The Gentlemen Season 2, Episode 3: Do You Reject Satan?
Linen, Christening Style & The Darker Side of the Modern Gentleman
*Image Sourced Pinterest
There are few occasions in British life where tradition, ceremony and style come together quite so naturally as a christening.
And in the world of The Gentlemen, even a christening comes with a certain amount of danger.
Episode 3 of Season 2, “Do You Reject Satan?”, takes Eddie Horniman further into the complicated world he has created for himself.
The restoration of Halstead continues to cost money. The estate's workforce becomes increasingly unhappy. Eddie finds himself dealing with problems both inside and outside his criminal operation.
And then there is the christening of baby Tarquin.
For Off The Cuff, however, the most interesting part of the ceremony isn't simply what happens inside the church.
It's what Eddie is wearing when he gets there.
Because when it comes to traditional British occasion dressing, few garments demonstrate understated elegance quite like a beautifully cut linen suit.
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🎬 Do You Reject Satan?
Episode 3 marks another significant step in Eddie Horniman's transformation.
The aristocratic heir who initially found himself dragged into the criminal world is becoming increasingly comfortable making difficult decisions.
Yet the episode deliberately places this darker version of Eddie into one of Britain's most traditional settings:
a church.
Eddie is asked to become godfather to Tarquin, Charly and Nanny's son.
The christening provides a moment of family, tradition and ceremony.
But it also creates one of the episode's sharpest visual contrasts.
Eddie is standing in a church, dressed impeccably, participating in one of the most traditional ceremonies in British life — while the darker side of his world continues to unfold around him.
The juxtaposition is quintessentially The Gentlemen.
And it gives us the perfect excuse to talk about one of the great staples of warm-weather tailoring:
linen.
*Image Sourced Pinterest
*Image Sourced From Pinterest
🤍 The Linen Suit
Linen has always had a special place in sophisticated summer dressing.
It is lightweight.
Breathable.
Textured.
And, when cut properly, incredibly elegant.
The natural character of linen is part of its appeal.
Unlike a smooth worsted wool, linen doesn't try to appear perfectly uniform.
It has texture.
It has movement.
And it develops a beautifully relaxed appearance as it is worn.
That makes it particularly appropriate for summer weddings, christenings, garden parties and destination events.
It is also one of the reasons linen continues to appear in modern interpretations of classic British tailoring.
The trick is finding the balance between relaxed and refined.
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✂️ Why Linen Works So Well in Bespoke Tailoring
A ready-to-wear linen suit can sometimes feel rather casual.
A bespoke linen suit is a different proposition.
The construction, proportions and finishing can be designed specifically around the wearer.
The result can retain the natural informality of linen while still looking exceptionally polished.
Think:
Natural shoulders.
A clean chest.
A beautifully shaped waist.
Comfortable trousers with the correct break.
A carefully considered jacket length.
And, perhaps most importantly, the correct cloth weight.
A lightweight linen can create an almost effortless summer silhouette.
A linen-wool or linen-silk blend can offer additional structure while retaining that relaxed texture.
For someone wanting the Gentlemen aesthetic without simply copying Eddie, this is exactly the sort of direction we'd explore.
🕴️ Dressing for a Christening
A christening isn't a wedding.
It isn't a business meeting.
And it certainly isn't a black-tie event.
That makes it a particularly interesting occasion to dress for.
The objective is formal without being overdressed.
Elegant without being theatrical.
Traditional without appearing old-fashioned.
A beautifully cut summer suit can achieve exactly that.
For men, possibilities might include:
- A pale grey linen suit
- Stone or natural linen
- Lightweight navy wool
- A subtle check
- A cream or ivory jacket with contrasting trousers
- A linen-wool blend
- A traditional three-piece in lightweight cloth
The accessories then determine how formal the finished outfit becomes.
A crisp white shirt.
A knitted silk tie.
A pocket square.
Classic leather shoes.
Perhaps a pair of understated cufflinks.
Nothing needs to shout.
👔 The Importance of the Shirt
One of the easiest ways to change the personality of a suit is the shirt.
A crisp white shirt immediately brings formality.
A pale blue shirt softens the appearance.
A textured linen shirt creates a much more relaxed summer feel.
A fine striped shirt introduces a little more character.
And for traditional British occasionwear, the collar deserves attention too.
The right collar creates the foundation for the tie and frames the face.
It's another small detail that is easy to overlook when buying off the peg but becomes particularly noticeable when everything is made specifically for you.
*Image Sourced Pinterest
*Image Sourced Pinterest
🎩 The Art of Occasion Dressing
There is a recurring theme throughout The Gentlemen:
know where you are going.
The clothes change according to the environment.
Country estate?
Different.
London?
Different.
Northern Italy?
Different again.
Christening?
Different once more.
Netflix's own Season 2 style feature specifically highlights Eddie's approach of dressing appropriately for different environments, with his wardrobe moving between bespoke tailoring, country clothing and more relaxed Italian influences.
This is one of the things that makes the series particularly interesting from a tailoring perspective.
Good style isn't about having one perfect outfit.
It's about having the right wardrobe.
*Image Sourced From Pinterest
*Image Sourced From Pinterest
🇬🇧 The British Art of Dressing Properly
British menswear has traditionally placed enormous importance on occasion.
There are clothes for the country.
