Customer Reviews

Gentleman: A Timeless Fashion

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is widely regarded as something of a classic - and for good reason. It has been translated into no less than 17 languages. Of all books on the subject it is the most encyclopaedic in thoroughly covering everything from shaving, to suits, to sportswear, knitwear, dressing gowns and much more. The whole book is crammed with succinctly presented information from start to finish that it becomes a perfect reference book to keep on the shelf.

For many people the question will be whether to choose this or Allan Flusser's 'Dressing the Man'. The answer is really that they serve different purposes. If you quickly want to know how to look your best for a job interview in a suit then go for Flusser, as his book best explains suits in greater detail, and better still, tells you how to coordinate it with the shirt and tie. Roetzel tends to be more segmented and tells you less about how to coordinate the different items.

However, Roetzel great strength is that he has countless little tips jam-packed into his book that Flusser never touches on. One point at which Roetzel thoroughly surpasses Flusser is in his section on shoes, which is by far and away superior. The plethora of full colour photographs of different shoe types and on what occassion they should be worn has superior clarity to the brief and poorly illustrated overview dealt the topic by Flusser. Other places that Roetzel surpasses Flusser is his discussion on items such as sport coats, overcoats, socks, as well as with extremely useful tips such as how to fold a suit jacket when travelling, and even the best way to iron a shirt.

One point worth mentioning is that the book is orientated towards an English ideal of what a 'gentleman' is. However, the book was originally written in German and also gives a good continental perspective on how the French, German and Italians have adopted English fashion. Of course the likes of Ralph Lauren and Alan Flusser still strive to recreate the classical English look to the point that these Americans strive for an ideal more English than the English themselves. What you will read here is therefore perfectly adaptable to New England in the United States and unless you are a Southerner in your seersucker or linen suit there will be precious little that fails to translate into an American setting. Also Ivy League looks do get a bit of mention even if it presents an idealized and nostalic Ivy League look of yesteryear more American than Americans.

Length:: 9:04 Mins

Summary
Bernhard Roetzel's book "Gentleman - A Timeless Guide to Fashion" is to put it simply one of the finest books available on menswear. It is comprehensive, full of beautiful images, binded handsomely, and methodically researched. I rate it as one of the three greatest books ever written on mens clothing.


Introduction - Who I am and how do I use this book
My name is Antonio and I own and operate [...], an online custom clothier. I talk with men on a daily basis about how to dress properly, have written over 100 articles on classic men's style, and write for the popular blog The Art of Manliness. I maintain my own personal library on men's style books and have read well over 70 of the most popular ones. I have owned this edition of Gentleman for 6 months, but read the first edition over 8 years ago. I use this book as a source for my writing and every time I read it (5 times now!) I seem to find something new.


Positive - Things I Love about this Book
1. Quality Content - The second edition of "Gentleman" is well researched and most importantly breaks into new thought when it comes to menswear and the lines of thinking in the industry. Where many authors are comfortable just repeating what they have read elsewhere, Berhard has used his experience as a journalist and textile expert to present the reader with a truly unique view fully supported by beautiful images. Within this book you will find information and ideas no other men's clothing expert has articulated. In fact the number and quality of pictures deserves a mention in itself - each page is elegantly laid out and presented so as to be digestible in seconds or chewed on for an hour. He manages to both give you an overview, while offering a deeper insight if you have the time.
2. Quality Build - The book is physically beautiful - the binding is crisp and clean, the pictures true to color, and the text small but readable without glasses.
3. Order in which he presents the subject matter - Bernhard systematically addresses all of the major issues in menswear. Within 350 pages he covers everything from grooming to dress shirts to custom suits.
4. Value - I would have paid $100 for this book - the information is that good. As that it is in print and there are plenty of them, it can be had for 1/5 this cost and is a steal. I own more than one!


Possible Problems
1. European Viewpoint - Bernhard is German, therefore his view points are more European than American. This "problem" is not really a serious one, just something to keep in mind when you find certain items a bit eccentric or if the tone seems to be a bit too stuffy or formal.
2. Overwhelming for some - At 350 pages, this may appear to some as just too large of a book. However, its heavy use of images makes it very easy to read and understand even for a man who gives it a 10 minute glance over.
3. If you own first edition, perhaps not worth the upgrade - There is new material, but over 90% of the content is the same from the 1st edition. What he has brought in are new companies, tailors, and given Italian tailoring more attention - although not enough in my very biased opinion'


Final Recommendation
10 out of 10 stars (5 out of 5 for Amazon!), it is one of the world's top 3 books on men's style. If you buy one book on men's clothing, you cannot go wrong with this one.

Bernhard Roetzel's "Gentleman" is one of two definitive works on classic style for men. The other book is Flusser's "Dressing the Man." While Flusser's work is primarily concerned with developing a classic style for business dress, Roetzel's "Gentleman" is about creating a classic, elegant life style. Following Mr. Retzel's philosophy, style is not something we do for others. The pursuit of style is for one's own personal satisfaction. Therefore, Mr. Roetzel focuses on an understated, conservative elegance, with an acknowledgment of the importance of details, even if no one else notices. Roetzel's book focuses on mens fashion, with a bias toward tailored English clothing, but he goes beyond business clothing, to address casual, sport, and home style. In addition to the obligatory chapters on suits, shoes, and casual dress, there are sections on grooming and fragrance, hairstyles, wristwatches, and how to enjoy an elegant, relaxing breakfast at home. This book is a treatise on gracious living, and he introduces his readers to many of the small luxuries which no one should miss out on: the experience of a traditional shave from a good English barber; a pair of shell cordovan shoes; a bespoke suit; a comfortable and beautiful dressing robe. His philosophy is best exemplified by the section on eating breakfast, where he exhorts one to begin the day with a leisurely elegant ritual including "perfectly toasted bread." Personally, I barely ever eat breakfast, but the call to slow down and take the time to enjoy life's small pleasures resounds loudly none the less.
The book is not perfect, and Mr. Roetzel has some rather quaint and outdated ideas (such as the kind of clothes worn by students at Ivy League universities.) Overall, however, the book is an excellent roadmap for those who wish to live a cut above the norm in this too-fast, hyper-casual, overly-efficient, mass-produced, machine-made, often-shoddy world.

