The Grey Fox Blog Autumn/Winter Photoshoot

I love autumn and winter for the opportunities to dress casually to keep warm and dry. Wools, tweeds, knitwear, waxed and quilted cloths, canvas and leather bags and holdalls, fine shoes and boots, cotton corduroy and moleskins are all elements in this chilly equation. In this feature I've worked with several brands, Blooming Stuff PR, photographer Polskey (all links below) and Harry, my long suffering labrador retriever, on a photoshoot to bring you some seasonal inspiration.

Dry-waxed jacket Peregrine Clothing, gilet Lavenham, cords Spoke London

Accessories Tyler & Tyler, bag Billingham, gilet Lavenham (book and vintage Leica are mine)

This is one of a series of photoshoots designed to give brands the opportunity to affordably put their products before a growing and enthusiastic Grey Fox audience here on the blog and on Instagram.

See below for links to participating brands and a 20% discount for blog readers from Tyler & Tyler.

Quilted jacket Lavenham, bag Billingham Bags

Cords Spoke London, bags Billingham, shoes Bodileys

Denim jacket Lavenham x Blackhorse Lane Atelier, bags Billingham

Dry wax jacket Peregrine Clothing, gilet Lavenham, cords Spoke

Shoes Bodileys, cords Spoke, socks Tyler & Tyler

Jacket and gilet Lavenham

Bag Billingham, quilted jacket Lavenham

Cardigan Peregrine Clothing, shoes Bodileys, socks & tie Tyler & Tyler, cords Spoke London

Tie and socks Tyler & Tyler, shoes Bodileys, cords Spoke

Knitwear Peregrine Clothing, cords Spoke, shoes Bodileys, socks Pantherella

Bag Billingham, cords Spoke, coat and gilet Lavenham

From top left clockwise: Bodileys, Peregrine Clothing, Bodileys, Lavenham, Lavenham

From top left clockwise: Lavenham, Bodileys, Peregrine Clothing, Billingham, Tyler & Tyler, Bodileys, Spoke

I'm very grateful to the brands taking part who helped sponsor the blog. Please email me for information about future photoshoots and features.

Links to brands:

Socks and cufflinks: Tyler & Tyler Birmingham. Accessories, cufflinks, socks, ties [Tyler & Tyler are offering an exclusive 20% discount for Grey Fox Blog readers. Quote GREYFOX at the checkout].

Jackets & gilets: Lavenham. Best known for its Suffolk-made outerwear/street and countrywear.

Bags: Billingham Bags. British-made canvas and leather bags and cases.

Shoes: Bodileys. Footwear made in England.

Trousers: Spoke London. British-designed trousers, chinos and cords to fit all sizes.

Knitwear and outerwear: Peregrine Clothing: English-made knitwear and outerwear.

Socks: Pantherella. English-made in Leicester.

I'd like to thank Polskey for her superb photography and Clare at Blooming PR for her organisational support without which this wouldn't have happened.

With many thanks to Harry for his unconditional love

Harry Stedman menswear: a photoshoot

Harry Stedman was born in 1934 and is father and grandfather to the owners of the business. A great traveller, Harry soaked up the culture and style of the many countries he visited after escaping Liverpool to join the army. This brand is a celebration of his life.

As a reflection of Harry's experiences, the label fuses many influences, particularly US and British from the fifties and sixties, to produce very modern classics. The clothes are made in the UK, US or Japan and elsewhere; their provenance is made clear on their website.

The brand was kind enough to approach me to take part in a photoshoot. Like many businesses, it sees the potential of the older market and its styles suit men from their twenties upwards. Always happy to show brands and their customers how clothes look on the older man, I worked with photographer Nick Maroudias in the lovely old streets of Roupell Street near Waterloo Station in London. We aimed to reflect the timelessly classic yet very contemporary look that Harry Stedman embodies.  I hope you feel we've succeeded. 

Everything I'm wearing in the images is available from Harry Stedman except where mentioned otherwise. To support this small British brand, visit Harry Stedman.

