P129 TOO COOL FOR POOL
Terry’s once sodden reputation as the fabric of cutesy toddlers and ’ 70s catalogue ads has been firmly wrung out. But are you quite ready to throw in the towel?
Terry towelling is on-trend, but is it worth absorbing into your summer wardrobe?
Terry towelling: might it be the least appealing name for a fabric ever conceived? Imagine telling friends that your new jeans are made from selvedge Derek denim. Doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, really.
But what’s in a name? Well, perhaps a fair bit when you consider how far its stock has fallen. For it wasn’t always thus: David Niven used to look mighty fine in his Riviera collar towelling polo shirts; and it didn’t much hold Picasso back, either. Sean Connery, of course, had the sartorial chutzpah to slip on a baby blue towelling playsuit to spoil Auric Goldfinger’s chances in a poolside card game. Not only did he look great, it might be his most memorable outfit.
For whatever reason, towelling has endured a problematic reputation in the intervening decades. But now it is back with a vengeance. Tailored swimwear brand Orlebar Brown has made it a focus this summer, while towelling could be seen in the SS17 collections from brands as diverse as Sibling to Topman Design and Fendi. All of this should be regarded as good news. Because when it’s hot and water is nearby, this soft, cooling and absorbent fabric takes some beating. (Incidentally, it’s the loose, hand-pulled, pile weave that not only makes terry so breathable but also gives it its name: ‘ tarir’ means ‘ to pull’ in French.)
So, how to pair? This shirt that I’m wearing is supremely comfortable and fits like a dream. Even so, while I could just about get away with it in a pair of jeans, I’d hesitate to venture too far from the pool in the accompanying shorts for fear of outraging public decency. 007, alas, I am not.
But this just demonstrates how narrow our perception of towelling has become, says menswear stylist and image
“I’d hesitate to venture too far from the pool in towelling shorts – 007, alas, I am not”
consultant, Mark Mcmahon. “A towelling T-shirt under a soft-shouldered blazer is an excellent substitute for a cotton tee,” he says. “Most importantly, you shouldn’t be held back by hard and fast rules that simply don’t exist. Towelling is soft, light and takes colour brilliantly. As long as you don’t try to ‘smarten’ it up too much – casual is the order of the day – you’ll be fine.” Now, then, Aperol Spritz?
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