p.s. new stuff in the Shop, including Brooks Brothers sweaters, Alden shoes, and some serious vintage Harris Tweed.
04 February 2012
Just Some Old Thing To Wear Around The House....
In the past, I've made my position of precious house clothes quite clear. I've never been one for luxury pyjamas or precious embroidered velvet slippers, as I find that the time I spend at home in my house clothes involves as much cleaning and house work as it does sleeping. And then this falls into my lap...
...an honest to God dressing gown. Not a robe, a dressing gown, made of some of the softest light weight tweed I've ever touched. Found at a favorite thrift haunt for $6.99, among a rack of ladies coats of all things. Rules of thrifting: 1) look where you don't think things should be, because sometimes that's where the are. 2) Learn to spot good fabric. I saw the sleeve sticking out of a heap of junk and the fabric is what caught my eye.
The beautifully cut shawl collar had me thinking black tie immediately. Do I dare be so obnoxious as to invite people to my house for cocktails and host them in this get-up? Does such a garment even belong in a modest two bedroom with toys all over the place?
Finding a belt with something like this in a thrift shop is like a gift from above, truly rare. Its got a few tiny moth holes, but only a few, so who cares? Guess I have to do a complete 180 degree turn and order some custom made broadcloth pyjamas and a half dozen pair of those damn velvet slippers. The full rig will be just the thing for cooking pancakes, washing dishes and picking up after the kids.
p.s. new stuff in the Shop, including Brooks Brothers sweaters, Alden shoes, and some serious vintage Harris Tweed.
p.s. new stuff in the Shop, including Brooks Brothers sweaters, Alden shoes, and some serious vintage Harris Tweed.
9 comments:
An Affordable Wardrobe strives for an open discussion of all the topics presented here. All opinions, whether in agreement with the author or not, will be considered for publication. Please present your points in a clear and adult fashion. Negative comments of an overtly crass nature will not be published. Besides dressing like grown ups, let's behave like them as well.
Wow! Yes! Wear it and enjoy it during said cocktail party. It's fabulous.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I visited a local thrift store for the first time in about three weeks yesterday and didn't see much. Just as I turned to leave, a pair of almost new Ferragamo tasseled loafers, which were not with the rest of the shoes and in another part of the store, caught my eye. Just my size, no wear on the heels even, and in the original box and with bags for under $30. It was a fantastic day!
Your new dressing gown is amazing.
Best Regards,
Ulrich von B.
I'm sure ADG will be happy to steer you in the right direction on "proper" slippers.
ReplyDeleteAs a dressing gown, it is not something to entertain guests in. Rather, it is something to wear yes, over pajamas. However, as I have garnered from watching old movies, the dressing gown was also worn over one's clothes in lieu of a jacket (odd or suit), both with and without a tie.
The ideal neck adornment for a dressing gown is, of course, a silk scarf. Fred Astaire can be found in this combination in such movies as Swing Time and Shall We Dance.
I found a wonderful dressing gown some time back. It's an American-made Pendleton wool number, in the Stewart tartan. It, too, has moth holes, but so what?
Anyway, great find. Enjoy!
Holy God, that is fantastic. You are a made man.
ReplyDeleteI say host the cocktail party in honor of your new dressing gown and wear it dressed to the nines. Your close friends know you're a clothes horse, you could even dress-code it as "A Pajama Party for Adults" (tasteful pj's, of course) I love it, I think you'll wear it far more than you ever thought you would! (You might catch Mrs. G borrowing it, though...;)
ReplyDeletefantastic...i wish I could find one exactly like this!
ReplyDeleteI always understood a 'dressing gown' to be something worn only in your bedroom before you put your jacket on and went down to dinner. Like while you were getting dressed, waiting for your manservant to tie your shoes or whatever. Probably because the bedroom in the English manor house was freezing!
ReplyDeleteSo wearing it at a cocktail party is pushing it a little, even for you, but wearing it for a pancake breakfast - awesome.
I, myself, have hosted parties in smoking jackets and dressing gowns -- how could you not?
ReplyDeleteHowever, I usually do not wear my dressier togs when home alone because, like yourself, I'm usually cleaning (or drawing or painting). But I believe that one should dress at the slightest provocation....
Dude, you seriously need to find a way to host a black tie event.
ReplyDeleteSimply marvelous! Please don't wear it for entertaining though. It is best used with scotch in one hand and a pipe in the other. It's a fine find you lucky guy.
ReplyDelete