History of Men’s Style and Military

We are avid believers in style and men’s wear here at Noble & Blue. But we too have the love of all things tactical and militaryish stuff. Like camo patterns. But camo patterns do not mix well with classic men’s style. Usually. (And sorry, there are not many photos in this article!)

Many an item in the classical men’s style is a derivative from a piece of military clothing. Take for example the ultimate smart casual pant: the Chinos. Chinos, or Khakis were invented in India around 1840’s. It is said that a British commander thought to have his soldiers white trousers dyed to light brown to prevent the dust and sand showing up so much. The yellowish brown was named khaki, a Hindi word for the dusty soil of their country. Later the US military personnel in the Pacific theater took a liking to the khaki pants and brought them to the States from Philippines. Nowadays Chinos are a solid piece of a gentleman’s wardrobe.

Also the necktie can be seen to have its roots in military history. Some think that the focale cloth that the ancient roman legionnaires wore on their necks is the very first stage in the line of the history of the necktie. The modern version of the necktie has gone through several stages through time to become what it is today.

The necktie it is shunned by some of the more practical men these days as a mark of “a suit” or being too snobby. But it is non-disputable that a man in a tie is iconic. And people tend to forget it is not just a fancy piece of clothing, it is also a statement.

A necktie can be used very much like a standard or a flag. You can show your colours wearing a tie. The British regiments all have their own colours and they usually have neckties to match their colours. The regimental colours are worn on special occasions and regimental anniversaries.

A few Companies of Interest

So if you are of a tactical mindset but you are not a member of any regiment or other organisation that has colours of their own, you might still consider to wear a necktie and not compromise that you are a badass door kicker. Here are a few tips and companies, that might suit your suits needs:

Eagles and Angels Ltd.

Eagles and Angels Ltd. is a US veteran owned company that has several very cool designs made of everyone’s favorite Multicam fabric. Their products have a mission. They want to make the public aware of the sacrifices US military veterans have made. And so some of their products are made of used combat fatigues of veterans, that are donated to them. Check their website for more information.

Our pick of their products is the multicam black tie. That shit is so unbelievably cool, that we think it should be worn by James Bond in the next film of the franchise! Blacktie friendly and fits casual events too. This tie will make you deadly stylish, and most probably will find it’s way into both of our wardrobes!

Loft Trading

Another company that manufactures camo ties, that we have spotted is Loft Trading. This Belfast based U.K. company has other really neat designs too, with vintage sourced materials etc. but they have some British camo pattern ties too.

Our pick would be the MTP pattern tie (that blue “urban” DPM just looks wrong!). That MTP tie with a chambray or gray shirt would be a killer combo.

Accessories and ending notes

What comes to other accessories, there are some great “manly” options for cuff links with .308 casing ends etc. But another accessory that we men usually forget is the pocket square.

With a pocket square that fits the overall impression with your tie can make an otherwise dull suit interesting. But a pocket square does not have to be just a useless accessory. It can also be functional item and important part of your EDC.

For example, the Finnish company FatCloth makes some very useful and cool pocket squares. The FatCloth’s (as they are called) double as a microfiber cleaning cloth. Their pocket squares are excellent for cleaning your eye wear or you touch screens. A nicely functional and stylish item for your gentlemanly look.

One style advice on using a pocket square though! Do not use a pocket square with the exact same pattern or colour as your tie has. That makes the pairing look cheap. Try to match the shades of the colours. Or pick up one specific colour from the pattern of your tie and have your pocket square bring that up. For example: with a multicam black tie, a pocket square with light brown colour would look rather nice.

So here you go. Some tips on stepping up your formal or casual style with a classic touches that still allow you to look and act like a door kicker.

-Noble & Blue

This review was first published in the Noble & Blue. Noble & Blue is a small Finnish outdoor and tactical gear reviewing blog, that also shares stories of learning and adventure. Click here to know more about Noble & Blue