The accessories a man chooses communicate something about his relationship to craft, quality and self-presentation. A well-made tie, a proper umbrella, a walking cane selected for its handle and timber — these are not frivolities. They are the details that distinguish a person who dresses with intention from one who merely dresses. This guide covers the accessories that define the genuinely well-dressed gentleman and the principles that govern their selection.
The Philosophy of Dressing Well
Dressing well is not a matter of spending the most money. It is a matter of understanding what each item is, where it comes from, and what it communicates. The gentleman’s wardrobe is built slowly, with purpose, from pieces that last. It is the opposite of fashion: it does not change with the season, it accumulates authority with age.
The accessories in a well-considered wardrobe share certain qualities: they are made by hand or by craftsmen who understand their material, they improve with use, and they carry a legible history. A silk tie woven in Como does not resemble a printed polyester one. A carved hardwood cane handle does not feel like a moulded one. These distinctions are immediately perceptible to anyone who handles the object, and that perceptibility is the point.
The standard to aim for is not conspicuous luxury but quiet quality. The difference between a very good accessory and an ordinary one is often invisible at first glance and unmistakable in the hand.
The Tie: A Statement of Character
No single accessory reveals as much about a man’s taste as his tie. Its colour, pattern, fabric and knot communicate information about his aesthetic sensibility, his understanding of occasion and his relationship to tradition. The tie is also, for those who wear it regularly, one of the most frequently replaced accessories in the wardrobe — which means the case for quality is as much practical as it is aesthetic.
Silk remains the premier material for formal and business ties. A seven-fold silk tie — constructed from a single piece of silk folded seven times rather than lined with an interlining — has a weight, drape and sheen that no lined tie can replicate. The knot falls differently; the fabric recovers its shape overnight when properly stored rolled rather than knotted.
Woven silk ties from Como, Italy, carry a provenance that is woven into the cloth itself. The silk-weaving tradition of the Lake Como region dates to the 15th century; the finest producers today use jacquard looms that can produce patterns of extraordinary complexity, and hand-finishing techniques — bar tacking, slip stitching, hand-rolled edges — that distinguish a properly made tie from a production-line one. The team at Tiegent sources handcrafted silk ties of this calibre, with particular attention to the details that separate a fine tie from a merely expensive one.
Pattern and colour follow simple rules for those new to building a tie collection. A dark navy grenadine tie — grenadine being a loosely woven silk with a subtle texture — works with virtually every suit and shirt combination and should be the foundation of any serious collection. Repp stripe ties in regimental or club patterns are the second purchase. Foulard prints, paisleys and larger patterns come after the foundation is established.
The Umbrella: Utility Elevated to Elegance
The umbrella is the most underestimated accessory in the male wardrobe. Most men own an umbrella selected for its price and compactness. Very few own one selected for its quality, and the difference — in durability, in the feeling of using it and in the visual impression it creates — is significant.
A properly made gentleman’s umbrella has a hardwood or horn handle, a steel or fibreglass frame, and a canopy of silk, silk-cotton or high-quality polyester that lies flat and recovers its form after use. The handle shape matters: a classic crook handle allows the umbrella to be hooked over the arm or wrist when not in use, which is both practical and elegant. A straight handle requires the umbrella to be carried in the hand at all times.
The stick umbrella — long, non-folding — is the traditional gentleman’s form and the one that lends itself to the finest materials and construction. A folding umbrella with a quality frame is a reasonable concession to practicality, but it will never have the presence of a well-made stick. The craftsmen at Artisan Umbrellas produce luxury umbrellas that treat the form with the seriousness it deserves — each one handmade with materials selected for their quality and longevity. Browse the Artevaris men’s umbrellas collection for a curated selection of fine examples.
The canopy colour follows the same principle as the tie: begin with the most versatile options. A black canopy on a chestnut or maple handle works with every coat. A navy or dark green canopy broadens the range. A Tattersall or plaid canopy, on a matching or contrasting handle, is a statement piece for those with the confidence to carry it.
The Walking Cane: Authority and Craft
The walking cane is the most misunderstood accessory in the contemporary male wardrobe. Widely associated with infirmity, it is in fact one of the oldest symbols of authority, distinction and craftsmanship in European dress. A man who carries a cane of quality — particularly one that is clearly chosen rather than medically assigned — makes a statement about his relationship to the history of masculine elegance that no other accessory can replicate.
The quality of a cane is located almost entirely in its handle. Carved hardwood handles — oak, walnut, fruitwood — in animal forms, geometric patterns or classic crook shapes represent hundreds of years of carving tradition. Horn handles, in buffalo or staghorn, have a natural variation and texture that makes every piece unique. Sterling silver collars and ferrules add both durability and visual punctuation. The shaft material matters too: malacca — a rattan cultivated in Southeast Asia and prized for its natural knots, weight and straightness — is the traditional choice for the finest canes.
The makers at Art Walking Sticks work in the tradition of the finest English and Continental cane makers, producing pieces in which the handle is the primary artistic statement. Their carved hardwood handles — dogs, horses, birds, abstract forms — are functional sculptures. A cane from this calibre of maker will outlast its owner and acquire, over decades, the patina and presence that only comes from genuine use.
For practical use, the correct cane height is calculated with the arm hanging naturally at the side: the handle should reach the wrist crease, which for most men places the handle between 85 and 95 centimetres from the ground. A cane used for walking support should always be carried in the hand opposite the weaker side.
Shoes and the Shoehorn
The shoes are the foundation of a gentleman’s wardrobe — a point of agreement among every writer on the subject from Beau Brummell to Hardy Amies. What is less frequently discussed is the role of accessories in protecting that investment.
