All In The Details

Wearing clothes is fun for me. That could explain my penchant for a lot of things that would be too much for many people. Bright colors and crazy patchwork are the height of fun dressing, but it only works if you know how to ground yourself in understatement from time to time. I am in no way advocating boring dress, because "understated" and "drab" don't necessarily have to be the same thing.

Few outfits could be more classic than a navy blazer, grey trousers and burgundy tie, as seen here. What keep this extremely simple combination from drabness lies all in the details.

The importance of a good navy blazer in a man's wardrobe can't be understated (correction: overstated-ed.). I wear mine with some frequency, and as such have three: two single breasted, one lightweight and one Winter weight, and a double breasted.This one is an upgrade for me, replacing my old flannel one.Hand made in a Madison Avenue tailor shop once upon a time, the construction is beautiful. Internet homework turned up nothing on Virgil Carducci. Anybody know anything about him?

Like the suit that was mentioned in the last post, this jacket has a great combination of mostly European details, but it works great with my existing largely American based wardrobe. Notable is the shoulder, which is roped in a very Italian style, but has a natural slope.

Patch and flap pockets are more American, but a ticket pocket is a nice unexpected touch.

Hand finished button holes and edge stitching. This thing is the real deal. Side vents, of course.

The fabric is incredibly soft to the hand, likely at least partly cashmere. It's thick and warm, but breaths well. Closer inspection reveals a herringbone weave, it's navy shade being achieved through a weave of royal blue and black threads, giving it a richer navy shade when seen under artificial light. I traded a new-with-tags Gloverall duffel coat for this, and I couldn't be happier with the results of the bargain.

A striped shirt by Polo ($5.99) adds a bit of punch. The undone button down collar is, admittedly, a hopeless affectation, but don't forget that I'm a guy who wears jacket and tie by choice only, so who cares? I wouldn't try this in an office job, but then again I don't have one. A burgundy grenadine tie by Brooks Brothers was $1.99 well spent.

The trousers are Andover Shop mid grey flannels, with side tabs and forward pleats, worn without braces.

With all these European details, these classic American penny loafers and yellow socks are suddenly incongruous, but why not?

So much about dressing well for men lies in the details, but it's even truer when keeping things relatively quiet. Finding little ways to set off a relatively conservative ensemble can be a challenge, but it's also a lot of fun. Just remember to do this stuff for yourself, and not to impress others, because you'll probably be the only person who notices or cares.