Clothes for the city.
Clothes for business.
Clothes for dinner.
Clothes for weddings.
Clothes for the races.
And clothes for everything in between.
Modern fashion has blurred many of those boundaries.
But perhaps that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
The contemporary gentleman can borrow from all of them.
A country tweed jacket can be worn with tailored trousers.
A business suit can be dressed down with knitwear.
A linen suit can become wedding attire.
A classic blazer can move from the office to dinner.
The modern wardrobe is less about rigid rules and more about understanding why certain combinations work.
*Image Sourced From Pinterest
🧶 Texture Is the Secret
One of the easiest ways to make an understated outfit interesting is through texture.
Linen.
Wool.
Cashmere.
Silk.
Cotton.
Tweed.
Flannel.
Corduroy.
These fabrics interact with light differently.
They feel different.
They move differently.
And they create depth within an outfit.
This is particularly important when working with neutral colours.
A stone linen jacket might sound simple.
But combine it with a textured white shirt, fine silk tie and beautifully cut trousers and suddenly the outfit has considerable visual depth.
That's the difference between simple and plain.
🥃 Eddie's Two Worlds
The most interesting thing about Episode 3 may actually be the contrast between Eddie's clothing and his behaviour.
On the surface, he remains the perfect gentleman.
Well dressed.
Well spoken.
Composed.
A Duke.
A military man.
A member of an old family.
But underneath that polished exterior, his world is becoming increasingly complicated.
The episode even gives us the striking juxtaposition of Eddie participating in the christening ceremony while carrying the weight of decisions made elsewhere.
The title itself — “Do You Reject Satan?” — makes that contrast impossible to ignore.
The result is a fascinating fashion image:
the gentleman on the outside; something considerably darker underneath.
And that is precisely what makes Eddie such an interesting character to dress.
🕶️ When Accessories Do the Talking
The details matter.
A pair of classic sunglasses.
A leather watch.
A silk pocket square.
A beautifully made belt.
A pair of polished loafers.
None of these pieces needs to be extravagant.
In fact, understated accessories often work better with sophisticated tailoring.
The aim is to create a complete look rather than a collection of individual products.
That's the difference between being dressed and looking dressed.
✂️ From the Screen to the Cutting Table
If we were translating Eddie's Episode 3 aesthetic into a bespoke garment for an A Hand Tailored Suit client, we'd start with the occasion.
Perhaps a summer christening.
Perhaps a wedding.
Maybe Royal Ascot.
A garden party.
Or a summer evening event.
From there, we'd select the cloth.
For a relaxed interpretation:
100% linen.
For something with slightly more structure:
Wool and linen.
For a touch of luxury:
Wool, silk and linen.
Then comes the cut.
The jacket could be single-breasted with a softly structured shoulder, natural proportions and carefully considered lapels.
The trousers could be cut with a slightly higher rise to create a more traditional silhouette.
Side adjusters could remove the need for a belt.
And if the occasion calls for something particularly special, a matching waistcoat could transform the suit into a sophisticated three-piece ensemble.
The result?
Something unmistakably inspired by the world of The Gentlemen — without ever becoming a costume.
🤵 The Modern Gentleman
Perhaps that's ultimately what The Gentlemen gets right about British style.
Being a gentleman isn't simply about wearing expensive clothes.
It is about understanding occasion, proportion, quality and confidence.
A bespoke suit doesn't make somebody a gentleman.
But when the clothing is right, the wearer often carries themselves differently.
They stand differently.
They move differently.
They feel more comfortable.
And that confidence is perhaps the most important part of the entire outfit.
The Gentlemen Season 2, Episode 3 — Our Style Take
“Do You Reject Satan?” gives us one of the most visually interesting contrasts of the season so far.
A traditional British christening.
A beautifully dressed Duke.
A summer linen suit.
Family.
Ceremony.
Tradition.
And beneath it all, an increasingly complicated criminal world.
It is exactly the sort of contradiction that makes The Gentlemen so compelling.
And from a tailoring perspective, it reminds us that some of the best-dressed moments aren't necessarily the most elaborate.
Sometimes it's simply about choosing the right cloth.
The right cut.
The right occasion.
And allowing the garment to do what beautifully made clothing has always done best:
make the wearer feel entirely at home in their surroundings.
✂️ Inspired by Eddie Horniman?
At A Hand Tailored Suit, every bespoke garment begins with an individual consultation and is designed around the wearer, their lifestyle and the occasions that matter to them.
From lightweight linen and luxurious wool blends to traditional British tweeds, bespoke three-piece suits and fully tailored occasionwear, your garment is created specifically for you.
Because true style isn't about following somebody else's rules.
It's about knowing which ones to keep.
🎬 Previously on Off The Cuff
The Gentlemen Season 2, Episode 2: There's a Rat in the Kitchen
We explored Eddie Horniman's evolving style, British tailoring, the importance of silhouette and how cloth, trousers and footwear combine to create the modern gentleman's wardrobe.
Coming Next...
The Gentlemen Season 2, Episode 4: The Bigger Picture
Eddie's world moves further into the corridors of power as the House of Lords becomes central to the story.
And for Off The Cuff, that means an opportunity to explore another very British subject:
formal tailoring, political power and dressing for the establishment.
Episode 4 coming next. ✂️🇬🇧
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