Winter is Coming: Shopping for the Best Burgundy Shoes

It has recently come to my attention that burgundy is the only (essential) colour without a presence in my shoe collection. This is obviously an issue that must be addressed as soon as possible, especially since the FW13 is upon us and a merlot-leather shoe is the best way to add a dash of season-appropriate colour to a winter outfit. I had a look around at my favourite online retailers to see what they had to offer and these are the ones that made it to the shortlist. Which one is your favourite?

1. Clarks Edward Limit Brogues, 2. Armando Cabral high-shine Derby Shoes, 3. H by Hudson Cornell Brogue Shoes, 4. KG Kurt Geiger Burnham Brogues, 5. Rolando Sturlini Leather Brogue Shoes, 6. Jil Sander patent-leather Derby Shoes, 7. ASOS Derby Shoes in Polido Leather, 8. Selected Homme Leather Desert Boots.

Best Dressed at the BAFTAs & Grammys 2013

The great Hardy Amies said: "A man should look as if he has bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care and then forgotten all about them". In other words, make sure you're comfortable in what you wear, don't ever try to hard or let your clothes wear you. And this goes double for evening wear. Last night we saw plenty of good examples of this on the BAFTAs and the Grammys red carpets.
No one wears a suit like a Brit – unless you're Ryan Gosling or Samuel L. Jackson. Even guys like Dave Berry and Alex Zane, who tried a little too hard, manage to look seemingly good at the BAFTAs. Nicholas Hoult, one of my favourite dudes at the moment because he is so relaxed and natural about everything. The same goes for Eddie (Fly) Redmayne who rocked a skinny Burberry tux last night before spending the awards ceremony throwing his guts out backstage. Samuel L. Jackson participated in one of the biggest trends of the night: velvet. He went for a classic 3-piece look of exquisite proportions.
Damien Lewis and Luke Evans also went for velvet but they were a little more daring. Damien in a full teal green number by Burberry – my favourite velvet look of the night – and Luke in a burgundy blazer with split satin lapels worn with black suit trousers.

Over in LA Americans were walking their finest attire down the Grammy's red carpet at the Staples Centre. Guys in the music industry are known for their pomp, which usually results in whacky outfits no one understands. A lot of them go to the other extreme going so simple or casual there is little to comment. Luckily, Justin Timberlake is back in business so we know we're going to keep getting incredible Tom Ford moments like this one last night. It was a kind of old school look not many people could pull off but one which looked cool and current on JT – and even more so in action. Also last night I found out about country up-and-comer Hunter Hayes, who is a sort of make Taylor Swift. He's 21 and just under 1.70m and I always root for short stylish guys. Even though I don't approve of his converse choice last night I thought his monochrome number was fit to perfection and I can appreciate a guy who knows how to wear a tie clip. It looks like John Mayer has decided to dazzle us with his sartorial choices while he lets his voice rest after surgery. The signer went for a lilac-y blue velvet blazer, which he paired with a blue silk bowtie. It could have been a little clown-ish but he's John Mayer, he can do as he pleases.

Getty

He's fly: Tyler James

bbc.co.uk/thevoiceuk

If you have been watching 'The Voice UK' will know who I am talking about. Tyler James is one of those guys who has an effortless flair for fashion – you could even call it swagger. I was first impressed by his style on his audition for the TV program. He wore (see below) a tartan Fred Perry shirt paired with slim bronze chinos and deck shoes. He wasn't wearing anything we haven't seen before but the colour combination was great and the proportions of the shirt sleeves and the trousers were spot-on. It was like an elegant take on preppy meets London street style.
The stylists on the show are really taking advantage of this flair – on his second week on the program he wore a Prince of Wales checked suit with a dark grey turtle neck jumper and a red pocket square. It was a smart look with a clear 70's vibe but Tyler made it look current and cool.
After these two great moments I was looking forward to his third week in the show. Last night (see above) he wore a mostly black outfit. What made the look were the details – the burgundy top of the trousers, which were perfectly cropped so that the sock-less tassel loafers stood out. But my favourite was the skinny Paul Smith tie, which I was close to buying months back, worn with a high tie pin and the round collar shirt. The perfect final touch to complete the look.

BBC Youtube screen cap

Most Stylish of the Week: Burgundy lovers

JustJared, Style.com

For the last few weeks I have been trying to put together a post every Friday with a few of my favourite celebrity looks from the week but for one reason or another it hasn't happened until now. I will try and do them every Friday/Saturday but I can't promise anything!
I decided to start today because it is unlikely that every week I will be this happy about the people in the list as these guys above are probably in my Top 5 of best dressed. There also seems to be a common thread of burgundy/maroon pops of colour in everyone's outfit.
Harry Brant Jr (if you don't know him, shame on you) is the most stylish teenager to ever exist on planet earth. He's like a real life Chuck Bass only with a lot more flair and taste. I am loving the quilted-but-not velvet blazer and the matching bow tie with just the right proportions. I really like the fact that he kept everything else classic and simple but added an extra touch with the gold embroidered smoking slippers.
Robert Downey Jr is one of the men who best looks on the red carpet. He wears a lot of Lanvin and his tinted glasses add a slightly rock vibe, which I love. His hair is also looking mighty good at the moment!
Andrew Garfield has this ease to look stylish that only the British have. He has been sticking to the classics lately – the striped cardigan, black skinny jeans, dark suede brogues, simple tees – and it's really working. This week I loved the burgundy mackintosh he threw on and, well, the hair. Some men are just lucky.
King of style and cool, aka Ryan Gosling, has also been spotted this week. He was wearing his signature battered black boots with skinny jeans, an Aztec print t-shirt and a burgundy cardigan. What is genius about this is the fact that the bottom part of the look is almost grungy but the top, though relaxed, is chic. Also key to the look are the mustard aviator shades that give it all a polished feel.

Corduroy lover

I remember, as a kid, I used to wear lots of corduroy in the shape of trousers, jackets and coats. I don't know why but I went off it for a while and it was only last winter that we reconciled. That's when I bought this pair of April 77 burgundy corduroy trousers. I love the thick type that some designer like Ralph Lauren use but it feels old to me, so I always go for the tiniest one I can find. I am also very keen on this fabric because it slightly changes the shade of the colour depending on the light, so it's a great way to play with texture. I wore the trousers with my suede COS desert boots, my Uniqlo nude jumper, a tan leather vintage belt and a grey jacket (not pictured). What do you think of corduroy?

[Pictures: Iñaki C.]