A long-handled shoehorn is among the most valuable accessories a man can own. It allows shoes to be put on without compressing the heel counter — the stiffened section at the back that gives the shoe its shape. A collapsed heel counter cannot be restored. The shoehorn that prevents it costs a fraction of the shoes it protects.
Quality shoehorns are made from horn, brass, sterling silver or polished wood. A long shoehorn — 45 to 60 centimetres — is used standing up and eliminates the need to bend; a short one travels in a suit jacket or overnight bag. The Artevaris shoehorns collection includes options in horn, lacquered wood and brass-finished metal, each one suited to daily use and long enough to last a lifetime.
Cedar shoe trees should be inserted into shoes immediately after wearing to absorb moisture and maintain the last shape. Shoes rested properly on cedar trees between wearings will last two to three times longer than those stored without them.
The Wallet and Small Leather Goods
The wallet is handled more frequently than almost any other object a man owns. It is removed and replaced dozens of times daily; it sits against the body continuously. For this reason, the quality of its leather and construction has a practical consequence that purely decorative objects do not share.
Full-grain leather — the outermost layer of the hide, with its natural grain intact — is the standard for quality wallets. It develops a patina with use rather than deteriorating; a full-grain leather wallet used for ten years looks better than a new one. Corrected-grain leather, in which the surface has been sanded and embossed with an artificial texture, deteriorates instead: the finish peels, the body cracks and the wallet looks simultaneously old and cheap.
A slim, bifold wallet in full-grain leather, with a maximum of eight card slots and a note compartment, is the correct format for daily use. The current fashion for slim wallets and card holders has the advantage of encouraging the discipline of carrying less: a wallet that cannot accommodate twelve loyalty cards forces its owner to make decisions about what he actually needs. The Artevaris wallets collection offers full-grain leather options in a range of formats suited to both formal and everyday use.
Building a Coherent Wardrobe of Accessories
The accessories in a well-curated wardrobe should relate to one another without being identical. The goal is coherence, not uniformity. A man who wears a navy tie, carries a navy umbrella with a chestnut handle, and wears tan leather shoes has made considered choices that reinforce each other without matching in a way that looks deliberate or effortful.
The principle of building slowly applies here as it does everywhere in a quality wardrobe. One silk tie of excellent quality is more useful than five ties of adequate quality, because the excellent one can be worn with anything and still looks right. One proper umbrella outlasts five cheap ones and costs less in aggregate over a decade.
The sequence for building from nothing: begin with the dark navy grenadine tie. Add a quality umbrella in black or navy. Add a long shoehorn. These three items will improve the appearance and practical experience of dressing immediately and for years.
Care and Maintenance
Quality accessories require maintenance proportionate to their quality. The investment in care is small relative to the investment in acquisition, and the return — in longevity and appearance — is significant.
Silk ties should never be dry-cleaned; the process strips natural oils from the silk and destroys the texture. Spot-clean with cold water and a cloth; press with a steam iron under a damp cloth on the lowest silk setting. Store hanging or rolled loosely, never knotted. A tie that is unknotted immediately after wearing and stored hanging will retain its shape for decades.
Umbrellas should be opened and left to dry fully after use before closing and storing. Closing a wet umbrella compresses moisture against the canopy and frame, encouraging mildew on fabric canopies and oxidation on steel frames. A quality umbrella stored properly will outlast any canopy deterioration — some makers offer recanopying services for frames in excellent condition.
Walking canes benefit from occasional application of linseed or tung oil to wooden shafts, particularly malacca, which dries out in centrally heated environments. Horn handles should be wiped with a barely damp cloth and, once or twice a year, buffed with a soft cloth and a small amount of beeswax or horn wax. Steel or silver fittings should be polished when they dull.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What makes a silk tie high quality?
- A high-quality silk tie is woven from pure silk, hand-finished with a slip stitch that allows the tie to move as a single piece, and features hand-rolled edges and a bar tack at the blade tip. The finest examples are seven-fold constructions — made from a single piece of silk folded seven times — which gives them a distinctive weight and drape. Woven silk ties from Como, Italy, where the jacquard weaving tradition dates to the 15th century, are the benchmark for quality.
- How do I choose a gentleman's umbrella?
- A gentleman’s umbrella should have a hardwood or horn handle in a crook shape for ease of carrying, a steel or fibreglass frame with at least eight ribs for stability, and a canopy of silk or high-quality woven fabric. A stick umbrella is preferable to a folding one for quality and presence. The most versatile choice is a black canopy on a chestnut or walnut handle, which works with every coat and in every weather.
- What is the correct height for a walking cane?
- The correct height for a walking cane is determined by standing upright with the arm hanging naturally at the side: the handle should reach the wrist crease, which for most men places the top of the cane between 85 and 95 centimetres from the ground. When using a cane for walking support, carry it in the hand opposite to the weaker or painful side.
- Why should I use a shoehorn?
- A shoehorn prevents the heel counter — the stiffened section at the back of the shoe that gives it its shape — from being crushed during putting on. Once a heel counter is collapsed, the shoe loses its form permanently. A long-handled shoehorn (45 centimetres or more) allows shoes to be put on standing up without bending, making it easy to use every time.
- How do I care for a silk tie?
- A silk tie should never be dry-cleaned. Remove stains by blotting with cold water on a clean cloth. Press if necessary using a steam iron on the lowest silk setting with a damp pressing cloth between the iron and the tie. After wearing, unknot the tie immediately and store it hanging or loosely rolled. A properly cared-for silk tie will retain its texture and sheen for many years.
