I can never remember my grandfather saying anything about his clothes, but throughout my childhood his clothes said everything about him.

One of the diktats I gleaned from him as a child was that as a man you needed to present yourself as though you were going to an interview each day. That may sound like a lot to ask of a man, however despite being retired I never once saw my grandfather out of a shirt, tie, tailored trousers and cardigan.

Each day without fail he would wear something to that effect and spend most of the day reading the newspaper on the veranda or at other times dozing off. All the while I'd be sitting close by, and I could hear his smart dress watch ticking steadily, his elbow on the arm of his chair, his head resting against his folded fist.

Born in 1919, he carried a strict demeanor about him. If formative years are the foundations of an individual's character, then my grandfather's must have been imbued in a time of rigid formality and discipline.

In retrospect I realise I was in awe of his unequivocal sense of masculinity and confidence, albeit quietly so. His masculinity and 'self' assurance were no doubt his 'essence' while his unyielding sense of style and total lack of compromise in his daily attire fortified the impression that he made, and inspired in me a fascination of how to define oneself as a man.

Being a prefect at school allowed me to put some of these qualities into practice...it remains a work in progress.