How good things last and how some don't really stay the same - Featuring my Parker ballpoint pens

I have been using the stainless steel Parker Jotter ballpoint pen you see here in the photographs as my main pen for over a decade. Those that have been following my exploits would know that I posted about it here. 

It does not mean that I am a one pen person. I have others. I have fountain pens too (Lots of them). But I find the ballpoint pen practical for daily use especially when filling up those forms at the banks, where you need to apply some force to make sure the duplicates are legible. So aside from the fact that I dread the fact of losing one of my vintage Parker, Pelikan or MontBlanc pens I like having the very affordable Parker Jotter with me most of the time. 

The one good dress watch: Vintage Omega Seamaster Calendar

Every man needs a watch to use on special occasions. These days with watches larger than 41mm in diameter in the market it tends to stick out and will push your shirt cuff/ sleeve up making the watch the first thing that stands out. 

Whilst it seems to be the norm, I believe that it should still sit under the cuff  of your dress shirt if one is dressed for black tie, white tie or underneath the cuff of a batik shirt. This is where a slender dress watch comes into play. 

Blazer or suit Jacket maintenance - What I do after each use

Suit jackets, sports coats and blazers need to be looked after after each and every time you put them on. I do not wear them often simply because I do not need to most of the time. Firstly, temperatures are usually above 34 degrees Celsius and the high humidity is a killer too. Secondly, business attire in Malaysia is acceptable if you put on a long sleeved shirt and a pair of trousers. A tie is sometimes required but if you work like me, only when necessary. Even in most instances I prefer an unstructured and unlined blazer sans tie. It looks better actually and even though you are covered up, at least you don't have a noose around your neck in this weather. Hot weather dress means less layering. And using the correct fabrics and clothing. 

Wear a hat when you are outdoors

I have quite recently picked up the occasional habit of wearing a hat when I am out and about. Not the usual baseball cap or tiny little trilby that some wear but the larger sized hats that actually work in keeping the sunshine and if it isn't a panama straw hat, the rain away.

A hat does complement one's way of dress. It is also functional. Here in Malaysia the sun beats down on us and then very often the heavens open up too. One could carry an umbrella around most of the time but A hat is easier to carry around. Once you are outdoors, its on your head leaving your hands free to move about.

The high collar or shirt collar polo shirt. Where to buy them and the one by Brioni

  

One of the things that most men wear these days is the polo shirt (or polo tee as most of us here in Malaysia call them). The polo shirt, was first used as a golf shirt and tennis shirt. It is a fairly new invention actually, sometime after the 1860s after which tennis was first invented. The polo shirt is a shirt with a collar, a placket with buttons, and sometimes comes with one chest pocket. . Polo shirts are usually made of knitted cloth rather than made from woven cloth that dress shirts are made of. It is made from woven cotton usually but you also have them in wool, silk, polyester and a combination of materials too. 

I personally like using them on weekends, on holidays and other more casual outings. One thing that always bugged me about polo shirts is the way they sit underneath a sports jacket. The collar, made out of the same material as the body of the shirt but ribbed and just folded over to create a collar, sits flatly underneath any jacket. In fact, even when wearing the polo shirt on its own, it may curl up or be very limp. Buttoning up till the top does not work. In fact, buttoning up the top most button on a polo shirt would actually make you look like Forrest Gump. Whilst the character is amazing and shows you how people can survive with what was given or not given to them, he also showed us a certain stereotype which one should never follow unless you're Forrest Gump. This here is a tip folks. Do not button up the top button on your polo shirt.

Shoe tips: Why you should not wear really generic, cheap shoes...and photos of some decent ones

If you want to go out and buy cheap mens shoes the first thing you should know is that you shouldn't. If you still do, make sure that they are made out of leather. These last a whole lot longer than synthetic stuff. But that being said, I once experimented on buying those cheap leather shoes from BATA and even with stuffing in shoe trees and regular polishing the leather gave way after about two years or so. The over processed and stretched too thin leather could not take the usual twice a week usage I put them through. Then the heel was also plastic instead of impact absorbing stacked leather or wood. There was a lot wrong with it except the style of the shoe. It was an ordinary looking brown cap toe derby.

A visit to Kamal the tailor's workshop

I was at my tailor's workshop yesterday. Mr. Kamal, who is shown writing down measurement details for a suit that my friend Azidi wants made. I usually get things tailor made by Kamal's protege over at his shop in Bukit Indah, Ampang. 

One of the reasons I have chosen this small tailoring shop in Ampang is the personal touch given to me and the willingness to try new things and experiment on the clothing I want. Be it from a traditional Baju Melayu, to dress shirts, to trousers/pants and suits.

Patina & Why Cheap Italian Shoes Are Useful: Part II

I wrote an article awhile back about Patina or shoes and why cheap shoes are good as practice for home made shoe patina. Anyway, according to the webpage analytics, it is one of the most popular posts in here. Not that this blog is popular in the first place but it does get a majority of the hits herein. That article is here.

Anyway, the shoe is still alive and kicking even after being used for almost a decade at almost once a week (7-8 years old shoes). Why so? Because it isn't blake stitched or goodyear welted but only stuck together with glue. Of course occasional gluing of its sole helped. But it has lasted this long. So much for those that say glued shoes do not last. 

The argument for woven leather loafers for the tropics again and some pics from Instagram

Let me present my argument, again, for the most appropriate casual shoe to use in the tropics as well as highlight some of my postings from Instagram.