Shoes and socks my own

Glasses my own

Shoes my own

This post is unsponsored as I wanted to work in support of a small brand that manufactures here in the UK.

Spoke chinos and casual trousers: A Grey Fox x Spoke photoshoot

Spoke makes chinos and casual trousers both in the UK and Europe. Very important to them is their focus on fit, a common discussion topic whenever I meet their founder, Ben Farren, for a coffee. Sizing isn't just about leg length and waist size (although Spoke offer eight waist and eight leg lengths), it's also about build. 

Spoke recently kindly asked me to model some of their chinos at a photo shoot in London's Spitalfields. I tend to wear my trousers on the slim side, but you can find something for most shapes within their three build sizes. Here are some of the images. For more information, see below.

Ben Farren is also focused on quality; he continually tweaks details of design, manufacture and cloth to achieve the best for his customers. For more information on Spoke's chinos, cords or flex fabrics or to buy and try their online sizing and measuring system, go to the Spoke website. Prices from £89. 

Photoshoot images by Anton Rodriguez. Styling by Greg Topp.

Photoshoot: Jigsaw Menswear, simple, classic, muted

Jigsaw is a brand I've mentioned before, but only now had the chance to try properly. Attracted by the combination of style, design and quality I asked if we could shoot their AW15 menswear to show how it might look on the older man. Jigsaw agreed and the Grey Fox photoshoot team found itself at Jigsaw's Avery Row store in London's Mayfair last week to photograph suits styled in a smart casual way.

Jigsaw's menswear range was relaunched four years ago after a hiatus of over ten years. Designed by Frances Walker, the range is classic, stylish and high quality. There is something there for everyone: attractive knitwear, footwear made in Northampton, England by Sanders, sharp tailoring (the trousers are cut on the slim side) and well-designed accessories. Shapes are simple, colours muted. These clothes don't take over, allowing you to do the talking. 

Favourites? A merino cardigan, plain, classic and yet so different; a Prince of Wales check suit in a soft, strong cloth with red or blue overcheck, a wool jersey overshirt, warm and chunky and a tartan suit in a subtle midnight blue/black plaid that would be ideal for evening formal or smart/casual wear or something a little different for the day. I also liked the soft corduroy suits in dark blue or olive.

I rarely wax lyrical, but my advice is to get on the phone to Jigsaw to reserve either a Prince of Wales check or tartan suit once you're finished reading this post. They are excellent value. Indeed, I've a tartan suit on order myself.

Wanting to know more about the tailoring, I asked Frances Walker, Jigsaw's Menswear Design Director, to tell me about the cloth and construction:

"The Prince of Wales cloth is from an amazing small family run mill in Biella, Italy called SUBALPINO. (Biella is the centre for High end tailoring cloths).

The Tartan is an exclusive design for Jigsaw made by the best Scottish tartan mill, Lochcarron. They work with Comme des Garcons and the like! Again, an amazing hands-on operation who pride themselves on their creativity. We have worked with them every winter since we launched. 

Both suits are hand-finished and made with a (light weight) half canvas construction with functioning cuffs". 

For a two-piece price of just under £400, I felt these suits are excellent value given the construction and obvious quality of the cloth. You may also want also to look at a newly arrived thornproof tweed from a UK mill, which I didn't get a chance to try.

Explore the collection for yourself; visit one of their stores (where the helpful staff are so knowledgeable about what they sell) or go online at the Jigsaw website. More product details are given below.

As ever, I want to thank the Grey Fox photoshoot team; Nick Maroudias, photographer and Sarah Gilfillan, personal stylist of Sartoria Lab who both do their best to support a far from perfect male model. Our aim is to explore a variety of brands to show that the older man can wear stylish, contemporary menswear. To contact us, e-mail me.

Product details

Cord peaked lapel tailored jacket £229.00. 

Tailored corduroy two-button jacket crafted in cotton with a slight stretch. Peak lapels, chest welt and flap pockets, single back vent and functioning button-cuffs for easy sleeve length alteration.

