My Most Complimented Menswear Items – Favorite Garments and Accessories

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Loyal viewers of our Youtube channel may recall that Raphael has previously published a video on his own most complimented items. Now that I’m increasingly more settled into my role here at the Gentleman’s Gazette, we thought it might be fun for me to compile my own list–some of which are individual items, and others of which are collections. I’ll also be offering some reasons as to why I think those items have gotten so much praise.

1. Hats

We’ll start with my collection of vintage hats. As has been noted here on our website, I’m almost never out of doors without a hat on and I’ve built up a collection of hats over the last 10 years or so. My regular three-season rotation consists principally of three vintage fedoras; one in a sort of mustardy brown color, one in charcoal gray, and one in medium gray. I’ve also got a vintage black fedora but I don’t wear it as often.

Preston collects vintage hats
Preston collects vintage hats
Grenadine Silk Tie in Navy Blue

Fort Belvedere

Grenadine Silk Tie in Navy Blue

Light Blue Veronica Persica Boutonniere Buttonhole Flower Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

Light Blue Veronica Persica Boutonniere Buttonhole Flower

Dark Blue Linen Pocket Square with White Handrolled X Stitch by Fort Belvedere on white background

Fort Belvedere

Dark Blue Linen Pocket Square with White Handrolled X Stitch

In the summer, I most often wear a coconut straw pork pie and I wear a straw boater for more formal occasions. I used to own a conventional Panama hat but it got too worn out to wear. Still, I hope to acquire another one soon. Using online resources, I’ve learned how to re-block the crowns of my felt hats all by myself at home.

When I started seriously investing in dress shirts in my college years, I became immediately fascinated by French cuffs and cufflinks as they’re a subtle but distinct way to accent an outfit.

Preston's cufflinks collection
Preston’s cufflinks collection

My current collection incorporates everything from simple black links that are typically worn under sweater sleeves, to more casual fabric inlays, to designs incorporating colors and patterns, to vintage models that I’ve found online and in secondhand stores. And of course, I would be remiss not to mention our various Fort Belvedere models in both monkey’s fist and eagle claw designs.

3. French Cuff Shirts

Speaking of my French cuff shirts, they’re my number 3 pick as several of them have also gotten many compliments including my blue and white gingham model and several of my other grid-patterned shirts, as well as my pastel colors, in particular, pink, probably because it’s good for my complexion. My lavender puppy tooth and violet Glen check models almost fit in both of these camps since the patterns are so small that they read as solids from a distance and my blue and yellow Prince of Wales check model, my first shirt from Charles Tyrwhitt, is a favorite of mine.

Preston's lavender puppy tooth dress shirt on the left, and the Glen check dress shirt on the right (Pictured: Blue Cornflower Boutonniere from Fort Belvedere)
Preston’s lavender puppy tooth dress shirt on the left, and the Glen check dress shirt on the right (Pictured: Blue Cornflower Boutonniere from Fort Belvedere)

I’ve been collecting these shirts for the better part of five years now, all of them in the same fit but since joining the Gentleman’s Gazette, I do now realize that they are largely too big on me. So stay tuned for future content as I continue on my style journey zeroing in on the fits of all of my garments.

4. Odd Jackets

I’ll touch on two of my odd jackets next, both of which fit me reasonably well or at least better than some of the other jackets in my closet. These would be my double-breasted navy blazer and my camel hair sport coat, both of which are vintage. In addition to liking the fit of these jackets, I also appreciate the smaller details like the blazer’s gold buttons and the sport coat’s wide rounded lapels.

Preston in his two most complimented odd jackets: the double-breasted navy blazer on the left, and the camel hair sport coat on the right
Preston in his two most complimented odd jackets: the double-breasted navy blazer on the left, and the camel hair sport coat on the right

5. Camel Hair Overcoat

Mentioning camel hair also reminds me that I do receive a number of compliments on my camel hair overcoat which is probably my favorite piece of winter outerwear. This is another vintage piece and one that pairs well with my brown fedora as well as with many different colors of gloves and scarves. The color stands out well from the more typical black, navy, and charcoal overcoats you are going to see and the genuine camel hair does keep me quite warm in the winter.

