Happy Hallowe'en

I vant to suck your blood......

Vintage 1949 midnight blue 4x1 double breasted tuxedo with silk shawl collar and forward pleated trousers, tailored by Hickey-Freeman for F.R.Tripler of New York, $24.99, thrift shop; pleated Brooks Brothers formal shirt, $4.99, thrift shop; black (gasp) tassel loafers by W.S.Foster and Sons, made in England,  $9.99

BOO! Seriously, though, in these days, when the hell else am I going to get to wear something this awesome. Happy Halowe'en.

One man's costume...

The Halloween season is a thrift shop's annual cash cow, in much the same way that Christmas functions for any new retail store. Many thrift shops will stockpile certain items in anticipation of Halloween in order to build a dedicated section at the front of the store.  These racks will be packed full of things like surgeon scrubs and military uniforms, as well as hopelessly awful polyester clothing and pre-made costumes. But they are always worth a look for anyone who is a fan of traditional East Coast style menswear. For example, a Halloween rack can be a great source of tartan trousers and brightly colored corduroys, as well as embroidered "critter pants" and even tweed caps.

The jacket pictured above was recently discovered on a Halloween rack. Made in England of real bullet proof tweed in a classic British gun club check with a rust and red overcheck, it has a 3/2 darted front, single button cuffs, horn buttons, and hacking pockets. Apparently, 99.9% percent of the world looks at this and sees a funny plaid jacket. But you and I know better, don't we? It's all about context.

Happy Halloween