Polo shirt, Polo bow tie, Brooks Brothers cotton sweater, vintage Rogers Peet sport coat. ~$35 total.
The country gentleman rides into the village on his Raleigh three speed bicycle. After negotiating the sale of some hogs, he enjoys a shepherd's pie and a pint of bitter for luncheon at the local pub before buying some fine silk ribbon at the habberdasher as a gift for the Mrs. and returning home for the evening.
Or...
I wore this into the city on my Raleigh three speed bike to complete some decidely mundane tasks, but I'll be damned if I didn't cut a casual-but-smart figure while doing it.
I like the occasional rich plaid sport shirt worn with a patterned tie. It's not always an easy look to pull off. The trick is balance. In this case, I cooled it down with the sweater, a heavy solid piece. All you see of the plaid shirt is a dash at the collar, and a whiff at the cuffs. Anything more would be too much.
Everywhere I went today, someone chuckled at me. It reminded me of being in high school. Back then, when they would try (unsuccesfully) to hide their derisive laughter, I would say something like "What's the matter? Haven't you ever seen a man in men's clothing before?"
When did we become a nation of teen-agers? Why is laziness respected and attention to detail reviled? (smallest violin again...I'm getting to be a virtuoso on the instrument).
you are getting to be quite talented with that little violin. i like the tie with that shirt. i would have never thought to put the two together, but its quite nice.
ReplyDeleteIsn't this just one of those many things about which you have to decide what you want? I recently started wearing pocket squares (I'm new to this "dressing right" business), but I think I'm going to give it up. I will miss the opportunity to add a little extra flair or color, BUT: for me the point in general is to look nice, unobtrusively. Not to have people look at me and think, "There's a guy who's into clothes." Like it or not, there are a lot of places where a pocket square triggers the latter reaction.
ReplyDeleteI imagine with bow ties in adventuresome color- and pattern-combos, the choice is much the same.
It's the bow tie what causes the glances. If you think that it's hard to pull off in Boston (which at least enjoys the virtue of being a city) try wearing such garments in Cumbernauld, a dreech Scottish New Town on the fringes of Glasgow. People look at you like you'd two heads. Today I'm wearing a tattersal waistcoat under a Polo blazer and flannels and a Polo bow tie in burgundy with wee shields on it. To gauge from the reaction of the next door neighbour this morning I could hardly of confused him more had I emerged naked from the house with no more decoration than a ribbon round me cock.
ReplyDeleteStrangely enough I was out on me old Raleigh the other day....but mine is a Record Ace in venerable Reynolds 531 with full Camag drivetrain and the old fashioned centrepull Weinman brakes. Nice old Brooks saddle. Wore my new Ralph Lauren Counrty plus twos and an Ede and Ravenscroft sports jacket and wheeled down to the pub in Twechar for a few pints of Real Ale by the fire. Tres civilised, don'tcha know
When I dress nicely here in Northeast Wisconsin, I always, always get compliments -- certainly not derision! Maybe small city America is more sophisticated and refined in its manners than big city America?
ReplyDeleteit is definitely the bow tie- first a glance, then a stare, and a chuckle. my coworkers appreciate when i wear it though.
ReplyDeleteWhen I started my new job as an associate minister (in a traditional southern presbyterian church), some folks started telling me to relax and take off my tie and jacket for our Wed night suppers and the studies I was teaching.
ReplyDeleteBut now, people have gotten used to it, and I get plenty of compliments. (It feels a little funny, still, to always be somewhat more nicely dressed than my senior colleague...but not by that much.)
Wednesday is also "bow tie day" for me since I can pretty much never wear one on Sunday, b/c it would be too distracting under my black robe (and thus undermine the entire purpose of the robe!).
Looking good.
ReplyDeleteEccellente!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to more such inspiring photos.
Grazie in anticipo.
That's just odd.and it's not even one of those fat ones.Anyway,I stopped wearing a tie with my shirts under CREWneck sweater,because oftentimes you get this blurb of a knot,but you just gave me an idea-a bow tie!it juts out cleanly and efficiently.thanks Geese!
ReplyDeleteI like it, I'm jut not sure I would have done it with that shirt.
ReplyDeleteI can never make a tie and crew neck sweater work. My son does it all the time but it just goes bad on me.
ReplyDelete"Maybe small city America is more sophisticated and refined in its manners than big city America?"
ReplyDeleteNot all of the Midwest is so appreciative of big boy dress... I was vehemently informed last night (wearing a sport coat, tie and square) that dressing well is perceived as an insult to our shabbily dressed countrymen.
As echoed above, the looks are from the bow tie. I'll notice similar reacts from the public in general when bowed up.
ReplyDeleteHowever, people I know tend to understand dressing properly. Perhaps younger people of a certain persuasion embrace a proper understanding of dress. There are many people I know who would agree with a tirade against the wearing of sweatpants in public. In that vein, its usually the people who dress in an unfortunate manner who stare at you.
35 bucks?! You have to be kidding me. I can spend that on cab fare, chewing gum and shoe shines in one day- and you buy an entire outfit. I need to get a grip on the old expenses.
ReplyDeletewell done.