Preston in a winter ensemble featuring his vintage camel hair overcoat (Pictured: Peccary Gloves Cashmere Lined Waterproof in Chamois Yellow from Fort Belvedere)
Preston in a winter ensemble featuring his vintage camel hair overcoat (Pictured: Peccary Gloves Cashmere Lined Waterproof in Chamois Yellow from Fort Belvedere)

My overcoat collection isn’t nearly as extensive as Raphael’s though and this video should prove that.

6. Suits

I don’t happen to have too many full suits in my wardrobe at the moment but two that do get compliments and are, therefore, my number 6 picks are my royal blue suit and my charcoal grey suit. The blue is two pieces and the charcoal is three. Again, while neither of these suits has a perfect fit, I do like the way that each of them makes me feel. Also, the charcoal suit has a slight texture and pattern to its weave and the blue suit is brighter than a traditional navy so it stands out of it.

Preston in his royal blue suit
Preston in his royal blue suit
Monkey Fist Knot Cufflinks - 925 Sterling Silver Platinum Plated - Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

Monkey Fist Knot Cufflinks – 925 Sterling Silver Platinum Plated

Battleship Gray Jacquard Woven Tie with Printed Light Blue and White Diamonds

Fort Belvedere

Battleship Gray Jacquard Woven Tie with Printed Light Blue and White Diamonds

Light Blue Veronica Persica Boutonniere Buttonhole Flower Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

Light Blue Veronica Persica Boutonniere Buttonhole Flower

I appreciate having the option to wear the charcoal suit as either two pieces or three and with either of these, I do sometimes also engage in the spezzato technique of breaking them up and pairing them with odd trousers as I’m doing with the blue jacket.

7. Sweater Collection

As we’re on the topic of choosing layers to wear underneath jackets or indeed on their own, I’ll mention my sweater collection next. You’ve seen a number of my sweaters on the channel already including my cardigans in navy blue, gray, and black, and my oatmeal color that’s good for more casual outfits.

Preston in his favorite sweaters - the berry cashmere v-neck sweater and the wine cardigan
Preston in his favorite sweaters – the berry cashmere v-neck sweater and the wine cardigan

My favorites though and the ones that get the most compliments are my wine colored cardigan and my berry colored cashmere v-neck. Both of these sweaters can be worn well under jackets, or of course, on their own. Cardigans tend to give the wearer a more professorial vibe which I don’t necessarily mind, whereas v-necks are more sporty and preppy. Both styles though are quite versatile.

8. Collar Clips

Let’s return to accessories for a moment to cover another small piece that can make a big difference, collar clips. These are designed to make the knot of one’s tie more pronounced and also to hold the collar together in a neat and tidy way. They were particularly popular in the early 20th century but they fell out of favor somewhat as larger tie knots and wider spread collars came into fashion.

Some of Preston's vintage collar clips
Some of Preston’s vintage collar clips

I have a few vintage models in my collection, some of which are more ornate than others. They don’t always get noticed because they are small but when they do, onlookers are generally very complimentary. 

9. Boutonnieres

As with collar clips, boutonnieres were a popular accessory in the early 20th century but they too fell out of favor somewhat. Probably because real flowers could wilt or might get pollen on a lapel and having to often buy fresh flowers wasn’t exactly cheap. Fort Belvedere has solved this problem, though, with our extensive collection of silk boutonnieres.

Preston keeps his collection of boutonnieres in Fort Belvedere gift boxes.
Preston keeps his collection of boutonnieres in Fort Belvedere gift boxes.

My Edelweiss and cornflowers in different colors are good for sport coats and my carnations are good for black-tie ensembles.

