This, my regular column for the Code of the Gentleman has now shifted to a monthly affair. It will be at the beginning of the month. It will be longer. It will contain a few of my thoughts and ramblings and it will also contain updates, events and other news that is Perfect Gentleman related. We have done this to coincide with the fact that we are now publishing articles once a week on a Tuesday. These articles will be longer and generally more in depth, we will be publishing between 3-4 a week. As usual they will be a mix of subjects but we will try and keep a Style article a week going.
We hope you enjoy the new format and the new more in depth articles. Let us crack on…
Spring is in the Air
May is upon us and spring is in the air in the Northern Hemisphere. April showers have descended in May. The temperature is rising, and thoughts turn to summer, the occasional sunny day in England, Holidays, Ice cream and more.
We love this time of year – Spring means change, birth and renewal. So do something about it. When you do the spring clean of the house. Do a Spring clean of the wardrobe. Make sure things fit. Take things to get repaired or dry cleaned. Purchase a couple of new items. Why not get daring and try something new – a seersucker jacket or a Panama hat?
Why not look at your career? Where you are? What you are doing? Is their a skill you can learn to help you grow? Do you need to change the job, then start looking. Get job fit and ready.
Relationships too can always use a bit of spring magic. If you are in one, it is the perfect time to book a weekend away or do something new that you both have never tried. If you are not in a relationship then spring is certainly the time to put yourself outthere and do something about it. Make an effort!
Leap into Spring, we certainly will be! We will be covering everything from Style, Relationships and more on the Code, but with a certain bounce in our step. Join us!
Political Dressage
It is election week in Britain, it is the culmination of weeks of tireless campaigning by the major political parties and the new burgeoning minor ones. It has in part been a pretty uninspiring campaign by all parties, even though the outcome is probably one of the most interesting in modern political times here in Britain.
We are not here to talk about our political leanings, in fact, we are resolutely apolitical here at The Perfect Gentleman. Our really bother with the current swathe of politicians is two fold. Firstly, they are generally lacking in any personality or charm and secondly they dress without out character, with a few notable exceptions.
Yes, Policies are important. Yes, Policies Matter. Yes, it shouldn’t be about what they look like and how they come across but simply put it does matter. The leaders and all the senior people in all political parties are their to ‘Sell’ their ideology to us, the voting public. They need to convince us in both word and deed and considering we make judgements about people in those first valuable seconds. Sadly, they fall short. This is also true around the world not just in Britain.
It has been discussed before why people are switching off from the major parties and politics, by many better and more learned people than myself. All I wish to do is throw my penny into the fountain and wish that something would change.
Where are the personalities gone? Where are the people that stick to their guns? Where are the ones that answer a straight question without regurgitating the party line like some Communist Political Officer from the 1960’s? Where is the genuine feeling? Those men and women, who when you look deep into their eyes, you can see the truth and the power of their convictions. We are missing these men & women.
There are a few in each major party, but most of those are not at the forefront of the campaign as they are seen to be ‘controversial’. The exceptions lie in the smaller parties. Well possibly not so small after May 7th 2015. They seem to have character, they passionately believe in what they say, whether you like their politics or not. They can even be considered genuine.
As you would imagine an organisation such as ours to talk about Style and we shall. Why do they always look so bland, the only exception is Nicola Sturgeon who does dress with character and flair. Mr Farage, has occasional moments of daring but swiftly retreats to the bland navy that dominates the political dress codes of all parties.
It is not hard to find an affordable suit that fits. You could even pick a suit fabric that was not navy. It is not hard to find a tie that as some character. You could even make a statement and add a little flair – a pocket square, a buttonhole or even a striking pair of socks! Please don’t get me started on the ‘smart casual’ attire. I might weep.
Gone are the days of oil-slick sharp suited salesman who could smooth talk you into that purchase. They would promise you whatever you want to close the deal, convincing you with their disingenuous promises.
Today, we want people of character. People who you can believe. People who dress with the courage of their convictions. People who when they want you to buy something have developed your trust first.
We are happy to help and you can come on any one of our courses. I recommend, how to pick a perfect suit course or our how to be charming to start. It would help – maybe next election.
Events & Updates
We are sad here at The Perfect Gentleman by the departure of Tom Swanston from the PG Team. He has left us as our Media Gentleman to pursue his one true passion of being a Film Producer. We wish him all the best in his endeavours and we are sorry to see him go.
When one door closes another opens and we are delighted to have a number of new members to the Perfect Gentleman team. Our first Lady, indeed The First Lady of PG is Lydia Foulkes. She is moving from a mere partner of ours to becoming a fully fledged member of the Perfect Gentleman team over the course of the next few months. We are delighted to have her with us and her knowledge of Suits, Style and business is a great asset to the team.
Our first ‘Sunday Taste’ event went spectacularly well on April 21st, were we paired Cigars with the most expensive coffee in the world. Our 2nd event is on May 31st, we are pairing Cigars with Cheese and we have a special guest to have a little conversation with – you can book your ticket here.
We are speaking on ‘The Modern Perfect Gentleman’ at the Eight Club in London. It should be an excellent evening – for more details here
We are still heading to the USA & Canada this September & October – more details can be found here.