There’s no sense in sporting a sublime Savile Row suit, bespoke Jermyn Street shirt and Northamptonshire-handmade shoes, only to spoil the look by paying too little heed to the all-important minutiae of presentation. Even the finest footwear will fail to impress unless kept spic, span and polished; suits and shirts, meanwhile, must always be well pressed, free of stain and soiling.
But the importance of minimising wrinkles, maintaining cleanliness and maximising polish extends further than one’s attire, and into the personal realm. To wit, a man’s hygiene and grooming need to be assiduously attended to — nails scrubbed and trimmed, skin slathered with masculine scents, lotions and tonics, and hair (wherever above the collar it may sprout) brought tidily into check. This, the gentlemen of traditional London clubland knew full well…
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The Rake (Digital) - 1 Issue, February-March 2009 - Issue 2