What I Wore Today - Boden & John Varvatos

Craig of That Dapper Chap shows us his look for this weekend and shows off his new John Varvatos weekend bag.

When I chose this red and blue striped sweater by Boden I couldn't wait to wear it, but being in the midst of summer, the opportunity hadn't yet arisen. Not that today was a particularly cool day, more that I couldn't resist wearing it any more! With its thin knit in cotton and cashmere it's a great fit and so soft and easy to wear.

With the sweater I wore a pair of stone coloured chino shorts and kept the red and blue theme going with the wristwear and laces in the tan lather brogues.

If you're off for a weekend by the sea like myself you'll need a great bag. This canvas weekend bag by John Varvatos fits the bill. The fact that it's lightweight to begin with is a huge plus. I have leather weekend bags and they are heavy even before you've filled it with everything that you need for your time away!

It's a very roomy bag and even after I'd packed everything I needed I still had some room left inside. I love a bag that comes with handles and a strap as it makes it much more versatile than a bag with just one or the other.  It's faux leather handles are large enough to fit over your shoulder too, so you have three carrying options. The only downside for me is a distinct lack of pockets so if you needed to take passports and documents you'll need to carry them inside the bag itself or somewhere else which could be a pain.

While you may know John varvatos from his time designing for Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, you might also know that he has his own range of clothing along with a great range of fragrances which are available at Debenhams.

I didn't take a huge amount of stuff for my trip, the idea is to chill out, drink wine and relax with friends rather than have to worry about looking stylish. We all need some total chill time right!

Where It's All From

Weekend Bag: John Varvatos

Red & Blue Stripe Sweater: Boden

Tan Leather Brogues: Burton Menswear

No Show Socks: Primark

Stone Chino Shorts: Primark

Sunglasses: Primark

Straw Hat: Primark

Watch: Daniel Wellington

Bead Bracelets: Home Made

Anchor Phrep Bracelet: Paul Hewitt

THANKS FOR READING!

Nautical Prep

Craig of That Dapper Chap shows us today's preppy look accessorised with items by Paul Hewitt

I've been really keen on the preppy look for a while and have occasionally erred towards that genre of styling in my daily look. 

After receiving a great little parcel from Paul Hewitt, who sell some really great preppy accessories, I thought I'd use them to build a look to challenge the preppiest prepster.

Getting my preppy style on

The preppy preperation

I chose items in the same colourway and all with a nautical theme. The bright red bow tie is printed with lobsters, the red, white and blue bracelet fastens with and anchor and the nato strap on the vintage style watch is also adorned with anchors. The red and blue belt and pocket square help to bring the colour theme together.

If you like the Paul Hewitt accessories, check back on the blog again soon as I'll be carrying out a product review on their vintage style watch.

The Denim Jean Style Challenge - Look Two

That Dapper Chap shares the second look in the denim style challenge, creating five looks from just two pairs of jeans.

This is a sponsored post of honest and unbiased opinion

Hello again, welcome back to the second installment of the Next denim jeans style challenge. If you haven't already read the details of the challenge or the very interesting denim survey results by Burton Menswear, find it HERE

All photography by the very talented Ian Clark of PhotoByIan, check out his other work HERE

The two pairs of jeans from Next.co.uk that I used for the challenge

Look 2 - Preppy Afternoon

For this very preppy look I again chose the smart jeans which can be found HERE. Available from Next.co.uk for £35.00.

Working from the ground up we have some white pumps, sockless of course with a roll on the hem of the trousers, perfect for the warmer spring days that should just be around the corner!

Its back to college with this very preppy look

Plain white pumps with no socks, perfect for the coming weather

The shirt is a pale blue poplin shirt with button down collar, again keeping it really preppy and very Ralph Lauren. Over that I've added a red cardigan with a grey trim, keeping is slightly unbuttoned for a relaxed feel. The bow tie adds some formality and the watch continues the preppiness. 

I also added a navy blazer with a grey trim, to keep out the spring breeze and some glasses, a great bag and a book or two for that intellectual look.

The glasses, bag and books help create that preppy image

The right accessories continue the theme

All 'prepped' and ready to go

This cool belt adds a bit more interest and is a very preppy addition

The lobster bow tie is a great nautical touch

The full look. Preppy style with the Next smart jeans

Photography

All photography by Ian Clark. Check out his work at HERE

Find him on Twitter HERE

Find him on Instagram HERE

The Outfit

White Toe Cap Pumps - Next £25.00

Dark Raw Jeans - Next £35.00

Pale Blue Poplin Shirt - Next £20.00

Cardigan - Primark £10.00

Lobster Bow Tie - Paul Hewitt £35.00

Blazer - River Island

Brown Croc Briefcase - Antoni Manuel £250.00

Silk Tie Belt - CNYTTAN £54.00

Watch  - Daniel Wellington £149.00

Red Jasper Bracelet - Parvenu London £29.50

Glasses - Specsavers £60.00

I hope you've enjoyed part two of this five part series. Check back again for part three where I'll share a look that most people would never expect to see That Dapper Chap wearing! Even a dapper chap has to chill sometimes!

THANKS FOR READING!

What I Wore Today - The Denim Blazer

Craig of That Dapper Chap shares today look and follows his quest for the perfect denim blazer

The blazer is a go to item for any gent worth his salt, usually found in wool, tweed and cotton for those warmer days, and worn both casually and when the occasion calls for a smarter look. We all know the denim jacket too with is stud buttons and cropped shape. But have you ever considered a denim blazer? I have, and it took me ages to find one!

After deciding that I needed one in my life, I set about googling 'denim blazer' I was presented with, well, not much really. I was directed to various menswear sites, all to no avail. Plenty of denim, plenty of blazers but no denim blazers. Google Images didn't help much either as I was sent to pages that didn't exist or that didn't have the same blazer.

The Paul Hewitt Watch - Product Review

That Dapper Chap carry's out a full product review of the Paul Hewitt Classic Line watch.

Paul Hewitt watches complete the preppy look for both men and women

Product

Inspired by the timeless chic of the "preppy style" originating from the USA, Paul Hewitt products represent casual authority coupled with lively colours and a touch of maritime flair. Paul Hewitt interpret the term "preppy" as an element of an individual lifestyle, which is holistically reflected in the mentality of the brand. 

My Paul Hewitt Classic Line watch, bow tie and Phrep bracelet

Paul Hewitt says "Style consciousness, individuality and high quality standards constitute our entrepreneurial triad for an exclusive product range that deliberately stands out from the interchangeable masses. Through the selection of carefully tailored style elements, we are therefore able to create exceptional and timeless accessory pieces that not only tastefully round off your outfit, but individually complement it"