Jeremy Hackett - The Mr Classic Blog

When dressing, it is often far too easy to ignore the finer details. You may be wearing a very fine suit, but an entire look can be let down by sloppy attention to detail. Specifically, I’m thinking of socks. They’re such a small detail, but so important.

There are a few things to think about with socks. Should one match them with the colour of the shoes, or of the trousers? Or indeed, neither? Personally, I tend to wear navy blue socks with everything, except for evening clothes when I opt for black. Aside from everything else, it makes them much easier to match once they’ve come out of the wash.

That is of course, purely a personal preference. I think that if you are confident enough, red socks can look fantastic and add an eye catching touch to an outfit. David Hockney is famous for colourful socks as was the late Duke of Devonshire.

To my mind, what I feel is more important is that your socks are long: there is nothing worse than a gap between socks and trousers.

Feeling bold? Or looking for something a bit more restrained? Hackett’s range of socks caters to all tastes and styles.

I am often asked by my young friends what to wear with blazers. This is a more difficult proposition than you would think, as, unlike the suit jacket, the blazer can be worn with many different types of trouser.

When wearing, say, a navy blazer, I generally opt for the khaki (or beige) trouser. However, I understand that there is something of a misconception that the younger gentleman looks somehow too conservative or - well, let’s just say it - too old in light trousers with a dark blazer.

This may be true. Although actually, it doesn’t really matter - it’s not so much the colour of the trousers, but the cut that is important. Perhaps pair a blazer with a more modern fit of the khaki trousers, one which is cut slimmer and neater. This will make the whole outfit younger in appearance.

One of the biggest decisions you can make with formal attire is whether to buy it ‘off the rail’ or take the leap into the world of bespoke tailoring. There are convincing and plentiful arguments for both, so I shan’t get bogged down in the intricacies of the argument at this time.

Instead, look at things from a logical viewpoint: if you rarely wear a tuxedo and you are a regular size then it possibly isn't worth having one made.

On the other hand, having something made is not only going to fit better but it is likely to last longer, and as you would wear a tuxedo for special occasions you might as well look the best you can.

The cream or white dinner jacket is a tricky item to negotiate. Somehow, it doesn’t seem quite so formal as the standard black or navy, and it brings with it a whole host of sartorial issues that you simply don’t get with the darker jacket.

This all begs the question; when is it appropriate to wear one? I have a book at home that states you should only wear a cream dinner jacket when on a cruise, and even then only after you have reached Port Said.

However, that book was written in 1936, so perhaps you should take it with a pinch of salt.

I think generally, at an outdoor event in the summer would be the perfect time to wear a lighter dinner jacket.

I am of the opinion that no single term has done more to confuse how we should dress than ‘smart / casual’. What on earth does it mean? If you were invited to a drinks and dinner function and told to dress ‘smart / casual’, what would you wear? Do you lean to the smart side or to the casual?

These things were so much simpler when there was a dress code, as ‘smart / casual’ invariably ends up with half the guests turning up in suits and ties, and the other half in jeans and polo shirts.

For the record, if you receive this dress code instruction, wearing some sort of blazer with a smart shirt worn open-neck with a pair of jeans would be acceptable to most people (though not, perhaps, at the Ritz).

Hackett is proud to offer a range of styles, taking you all the way from ‘smart’ to ‘casual’, as and when required. Why not mix and match to get a whole new look?

I was recently called upon to cite the practical and aesthetic advantages of both the adjustable waist band and common-or-garden belt loops on trousers. Having experienced people struggling with this choice in the past, I feel I can help make things a little clearer if you are faced with the same problem.

Side adjusters on suits are generally considered a style for more traditionally cut trousers and are mostly seen on bespoke suits or with trousers that require brace buttons - the idea being that if you do not wear braces then you can buckle the adjusters.

Belt loops give a more contemporary look to a suit and are much more popular in the rest of the world. Personally, I prefer side adjusters as i think they give a cleaner line.


If it’s the belt loop system you’ve plumped for though, Hackett stocks an extensive range of belts and braces to help you finish the look.