A Shirt in White.

My wardrobe is in general a monochrome of black and white (with the occasional gold flash) and come summer I can hardly wait to fill it up with all things in white.

White is the most pristine of all colors and nothing signals good breeding and taste as a good white shirt in a great fabric. I have often debated (with the people in my head) whether white or black is my favorite color and even though black inches above in an overall sort of way, I can easily say that I love the white things in my closet a lot more.

The pleasures of a good white shirt are various. It is versatile, goes from formal day to casual night without as much as a whisper.  It pairs well, with black, blue, brown, navy, khaki, white and most of the colors in between, including fuchsia. It’s an all weather accomplice and a summer best man, looks good in all fabrics, and looks cool even if heavily worn in. White shirts complement all skin tones, help you look fresh as hell and give out a relaxed and easy vibe when worn on formal occasions making you instantly congenial and approachable. White shirts are as much Monday morning as they are Friday evening. They look great with shorts! And if you wear only white shirts, it certainly means you have someone back home to clean them.

A day linen white shirt paired with khaki shorts

White shirts are an investment piece and hence a luxury. So what are some white shirt basics that we should keep in mind while choosing and wearing and most importantly keeping them?

The cut – The point of wearing a white shirt is to look relaxed. Hence opt for classic construction than a slim one to allow the ‘ease’ of white wearing to come through in a boxy cut.  Spread collars work better on white shirts for the same reason. Barrel cuffs allow you to roll up better, another necessity for a white summer day-to-night shirt. Try to choose the split yoke, to allow the fabric to stretch more comfortably. Keep contrasting shirt elements (patterned collars, cufflinks and the likes) to the minimum as they will break the look. All in all let your Italian sprezzatura shine through in the casual elegance of your white formal or polo shirt. You can subscribe to The Sartorialist for your daily low down on this cool Italian nonchalant way of wearing anything.

Old Italian men in all-white on The Sartorialist

For an easy induction into choosing and comparing various fabrics, cuts and tailoring of white shirts, head to the White Shirt Bar at Thomas Pink for an afternoon consultation over a drink. They keep over 140 styles and combinations and are a perfect starting point into white shirt luxe.

 

Thomas Pink's trademark White Shirt Bar with over 140 styles of white shirts to choose from

The fabric – Apart from the cut and the construction, the fabric and weave of a white shirt defines its level of formality and occasion of use. As a general rule, shirts should be made of 100% pure fabrics like cotton, linen, wool or a blend of these. Two additional terms are necessary to know regarding a good shirt weave:

Ply : 2 ply weaves are usually finer and tigher than single ply and create more breathable fabric

Yarn Count : The number you see on shirt fabrics indicates the size of thread in the fabric and thus number of threads per inch. Thus, higher yarn counts leads to a softer and lighter fabric as the threads are finer.

Thus a 2 ply 200 yarn count shirt manufactured in a high quality mill is what will give it its feel and fall.

3 most commonly used weaves are Poplin , Twill and Oxford. Poplin is a plain weave made with higher thread counts making the material more durable and giving the fabric its silky hand feel.

Twill requires weft and warp weaving to create interesting shirt patterns that gives this kind of shirt its trademark sheen and even softer hand feel.

Oxford is a type of weave created with weaving hick yarns in a basket weave. Single colored threads are usually crossed with white to give the oxford its unique thick textured appearance. Can be used both casually and occasionally.

 

Shirt fabrics and weaves - knowing the basics

The keep  - It can be a real pain in the everywhere to keep white shirts white and not have them change colors after a few washes. Hence when you invest in a white shirt you buy the lifelong hassle of keeping it white. Though this could be a daunting challenge, remembering a few key things and keep white shirts whiter, longer.

• Wash whites by themselves and as far as possible, group by fabric type
• Wash whites in hot water for best results
• Use a high quality detergent (with brighteners) with a combination of 3/4^th cup bleach.
• Pre-treat any stains by adding a few drops of vinegar or baking soda and applying on the stained area. Or just use a mild clear shampoo for easy stains
• Dry them in bright sunlight on a hanger
• Steam iron only

The brands – If you are not going bespoke, here are a few brands where you can find a perfect fit and yet buy in bulk :

Brooks Brothers – Great quality white shirts at a moderate price. They have a huge selection of collar and sleeve-size combinations.

