Downton Abbey - Men's hats

My plan was to blog the below just before Christmas but other things distracted me and was unable to do so. Now I give you this in the New Year 2013, hope you will enjoy the theme of men's hats as depicted and renditioned in Downton Abbey the series.

Downton Abbey the TV series has caught my attention by the way the male characters are depicted, being very classically, stylishly and very sartorially dressed. For the day I will focus on the men's hats selection & choice. 

Nowadays it is very rare to see men in hats (proper hats, and not baseball caps). 

The Downton Abbey series portrays the male characters it be from the top of society (Earl of Grantham) to the lower end of society (the male servants i.e. Mr. Carson or and Mr. Bates ) as sartorial gents who utilises the head gear very elegantly and very stylishly as an accessory. I hope that the series will revive and bring the men's head gear back as a staple accessory of any gent's day to day dressing and wardrobe.

Earl of Grantham, head of the Crawley family wearing different head gear, from Panama hat, Homborg hat, Top hat to country cap.

 Mr. Matthew Crawley and the Earl Of Grantham in country caps

Mr. Matthew Crawley in Homborg, country cap and Fedora

Lady Mary Crawley and Mr. Matthew Crawley in country attire

Matthew Crawley in a Homborg hat,  - holding a top hat and - wearing a Trilby hat

 Mr. Matthew Crawley and Mr. Tom Branson (left) in a Lord's hat

Mr. Tom Branson in chauffeur uniform, hat and the driving goggles.

Mr. Tom Branson in a Lord's hat with Lady Sybil Crawley

Sir Anthony Strallan in a Lord's hat and Top Hat

Sir Richard Carlisle in a Homborg hat and Fedora

Sir Richard Carlisle and Lady Mary Crawley

Dr. Richard Clarkson in a Homborg hat

Mr. Carson in a bowler hat

Mr. Bates in a Panama hat and a bowler hat

 Mr. Molesey in a bowler hat

Photos sourced from Downton Abbey Wikia, Pinterest, Fan Pop and PBS Org

Happy New Year 2013 -

To all of you, though a tad late I wish you a Wonderful Happy New Year.

WS Foster boots for the gent

WS Foster and Sons London Bespoke boot and shoemaker offers a ready to wear Chelsea boot, the Oakley, which is the type of boot a gent needs to cope with the Winter snow and the wetness. The Oakley is made of a warm mahogany pebble grain and comes with a Dainite sole to have a good grip whilst walking the city streets.

 The "Oakley" Chelsea boot from WS Foster, just the boot for looking good in the snow. 

All photos sourced from Foster's 

Gaziano and Girling - Russian Reindeer single monks

For the day I have sampled a very beautiful single monk with a stitched apron and a split toe from the duo bespoke shoemakers  Mr. Tony Gaziano & Mr. Dean Girling ((Gaziano & Girling) from Northampton (UK). The hide of the monk looks like Russian reindeer. The colouring of the hide and colour are just mesmerising to the viewer.  
If and when I am going to commission a monk for the coming years, I would definitely go for this Norwegian split toe single monk made of Russian reindeer hide. Very elegantly executed.

Photos sourced from Gaziano and Girling

Horace Batten - Boot and Shoemaker

I have to admit that sometimes in the quest for bespoke shoemakers, I do stumble upon artisans who for generations produced and still produce shoes but in all quietness. No fancy address, show rooms and or even advertisements. One of these artisans is a Northamptonshire (UK) based bespoke boot and shoemaker for seven generations, Horace Batten family establishment. Very discreet indeed. Now how many of the London bespoke shoe houses will produce a size 72 riding boot as shown below? I take my hat off for this family.

The size 72 riding gear have been created for the 33ft Lady Godiva puppet in celebration of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Horace Batten making a shoe for the puppet Godiva

When I saw the below button Balmoral boot, I knew I had to include the Horace Batten house on this blog. After looking and viewing the button boot from the Horace house, I concluded and decided that I need a button balmoral boot from them. I will be in contact with them, soon...very soon.

Button Balmoral boot from the Horace Batten house

Riding boots from the Batten house

Photos sourced from http://Ancient Industries blog and Horace Batten

Gaziano and Girling - Double Monk

Gaziano and Girling (the duo from Northampton) have their moments of surprising, like this bespoke double monk, a clients design, which came out beautiful. I have seen many monks, but this one is unique, as it is a semi brogued double monk. A true treasure to the shoe lover. A shoe for the next Summer and permanent staple in a gent's shoe wardrobe.

Wing tip brogue double monk from Gaziano and Girling

Photos sourced from Gaziano & Girling Tumblr

John Lobb - Spirit of Capitals - Boots

The venerable London bespoke boot and shoemaker John Lobb (St. James), produced a collection of shoes named the "Spirits of Capitals", the collection was born out of a challenge for the house to craft a pair of shoes that would embody a city in the world. For the day I sampled two pairs of boots from the "Spirits of Capitals", a "Moscow" Balmoral oxford laced boot and a "London" Derby country boot.

The "Moscow" Balmoral Boot made for a Russian Opera singer, the boot is in different shades of browns and texture (leather and suede). The clients initials are hand embroidered in Cyrillic letters on the heel of the Balmoral ankle boot. The joys of going bespoke, lovely boot. Though a tad too much for my liking, meaning the initials.

The side view of the "Moscow" Oxford laced Balmoral boot.

The "London" Derby boot in gold Barenia calfskin and khaki canvas.

These boots in cotton canvas and calfskin are unmistakably London.

Photos sourced from The Dandy Project