Playground Attire

It can be tough to maintain a certain modicum of style when much of your day is spent chasing small children. This becomes exponentially so when it's hot and a large part of that day is spent outside in parks and playgrounds. I'll admit that comfort and ease of mobility are of the essence in these situations, and it's silly to wear a tie to push kids in swings and play "monster" at the play structure, but I'll be damned if I'm going out in a t-shirt.

A madras shirt like this one becomes a favorite in those situations. Real madras, by Ralph Lauren, acquired for one dollar awhile back. Don't say it, I know all about the extreme pattern mis-match of the pocket, but I'm sure that was done purposefully. It adds to the extreme casual vibe of the shirt. Lands' End "legacy chino" shorts with a 9 inch inseam are a great cheap commodity this time of year. I recently bought two pair for $25 each, one in "soft butter" and the other in "seagrass green". Truth be told, my current pair of "Nantucket Reds" are actually legacy chinos in "vintage brick" and I love those too.

Don't forget that madras is a particular type of cloth, not just a term for plaid Summer stuff. The real deal is weightless and gauze-like, with slubby imperfections throughout, and nothing wears better on a hot day. The fact that this example is rendered in a large scale plaid in purple, yellow and red is a bonus.

Sperry Topsiders have long been the shoe of choice with shorts. But with my current pair in tatters, brown suede driving mocs have taken that spot. These shoes are like walking around in slippers, only better, because they're Italian suede loafers. At $5.49, they are far from too precious for a trip to the playground. Someday they'll look great with less-than-blazing-white ankles. I'm working on that, but for now, this is what we have to work with.

Taking care of kids is a messy business, but it's also lots of fun. Sure you want to be comfortable, but there's no reason that style and comfort can't live together. In truth, it doesn't take much more effort to look well than it does to "just throw on a t-shirt".

p.s. some of you may have noticed that I took down my Facebook page last week. Today it's back up. I admit to being a fuddy-duddy when it comes to Facebook, and it's uses and usefulness continue to evade me. And though I don't much care for the way it made feel as though I could physically see my privacy packing its bags and leaving in a taxi, I've come to realize that it's extremely difficult to run an online business these days without it. So I'm back. To all of you who "like" me or "fanned me up" (is that the correct expression?) my sincere thanks. Please tell all of your "friends".