Ritchie Po of Knotwerk enjoying the champers at Lao Feng Xiang opening.
By the end of the December party season, it is very likely that every man’s basic wardrobe needs a bit of sprucing up to transform into a New Years Eve look that is chic, comfortable and re-wearable in the new year.
It is inevitable that each November, the media onslaught starts with advertising for big blow-out parties with uber high ticket prices, usually taking place in a hotel penthouse or on beautiful yacht. These parties are so extravagant and extra hard on the wallet, especially after the holidays.
A quick poll of fashionable friends informs me that ringing in 2016 in Vancouver, most likely means sipping champagne or a perfectly aged whiskey on an associates high-rise terrace, spending the evening with a handpicked group of friends at a secluded patio downtown or even reminiscing on an overstuffed couch in a dark corner of a newly discovered hole-in-the-wall somewhere in Railtown. But…where ever it is, remember this is not an evening to get slouchy with your style.
This piece is for the gents on how to do a top to bottom spruce up in Vancouver, even with only a couple of days left to plan.
18th Amendment Photograph by John Heil
Start at the top with a quick trim – head and beard touch-up’s are a must – but definitely not a good day to try mustache waxing or beard shaping. Gastown is flush with great barbers, many who have created their own cruelty-free products to keep you looking sleek and well groomed. Try top-rated 18th Amendment Barber Shop (77 E Cordova) for your trim or if you hair is long, curly or needing extra styling care, pop into Drybar at the new downtown Nordstrom’s for a 20 minute wash and blow-out. Drybar is an equal opportunity hair service; their products are all organic and named after adult beverages. The TripleSec spritz is light, fresh and fantastic on loose locks.
Image credit: Helen Siwak
If there is no time for the full service, opt for a hat to tame that look. Hit Goorin Bros by the Yaletown skytrain and check out the American Felt line which contains almost two dozen classic shapes in soft textures that quickly add mystique and draw the focus to your expressive eyes. At the counter get Devin or Sarah to assist with customizing your new piece with a classic pin or feathers or both.
Image credit: Helen Siwak
Over your dressier wardrobe staples – such a earth tone button down and dark denims or even black waxed jeans – add an affordable casual jacket with classic lines or a structured cardigan from the newly launched Frank & Oak (316 West Cordova) line. Whether to tuck or not depends on your journeys end.
Image: Frank & Oak
Image: Frank & Oak
There are even a couple of barber chairs by Man Cave Barber Shop offering services just in case you are time crunched and need a shave, shirt and accessories in the same place!
Image credit: Helen Siwak
Image credit: Helen Siwak
Now footwear is just as important to a man’s appearance as it is to a woman’s look. An ankle boot works with jeans, trousers, with an all black layered androgynous look and even a cuffed dress pant. These boots from Rowan Sky (334 West Cordova) in Crosstown, come in many lush colours and with a change of laces can go from everyday to racy.
Image: Rowan Sky
Now how you arrive can either make or break the evening. If it is going to impossible to resist the bubbly or the signature drinks, pre-book a taxi, but for those with a taste for temptation try a super car rental. Vancouver is spoiled with companies waiting for you to roll off their lots in a matte black Aston Martin or Lotus, a growling candy coloured Lamborghini or with a driver in the sumptuous luxury of a Rolls Royce, just call ahead to ensure availability.
New Years Eve can be as pricey or as heartfelt as you wish to make it but no matter how it goes, ensure you look fantastic in the photographs as we all know the internet is eternal.
Best wishes and ciao ciao,
Helen Siwak
Nothing makes a dapper man feel more assured in his skin than in a made-to-measure suit and a commanding tie. The ultimate luxury is in creating a statement outfit that announces the man to the world, which we don’t always do in Vancouver (but we should do more frequently). We photographed this week’s Knotwerk piece at the atelier of 
He has access to an impressive catalogue of the finest in suit-making cloth, including Cerrutti 1881, Scabal, Cloth Dormeuil, Fratelli Italia di Delfino, Harris Tweed and Zegna. Every last piece is down to the client’s specifications, including buttons and finishes. In fact, Joey has exclusivity to Huddersfield Cloth – the fabric provider to the television series Kingsman and Downton Abbey. More than a matter of suit-making, it is making suits specific to each individual client which will include an expanded line including footwear and women’s wear.
With the passing of the last surviving cast member of the original cast of the classic BBC series Are You Being Served?, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about haberdasheries. They do not appear to be a mainstay of the more upscale luxury department stores, but even if they aren’t being worn as a matter of custom, they will always be elegant and classic.
One of the more complicated knots, the Eldredge starts with the wide end on your left, with the tip at your belly button or a bit below. Leave lots of room on the narrow end on your right. Make a dimple on the left and cross the little end over the front, making a triangle and drawing it to your right. You will then wrap the little end over the front, on the lower side of the triangle, keeping everything tight. This is design demands a compact design, and therefore everything should be tightened. Draw the little end over the centre to your right to create a loop, and you will then circle the little end over the front and through that first loop to your right again. Tighten that up by tugging at the wider loose ends you’ve just created. Then that is sufficiently compact, wrap the little end over the right, and re-create the design by repeating this step. Eventually you’ll realize that you’ve used most of the little end, but it also means there is minimal opportunity for loose fabric. This almost looks like a variation of the Diamond knot, which we showcased at this past fall’s 
The 
Do you ever watch a couture show and wonder who buys them? Of course we know they’re the rich, but did you know that the pieces are already spoken for before they hit the runway? At trunk shows happening all over the world, designers present their newest lines before they hit the public eye, and so you technically cannot buy most of what you see.
Feeling bullish going into the holiday season? We’ve been seeing a lot of red lately, especially from holiday décor. Maybe it’s the time of year to cocoon and watch old musicals, like one of my personal favourites Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Perhaps that’s why we were inspired to create a look inspired by the film in the middle of a barber shop, minus the Tim Burton-Stephen Sondheim bloodlust but keeping the aesthetic as fresh as the blood vampires crave. For this week’s Knotwerk, we tie the Linwood Taurus Knot in a vintage Lanvin tie, shot on location at Yaletown’s Man Cave Barber Shop in downtown Vancouver.
I was pondering the aesthetic in men’s fashion recently, and noticed on my Instagram feed that I’ve come to appreciate some of the asymmetrical looks of late. Not everything has to be mirrored on both sides of any centre, as long as it is tastefully done. Similarly, no clothing retailer has to follow the exact same business model.
ECO.LUX.LUV 
