08 June 2009

Mad For Plaid, part 2 (Christmas in June)

As I've said before, successful thrift shopping often involves ignoring the season, and buying what you find when you find it. True, it can be frustrating to have to wait many months to trot out that stunning new find, but it's worth it.

As I've also previously noted, I have a foolish and perhaps even dangerous predilection for plaid trousers.

And so:

Heavy wool flannel, soft as cashmere, $3.99. ( Go ahead, who will be the first to say "sometimes you get what you pay for, buddy."?) I simply couldn't resist. They went straight into the winter storage box, but come September, after the tailors shortens and tapers the legs, they'll really be something. Anybody know anything about Spotwood? My search came up cold.

Mrs. G. looked more than a little worried. My father said "You get it from your grandfather, he always wore crazy stuff like that." But the cloth was so damn nice.

Trust me, with the right blazer or a white cable knit sweater, I know I can pull these off. I've got six months to figure it out. I think I may be forced to host a cocktail party in December, complete with egg nog, mulled wine, and port wine cheese ball.

I admit I have a problem....

p.s. as for my recent absence: not only to I tend an infant and a toddler, but I have also deemed it fit that this should be the year I finally read Ulysses by James Joyce. My friend, and sometime commenter here, Pasquale, a fellow product of Jesuit high school and Irish half-breed who attended college in Dublin, has tried to get me to read it every June for the past 14 years or so. This time I swear I'll do it. 'Tis a bit time consuming, though...

16 comments:

Young Fogey said...

Those would be fine pants for just such a shindig as you have described. Wear them with a bottle green smoking jacket. If you can't find one like that, most any other velvet jacket would be a good bet.

Matthew Farris said...

I share your illness for all things plaid. As Diana Ross once sang "If there's a cure for this, I don't want it."

Unknown said...

mmmm... Port Wine Cheeseball.

I picked up a pair of heavy wool herringbone BB trousers at the thrift shop the other week. The waiting is torture.

Cyclo2000 said...

Nice breeks old boy. This morning I joined you in the ranks of the unemployed. Got made redundant at 9 O'clock, no warning at all. Rubbish, innit?

Anonymous said...

I trust a man who wears plaid more than a man who has read Ulysses.

Sophie said...

Ulysses is a great book to fall asleep to - but for real good Irish writing go for Flann O'Brien.

Toad said...

Nice pick up G. Wear 'em often, don't let them wear you.

Pitboss12 said...

I'm trying to break myself from my plaid affliction.

Patrick said...

Great find! I hear you on the out of season thrifting. The other day I scored a brown fox head club tie. I can't wait to sport it this fall with a wool vest and tweed jacket.

Unknown said...

It's funny that you mention Joyce because I was thinking about picking up Ulysses this summer too.

Dhr. DeLuxe said...

WOW! Brilliant. Wish I had a pair like that! I would wear it with a cream tattersall shirt, a canary yellow hunt-style vest (with gold watch chain), and brown tassel –or even Ghillie– brogues.

(Or with a satin house coat and velvet, monogrammed slippers, later that day... I can almost smell the eggnog!)

For your sake, I hope X-mas comes early this year.

pasquale said...

Your comments on this story deserve their own post:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/fashion/11goodwill.html?_r=1

ADG said...

Ulysses....better man than me G. Oy.

Unknown said...

Amazing, the number of people who have not read Ulysses. One of the best novels ever written, but may require some help to get through the Dublin slang, etc.
Not only worth reading, its worth rereading.
Hope you finish before Bloomsday!

FIXED BAYONET METAL SOLDIERS said...

well You bought em dude now where em!

Anonymous said...

Please don't taper those. They are perfect just the way they are.