Corduroy slim tailored trousers £98.00

Tailored trousers in stretch-cotton corduroy, impeccably finished inside and out. Slim-fit through the leg, press-crease front and back, flap and slant pockets, Concealed button and hook-and-bar closure and belt loops.

Cord suit waistcoat £98.00

Tailored waistcoat with corduroy front and plain back flawlessly cut from pure cotton. Full button closure, four front facing welt pockets, back-tab to adjust fit and full spot lining.

Prince of Wales check jacket £269 and trousers £129. Tartan suit jacket £269 and trousers £129. Both jackets half canvas construction and working cuffs, with slim-cut trousers.

Wool jersey overshirt £89.00

Italian-made jersey shirt crafted in tonal wool-twill blended fabric. Patch pocket, regular fit, straight hem and full button placket.

Stretch poplin slim shirt £69.00

Essential slim fit shirt crafted in crisp cotton. Button-down collar full mother-of-pearl button placket and button cuffs.

Milano knit merino cardigan £119.00

Relaxed cardigan in pure merino wool for a soft handle. Full button placket, patch pockets, long sleeves and rib features.

Selvedge wool check scarf £49.00

Soft wool scarf in woven check. Contrast selvedges and frayed ends.

Shoes and boots

Collaboration between Sanders of Northampton and Jigsaw. BlackOxford shoe £229. Burgundy 6-eye derby boots with Solovair soles £249 (shoes £189).

Note: This feature is a collaboration with Jigsaw Menswear.

E Tautz photoshoot: Made in Britain style for all men

When reviewing the E Tautz AW15 show at London Collections:Men in January I described it as 'one of the most inspirational shows...' I loved the monochrome colours, British tweeds, knits, textures and generous cuts and styles so reminiscent of mid-twentieth century menswear. 

I felt that this was a glimpse of what we'll see on the high street in a few years. My only reservation (nothing to do with the clothes) was that E Tautz used only young models in the show. I assume this fits with a vision of E Tautz as a brand for the young man, but these are clothes should be for all ages of men as they are so rooted in the classic. And why should young men have all the fun? So I decided to try them for myself.

Like most older men, I'm prone to sartorial caution and I approached these clothes with curiosity and nervousness.  I knew I'd be outside my comfort zone with such styles, rooted in the forties and fifties, but as regulars will know, I am keen to push the boundaries in my search for brands and styles. 

To my surprise, I loved them. The generously cut shapes are streets away from mean, modern slim fits which often leave the wearer looking as though they've grown out of their clothes. They are comfortable and stylish because they are different yet grounded in the classic styles our grandfathers wore. With regards to fit, they're more suited to the older man (and his diverse shapes) than contemporary styles. Whatever you may think of them, give them a try and, like me, you may be converted.

And the cherry on the cake is that these clothes are made in Britain, mostly in E Tautz's recently acquired factory in Blackburn. The fabrics feel luxurious and the construction solid. Prices are not outrageous for the quality, uniqueness, materials and British manufacture.

I was keen to ask Sarah Gilfillan, who's expertise at making men look stylish is unparalleled, to comment on the collection:

" Like David, when I saw the E.Tautz show I loved it. It was so refreshing and exciting to see a different silhouette coming through after years of "skinniness".

When he asked me to be involved in the shoot though, I admit I had reservations. David is a naturally slim build and I thought perhaps it just wouldn't be flattering on him. But, I was pleasantly surprised!

The shapes take a bit of adjusting to as they're so different from the super-slim cuts we've got used to and which have become the norm. We found it was important to get the fit on the waist and shoulders exactly right to avoid it looking as if the clothes were too big. Once we'd sized down on a couple of things, the cuts were so brilliant that we were all instantly converted!

It won't be to everyone's taste, but give it a few years and I'm sure most men will be happy to go back to these more comfortable, roomy shapes. I'm now building a list in my head as to which of my clients I'll be taking into E Tautz this Autumn."

