Cordings comes to T'North

In which G.M. Norton enters a tweed utopia.

Northern types, I bring good news! After more than 175 years of trading in London, Cordings of Piccadilly now have a second store, in the historic Yorkshire spa town of Harrogate. What's more, your favourite protagonist was there to witness the second coming by attending their opening evening.

I was tickled pink to be invited to celebrate their new home in Harrogate. The store is located in the beautiful Westminster Arcade and is spread across three floors. The womenswear is located on the ground floor with the two remaining floors dedicated to gentlemen.

Pencil moustache: the debonair dozen

In which G.M. Norton pens an ode to the pencil moustache. 

Quite by chance, my beard recently fell into the sink, leaving me with a pencil moustache. I was surprised, but delighted at the same time. You see, for many years, I have admired this facial punctuation mark.

The pencil moustache harks back to a bygone age and is brimming with charisma and a large dose of rakishness. 

When so many Hollywood greats wear it, you're in extraordinarily good company. 

A thin, narrow style with the optional shaved gap between the moustache and nose, it is quite a high maintenance style. It requires daily trimming to keep it in tip-top condition. 

I thought it would be jolly good fun to look at some of the men who have embraced the pencil style. 

Gadzooks! My moment of wow

In which G.M. Norton receives gifts to awe and delight (and you can too!).

I love receiving interesting parcels in the post. There’s something very exciting about opening up a box, especially if you don’t have the foggiest what is hiding inside.

This week, I received a surprise from 32Red. They are running a Twitter competition, giving people the chance to win a personalised gift by sharing a moment in your life where you have been wowed. I was fortunate to be selected by them to receive my own moment of excitement.

After tearing off the 32Red wrapping paper (I was far too excited to carefully take a photo of it), I found not one, but two very well-chosen presents inside.

A Konstruktor DIY SLR camera and a Cocktails of the Movies book!

This is my surprised/pleased/emerged victorious at Scrabble face.

No need to be Koi

In which G.M. Norton catches a whopper of a new pocket square.

A gentleman can never have too many pocket squares. Thankfully, they don’t take up much room so you don't risk a nudge in the ribs by a significant other and phrases uttered such as ‘taking up space’, ‘put them on eBay’.

Despite this, as my pocket square collection continues to swell, I’m becoming a little more selective about which ones I add. I’m growing quite a fondness for something unique.

My Kin pocket square looks perfect paired with my Rebus signet ring 

A few months ago, Cravat Club released a new collection of Japanese inspired designs. Of course, you could be forgiven for thinking that Cravat Club just specialise in silky neck adornments but they do also have a large selection of pocket squares too. Do take a look.