Eight days to go and ‘Dry January,’ penance for my considerable sins in December, will soon be over.
It’s not been easy.
Last week, I took Lindsay Taylor and Nicolas Guilbaud, directors of Savile Row cloth company, Holland & Sherry, out to lunch at Sous le Nez.
Watching Nicolas and their sommelier discuss the wine list, was a painful introduction into the world of masochism.
As far as alcohol withdrawal goes, I’ve had no, baby-on-the-ceiling, ‘Trainspotting’ moments, however, I did feel a welling of emotion, whilst watching ‘The Greatest Showman’ with my family.
I mean, come on, shedding a tear at a funeral, fine. A chin wobble during ‘Dead Poet’s Society’, still fine.
But during a musical? Me?? I think not.
High time I got back in the saddle and galloped back to Burgundy where I belong.
There was, however, at the end of the movie, a quote from P. T. Barnum, which struck a chord:
“The noblest art is that of making others happy.”
Comedians, in my opinion, are doing god’s work, and the tears of laughter I’ve cried to Billy Connolly, Dara O Briain, Kevin Bridges, and many more, have been priceless food for the soul.
As a tailor, it gives me a real buzz to look at someone beaming with pleasure in front of the mirror, when they slip on their latest set of Michelsberg threads.
I’m not saving lives – in fact Stephen, my accountant at Kirk Newsholme, will tell you I’m not saving anything! – but I do believe that my clothes, and the service I provide, make people feel special, indulged, confident, better looking, and yes, even happy.
I have nothing but admiration for those people who earn a living doing difficult jobs, in physically and emotionally challenging environments.
Compared to many people, I’m extremely lucky and live in a bit of a bubble.
I get to swan around a sparkly showroom in the Victoria Quarter in a nice suit, dealing with a wonderful mixture of decent, interesting people, who are usually at a positive place in their lives.
Often they are getting married, or treating themselves to a new suit because business is good, so in most cases, it’s shiny, happy people, all washed down with an espresso and a large Malt Whisky.
The thing with life is that you never know when it’s going to kick you in the balls, and so, as the New Year begins, I’m fired up to milk as much fun and happiness out of 2019 as possible.
There’s a couple of cheeky treats in the diary already and only yesterday, the new spring / summer collection from Loro Piana landed.
As another week of spicy tomato juice rears it’s ugly head, I think it’s high time to balance the ying with the yang, and treat myself to a new set of work overalls.
As for the glass of Tamnavulin in the photo above, that’s just window dressing for a future instagram post, honest, guv!
Here’s hoping your year has got off to a cracking start, and when it comes to your wardrobe, remember the golden rule: one Michelsberg suit is ‘never enough..’