When Derrick Miller and Kirk Miller took over the reins at Barker Black, the venerable English shoe house, they set out to update the traditions of fine shoe design for the 21st century. Just as the insides of their sleek wingtips conceal the rebellious skull-and-crossbones, the brothers' personal style is a balance between a hearty respect for the past and contemporary touches of masculinity and individuality. Inspired by the classic menswear styles of the 1930s and '40s, the brothers visited show museums and studied the archives of past generations before going on to create original Barker Black looks and last designs from scratch. Like the essential Barker Black shoe - whether a wingtip, loafer, spectator or riding boot – their approach to dressing well is about knowing the rules of classic design in order to play around with confidence. Here, they impart their wisdom on timeless style, with a few suggestions for spring '08.

1. We always respect a man who pushes the envelope a little more, rather than not pushing it, even if the outfit isn't exactly spot-on.
2. If you love to show a bit of flair – and the idea of self-expression through clothing – you may want to consider departing from the solid-white shirt. We love mixing patterns. Try to mix complementary patterns – a striped shirt with a polka-dot tie, for example. Conventional wisdom says not to disturb the line of a suit with a contrasting sock, but why not break the rules and wear a striped suit with bright argyle socks? (That has to be just the perfect combination, but when you get it right, it is one of our favourites.)
3. When it comes to colour, the same thing applies. While it may be more traditional to match accessories, we say never match your socks to your tie and your handkerchief.
4. We all went to a friend's house as a kid that was so nice it looked like no one lived there and you felt like you couldn't touch anything – well, clothing can be the same. You should look like a real guy when you leave the house. Balance a beautiful outfit with slightly messy hair or something to keep it real and 'lived in.'
5. We pay attention to trends, but generally our styles do not change too much. But there can be exceptions. For example, traditionally, the bottom of your pants should stop an inch above the sole of your shoe, creating a small break. But this spring features the trousers with a small (or no) break (as well as narrow ones, cropped with a cuff wider than the standard inch and a half) – and we love showing off the details of the shoes that a shorter trouser allows.
6. Derrick loves to wear our Wolfe loafers with the bones on them with suits and jeans. No socks. I always rock loafers with no socks in the summertime.
7. We wear suits year-round, but on casual days at the beach we wear a loafer or moccasin with shorts or jeans.
8. When it comes to buying tennis shoes, we forgo the classic white go-with-anything sneaker and, instead, we both gravitate toward bold, vibrant colours, such as bright green, orange or silver. Don't know where it came from, don't know who to blame. Anything in bright green, orange or silver, we are in.
9. Some guys are taking a looser approach to black tie these days. We always go the opposite way and bring up the level of formality. A spring wedding is one time you can get away going completely dandy. We always dress properly with some subtle detail of differentiation, such as one of our 'bone solid' pocket squares.
10. Wear bright socks. They bring attention to your beautiful shoes.

By Jessica Johnson