By Christos Zampounis

The other day I came across the savoir vivre of Baroness Nadine de Rothschild. The truth is that I was looking for another book, “Alexander and Aspasia” by A. Zaousis, after being commissioned by Kathimerini to write an article about the long romance of the King of the Greeks, who was not lucky enough to live long. Out of curiosity I began to leaf through “Le bonheur de seduire, l’ art de reussir: savoir vivre aujourd’ hui”, as it is entitled. “The happiness of seduction, the art of success: the good ways of living today”, written in 1991, but continuously republished since then. Not one rule about men’s clothing escaped my attention. Never a short-sleeved undershirt, especially if wearing a suit. As in law, so in dress there is latu and stricto sensu, or broad and narrow interpretation. That is, we have those who advocate the choice of a manches courtes or short sleeve shirt, either because they want to show off their oversized arms or because it is artistique. On the other hand, we have the superlatives of the long sleeve only, rain or shine. For them the short-sleeved shirt, even in a heatwave, is a faux pas, unthinkable for the eternal gentleman and not a gentleman, as the term has come to be used in the land of the grey orange.

Cover Photo _  David Gandy photographed by Andy Barnham