A right Charlie - how to wear Bottega Veneta's new shape

Baggy chinos, white scuffed brogues, sans socks and a buttoned up check shirt, knitted waistcoat with a fitted tailored jacket is fashion spaghetti - way too much mixing of casual and smart; too lose and too tight, all at the same time. But now I know it can work.

This was my first attempt to wear the new shape for men presented by Tomas Maier this summer, the talented creative helm at Bottega Veneta (luxury, Italian blah, blah). 

I've been thinking about this look, which owes its being to Charlie Chaplin in his role as the Tramp, an unlikely fashion hero. It's typified by loose trousers and a cropped, fitted jacket (Chaplin's squashed up hat is   optional). It's a tricky shape giving stress to the lower half of your body and legs while minimising the upper half - the opposite of the exaggerated V shape beloved of over worked out gym rats.

When I first put the clothes together it was the footwear that was tough going to begin with. Straight legged chinos (from Cos) with a wide 12" bottom could only be worn with white trainers I thought, but the bagginess swamped my feet making them disappear which was disconcerting. My feet needed bulk to support the bulk of the trousers.  So, I pulled on a pair of scuffed up old white Loakes. The trousers were given the platform they needed. I was building my new style house from the foundations up.

Once the base elements were in place, the rest was a cinch. A bold grey and white check buttoned up shirt ( Cos) and knitted grey waistcoat (Paul Smith) and marl grey fitted suit jacket (Paul Smith) and the looked rocked. I was a posh tramp or an under-dressed toff.

I felt odd at first going out with all that fabric billowing around my legs, but a few drinks and checking out with some mates how they rated my efforts,  and their resounding thumbs up gave me a warm glow. I was standing on a street corner being thrown gold sovereigns by the passers by.