This article first appeared in the Mar/Apr 2014 issue of World Gaming magazine.
A true gentleman is renowned for his practicality. His life is not cluttered with irrelevant items. Unlike many women who adorn themselves with multiple accessories – many of which have no readily identifiable practical use (what purpose does a necklace serve?) – gentlemen stick to accessories with specific practical uses. Whilst any aspiring gentleman can own a nice suit, elegant wrist watch, cigars or scotch, an old school gentleman is distinguished by his adoption of traditional accessories which have stood the test of time and continue to exhibit class through the centuries.
Those possessing any of these items readily expose the difference between a duke and a drake, a lord and a lad or the polished from the dull. Please read on to see my top five old school accessories.
5. CUFFLINKS. With origins in 17th century France, cufflinks have stood the test of time due to their incredible practicality as much as the statement they make about the wearer. Cufflinks add individuality and can be chosen to match seasons, moods or occasions. Cufflinks are the entry level “must have” accessory for the old school gentleman. Of course, those wearing shirts without cufflinks are making an entirely different statement!
4. UMBRELLA. An elegantly produced umbrella is an old school accessory which truly comes in handy. I am not describing the cheap street vendor umbrella you rush to buy when you are unexpectedly caught in the rain; rather, the type you would find at Thomas Fox of London. With a distinguished history, gentleman started carrying umbrellas regularly around the 17th century. These early umbrella aficionados were often pelted by coachman who feared if the trend caught on, people would not need their covered wagon services. Well, the trend became mainstream, coaches are gone and true gentlemen still enjoy the comfort and protection a sturdy, well-made umbrella provides (as long as you remember to collect it on your way out the door).
3. HIP FLASK. Stemming from an age where drinking local water was unsafe, gentlemen who needed to whet their lips would do so using their own favorite spirits without the inconvenience of having to carry a breakable glass bottle. Traditionally made from pewter or silver, the stainless steel variety has become more popular in modern times. I would highly recommend the model created by Alfred Dunhill for weight, design and ease of drinking. Carrying this accessory on your person at all times ensures the old school gentleman is always hydrated in the best way possible.
2. BESPOKE SHOES. The practicality of shoes to protect and comfort the human foot is well known. What is less well known is the immense comfort of shoes measured and fitted specifically for the feet of the old school gentleman.
Like the bespoke suit, the hand crafted bespoke shoe is a gentleman’s ultimate accessory in terms of functionality and escaping mass produced, one size fits all offerings. The subtlety of the statement being made by the gentleman who wears them is not lost on the few who actually notice.
1. CHAMPAGNE SABRE. Originating in Napoleonic times, what a champagne sabre may lack in practicality it makes up for in the impression it makes. The art of using a champagne sabre is known as “sabrage”. This device is used to open champagne and enhances the ceremony, spectacle and celebration which accompanies a fine bottle of bubbles. Instead of manually popping the cork, you use the blunt side of the sabre to cut the top of the bottle completely off in one sharp movement. The cork is left inside the neck of the bottle which has been separated from the rest of the bottle. Why would an old school gentleman want a bottle of champagne opened any other way?
