I was reminded of this the other day when I read about the opening of an exhibition featuring some of his lessser known works entitled ‘Nudes’ at the Little Black Gallery in London at which Christie’s photography expert Phillippe Garner said of Lord Lichfield, ” If he saw an opportunity to make life beautiful, he felt he had a duty to do so.”

What a truly wonderful way to be remembered.

Nina has battled with cancer throughout much of her adult life and now ulilises the media in its many forms to inspire others. She has written a book “I Am Still A Woman” that will be published later in 2012. She also has a webpage at www.iamstillawoman.com and a blog at www.iamstillawoman.blogspot.com.au and can be found on the social network sites Facebook and Twitter.

I encourage you to find out more about this lady who should be an inspiration to us all, and about a disease that in many different ways affects so many of us.

BEING A BESPOKE TAILOR I AM OFTEN ASKED FOR COMMENT AND ADVICE ON HOW BEST TO CARE FOR AND PROLONG THE LIFE OF A TOP QUALITY SUIT. HERE ARE A FEW OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I GET ASKED MOST OFTEN, AND MY ANSWERS:

Q: How often should a suit be worn?

A:Ideally a suit should be worn once a week, that’s still more than 50 wears in a year. Most people don’t realise how much stretching and crumpling a suit endures in a single busy day. Therefore a garment should be rested between wears in order to give the natural fibres time to rejuvenate and recover after wearing.

Q: What’s the first sign that a suit is wearing out?

A: As a rule it’s always the trousers that wear out first. You are probably familiar with the “shiny bum” look that can extend to the entire pair of trousers over time.  A cost effective way of ensuring an extended life for your suit is to have an additional  pair of trousers made when you first order your suit. Another alternative is to order a new pair of trousers from your tailor when the first pair show early signs of wear.

Q: How should I store my suits?

A: A good hangar is essential. Ideally it should be wood, but plastic will do. The hangar should simulate the contours of your body, whilst the rod supporting the trousers should not be so slippery that the trousers fall on the floor of your wardrobe where you find them when you are running late with no time to press them! Also it does no harm at all to take the clothes you are going to wear the next day out of the wardrobe the night before to give them a good airing overnight.

Q: How about if you are storing suits for an extended period?

A: Ensure your suits are clean so that bugs can’t dine on any microscopic food particles or stains that you might have picked up. Use a canvas suit bag rather than a plastic one, and an anti-moth strip in the wardrobe is also important.

Q: How often should I clean a suit?

A: The simple advice is not very often at all. Just because a suit needs pressing it doesn’t necessarily mean that it needs dry cleaning. Also the chemicals many dry cleaners use, and the occasional mistreatment that some subject suits to, makes it imperative that you find a good dry cleaner and stick with them.

Q: Any other hints?

A: Yes, buttons may fall off, cuffs come apart, the lining in a jacket or pair of trousers tear, but with the help of a good tailor such as J. H. Cutler who are happy to do alterations and repairs, it is amazing what can be done to satisfactorily prolong the life of a good suit. With reasonable care there’s no reason why a good, hand-made suit shouldn’t last eight to 10 years at least.

I hope you found this to be useful. If you have any other questions that you would lke answered please let me know.

MANY OF YOU WILL KNOW  HOW MUCH I LIKE THE TV SERIES MAD MEN, WHICH IS ABOUT  NEW YORK ADVERTISING IN THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES AND FEATURES THE MARVELOUS FASHIONS OF THE TIME. NOW I SEE THAT A BOOK HAS BEEN PUBLISHED THAT SHOWCASES SOME OF THE BEST AMERICAN PRINT ADS FROM THE SAME ERA.

Called Mid-Century Ads: Advertising From the Mad Men Era it comes in two volumes and totals 720 pages. All the print ads shown have been digitally remastered.

Looking at some of the ads, it’s clear that the output of the Don Drapers of the time would nowadays be considered to be as “politically incorrect” as the behaviour of many of the characters in the TV series.

For example an ad for the American Meat Institute includes the line “This is something a man wants to come home to… something that makes women proud of their meals”. Imagine if that ran in a magazine today!

Still it’s a fascinating insight into American life half a century ago, and there’s even some men’s fashion ads including an example from the classic “Man in the Hathaway shirt” campaign. Well worth a read in my opinion.

Sunspel, at their store in Old Compton Street, are now offering a handcrafted T-shirt service, where you select the fit, colour, style and trim, with prices starting from around 100 pounds sterling or A$150.

Wonder if the idea could catch on here in Oz, where Sydney must surely be the T-shirt capital of the universe?

Had Sunday lunch at a very traditional English pub, the King William IV near Albury in Surrey. Flagstone floors and a huge open fireplace, which was very welcome on a freezing cold day. My new bespoke tweed car coat certainly came in useful. The traditional Sunday roast featured free range pork reared by the pub landlord washed down with a couple of pints of Shere Drop from the local Surrey Hills Brewery. Highly recommended.

A few days in Europe to follow, then a flight back to Sydney and hopefully some summer sunshine.

David is currently researching the book and as part of this exercise is trying to locate the oldest surviving J. H. Cutler garment or artefact. Maybe you, or someone you know can help? The company was founded in Sydney in 1884 and I would like to think that there are items hidden away in a wardrobe or attic somewhere in Australia or overseas. But not so well hidden that no one is aware of their existence!

The most notable items, including the absolute oldest are guaranteed inclusion in the finished book. As are their owners if they so desire.

I will be sure to keep you informed of progress on this project in the months ahead.

The mid-brown Prince of Wales check fabric features a blend of 93% vicuna and 7% silk. The buttons are made from buffalo horn.

Whilst I am responsible for the design and cutting of the garment I am supported by a team of world class professionals in Sydney and it would take one of our coatmakers 48 hours of hard work to have produced such a jacket.

You can see a number of examples of garments from J. H. Cutler by visiting the Clothing Gallery on our website at www.cutlerbespoke.com

The 305g tweed with a heather green, purple and orangy red check design comes from the excellent English company Dashing Tweeds. It features a fly front, buffalo horn buttons, a pure silk purple lining, slanting welted pockets on each side and a special additional pocket that’s ideal for carrying the paper, or a bottle of grog if you are that way inclined. This is topped off with a matching tweed cap, which have become very fashionable of late.

Car coats were originally designed for driving in open topped cars which could get nippy in winter, or at high speeds at other times. Today I think they make a stylish and useful addition to any gentleman’s wardrobe. They can be worn with business or casual suits, and with casual weekend wear. I would certainly encourage my clients to invest in one, particularly with some of the exciting new fabrics that are now available from the likes of Dashing Tweeds and would be interested to hear your opinion on this oft neglected garment.

Incidentally more information on my friends from Dashing Tweeds can to found at http://www.dashingtweeds.co.uk/