WYS?

Rating: 8.5/10

Chef: Phil Howard

Style: Modern French/European

Location: 6-10 Burton Street,  London, W1J 6PU (Green Park – 10 minute walk)

Awards: 2 Michelin Stars

What I Wore: Navy Dockers, White RL Shirt, Grey Brooks Brothers Blazer, RL Pocket Square, Suede Loafers with Tassels, Red RL Socks.

Notes:

The last time I went to The Square was in 2008, the same year AA Gill gave it 10 out of 10 – no mean feat. It was good then and in terms of food it has got even better in my opinion.

£80 for three courses from the carte. Some dishes carry a supplement. Or tasting menu £105 without wine, £175 with.

What I ate;

Starter: Terrine of Chicken, Foie Gras and Truffle

Main: Ox Cheek

Dessert:  New Season’s Yorkshire Rhubarb, Mascarpone Jellies with Rhubarb Juice and Sauternes

What I drank: 1996 Château Palmer

All very, very good, especially the dessert. One of the best dinners I have had in London for a long while. The wine was outstanding, as you would expect for the price. How they can call Palmer a Third Growth is beyond me.

The atmosphere isn’t the best – too many suits and couples sat in silence (as with most places in Mayfair) – but the room still has a good feel to it. Service was excellent from start to finish.

If you get the chance I would definitely recommend that you go. And be sure to dress well, it’s a smart place.

A good travel bag is a must have for any man. You don’t want to look shabby on the move. The Aspinal Boston is a personal favourite of mine. Very classic and the perfect size for a weekend away. Available in tan, as pictured, black or dark brown. Yours for £450.

J.Crew originally intended to offer a cheap, catalogue alternative to Ralph Lauren but soon became an established ‘bricks and mortar’ retailer and as of 2012  they have over 200 stores in the US. It’s hard to read any  US men’s style blog without coming across the multi-brand retailer, which cant be a bad thing.

They are currently expanding and, much to my delight, plan to open a flagship UK store in London in the near future. In the mean time you can shop their on-line store with a flat rate UK shipping cost of £9.95. The site covers all aspects of your wardrobe including suits, blazers, shoes, shirts, accessories…everything.

Smart Turnout is a one-stop-shop for affordable accessories. Their belts and watch straps are an easy way to add a bit of colour to your look. The pictured belt is the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders – currently on sale for £24.99.

Uniform Wares was established in ’09 by two product designers and since then they have been producing watches with simple, clean design. The model pictured is the WW2 inspired 250 Series. A beautiful watch which can be worn with anything – just £380.

Expect big things from these boys this year.

A good Navy Blazer is a core element of any man’s wardrobe due to their versatility. The above Norman Hilton example is as close to perfect as you will find. Not cheap at $695 (£450), but worth it in my opinion.

It is surprisingly difficult to find a nice men’s blazer, which wont break the bank, on the net. Take time to shop around and make sure you don’t make the common mistake of buying a suit jacket advertised as a blazer, as is often the case.

FYI Norman Hilton gave the one and only Ralph Lauren the financial backing to open his first store under the name “Polo”.

Its 2012 and WYS? has been overhauled. Not only have we started from almost blank, we’ve also refined our look with a new team. More to follow…

Simply the most comfortable boot I’ve ever worn. Bang on trend when worn with either Jeans or Cords – preferably tapered. You just can’t go wrong with these. Make sure you get some Mink Oil to feed the leather. An American work classic.

Now, I really do like my brogues. I read somewhere that the classic brogue was a gentlemens trainer – with it’s wide and varied patterns, styles and colours. Whilst flicking through a recent GQ, I came across the Lodger Brogue - an option to the obvious Churches brogue or more accessible Grenson.

At Circa £375 a bit steep, but never the less a beautifully crafted shoe, and in Almond, a lovely modern twist. I couldn’t find many online outlets – but you can buy them direct from Lodger

Deck shoes will be back for Spring/Summer 2012, so try and get hold of some Paul Smith Hasbury Boat Shoes. Unfortunately it appears Paul Smith has discontinued the style. However, I popped into Bicester Village Shopping Outlet and found the Paul Smith store had pairs in Orange, Blue and Green – all fantastic colours. What’s more, they were £116 – which is a bargain down from £185. The leather is gorgeous and extremely soft. If you going to grab them, grab them quickly – they won’t be around for long.

Check out more Paul Smith Shoes at My Wardrobe.