La Costa Orientale (or, East Coast "Italian")

A while back, I made a very brief mention of a new pair of pants in the "Milano" cut by Brooks Brothers which had just made their seasonal debut. Today, on second wearing, I find myself still on the fence about my verdict.

Essentially, they would seem to be just my style. A nice pale shade of orange, very East Coast, and seemingly a cinch on a warm sunny day with a navy blazer and dress shirt open at the neck. In true Affordable Wardrobe fashion, purchased well off season at a deep discount. The cut is pretty trim, but I can live with that, especially in what once was considered a casual outfit, though these days I may as well be meeting the Queen or being inaugurated president in such a get up.

I mentioned before that the "Milano" cut takes some getting used to, and the trouble for me lies in the very short rise of these pants. Please forgive me this unseemly crotch shot, but I took it to make a point, in the interest of service to you, my devout readers. Note how the top of these pants just meet the bottom button  of my blazer. Most of my pants come up at least two inches higher, nearly to the top button. Maybe they don't even look bad, or wrong, by today's standards, but I constantly feel like I need to pull them up, only I can't, because they won't go any higher. I guess that's Italian style, or something.

Orange cotton pants should be so very East Coast, and so I wore them with a vintage blue striped Sero oxford ($1.99) and a J. Press blazer ($7.49), but I eschewed the undershirt and left an extra button open for a flash of chest hair, you know, Italian style...

and this pair of brown suede Ralph Lauren driving loafers, made in Italy ($5.49), really holds this one together, you know, Italian style.  It works, I think, but I had to work at it, and I was conscious of the skimpy cut of these pants all day, which is antithetical to stylish dressing.Who was it that said something like "if you can't wear it and forget that you're wearing it, don't wear it"? Can't remember, but its sound advice. I'll be 35 on my next birthday, and frankly, the "Milano" cut makes me feel old. Ten years ago, slim and trim were the two most important things I looked for in a pair of pants. These days, a more classic fit with room to breath is more my speed. Call it dressing like a grown up, if you will, but its really just knowing my shape and how to flatter it that I'm after. That, and not constantly trying to pull up a pair of pants that won't go any higher.

At the Top Shelf Flea, I had a customer engaged in conversation who was inspecting a vintage 1980s Brooks Brothers "Brooksease" 3/2 sack suit in navy blue with white stripes I was offering, and he said something like "when I see a suit like this, it makes me wonder why a company like Brooks Brothers would engage in all the 'preppy nonsense'."

I said "Blame it on the Italians."

p.s. plenty of "preppy nonsense" is about to hit the shop, including many of the pink and green pants recently mentioned. Stay tuned.