Many, many thanks to the wonderful people at E Tautz, Duke Street, London W1, who happily allowed us to raid their stock and disrupt their Friday afternoon for the shoot. Their support, suggestions and friendliness were generously given and much appreciated.

I'd like to thank my usual team, Nick Maroudias, photographer, who is a real pleasure to work with and Sarah Gilfillan who always gets the best out of clothes and wearer; you can use her personal styling services yourself at Sartoria Lab. We have loved working together on photo shoots to show how brands' products can be worn by the older man.

We are available for styling and shoots, so please get in touch if you'd like to open up your market to that huge and affluent demographic, the older man - greyfoxblog@gmail.com

Links:

Clothes (details below): E Tautz

Sunglasses: (mine) Oliver Peoples

Belt: (borrowed) Charlie Borrow

Shoes: (mine) Joseph Cheaney & Sons

Socks: Scott-Nichol from Pantherella

Watch: (mine) vintage Smiths De Luxe

Thanks to David at Cirrus who's cut my hair for some 27 years. Tel. 020 8977 2379

Details of the E Tautz clothes (all made in the UK):

Double breasted charcoal herringbone suit: Jacket £595, trousers £425

Blue soft collar cotton overshirt: £270

Navy Harrington jacket, 100% cotton ventile: £650

Khaki field trousers: £189

Raw denim classic jean: £159

8-ply Icelandic roll neck: £595

White poplin slim-fit shirt: £160

Ottoman mid-blue wool and silk tie: £119

Summer jackets - introducing a new feature on the best blazers for warmer weather

Worn casually with open-neck linen shirt and jeans or shorts, or more formally with a tie and chinos, the summer jacket or blazer is an essential part of a man's wardrobe. We've set out to find a cross-section of styles, fabrics and prices to guide you through the types available to you. We will introduce these to you, grouped by brand, over the next week.

Grey Fox (front): Jacket Hardy Amies, shirt Thomas Pink, hank Deji George, chinos Spoke. 
Shaun Cole: Jacket Favourbrook, shirt Tripl Stitched
All product links below

Sarah Gilfillan introduces the project:

What is it that makes some blazers look effortless and contemporary and some look more tailored and formal, yet sharp?  For our latest collaborative post I styled Grey Fox and Shaun Cole in a range of light summery blazers. 

The details that give a fresh twist to the classic blazer are high cut armholes, slim sleeves, fitted shapes and unlined styles with little shoulder padding. When worn with slim-fit chinos and jeans plus colourful accessories it gives a sharp, modern and contemporary look (see Grey Fox's Hardy Amies jacket above). Traditionally-cut and structured jackets give a more tailored, formal, conventional yet sharp style (see the Favourbrook jacket above). I love both looks, but the choice is yours.

We chose mainly linens and cottons, but wool is also used which can be crisp in appearance and cool to wear.  

We will show examples of what is available at different price points. Follow our feature over the next few days. 

Grey Fox: shoes from Ohw, chinos Spoke 'Bulletproofs'

In these images I also wear Spoke chinos, old favourites of mine, whose wide range of sizing suits all (OK, most) men. My shoes are from a brand new to me, Ohw; they have proved to be the most comfortable casual shoes I've worn for a while. Other accessories were lent to us for the shoot and will appear over the next few days. Socks (not always visible, but definitely there) are from Pantherella. Other items are our own and are not specifically listed here.

I'm extremely grateful to the brands from Marks & Spencer to Brunello Cucinelli, for lending their products to the project. As with our previous shoot, I wanted to show how clothes normally advertised using younger models can look stylish on men over forty. I asked one of the many friends I've made though this blog to join me for the photo shoot. Dr Shaun Cole, Course Director, MA History and Culture of Fashion at London College of Fashion, has a distinguished academic record but this didn't include modelling, so I was delighted to ask him to join the shoot. 

