Repair or Replace?

Regular readers of this blog know that the answer I would give to the question posed in the title of this post is emphatically to repair...most of the time.

It's fair to say that tassel loafers are my favorite type of shoe. I suppose that's why I've been able to justify owning five pair that vary only slightly from one another. About six months ago, an old favorite pair suffered irreparable damage to the leather upper. I wore those shoes with cords and sweaters, flannels and tweeds, and in violation of barely existent sartorial rules, even suits. I was happy to have scored an apt replacement in the form of the above pair of Allen Edmonds in the "Saratoga" model, via eBay for $26.

But these weren't an such an apt replacement. There were too many differences.The vamp on these is much higher, and the toe is a little pointier than I like. Still, I could overlook those things.

What I had trouble overlooking was the tassels. On my old pair, the lace was actually tied in a knot, but on this pair, the tassels were just attached separately. A small detail, but a detail nonetheless. It's kind of like getting cheap boat shoes where the lace doesn't really go around the whole shoe. Add to that the fact that the previous owner had applied (badly) way too many layers of wax polish. Probably read too many #menswear blogs. Consequently, they get much less use than their predecessors.

So when they got a little worn in the heel and needed new soles, I stalled. I considered bringing them to Allen Edmonds for re-crafting. I've seen re-crafted Allen Edmonds shoes firsthand, and I know that the service is worth the $100 or so dollars it costs. They would fix the soles and strip off all those excessive layers of wax polish, but those damn "fake" tassels would still be there.

Then these came along, Italian made for Polo Ralph Lauren, in barely worn condition, for $60 via eBay. The vamp is lower, giving the shoe a more slipper like line, which I like. They have a closer shape to the beloved pair I tried to replace in the first place. The toe is rounder, which accommodates my wide, brick shaped foot better. And they cost about half of what the re-crafting process would cost.

Best of all, the lace is tied, and braided to boot. A zesty little touch. I can already tell that these will get easily double the wear of the previous pair. Given that they saved me money, this is one case where replacement was a better choice than repair.

Better to spend those re-crafting dollars on these Allen Edmonds shell cordovan "Mac Neil" longwings, which also need soles and heels. These are not so easily replaced, at least not at the kind of prices I'm used to paying.

Repair and reuse may be the cornerstone concepts of thrift itself, but they are best tempered with a well timed and occasional replacement.

Business Casual

The other day, I read a post  on Put This On about dressing down a suit, and I thought I might offer my own two cents on the subject. As someone who only ever wears a suit by choice, it's something I think about now and then. I personally tend to prefer a sports jacket and trousers most of the time. It's a look that is inherently less dressy than a suit, and allows for more room to play. Jackets can range in color and texture from the staid formality of a classic and well cut navy blazer to tweeds and linens in all manner of bright color and pattern. Still, I do like to wear a suit sometimes. The tough thing is that many suits, particularly navy and grey, are difficult to wear without looking like you're dressed for a business setting, which I never am, so it helps to find ways to soften the edges. 

I'm not a fan of the look of a suit with no tie, something that's become increasingly popular in the past few years. To me, it always looks like you just left the office and are out grabbing a beer before heading home, in other words, like an incomplete outfit. Rather, I like to use accessories and minor details less aligned with business situation to do the trick. Pictured above is a worsted grey pinstripe suit, ($12.98 in a thrift shop), softened with a glen check tie in an earth tone, a pattern and color hinting more at country clothing ($1.99),and a densely printed paisley square rather than white ($2.99, found in the ladies scarves in a thrift store). A white shirt with a suit like this may be as proper as can be with a suit like this, but I opted for a softer one with a button down collar by Brooks Brothers ($5.49). 

Instead of black, all my leather accessories are brown. Added to that, the shoes are heavy longwing brogues, another style derivative of country clothing. The skull and bones socks are perhaps totally silly, but again, a good degree less formal than plain black or grey. (side note: don't wear argyle socks with a suit, ever. I hate that.)

With a little whiff of imagination, you can wear your business clothes in a more casual way.

p.s. In writing this post and searching back through my own blog for links, I realize that I have written much the same thing on this same topic about this same suit before, right about this time of year when I first pull this suit out of storage (see here). I suppose that means that a grey pin stripe suit really is the most challenging thing to wear outside of its proper context of business, or that immutable things like classic menswear are hard to blog about for over five years without at least a little repetition. Oops.

