Living and breathing South African life in the Twenties, there was really only one option when it came to dressing for the occasion. Leaving any safari-inspired outfits outside, my attire for life on board the Pride of Africa was decidedly a little less adventure-driven, and a little more tailored. This is perhaps the most conservative outfit I am ever going to wear, so it was all about choosing the right pieces to match my personality.
Moss Bros are a natural first choice for most of my tailored wear. When you are traversing the African savannah, the temperature can easily reach the big 3-0 in the blink of an eye, so wool and cotton clothing will often feel restrictive and surprisingly heavy. Naturally, with this in mind, my go-to option for this trip was a linen suit. Channeling my inner-Bond (I’m thinking Casino Royale here), I chose to go with a mismatched pairing. Just to feel a little less corporate.
I love the cut of this of this Slim Fit Grey Linen Cotton Jacket from Moss Bros and the tailored waist really helps the piece flatter the body. One of the real issues with linen is it’s proneness to attracting creases; a nightmare when you’re flying 10,000 miles from your home to your destination. The linen-cotton blend does create a slightly heavier garment, but it feels more robust than traditional linen suits.
Feeding my current, and slightly dangerous, obsession with everything white, I paired the jacket with these White Linen Trousers from Moss Bros, which are both lightweight and accommodating. The front crease adds a touch of formality to the occasion and I really feel like I could wear these through into the darker months. My opinion of these may have changed had I spilt one of many glasses of Pintoage on them, but they survived the trip and really looked the part.
On my feet, and to finish, Kurt Geiger add a touch of sparkle with these Joachim loafers. They are comfortable enough to slip on and wear day-to-day and the lizard-effect leather really makes them stand out from the crowd. My shoe obsession shows no sign of abating so I simply had to give in and have these shoes. If I ever did go sock-less to a Black Tie event (is that even allowed?), I will definitely be wearing these. Oh, and they also wipe clean. Very handy when you end up spilling half-eaten chunks of Biltong all over them.
