Black and Slim

When I open my wardrobe I just realised that I don't have a proper black suit. Am I kidding myself? No, I'm not. I do have a lot of grey suits... name it: light grey, steel grey, urban grey, dark grey, linen, wool, wool-mix - they're all there on the hangers. Black? No. Well, okay, probably graphite color but that's more to softer black than a proper jet black. And the other black that I have - my cropped with white hem from Sub - that's not a suit, that's just a jacket! So, yes... there you go. I Don't really have a proper black suit to say the least.

I went for a quest to find one, but not in store coz all that I saw here in Malaysia are all having the same cut, the same fabric, the same design, and the one that I hate - the same two-buttons. I try to shun anything two-buttons coz I hate it when one element in the clothing is not being used. What's the point of having another button if I never utilized it, right? So, online it is of course.

Thankfully I found one at Asos. (you know Asos has been my only go-to shopping site nowadays!). But I am torn on which one should I picked as there are two different slim suits. But having my prying eyes wide open and really 'scrutinizing' the suits carefully I finally selected one which I think hit the right notes.

Apart from the one-button, slim silhouette that the suit is offering, other features tick the boxes for me. Slim lapels? Check (coz sometimes, though the suit is categorized under 'slim' the lapel might be quite broad!). Hugging waist? Check (if it is slim but not really cekak the waist, what's the point?). Another check? The extra point I gave to the diagonal or slanting pocket coz this is one element on how any great suit jacket should be. It's more Italian and more edgy, as what most famous fashion houses did. 

And the price of course. Though it's cheap (with another 20% discount), the quality is good coz knowing Asos all these years I'm always satisfy with any of my purchase. I think they really emulate what they preach though: ASOS - As Seen On Screen. What you see designer do, they can do the same but with fractions of the cost! Brilliant.

Suit by Asos. Shirt by +J Uniqlo. 

Vest by H&M. Bag by Burberry. Cuff by Burton.

Bow tie by Kitschen

Candid : Shirt + Tie

One of the biggest daily dilemma : how to match the shirt and the tie to make it appear 'streamlined'? My fav tip, do color-on-color as mentioned by Dolce & Gabbana in one of their runway show. Take one element of color on the tie and pair it with the same or complimentary color of the shirt. And voila... it seems to work!

Knitted tie from Uniqlo

Skinny tie from Red Herring @ Debenhams

Grey stripes tie from Burton

Grey houndstooth slim tie from No Name

All shirts from Zara

Burton’s Black Label Navy Blue Tux

Helping you through the party season with on-trend, affordable tailoring.

Unless you are James Bond or a red carpet regular, you probably don’t have the need to wear a tux all that often. So having more than one dinner suit hanging in your wardrobe would most definitely be described a luxury over necessity.

However, the competitively priced blue tonic dinner suit, introduced especially for the party season by Burton, is so forgiving on the pocket that we can’t help but think owning a more on-trend back-up to the traditional black tux isn’t such a bad idea after all.

Impeccably tailored, with a slim fit, the two-piece suit with notch lapels and angled pockets is crafted from a fabric that blends two different shades of blue yarns, giving a retro Mad Men tonic effect which changes in the light. Part of the Black Label premium range that Burton has created to specialise in more refined tailoring, it’s worth remembering that the company was responsible for the ivory tux worn by Sean Connery as 007 in Goldfinger — its credentials can’t get much better than that.

Tuxedo £139, white twill shirt £30 and bow tie £6 all by BURTON BLACK LABEL; burton.co.uk

[pix and words by shortlist]

SHORTLIST Style: Burton Black Label Suits

Burton, has released their interpretation of 'perfect black suits' under their premium Black Label collection at a cost that doesn't cost the earth and without compromising the quality of the tailoring. Using the fabrics of wool mohair that is so luxurious to touch, the collection consists of variations of black suits to choose from: of fit either slim or tailored, the lapel choices of peak, slim or notched, and either one-or two-buttons finishes. Just like a little black dress for women, I think any men need a black suit in their wardrobe coz you can never go wrong with it. Either to look business, or bring someone on a date, or going to Ascot... a black suit rocks most formal occasions.

Burton tauted the collection would mirror the Saville Row's, but without the hefty price tag of those. If a simple classic look that you're looking for, the Black Label suits will be perfect for you.

[pix from shortlist and burton]

TRENDSPOTTING: Biker and Bomber Jacket - The Ultimate Must Haves for Autumn/Winter

Thanks to the bad boy vintage movies starring the likes of Marlon Brando and James Dean, biker and bomber jacket would never be out of style, and has become one of the staple in any man's wardrobe. The difference between the biker and bomber jacket is in the neck detail - the former normally have buttons, while the latter has 'high-neck' or 'turtle-neck' kinda style. Materials such as polished and washed out leather, has always be the favourite coz of it hardwearing. While polyrethane (PU) and coated denims normally chosen for the low budget ones.

These are some of my favourites, be it for the cheapskate like me or if for those who didn't mind their budget goes up the roof!

1. Faux leather jacket - £49.99 - RIVER ISLAND.
2. Black leather bomber jacket - £80.00 - TOPMAN.
3. Dakar leather jacket - £95.00 - ALL SAINTS.
4. Black leather biker jacket - £99.00 - BURTON.
5. 4-pocket leather jacket - £120.00 - RIVER ISLAND.
6. Lumber Adonis leather jacket - £170.00 - HE by MANGO.
7. Lumber Adonis leather jacket - £180.00 - HE by MANGO.
8. Reversible bomber jacket - £200.00 - ALL SAINTS.
9. Likerish leather jacket - £500.00 - DIESEL.
10. Leather motorcycle jacket - £1480.00 - UNDERCOVER @ BROWNS.
11. Brown leather jacket - £1485.00 - RICK OWENS @ BROWNS.
12. Zip bomber jacket - EURO 2314 - JOHN RICHMOND @ LUISAVAROMA.