I first got to know Sam at a Swing Dance Festival In Canberra (Canberrang) a few years ago where I judged him to be the Best Dressed Male at the Swing Ball.. If it wasn’t enough that he was incredibly Handsome and by far the most well groomed and best dressed gent I’d seen…., he could also dance!! I tell you ladies, although completely and utterly in love with my own dapper gent of a husband….Sam surely does take your breath away. He’s Shy, Humble and such a sweetie.. Yep, I’m a fan!
Which Type are you Sam? Lets get to know him a little better through an interview I did with him.
Name: Sam Humphreys
Age: 33
Starsign: Aquarius
Hobbies: Swing Dancing, bike riding, indoor climbing.
What’s your favourite all time inspirational quote? “This is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time.” – Tyler Durden, Fight Club. Ok, not so inspirational, but it has a good point in that the opportunities you have to do/see/try the things you want to aren’t going to be around forever.
What, for you, epitomises the very essence of a Suave Gent? Someone who always dresses above and beyond what’s expected but doesn’t look like he’s wearing a costume, and who is polite and courteous without seeming cheesy.
What 3 items of clothing would you rescue if your wardrobe was on fire? I’d save my blue pinstripe waistcoat, Black Retrospec’d New Yorker trousers, and a pair of my white Aris Allen dancing shoes.
What 3 lessons would you/will you teach your son/nephew/boy child if you could?
Always remember your manners.
Show people respect until they have proven that they don’t deserve it.
Set the bar high, and remember that the bare minimum isn’t nearly good enough.
Excuse me Mam/Miss? Or Hey Lady? “Excuse me, miss, ….”
Do you feel comfortable opening doors, offering right or way and pulling out a chair etc for ladies or has that time past? I don’t think the time for chivalry has passed, but outside of social circumstances it can be inappropriate if it is overdone.
Are you wary when offering an innocent compliment to a lady if you do know know them? And why? I think that if people have put effort into their appearance enough to be noticed then complementing them is not inappropriate.
To dance or Not to dance? Yes, to dance 🙂
Do you think a grooming/suave subject should be reintroduced/included in today’s school curriculum? No, I think it’s important for people to discover their own style and taste. If someone had told me to dress the way I do now when I was a teenager I would have hated it.
What do you think about this saying from Havelock Ellis: Charm is a women’s strength just as strength is a man’s charm. I prefer “The soil of a man’s heart is stonier. He grows what he can, and tends it” from Stephen King’s Pet Semetary. I take it to mean that men take longer to develop strong emotional bonds to other people or objects, but once that attachment is there they will do what they can to protect those people or things.
Do you own or have you ever worn flip flops/thongs? Yes. Living in a beach city makes owning thongs a necessity, though they don’t really have a place once you’re off the sand.
Which one of your vices, if any, do you think can lend and air of louche sophistication? I’m a sucker for a gin martini. Like George Burns said – “Happiness is a dry martini and a good woman… or a bad woman.”
Do you think chivalry is dead? Chivalry isn’t dead, but I think it has changed from the time that women were seen to not be able to help themselves to a general politeness towards the fairer sex.
Are manners still as important today? Manners become more important as they become less apparent. Saying please and thank you as a default is an easy way to set yourself apart from
Who are the fashion influences that helped define your look? Like most people who go for a vintage style, I originally got the idea from the music I was listening to, and then went to TV shows and movies to refine the look I was after. Some of the inspiration for me comes from TV shows like Boardwalk Empire, and movies like The Public Enemy (1931), Casablanca (1942), and Chinatown (1974).
Hat Doffing? Are you a fan? Do you practice? This depends on the occasion. I think in casual situations it is out of place, but at a formal occasion it would seem odd not to if you were wearing a hat.
Who would win the girl, The charmer with Wit or the Power with Money? That depends on the girl. I’d like to think the charmer, but it helps if you can be be charming and have money.
What is your classic favourite car?, what would you drive if you could? If I could I’d drive a Bugatti Type 57C. An absolutely stunning car, as seen in this picture: supercars.net/gallery/119513/2753/1017554.jpg
Essential styling tips?
1. Don’t do things half heartedly: if you’re going to wear braces, wear braces with button ends, not clips. If you wear a bowtie, get a proper bowtie and learn how to tie it rather than wearing a fake one with the clips. Clips = bad. Buttons and tying knots = good!
2. If you’re dressing for a particular era then do your research… Styles changed so much from the 1920’s to the 30’s, early 40’s, late 40’s, and 50’s that you can end up looking a bit silly if you mix and match too much.
3. Get help and advice from people who know more about the era you’re interested in than you do, and try to understand economic and social reasons for fashion trends… it’ll make it a lot easier to incorporate modern clothes that suit vintage styles.