This book is what the Chic Simple book on men's clothing aspires to be. It contains a veritable treasure trove of instructive pictures and good information about just about every aspect of men's clothing and men's style. The text is generally well-written, and I found the book to be utterly engrossing. Although it will not be particularly helpful as a practical reference for the vast majority of readers who cannot have suits and shirts custom-made, a number of the points it makes about clothing quality and style should be read by anyone buying a suit, even if he can only afford a $400 one.

Good as this book is, it is not without some shortcomings. First of all, the author has a decidedly British outlook. Italian and American tailors and shirtmakers get short shrift, the Americans disturbingly so. There is more to American fine clothing than Brooks Brothers (Robert Talbott, Oxxford Clothes, and Hickey-Freeman can hold their own with anything off the rack from Britain, to say nothing of American custom makers such as Alexander Kabbaz), but you wouldn't know it from reading this book. Given that the author is German, it really isn't that surprising that he's Anglocentric in his clothing ideas, but he could at least acknowledge that the United States does have something to offer. Secondly, there are times (especially in his description of the shoe-making process) when the author's prose becomes muddled and hard to understand. This may be because of the inherent arcanity of the subject, but it still is unfortunate.

All in all, however, this is an excellent book. While it does not eclipse Alan Flusser's books, it is their equal is many respects and their superior in many more. Despite whatever minor shortcomings it may have, I recommend it whole-heartedly to anyone who has any interest in men's clothing whatsoever.

Prospective Reader:
This is one of my favorite books of all time. It is a history book of fine men's clothes. It includes everything from shaving instruments, saville row suit makers, fox hunting uniforms, and classic male celebrities that influenced fashion. It is different than many other books because it is so easy to read and profoundly interesting and inspiring. I can not stress enough how much it will inspire the reader to dress well. It was so interesting my friends and I actually read it cover-to-cover although it is the type you could flip through.
If you are interested in men's fashion, then this is a must read for you.
-Adam Aleksander

This is a very detailed book on clothes and accessories for men. It concentrates on traditional American and English styles with some mention of other styles such as Italian. This is not a book for those interested in the latest fashions.

The book has many good photographs showing details such as how a properly tailor suit jacket sleeve, collar, etc. should look like and what it should not look like. This is very useful information when trying out a suit and the salesperson keeps saying you look marvelous even though the sleeve is too long and the suit bunches up under the collar in the back.

The amount of detailed information with good accompanying photographs is this book's best point.

The list of accessories covered (shoes, umbrellas, canes, cigars, watches, etc.) is quite huge. One can question the utility of discussing the correct walking cane to go with a tuxedo but if you need this information, it is here.

The book is rather non-judgemental in that it does not advocate American style over English style over Italian style. It simply gives the details of the various styles so you properly adhere to the style you chose.

If you did not grow up in a household where this information is imparted by your valet, this is a good book to get if you need to ever dress as a gentleman should dress.

As a web developer, I have recently had a run of men's custom tailoring customers. I found myself looking for an encyclopedic source of styling details and fashion fundamentals.

This book by Bernhard Roetzel's provided many of the answers. It is a trove of the tried and trusted classics of men's clothing. In one volume one can find advice on combining familiar patterns, materials, fabrics and colors. Unlike the other book I consulted - Dressing the Man by Alan Flusser - breaks down the details and elements of Italian, English and American styling.

To be sure, there are topics I could have done without - underwear, jewelry, umbrellas, walking canes, tobacco and pajamas, to name a few. However, if you are looking for detailed information about men's style, this is one of two books to consult.

I own a library of most of the published volumes concerning men's fashion and fashion history. This full color, 357 page "encyclopedia" covers every aspect of men's clothing in depth and with compelling photos and illustrations. It's an indispensable tool for anyone interested in men's fashion.

This is a general survey of a man's wardrobe - a fine quality wardrobe. Roetzel devotes a chapter to each item of clothing. He also writes about grooming, including photos of a shampoo and a haircut at one of London's finest barbers.
The text concentrates on English clothing. Features include a custom made suit from Savile Row tailor Gieves & Hawkes and a list of six of London's best shirtmakers.
Limited attention goes to Italian tailors and shirtmakers. A one-page map of Italy shows where some of the finer Italian tailors are located.
In its mentions of America, also limited, the most notable are Alden Shoes and Brooks Brothers, the traditional menswear firm established in 1818.
"Gentleman" is a pretty book - the pictures have been beautifully taken - and it is simple and easy to read.
Some of the information, however, is inaccurate. Today's American college students do not wear saddle shoes. It's safe to say they haven't since the late 1960's. Noted London shirtmaker Turnbull and Asser was founded in 1885, not 1904.
Enjoy, but read with a careful eye.

This book is really very comprehensive! An excellent value considering the information in here as well as the fact that it is very richly illustrated. It has very good detail on sartorial esoterica such as formal wear. This really is one of the best books I've ever seen on the subject. Better than any book by Flusser - although this book is more along the lines of Clothes and the Man than it is to Style and the Man (both by Flusser.

The book covers a range of items from brushes, and razors, to suits and shirts - the books is a fairly entertaining book with a coffee table book feel and layout.