Once again Sarah Gilfillan, personal stylist sans pareil, has helped style this feature. Her sure touch and instinctive understanding of what makes a man look good brings out the best in the jacket and the wearer and her introduction above sets the tone for our coverage. The photographer was Nick Maroudias, who shot our previous shoot and whose patience and help for a couple of complete amateurs was impressive. 

Please visit over the next week and let us know what you think of our choices.

Suppliers of clothes featured in the images above:

Hardy Amies

Favourbrook

Thomas Pink

Spoke

Ohw Shoes  (this pair was donated to Grey Fox for the shoot)

Deji George

Pantherella

This feature was not sponsored. 

Men's Coats for Spring: a GreyFox/SartoriaLab photo-shoot

As winter retreats and the Sun warms the Earth, we find our winter coats a little heavy and uncomfortable. I decided, with help from Sarah Gilfillan of Sartoria Lab, to look for lighter coats that can be layered according to temperature.

We wanted to try a variety of styles and approached a few brands offering an interesting selection in their SS15 collections. I was pleased at least half of them are British-made, even though we hadn't selected them on that basis.

This is the first of a series of photo-shoots in which Sarah and I show menswear being worn by older men (initially me, volunteers welcome). Most brands use very young models, discouraging the older man from trying out the products on offer.

I've tried coats I wouldn't normally wear and have been surprised by most of them. I hope that our approach will encourage you to experiment and try some of the clothes we show. If our efforts both encourage brands to use older models in their campaigns and also influence you to try new styles, I'll be very happy.

Sarah and I comment on each jacket below, giving a link to the supplier's website (or to the item itself) so that you can browse and buy. We've only had cursory glances at the suppliers' descriptions so that we can give you our own views on the coats.

I'm very grateful to photographer Nick Maroudias for the superb images and for his support for an inexperienced model. Without his involvement, this project would have been impossible. Thanks also to Jean-Pierre Agius whose help and innovative styling suggestions were invaluable.

REALM & EMPIRE:

REALM AND EMPIRE COTTON PEACOAT £225.00 ^

Sarah: I wasn't sure about this jacket when I first saw images of it, but it really grew on me when I could see and handle it. I love pea-coats and the tan cotton looks fresh for spring. It goes very well with navy and white so, if you're like a lot of men with a large percentage of blue in your wardrobe, it'll make a good choice. We decided to give it a smarter feel with a chambray shirt and floral tie. 

David: I liked the colour and fit of this coat from an interesting and growing brand. Like most coats tried here, it follows the modern trend for short-fit. With well-designed and made details (like the closure to the collar) this is comfortable and well-made. It will suit most ages and body-types, making it an ideal spring/summer jacket.

Click here 

BARBOUR:

BARBOUR INTERNATIONAL - SIMONSIDE WAX JACKET £249 ^ 

Sarah: I often shop for classic, functional jackets with clients and Barbour offer a great selection. The biker style of this one gives it a "cool" Steve McQueen edge. Wear it done up and belted or open with the belt tied at the back.

David: My initial thought was that this may be too motor bike for daily wear, but I was wrong. I liked the fit, practicality and classic style of this jacket. Versatile enough for town and country wear and can be layered as the weather cools. A cool classic, but I'd like to see fewer logos; Barbour is a brand that shouldn't need to shout that loudly.

Click here

JOHN LEWIS:

JOHN LEWIS BOMBER KIN JACKET £89.00 ^

Sarah: Generally I consider bomber jackets to be a bit of a younger style, but when David tried this on I thought it looked good. Initially we tried to style it with a polo shirt for a summery feel, but it gave it too much of a mod / skinhead style, so we went back to a simple roll neck. A fine knit crew neck sweater layered over a t-shirt would also look good. 

David: My thoughts are the same as Sarah's. Care needs to be taken when wearing a bomber, but I was surprised how much I liked it. Reasonably-priced and stylishly simple, it has a mesh lining and the quality belies its price. One for you to try for yourself.