Wet Feet and How Not To Have Them, part II

While it's true that I may have an unreasonable disdain for rubber overshoes of any kind, in wet weather some things are absolutely indispensable. Chief among them is a good quality umbrella (or two).

My two tried and trusted options are pictured above, one long cane style umbrella in black, an absolute essential, and one short duck-head tote umbrella in burgundy, a nice option for more casual situations.

To begin with, if any man is going to have only one umbrella, it should be a long black one with a cane style handle, preferably with a wooden handle and shaft. There is simply no better choice when wearing a suit and long raincoat, or even formal wear, but it will do the job just as well with any attire. This is one thing worth investing in new if no other option is available to you, as a good one will likely be the only one you'll ever need. Besides, if you fork over significant scratch for it, you'll be that much less likely to leave it in the back of a taxi. I've had mine for many years, and the previous owner used it for many years.  Whatever you do, though, please don't walk with it like it is a cane, unless you want someone to take it from you and beat you with it. Mine was of course procured second hand, but good sources for new ones are the usual men's shops (Brooks, J.Press, etc.) or places like British makers like Swain Adeney Brigg if you're really feeling flush.

A smaller umbrella that will fit easily into a bag just in case it's needed is also a handy thing to have. Mine is one of the old duck head kind, with a wooden handle and metal shaft. I used to see these everywhere when I was a kid, in every color. They were something of a New England staple. They're perfect with casual clothes, and especially with "preppy" stuff like navy blazers and khakis, though they can be admittedly a tad precious if you don't happen to live in Boston.  Whatever kind you buy, be sure it's a good one, and not a cheap piece of junk form the drug store. A good one will work better, and again, if you actually pay for it you might not lose it.

As for footwear, in my previous post on the subject I suggested low cut Bean boots. But in a light rain, there are other options, besides those ghastly rubbers things:

Shell cordovan is the most desirable of shoe leathers for a host of reasons, one of which is that its better than other leathers at resisting water and keeping feet dry. I've mentioned this before, too. This pair of bluchers was recently acquired at a thrift shop for $5.49.

Big old double soled New England gunboats, perfect with that silly duck umbrella...

No brand name left on them, but certainly cordovan with a Goodyear heel. I wouldn't recommend wearing shoes like this for extended periods in a soaking downpour, but if you're only walking to the subway station or in and out of a car on a moderately rainy day, they do the trick well. I wear these or my other pair on the ten minute walk from my house to my job, and I've never had any problems. On arrival, simply wipe clean with a paper towel.

p.s. new items just arrived in the Shop, see here. In other shop news, I've recently cleaned up the "new" button so that clicking on it sends you items that are actually, you know, new. I've also added a link direct to the Brooks Brothers offerings in the side bar here, along with Polo, for customers interested in those two brands particularly. I do find a lot of that stuff.

p.p.s I've added a new page at the top, "Reader Finds". If you've found a great piece at a thrift shop, feel free to share it here. Email me with photos and info, use "Reader Finds" in the subject line.

p.p.p.s. in spell checking this post, I spelled "duckhead" as one owrd, and the spell check suggested "dickhead" as a replacement. Wow. Pardon my French, please.

Keep It Simple (Rainy Day Edition)

Despite my love for (and arguable overuse) of the slightly more outrageous trappings at the outer bounds of what may be considered classic menswear, I do in fact find solace in the clean look of simple classics at times.  Opposites, by there very existence, make each other better. What's Summer without Winter? And what good are things like Kelly green cords if you don't tone it down sometimes? Besides, matching four patterns and trying to wield bright hues with apparent aplomb gets to be an exhausting gig. It's nice sometimes to reach for the tried and true:

And what could be more tried and true than a Brooks Brothers Golden Fleece navy blazer ( $6.99), vintage 1980s Brooks Brothers white oxford with the oh-so-coveted unlined collar ($5.49) and burgundy repp stripe tie by Bert Pulitzer for Lord & Taylor ($1.99), finished cleanly with a white cotton square?

Below, charcoal worsted trousers, vintage 1960s, with Allen Edmonds "Mac Neil" brogues in shell cordovan. I know, they could use a bit of a buff, but it had been drizzling all day and they were a bit dirty. As much as my dandy tendencies were leaning toward yellow socks, I managed to suppress them (for once) and opt for simple navy with white dots.

All of it topped off with a mid-calf length tan trench coat, complete with button-in wool lining and leather fittings ($14.99), a Donegal tweed cap ($1.99) and a black umbrella with a wooden shaft (left behind at a shop I worked in years ago). Nothing like a healthy dose of the classics to ground you now and then.