Hugh and Crye – Experts in shirting, Hugh and Crye have Fit Finder, a sizing system to find the best fit for your white shirts. Their SILO oxford button down whites are perfect for an easy, unplanned day. Just in the details and shop online.

Charvet – a high end Parisian shirtmaker who used to make shirts for the royalty. For a special experience of bespoke shirt making, head to Charvet at Place Vendome for 18 measurements and wait 30 days to get your hands on it. Here's a cool Style.com video on bespoke shirt making at Charvet.

Charvet Store, Place Vendome, Paris

Ermenegildo Zegna – When Italian luxury menswear meets high quality cotton twill, you get the most luxuriously textured white shirt in the world for $345.

The Zegna twill

Ralph Lauren – Do we look any further for the Sunday lunch chic white polo?

Benetton – Safe bet for your summer double pocket white linen shirts

I hope this post has helped you get better aquainted with the basics of a good white shirt. Now spend some time to hunt down your favourite white and make sure you wear nothing else to the next ten black ties and brunches.

Expert Tip : Ladies, I will have a separate post for your white shirts coming out soon. Till then, find the perfect white shirt for your boyfriend and wear it with that Italian nonchalance!

In a light, white cotton button down at Dune du Pyla, 60 kms off Bordeaux
June'13

Classy Water

Who said water was for quenching thirst?

If luxury is all about creating detail and discernment in ordinary things and to uplift the mundane to the level of art, there is nothing more luxurious than sparkling water. Isn’t there something about bubbles? They add a sense of celebration to any moment. Whether you pop open Champagne to celebrate a promotion or a bottle of Badoit to bring a sense of cheer to a relaxed Sunday lunch, effervescence is the sign of ‘good times’.

Acqua Panna of the Tuscan mountains

What began as a health fad the world over, thanks to the ascribed digestive benefits of sparkling water has become an elevated lifestyle choice of body conscious millenials who replaced their lattes, sugary colas, overtly fizzy sodas and oh-so-plain still water with something more elusive and sexy. The global elevation of water into a more luxurious drink hankers back to the simple logic that we need excitement in the minutest parts of our lives.

So if you want to choose sparkling water over still for reasons other than its universal snob value, here’s what you need to know.

What it really is : Sparkling water results from the miraculous mineralization of mountain water over centuries of contact with hot volcanic gases which creates natural thermal springs. This natural spring water is then uniformly carbonated during the bottling process to give us the well-proportioned level of effervescence in every sip, from every bottle, in every brand of sparkling water. And where are these thermal springs located? In the coolest of places – the French Alps (Perrier),  Lombardia (San Pellegrino), spa towns in Loire valley (Badoit), Mount Fuji (Fine), northern Finland (Veen) and so on. This ‘terroir’ of the spring water gives is what gives it its distinct flavor and makes it a wonderful feeling to know that the water on your table is coming from 600m under Mount Fiji.

The point above should more or less be able to let you explain a recurring question in your and your friends’ collective sub-conscious– why the duck is sparkling water so expensive???

Why it is better than your average water : Let’s admit, sparkling water is not the green tea of beverages. But there are plausible reasons why its better than a lot of  drinks (barring alcoholic ones) you normally pick from a beverage list. 

• Because the source of sparkling water in natural springs, the water is well endowed with necessary minerals that ordinary water doesn’t have. Thus having sparkling keeps you hydrated much better and longer allowing the necessary flow of these nutrients in our systems.
•  It’s a superior choice than any array of sugary soft drinks because duh, it cuts out the sugar and the caffeine. Also, it tempers the carbonation, which is why you don’t feel like you have been drinking out of a bubble maker when you sip your Perrier, the feeling you normally get after consuming huge amounts of soda. It is just the right amount of fizzy that doesn’t bloat you up and guess what, you can even choose the size of your bubbles. Precision in bubbles…this is totally dream world territory.
• It aids your digestive system (thank you CO2!) and helps you eat less by filling you up more. It can actually make you feel lighter even after a decadent 6 course Sunday brunch. Quel plaisir!
• It most certainly pairs better with food than still, thanks to its freshness, sapidity and fragrance which helps enhance your overall dining experience. Sparkling water is meant to awaken flavours in paired meals and get along fabulously with a wide variety of cuisines. No wonder why top sparkling brands of the world are collaborating with snooty chefs and snootier restaurants to create food pairing and signature dishes around the taste of …water. Badoit also created a Badoit Express, and served a Michelin starred meal to unassuming passengers aboard an RER train in Paris, how totally cute!

