangers and two members of staff nearly ran over to offer congratulations

OTOH, some 'wag' said:

"I didn't realise that Elton John was coming to this party"