10. Black-Tie Wardrobe

As a jazz singer who specializes in early 20th century standards, I often wear Black Tie when performing and as a result, I have a few different ensembles in my collection. You’ve seen both my black single-breasted and midnight blue double-breasted tuxedos on the channel, as well as my double-breasted ivory shawl collar dinner jacket. I’ve got a single-breasted ivory model as well, also with a shawl collar.

Preston in his single-breasted ivory shawl collar dinner jacket
Preston in his single-breasted ivory shawl collar dinner jacket

Some of these ensembles are vintage and others are new and the same can be said for my black bow ties as well. You can find a wide variety of black tie as well as white tie accessories in the Fort Belvedere shop. Also, for anything you’d like to know about these formal dress codes, our comprehensive Black Tie guide on the website has you covered.

Bonus Pick: Overall Demeanor

To wrap up today, let’s consider a bonus pick that echoes Raphael’s own list. This would be my overall look or demeanor when wearing any of these items as well as other pieces in my collection. No matter whether you’re a menswear expert or just starting on your own style journey, wearing your clothes with confidence is a key step in wearing them well.

Of course, the fit is important as we’ve covered many times here and you should always try to look for quality craftsmanship but equally key is being able to wear your garments in a way that feels comfortable and natural to you. If you can do this, you should be no stranger to getting compliments from those around you, but if you’re wondering how best to accept one, you can find our video on that subject here.

Outfit Rundown

I’m wearing a sporty combination that does feature at least a few of the items I’ve discussed here today. Chief among them would be the jacket from my royal blue suit which, as I said, I’m wearing in a broken up spezzato style with some grey odd trousers that feature a small pattern in their weave. Harmonizing with both the jacket and the trousers is my shirt which features a micro check in dark grey and blue. It isn’t one of my French cuff models from Charles Tyrwhitt but it provides a bit of variety in my closet as I don’t have too many barrel cuffed shirts.

Preston in a casual ensemble featuring some of the most complimented items in his wardrobe
Preston in a casual ensemble featuring some of the most complimented items in his wardrobe
Light Purple Cornflower Boutonniere Buttonhole Flower Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

Light Purple Cornflower Boutonniere Buttonhole Flower

Shadow Stripe Ribbed Socks Light Grey and Light Blue Fil d'Ecosse Cotton - Fort Belvedere

Fort Belvedere

Shadow Stripe Ribbed Socks Light Grey and Light Blue Fil d'Ecosse Cotton

To add some brighter pops of color to the outfit today, I’ve chosen a madder silk tie with a geometric micro pattern in a lavender color that harmonizes well with the light purple cornflower boutonniere from Fort Belvedere. The blue corn flower is the most standard and classic choice but we’ve introduced a number of other cornflower colors in the shop so you should take a look.

My socks are from Fort Belvedere too, they are grey with light blue shadow stripes. These go well with the trousers as well as with my shoes which are gray suede derbies from Heinrich Dinkelacker. The other piece in the outfit today is a vintage magenta colored pocket square from Hermes which features a sort of chain-link design in yellow and bluish tones.

What items in your own wardrobe receive the most compliments? Share with us in the comments below!

Reader Comments

  1. Hurray for hats Preston. I’ve never been a particular fan of Boaters, but you pull it off well. Lookin good!

  2. To say the way I really feel; nearly all of my clothes I have are little more than inanimate objects . There is more to what most people are than clothes , I do though get nice compliments of my Morning Suit ; I get to wear it a few times a year at Horse Race Events . I made a study of this clothing idiom and it is spot on .

  3. I have been mulling over your revelation that the difficulty with a signature tune for GG is that Sven is too parsimonious to pay copyright and have come up with the perfect solution. Nobody could complain about your use of your own name and da is not a word which appears in any dictionary. Thus you are entitled to adapt the Batman theme, the proper one from the 1960s – not the modern garbage, as:
    Preston! Da da da da da da da da
    Da da da da da da da da, Preston!

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