How to go sparkling like a pro: Now let’s venture into the much-awaited snob zone. Now that you are aware that sparkling water comes in various shapes and sizes of bottles and bubbles, how do you choose and rock your own bubbly?

•  Decide your terroir of preference – As with all things of luxury, the origin or provenance of sparkling water counts for the largest percentage of its snob value.  Some of best names come from France. Châteldon , the champagne of sparkling water comes from the Auverge region of France and has a production so limited you’ll only find it in top restos in Paris. German Gerolsteiner boasts of the highest mineral content and water purity. So basically whether you prefer a fussy French, a precise German or a laidback Italian, your choice of sparkling water can reveal your personal inclinations.  

The champagne of bubbling water - Châteldon, France

• Choose your cool imaginative history – Hannibal and Napolean? Perrier. The court of Louis X1V? Châteldon. Leonardo da Vinci? San Pellegrino. The mighty waters come with mightier histories of early sixteenth century battles and  violent conquests and depending on your historical figure preference , you could choose your heritage water.

• Choose the bottle you would most like to recycle - Normally served in clear glass to observe the magic of bubbles, sparkling waters come in iconic bottles with strong brand identities. San Pellegrino is the most  elegant looking of the lot, with its tall neck, Serifed font and the red star, while Perrier looks more ‘accessible’– bright green and pop logo and is also the most widely ordered worldwide. Badoit comes in the delicately bubbled green and intensely bubbled red bottles, you may choose the one that goes better with your personality, as long as you are in France. Sparkling water brands frequently come out with funky limited edition bottles that are definitely collectors worth – Perrier and Andy Warhol, San Pe and Bvlgari and the $40 Bling H2O and Swarovski, are all stunning bottles that work fabulously as casual gifts to friends.

Perrier Andy Warhol Limited Edition bottles

Fancy Swarovski encrusted sparkling? Bling takes bling seriously!

• Add your personal touch of flavor - On the rocks, with a slice of lime or flavoured with raspberries, grapefruits, pamplemousse, bitter orange or green lemon, you can customize your sparkling all the way to the taste of the bubble pop in your mouth. Well you can also own a sparkling water maker and enjoy homemade flavoured bubblies at home with SodaStream!

Homemade water made exciting with SodaStream USA

• Simply order it everywhere – Feel the thrill of excitement running down your spine when you casually order your San Pe over a brunch with friends. Ordering sparkling is easy signalling that you have taste, money and overall, a sense of indulgence. Flatter your ego with the double pleasure of ordering it and then paying for it, especially if you are in lesser developed parts of the world.

Immerse yourself to the world of frivolous yet meaningful bubbles. Cheers!

Expert Tip : Go to Colette's Water Bar, this cultish concept store cum bar in Paris carries over 90 types of eau gazeuse on its menu! Take your pick while Gaspard Ulliel on the next table takes his!

Spoilt for water choice chez Colette, Paris

The Scent of a Man

This other day I was walking down Rue de Rivoli on a windy Saturday morning, when a whiff of Hugo Boss on a passerby brought me gushing memories of a distant break up. By the time I registered who the guy in question was and turned around to see maybe a familiar face, he was already gone.

At that point I realised the extent to which we tend to associate large parts of our lives with something as elusive as a fragrance.

Fragrances pack emotions. Every memory is after all a scent. The smell of musky classrooms and rainy playgrounds encompass entire childhoods.  The scent of laburnum trees and icy popsicles remind us of our teenage springs. I grew up to detest Elizabeth Arden because my Hitleresque class teacher who wore it, had once left us out in the scorching sun an entire summer afternoon. Funny how no matter how up or down the corporate ladder we might be, our adult lives will always smell of the office cafeteria coffee and printer paper. Infact, Maison Martin Margiela launched an entire fragrance range aptly called ‘Replica’ inspired by these very associative smells.

Maison Martin Margiela's perfumes inspired by familiar smells of flower markets, funfairs and beaches.