Click here

GLOVERALL:



GLOVERALL DUFFLE COAT £199.00 ^

Sarah: This was the surprise of the day which ended up being my favourite. Duffle coats aren't everyone's style, but it really suited David. It's a great spring-like take on the classic wool duffle, in a lightweight showerproof fabric. It's not the first thing I'd think of buying with a client but, having seen this on, I'll definitely be more open to it in future. 

David: Again, my thoughts are the same. This was a very last-minute addition to the shoot. I requested it urgently as it offered something quite different to the other coats. I wasn't hopeful that I'd like it, but it ended up as a surprise favourite of the day, and it's British-made. Made from an Italian coated cotton, it's shower-proof and light. An interesting, practical and stylish version of the classic duffle coat. I've seen some interesting products coming from Gloverall and look forward to covering them again.

Click here

OLIVER SWEENEY:

OLIVER SWEENEY BOXSTEAD CHARCOAL COTTON JACKET £395 ^

Sarah: I love the elegant shape of this mac-style jacket/coat, which would work equally well on larger guys because of the simple unfussy style. It looks great with jeans, but would also be perfect over a suit. Although the fabric is cotton it looks a bit more tweedy. I'd be more inclined to buy this with clients in autumn rather than spring. 

David: Oliver Sweeney offer an interesting range of menswear. This coat comes in many guises (including as a mac) and colours. At first glance it's wool, but it's made of a cotton tweedy fabric, ideal for milder spring and summer weather. With a clean design, nice details and (this was a pleasant surprise) a Made in England label, this was another favourite - probably for town rather than country wear. 

Click here 

BARBOUR X WHITE MOUNTAINEERING:

BARBOUR x WHITE MOUNTANEERING WAX LAPEL JACKET £399.00 ^

Sarah: An interesting and detailed jacket which fills the gap between a blazer and a casual jacket. Its the sort of thing I might buy with a client if they didn't have the need for a smart navy blazer, and wanted something a bit different.

David: I liked its cut and practicality, but was less sure about the details, in particular the numerous pockets and the perforations on large parts of the jacket. This is a collaboration with the Japanese White Mountaineering, so it's aimed at the younger man. One for you to try and make up your own mind about.

Click here 

PRIVATE WHITE V.C.:

PRIVATE WHITE V.C. ALCANTARA SHAWL BOMBER £850.00 ^ 

Sarah: I like the shape, collar and detailing of this jacket. It's got quite a retro seventies style to it, so I think on an older guy it needs to be styled with modern pieces to keep it looking contemporary. 

David: A British-made jacket (in Manchester) from the successful Private White V.C. Although I've been to their factory and supported them on the blog for some time, this was the first time I had had the opportunity to try on one of their products. The faux-suede looks and feels like the real thing, lacking only the supreme flexibility of the best suede. I liked the quality and superb detailing, including the characteristic copper P.W.V.C. zip and well-shaped shawl collar. Different and stylish.

Click here 

JOHN LEWIS:

JOHN LEWIS COTTON FIELD JACKET £89.00 ^

Sarah: An easy to wear versatile cotton field jacket, which you can layer up with chunky knitwear whilst it's still cold, but will work equally well with lightweight trousers and t-shirts for cool summer evenings. It's a flattering shape for very slim guys as the epaulettes and pockets all have a broadening effect. 

David: Another good value jacket from John Lewis, this reminded me very much of a US Army surplus combat jacket I wore while a student in the seventies. I liked the back detail and well-made nature of this jacket. Being who they are, John Lewis don't feel the need to undermine the simple design with logos and other geegaws; hooray.

Click here

Here are links to some of the other clothes that I'm wearing:

Brogues - Loake

English-made jeans - Quantock

Shirts - Tripl Stitched

Tie - Dancys

Socks - Marwood mohair

Watch - vintage Tudor Submariner

NOTE: Our next shoot, in March/April, will explore men's summer blazers, suits and jackets. Please e-mail me or Sarah if you would like your products to be considered for inclusion.

If you, as a blog reader, have any suggestions for items you would like to see featured in these shoots, please get in touch.