At Alexandra Wood, we recommend a great jacket, a wardrobe that works and getting to know your neighbours. We draw the line at stealing their watches.
If you’ve watched Your Friends & Neighbours, you’ll know Andrew “Coop” Cooper has a few things going on. He’s lost his job, his marriage has fallen apart, and his finances are looking less polished than his wardrobe. Yet when Jon Hamm walks into a room as Coop, he still looks like a man who has everything handled.
That’s what makes the clothes so interesting. They tell you who Coop wants the world to see, even when we know what’s happening underneath.
Costume designer Jacqueline Demeterio dresses the men so they all belong in the same wealthy neighbourhood, while each tells a different story. Coop’s tailoring gives him the authority of his finance career. His relaxed jackets and knitwear help him fit in at an afternoon with friends. When he needs to look the part again, the suits return.
Owen Ashe arrives with the confidence of a man who’s quite happy to be noticed. Nick Brandes is more playful with his clothes. Put the three of them in the same room and you understand something about each man before anyone speaks.
Of course, most of us aren’t getting dressed for a television plot twist. But we are moving between different parts of life, sometimes in the same day. A business meeting. Lunch with friends. An event that evening. A flight the next morning.
This is the balance I help my clients find. You want to feel right for each occasion without having to become a different person every time you change your jacket. Your clothes should work together, feel comfortable on you and give you options when the diary changes.
That might mean a beautifully cut jacket you can wear with tailored trousers for work and with something more relaxed at the weekend. Shirts that work under a suit but also look fantastic on their own. A travel wardrobe that lets you pack quickly and still enjoy getting dressed when you arrive.
The colours and fabrics matter. The fit matters enormously. But the real magic is in how it all comes together. When you can reach into your wardrobe and know what works, you have more time and energy for whatever you’re actually going out to do.
That’s what I take from Your Friends & Neighbours. Clothes can give a man presence, help him feel at ease and say something about who he is. Coop may be using his wardrobe to keep up appearances. I’d much rather help you create one that fits your life.
And preferably leaves your neighbours belongings exactly where they are.
Book your private consultation at our Savile Row Design Home here.