Isn’t it amazing that there are people subconsciously making a lifetime of impressions and associations with how we smell even as we speak to them for the very first time?  Or that lovers will cling to the scents we left in their beds (ok mom, skip this) long after we are gone?

Perhaps it’s important to smell good. And thankfully, perfumes are little luxuries.

I almost never pick a perfume because of its scent, atleast the first time. Perfumes offer us a gamut of intangibles to interpret and create the person we would like to become by wearing them.  They vary in proportion in our at-the-counter decision making but broadly speaking here are a few intangibles that can help us pick a good fragrance.

The name. It normally seals 30% of my perfume buying decision. D&G Imperatrice has a very appealing citrusy scent but well, that’s not why I bought it. Or Dior Homme Eau Sauvage – savage water, could there be a sexier sounding male perfume? Gucci’s Guilty is a brash declaration of sins we are not guilty of. The importance of a fragrance’s name is the reason why (in an ideal world) you’ll never buy a Paris Hilton Heiress or a Britney Spears Fantasy. While choosing perfumes, sometimes we needn’t go as far as the scent.

In fragrances, names define lifestyles and personalities.

The bottle. How they fit in our hands and on our fragrance counter. Guerlain has by far the most iconic perfume bottles since 1928. The royal perfumer of French aristrocracy, Guerlain pays painstaking attention to detail in their ornate bottle designs, collaborating with the best crystal makers and embodying elements of historic and cultural significance in their packaging. Whether it is the beehive of the Aqua Alligoria representing the Vendome column in Paris or the heart-shaped stopper of the Shalimar, a typical Mughal motif, Guerlain bottles are collectors material you would like to preserve. Or the dark, minimal bottle of Bleu de Chanel which simulates a classic man but with a streak of defying convention, as visible in the Oxford blue hues of its deep black bottle.

Guerlain's beautiful collector bottles

Spare, elegant design of Bleu de Chanel

The identity, or how cool, long and expensive the ad film is. Fragrances render themselves to beautiful advertising with the potent space available for imagery creation to any creative director. Perfume ads are always larger than life as there exists no reality in the magical world they call us in. Did you see Chanel no.5’s magnum opus featuring Gisele Bundchen in a world of Chanel skateboards and charms while the perfume is only incidental? And Robert Pattinson’s complete transformation from vampire to sex-god in the edgy Dior Homme Sport film where he is racing cars and kissing women to Guns n Roses Whole Lotta Love?  Big budget, big director, big celebrity, big music and you have created an unforgettable image – one that we buy or endorse when we pick the perfume.  

And at last, the scent. As with all other things of luxury, a few rules apply.

• Personal taste is important and not what everyone is wearing, so for perfumes trends don’t matter.
• There is definite value in having a signature scent, and smelling somewhat familiar all the time. That doesn’t mean wear only one perfume, but choose a few with similar notes.
• Less is more. You don’t want to smell like a literal floral bouquet or cedar tree so stick to a few sprays at pulse points and the nape of the neck. No rubbing.
• While choosing a perfume at a counter, keep a few hours spare. Make sure you smell upto the base note when you spray and walk around with it long enough to get used to how it smells on you.
• For men, choose fresh and aquatic in the day, musky and woody in the night. For women, light floral in the day, oriental in the night. Safe, trusted and interesting bets.
• Carry travel size. Because the duration a perfume lasts on you has a lot to do with your body and skin type and there’s nothing better than smelling freshly showered at all times.

But most importantly, have fun with them.  Perfumes like songs have a strong ‘mood of the day’ element and so there should be no stopping you from smelling musky and sexy on that big review day or playful and citrusy on the mornings you don’t quite feel too chirpy. Just spray on and enjoy the transformation.

Expert Tip :

My top 5 fragrances/colognes on men or the ones that make me go all va va vroom :

1. Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille (rich, exotic black tie perfume in a beautiful bottle from the designer’s private blends)

2. Creed Green Irish Tweed (the one with the cult status, a celeb tribe to match and maximum magnetism)

3. Armani Mania (so fresh and kissable!)

4. Dior Homme Eau Sauvage (timeless summer classic, the word 'sauvage' (savage) and that you won’t ever go wrong with it)

5. Hugo Man (it will stick long after you go!)