THERE'S a long established view in this country of how the typical Irish male dresses and, like all powerful traditions, it's proving mighty hard to budge. In this case, the image is of a spectacularly untidy man wearing an ill fitting suit, invariably chocolate brown in colour and shiny from long usage, unlike his shoes, (also brown), which are heavily scuffed and suggest total unfamiliarity with polish. The shirt will have begun its life white but is now almost the same shade as the suit; and if a tie is present, it will bear witness to many meals enjoyed while being worn.
It's an amusing concept and no doubt there are still some Irishmen to be discovered who bear a passing resemblance to this portrait. However, this cliche really ought to be retired, because one of the less appreciated benefits of EU membership has been a substantial improvement in the state of this country's menswear over the past two decades. Poverty - visual and financial alike - held us back for a long time, but just as our roads have been upgraded thanks to funds from Brussels, so our standards of dress have steadily improved.
Obviously, increased affluence has played a major part in this change of attitude and appearance. When making enough money to provide food was a major concern, fashionable clothing was unlikely to be classified as a priority. Today, disposable income leaves us well disposed to think more carefully about how we present ourselves. And, as anyone who has ever been in search of European funding will know, presentation is all important. Sincerity in a shiny suit is not terribly appealing. Therefore, we had to clean up ourselves before we could - as some of our neighbours in the union would believe - clean up in Brussels.
Travel is a great educator and as more of us have visited member states, we have been able to see how other nations bedeck themselves. If the Irish really are enthusiastic Europeans, it's not least because our Continental partners have taught us how to dress with flair. Until the 1950s, there was no such concept as Irish fashion; and even after that decade, only a tiny sprinkling of names had any kind of national - let alone international - renown. Today there's both Irish fashion and fashionable Irish, the latter a generous section of the population who are as well informed as they are well groomed.
The result is that today almost every major menswear label in the world can be bought in this country. The number of outlets selling those labels has increased significantly - and so has the number of discerning men who are willing to buy fashionable clothes. It is not uncommon to overhear two Irish men discussing their purchases and very deliberately mentioning Italia or Belgian names - even if their pronunciation of the names may occasionally be a little erratic. Regular contact with the rest of Europe has meant it is no longer necessary to venture overseas in search of fashionable clothing.
The picture here isn't entirely one which could find a home in Uomo Vogue just yet, of course. While it is generally conceded that the Irish male is now usually better groomed than, for example, his counterpart in Britain, the former still has a few lessons to learn. Such as the fact that double breasted suits, especially when in a size too large, don't look well on every body type. And Irishmen do not, as a rule, place a high premium on individuality in matters of dress; they like to blend in with the majority of their compatriots, which helps explain the current craze for wearing bright blue shirts with business suits.
These are, however, minor gripes. The European Union has been good to us in a great many ways, not least in teaching the men of Ireland to clean up their act. But be warned that the old days could still return. The forecast for this autumn is that brown will be the favourite colour for clothes and, given the present predilection for nylon based fabrics, we may see a fresh influx of shiny suits in a few months' time.
A wearer's guide to European men's fashion
THE BELGIANS
Whoever would have imagined 10 years ago that Belgium, a country which been entirely overlooked by style pundits, should suddenly produce a generation of white hot designers including Ann Demeulemeester, Dirk Bikkembergs and Dries Van Noten?
At the start of this decade, Antwerp became a centre of fashion, thanks to the popularity of deconstruction, in which many of these labels excelled. The best of them have survived that particular trend's demise, thanks to strong, enough interesting quirks give their clothes distinctive character.
. Name to Wear Dries Van Noten - his style is low key but still sharp edged.
THE FRENCH
Admittedly there's joker Jean Paul Gaultier, but otherwise French fashion for men is a rather dry affair. The Gallic male is highly conservative when it comes to clothing, so don't look for extravagant styling or bold colours here. Instead, the tones tend to be sombre, with checks as a favourite pattern for jackets. Quality of finish, however, is always high, and luxury accessories show the French at their most skilled. This is a style which tends to appeal to well heeled men looking for established (and establishment) labels such as Dior, Lanvin and Yves St Laurent.
. Name to Wear: Hermes - an old name recently given an expensive overhaul.
THE GERMANS
When it comes to men's fashion, the Germans will probably never be great innovators. Instead, their strength lies in taking new trends and adapting these for the mass market. This makes German clothing ideal for the man who wants to look contemporary but not cutting edge in his approach.
Especially good for suits the Germans offer excellent finish at manageable prices in labels such as Dressler, while more casual dressing can be found with the likes of Falke. By far the most ubiquitous name here is Hugo Boss, the favourite choice of every aspiring business executive; maybe not terribly exciting, but then office dressing was always going to be predominantly functional.
. Name to Wear: Hugo - the slightly funkier, more youthful wing of Hugo Boss.
THE ITALIANS
The leaders in European menswear, not least because they cover practically every option. For those who want clothes that proclaim high cost, there are the lurid colours and patterns of Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and Moschino. Alternatively, for understated good taste, you can turn to Giorgio Armani or Gianfranco Ferre. More avant garde styling is found with Romeo Gigli, Costume Homme or Victor Victoria.
The one consistent feature is first class production values and the employment of new fabrics and weaves. Latest labels to capture another section of the market are Prada and Gucci; they may not sell as much as their competitors but indisputably they've created the most fashionable work this year.
. Name to Wear: Gucci - right now, the double G logo is a fashion must.
THE SPANIARDS
At one stage in the late 1980s, it seemed as though Spain was about to emerge as a fashion centre to rival Italy, but that no longer looks to be the case. Many Spanish designers settled for a kind of exuberant Latin vulgarity which just didn't have any appeal outside their own market; the inherent conservatism of menswear led to disappointingly modest sales. So there has been considerable shrinkage from this country, and right now its neighbour Portugal looks more promising as a potential centre of fashion excellence.
. Name to Wear: Armaad Basi - but only for men under the age of 40.
THE ENGLISH
It is a truism that classic English tailoring is often better produced in countries such as Italy and France than in England itself. Mainstream English clothing is, quite frankly, dull. But there are two areas where that country still excels, one of which is clubwear thanks to a strong tradition of street culture feeding into labels such as Laundry.
Equally successful has been a reinterpretation of English dandyism for the present era by the likes of tailor Oswald Boateng and designers Nicole Farhi and Paul Smith. By using brilliant colours and bold patterns - especially checks - they've managed to breathe new life into what was largely a moribund Saville Row sensibility.
. Name to Wear: Paul Smith - these clothes really are classics with a twist.
THE IRISH
Is there such a thing as a distinctive Irish style? Probably not, but some designers such as Pat McCarthy are attempting to take traditional forms and fabrics (particularly linen), and reinterpret them for a contemporary market. Similarly, the Donegal firm of Magee has worked hard to update its style without sacrificing established clientele.
Knitwear is always strong here and thanks to the likes of Lainey Keogh and Tarlach de Blacam's Inis Meain label, new twists have been given to old forms. While John Rocha sometimes employs Irish Celtic motifs, his menswear is essentially global in spirit - his international profile has helped all designers in this country.
. Name to ar Cuan Hanley - a first collection is due in A Wear this autumn.
THE JAPANESE
Yes, obviously they're not European - but the Japanese were so influential on this continent during the 1980s that they simply can't be overlooked. Responsible for making black fashion's favourite colour, they also demonstrated that European traditional tailoring - based around a close moulding of the body - really wasn't the only possibility.
. Name to Wear: Comme des Garcons - beautiful cotton shirts with clever details.