Male fashion: the rise of the young fogey

There’s a new mood in menswear, and sartorially-minded chaps keen to tap into it need look no further for a fashion role model than their own grandfathers.

Which is exactly what Robbie Williams has done in launching his own clothing line; Farrell, both named for and inspired by his grandpa Jack Farrell, a collection of flat caps, pea coats, cosy cardigans, herringbone textiles and fedoras that pay homage to an elderly man but are firmly aimed at the 18-40 lad about town: the young fogey.

The key elements of the young fogey look – ties, tweed sports jackets, waistcoats, elbow patches, cords, braces and brogues – more usually associated with a certain generation of geography teachers and betting shop stalwarts, are somewhat paradoxically looking rather fresh these days, after nigh-on three decades of trainers, jeans and sweatshirts making up the average young man’s weekend wardrobe.

Traditional items that even a few years ago would have seemed at odds with men’s style anywhere but a sheltered housing complex are now the epitome of it. Leading proponents of the geriatric look include 30-something presenters Rick Edwards and George Lamb (whose foxy silvery locks complement the look perfectly), nu-folk old-timer-dressers Mumford & Sons, and even the positively embryonic One Direction, whose signature layered look of blazers, ties and sensible knitwear saw chat show host Alan Carr compare their action figures to university lecturers.

Topman’s latest collaboration is with Harris Tweed, and while even a few years ago this would have been remarkable, it now seems the natural fit for both brands. The former’s new stand-alone concept store in the heart of Shoreditch (stomping ground of the fashionable London fogey, or codger in local terms), which they have named The General Store, is done up like a gentleman’s outfitters from days gone by – all vintage fittings, battered floorboards and artfully distressed display units.

By striking contrast, the Versace menswear in their much-lauded H&M collection has missed the mark by a mile. The mood right now for young men is mossy-green corduroy and Nordic knits, not studded leather and neon palm prints (although the male market for those outside the fashion industry itself is unlikely ever to have been particularly buoyant).

Incidentally, Williams’ line is likely to be taken far more seriously in fashion circles now that Ben Dickens, former design director at Burberry, a label that is no stranger to the average well-heeled grandpa’s wardrobe, is on board. Dickens himself is a proponent of the dapper elderly gent look, and aptly-named too for designing a range that wouldn’t look out of place on Nicholas Nickleby.

Marc Psarolis, CEO of high-end British menswear brand Duchamp, all bow ties and cable knits modelled by extravagantly bearded men (no boyish fresh faces for this brand) and a favourite of Ian Hislop and Jonathan Ross, welcomes the new-old mood:

“It’s about time men smartened up. Dress-down-Fridays were the nail in the coffin for the style of the average man, but a shirt, tie and some tweed make it an easy move from Friday to the weekend, and show a bit of personality.

“I think the younger man likes the nostalgia associated with tweed and the sharpness throwing on a jacket gives, without the formality. [People like] The Hurts and Aloe Blacc are truly supporting dressing up and the dandy and we salute them.”

Cross-generational dressing in womenswear may be a little less literal, but the young fogette is similarly alive and well, with this season’s midi length a (frankly unexpected) hit, and most often seen paired with a satchel and sensible shoes, and leading fogettes Alexa Chung and blogger Tavi Gevinson (whose fondness for grey hair, magnifying specs and the little-old-lady-look is well-documented) still the most popular girls in the fashion playground.

In times of recession we seek reassurance from our wardrobes as much as from anywhere else, and fashion has always been an indicator of economic climate - most notable in recent times with grunge and its comforting layers and lack of effort required heralding the recession of the early 1990s, and the boom times of the early 1980s and early 2000s and their costume of robust glitz, power heels and label fetishising.

Grandpa chic takes the notion that in recession we seek to spend what little we have on that which is solidly-made and built to last one step further, with its literal use of the wardrobes of those who have lived through previous recession, speaking of gentler times in wise grandfatherly tones and saying we’ve been here before and we’ll get through it again.

To build a look worthy of a Werther’s original advert, head to Crombie, Duchamp (stocked in Harvey Nichols Edinburgh), Aubin & Wills, Topman, Russell & Bromley for brogues (or Office for more budget-friendly versions), TK Maxx for Pringle Argyle socks, vintage and charity shops, and the John Lewis haberdashery department for the essential elbow patches.