Pattern Mixing

Pattern mixing is an excellent skill for any man to develop. Taken on their own, many TRADitional items of clothing are a bit staid, but when properly blended they all work to elevate each other. A regimental stripe tie, university stripe shirt and paisley square may all be nice enough separately, but put them all together and you have something else entirely. Add the texture of a hopsack blazer, and you've got a lot of visual interest.

Of course, part of the trick is knowing when to cool it. On the bottom, I chose to keep it simple, with khakis, grey socks and loafers.

However, if you really feel like pushing the whole thing over the edge of the sartorial cliff, throw in an outrageous vintage wool plaid cap.( Which of course I did.) There's nothing like an individual and stylish look built entirely of conservative elements.

On another note, it seems our incestuous little family has become even more perverse. On the new blog Ivy Style, the dozen or so guys who write all these other blogs ( who I believe are also the only dozen or so who read them) are now all contributing to the same blog. Next we should build a tree house behind somebodies mothers house with a sign at the bottom of the ladder that says 'no girls allowed', where we can listen to jazz records and hide all of our skinmags.

p.s. Anyone know what 'regiment' that tie is? Google search turned up nothing, but I am interested to know whose hard fought military service I have decided to appropriate in the name o sheer dandy-ism.