That Dapper Chap | Craig Hammond

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“Dapper for me is not only about looking good. It’s incorporating traditional and gentlemanly styling into your looks. It’s also a lifestyle. ‘Manners maketh the man’ as they say. Dapper is dressing in a gentlemanly fashion and acting in one also.”

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Blogger Craig Hammond has given a unique perspective on fashion. It is fun. It is trendy. It is bold. And it definitely incorporates that special touch of UK class! Craig’s blog, ‘ThatDapperChap,’ started from his Instagram account. “Loyal followers will remember me as RocksInSocks. This is when I used to post pictures of colorful and interesting socks. As my following grew so did my confidence and my willingness to share more than just socks,” Craig says. Craig looked into setting up a blog as his popularity grew. Once his blog was started, Craig has not looked back since!

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Fashion Start

Craig didn’t have it easy growing up. His mother raised him and his brother alone. Money was not plentiful. Since extra money was not available, Craig had to wear hand-me downs often. As Craig got older he was able to get a job and bring in some extra money for his family. Craig bought a haircut, a new shirt and a new pair of jeans with his first check. “That was many many years ago now but I remember that day vividly. It was a significant turning point in my life. I was changed both physically and emotionally,” Craig elaborates.

From then on, Craig has always had a keen sense of fashion. Yet, it wasn’t until about three years ago that he started to look into the fashion industry. He began to explore how he could contribute to the fashion industry. He started using his instagram to express his interest in fashion. His original instagram ‘RocksInSocks’ became incredibly popular. But, over time Craig wanted to branch out into displaying other areas of fashion. The name ‘RocksInSocks’ was a great niche, but Craig felt the need to expand. Moving from a small niche into something larger, it was important for him to carefully choose a new name. “When choosing a blog name, it must be able to transcend into genres and styles. Make it personal to you. But make it catchy and interesting. “Johns Fashion Blog” won’t cut it,” Craig says. That’s when he came up with the name ‘ThatDapperChap.’ 

It’s catchy and it widened the scope of subjects he can talk about.

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Success So Far

‘That Dapper Chap’ has been successful so far. It is a popular blog. For Craig, the most rewarding aspect has been getting to meet so many new people. “I’ve made so many new friends. I’ve attended some exciting events. I’ve done some things that I never would have ,had I not taken this path,” Craig says. He shows a lot of gratitude toward being able to have these experiences. It’s almost like a new way of life.

Besides new experiences, Craig success has translated to awards as well. ‘That Dapper Chap’ received ‘Fashion Blogger of the Year’ at the Next Blogger Network Awards. “ I never expected to even come second.  So it was a huge shock  to win and a real honor. It was a defining moment that had me thinking “I’m doing something right”,” Craig says.

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Moving Forward

Reaching new heights of success shouldn’t be much of a problem for Craig. His spontaneity is what drives his blog at the moment. “I have to say that I’ve never had a plan. My progress is organic. While I stick to the rule of what I want to do, I don’t have a plan that may restrict opportunities,” Craig says. “I’m enjoying what I do.  In such a creative and ever changing industry, it would feel wrong to write a five year plan. I don’t even know what opportunities are going to present themselves tomorrow. Let alone in five years!” Craig continues. 

With no set plan in mind Craig wants to conquer all the opportunities that come his way. He inspires to be able to provide more video content in the future. He has already done a collaborative video with the Burton Menswear line. It will be unveiled pretty soon.

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What style/fashion accessory is your favorite?

I love a bow tie. I have a collection of both new and vintage. I think they add something different and they’re always a talking point.

Ties & Bowties

I have a huge number of ties. These vary in colour and pattern and I decide on which one I want to wear depending on the look I want to achieve. Sometimes the tie carries and accent colour through the outfit. Sometimes it is the focal point. A necktie is universally accepted and garners much less attention than a bow tie does. While I don’t think that a bow tie could ever offed anyone, they do seem to get attention. Maybe because it’s just less ‘normal’ these days to see a man in a bow tie.

Can you give us a bowtie tutorial or point us to one?

I am planning to do a You Tube video myself, but my good friend and fell blogger Carl Thompson has his on your tube.

Handkerchiefs

Adding a pocket square or handkerchief adds personality to a suit or jacket. You can colour match it to your tie and socks or you can let it make a statement all on it’s own. They’ve seen a reemergence over the last couple of years as guys take on a more refined approach to dressing.

Suspenders

Suspenders  are one of those accessories that have returned to a lot of guys wardrobes. They raise the dapperness of your look and are functional to boot. I have a preference for button on braces as they are more traditional. I also think that the clip on variety can look cheap. Vintage button on suspenders are easy to pick up. Buttons are easy to sew on so there’s no excuse for not wearing them every day if you so fancy!

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Craig Hammond

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