....No, Jim, YOU`re Sussed.I`ll give you that...

If Suss is a term for the the distillation of information would that make sense?

The process is a very deliberate one, but the desire to do it in the first place is something innate?

Last edited by Russell_Street (2008-08-19 12:43:57)

I think I understand the concept, but it seems a little neurotic to me...and I don't need any help in that department.  This "sussed" business, to my way of thinking, gives way too much power to the observer--perhaps an imaginary one, which is really crazy--and would seem to lead to some uptight and unhappy moments when it comes to getting dressed.

Jim, in your interview story, both outfits sound great, but I prefer your "trying too hard" one, because, well, I love clothes, and this one just sounds like more fun, snazzier, more interesting.  I'm all for the minimalist understated thing, too, but I'd prefer to dress to suit MY mood, not to win the approval of some (maybe notional) cognoscenti.

I do think it's a cultural thing.  I know it's a cardinal English sin to be caught trying too hard or caring very much about anything.  There is an emphasis on getting it "right," and "right" is a slippery, changeable thing that takes tremendous effort to grasp and equal effort to disguise the initial effort and great God who has the energy?

I got so tired of my hip friends turning on bands when they became too popular and that whole mindset...I understand the sentiment but I think I'm just too much of a hedonist to follow suit.  If it gives me pleasure, sign me up.  I'm guided solely by what I instinctively like (said instinct shaped by myriad influences, of course). 

I don't care if it's from the Andover Shop or the Gap.  If I like the cloth and the cut, that's it.

To me Sussed is just about being `clued-up` and it is about seeing the wider picture...Sussed to me doesn`t mean that someone is necessarily `elitist` or motivated by elitism since there may very well be elements of anti-elitism within a sussed persons personal style.(In fact a degree of anti-elitism may well be a pre-requisite).It is about those dresser`s who always seem somehow to get it right.

I like to think that a Sussed dresser would give a bit of time and would give a bit of thought to to a whole wider picture when considering each of his clothing purchases , ut this is only part of being sussed.Sussed is only a word and it perturbs me just a little that the word is seemingly becoming too mythical and is carrying too much power.

Ultimately i think we all KNOW instinctively when we see a really sussed dresser. It`s the guy who is always dressed well.It`s the person who invariably always seems to be dressed in a way that is pleasing and welcome to the eye whenever it is that we see them.We all know someone like that...The sussed dresser will be the one who knows just what is the the best and most pleasing to look at combination of personal apparel for them to wear on any given day or indeed at any given time.


He`ll be taking in all sorts of subliminal factors before he decides what to wear but he probably WONT be trying too hard, (if indeed at all).It will be more a case of personal intuition channelled from endless information gathering.It will be a very personal antennae like receptiveness.

It will invariably be about a personal spontaneity and a personal intuitiveness about wearing the right combination at the right time.Some days he`ll be wearing really pared down stuff; white t` chinos and pumps and the next day he`ll be dressed to the nines.You can`t pin him down.

I think sussed by it`s very nature is NOT about a question of neurotically worrying about wether something one chooses to wear is going to be cool to those in the know.I think sussed is far beyond that and is far more of a very personally lead, subjective and intuitive quality.He is lead by his OWN inner voice and is following his OWN instincts.He firstly dresses so personally for himself (and this is the sussed dresser`s great love) but he also dresses for EVERYONE else whatever their station in life and whoever they may be  (and this is not limited to but INCLUSIVE of the cognoscenti , whoever they may be).Indeed he is a stylistic Democrat  for a Democratic audience.



He will be taking in and absorbing all the myriad of visual and  subliminal influences and information around him and all these visual influences will be processed and will be filtered down to guide him to perhaps a few prospective purchases.Pehaps questions of quality, versatility, utility, practicality, stylishness , and classicism will ALL be assessed about each prospective purchase.Questions of would each prospective item work well within the sussed persons personal wardrobe for example? The choices he eventually decides on will be no fluke...

He`ll then cooly chuck away girly pre-occupations with contrived looks.He`ll be the one who`ll go with his gut instincts about what feels the most comfortable ,most cool and apposite choice of clothing to wear (the particular selection or choice of which will be the IDEAL choice for him personally to wear/at any given time). Factors like the weather outside, the time of the day, the brightness of the light outside, the environmental conetxt will no doubt subliminally and consciously affect his un-trying and intuitive choices.(These choices may well be very plain, basic or pared down stuff.Minimalist stuff when done well will always look and feel comfortable.But he is dressing for himself and be true and honest to himself.The sussed dressser will have a discenible integrity to his look).

This is my appreciation of the word `Sussed`.

... And again I remain the eternal outsider...

I'd never heard the word 'Sussed' until I was 19 & I met a pair of 34 year old Ivy Stylers in a London club. You know how that story goes...

They to me seemed to have that innate thing of never having to have tried to achieve The Look. With age I know now that that could never have really been the case, they had to have done The Knowledge to be as Sussed as they appeared to me back in '85. Nobody in England is born an expert on Ivy style.

- Me?

I had to learn all this stuff alone from LP sleeves, films & magazines & then be helped by those who came before me in London to pull it all together.

Jesmond is the real deal here. Ring us both up & listen to our voices.

There is a London thing of cut & cloth & style which is second nature to some. Not me.

For me this style was & remains something 'other'. An escape from boredom.

Gawd Bless it!

J.

He really does button it down very well.

If I was really Sussed then the attitude above would be second nature to me.

It isn't.

I've spent three decades working on Doing The Knowledge and my knowledge of Ivy is still a work in progress...

Still fun though!

I guess that at the end of the day Suss is maybe an attitude first & foremost. It's not for the likes of me to try to pin down.

I maintain that it's the hallmark of a true Stylist though. That attention to detail & drive to know their subject which sorts the men from the boys when it comes to any style.

For me it's all been a part of the quest to find out as much as I can about Ivy style.

No easy answers. Just a thirst for the real deal.

J.

wouldn't that constant learning and knowing that one is never ready but one must learn -attitude be a big part of the mighty thing called 'suss'?

'Suss' or 'Clued Up' cannot be taught or coached. You either have it or you don't. It's has simple as that. Substitute 'Suss' for confidence, and your half way there. If you haven't got the confidence to stride outside of your front door after earlier peacockin in front of your mirror in the look you have perceived to be the dogs gonads, how the hell can you expect the uneducated eye not to mock? To surmise, it's down to you. You should know what works, if you don't, then you may as well join the masses and buy yourself a track suit and a pair of reebok classics, or some baggy arsed americanised garb, a suit from George at Asda complete with shirt and tie and big cumbersome buckle shoes or head for Sloane St and hit Gucci, Armani, D & G etc and get fleeced for poor quality but top quality marketing/branding.

Last edited by the style councillor (2008-08-22 08:32:58)