Worth Every Penny : Cedar Shoe Trees

The funny thing about thrift shopping is that one often spends many times as much money on the maintenance of an item than the item itself. Given that things are not a clean slate when they are first acquired, it takes close attention to detail and knowledge of proper care to do this well. A suit may be had for $15, then require up to an additional $100 in alterations and dry cleaning. In the long run, still a bargain, and a ripping one at that, but taking the long view is imperative. Shoes tend to need even more attention. They need to be cleaned, and polished regularly. For real long view maintenance, cedar shoe trees are worth every penny.

photo: the internet

Many of my own shoe trees were also purchased at thrift shops, but they are worth buying new. They can be madly expensive, but they don't have to be. Best price I found online was $15.99 at Sierra Trading Post, plus $5.95 shipping. Not bad. But I recently discovered some fine ones not unlike those pictured above at Target for $9.99. At that price, I'd have bought a half dozen pair, but they only had one left. Best keep my eyes peeled next time I'm forced into such a place. Woodlore has a lot to choose from, in a variety of types, starting at $19.95. I might try them next.

Besides helping shoes keep their shape, the cedar helps keep them fresh by absorbing odors. Don't bother with the plastic kind. If you're going to wear good shoes, then they should be worth caring for. Trees in every pair and regular polish are a law writ in stone. As with all things here, penury is not an excuse. Just because I may have bought most of these shoes for $20 or less is no reason not to invest in their care. If anything, the opposite is true, and extra steps should be taken. After all, it's not so easy to replace a lucky find if it gets broken, is it?

Cedar shoe tress are worth every penny.

Divine Providence

It takes dedication and an iron will to hunt down the good stuff in the junk like I do. With practice comes skill, and the more you do it, the better I you develop an eye for things. As my friend Bobby from Boston has been heard to say, after a while, the clothes have a way of finding you. Such was the case with my latest acquisition:

A hefty but soft tweed jacket in black/white/grey district check with a blue over-check, from the late great Rogers Peet Co. I spotted this number nearly a week ago while out on the hunt. The thrift shop wanted $19.99 for it. Apparently, someone there has gotten a little wise to the game...probably learned it fro AAW, dammit. Being the spoiled cheapskate I am, this was too rich for my blood, so I passed. Within an hour of leaving the place,I was
kicking myself for leaving it behind, but alas, you can't win 'em all.

Yesterday, I returned. I found a lot of other stuff. As was getting ready to leave, I spotted a corner of district check tweed poking out from a bundle of cheap acrylic ski hats. Lo and behold, it was the elusive jacket, only half price for having a white tag that day. The signals this time were too clear to ignore, so I snapped it up. Call it divine providence, the jacket found me. I left it, and it found me again,  it was meant to be mine. Seen here with a vintage Brooks Brothers white oxford, iconic "rolling" unlined collar and all ( $5.49), an English regimental tie from the Andover Shop ($1.00), and a silk square heisted from my dad when I was in high school, it's a cinch for the kind of bracing cold we've been missing in these part these last few months.

Below, some heavy weight light grey flannels by Polo ($7.99) finally see their debut for the season. Finish with my new favorite cordovan longwings ($7.00) and some yellow socks ( perhaps a bit much, but that's what I do, no?)
A reader recently pointed out the lack of the old full body shot of late. So, with the addition of a tan cashmere coat, cashmere scarf in very muted Black Watch tartan, brown leather gloves and a Tyrolean hat, the overall effect was thus:

Not bad for approximately $100 total, outerwear included. Come to think of it, I passed on that coat at first, too.  Lesson learned, twice: the time to buy a beautiful old thing is when you find a beautiful old thing.

p.s. the Tyrolean hat has undergone a bit of reshaping:

achieved at home with steam from a tea kettle. After having knocked some of the "Pinocchio" off of it, its become a Winter favorite.

The Abominable Plaid Dress Shirt

Given the unsettling lack of any kind of snow throughout November, December, and now January, I guess we need to find something other than a big wild snow man abominable this year. How about a plaid "dress shirt", made all the more abominable by the un-buttoned button down collar...somebody, please smack some sense into me. I am fully prepared to use my Italian-ness, and the fact that G. Bruce Boyer does it all the time lately, as a full cop out.

Brooks Brothers USA made poplin shirt in "Dress Gordon" tartan: $8.99

Cricketeer tweed jacket, made in USA : $6.99

Mohair/wool blend knit tie, very wide, very '70s, by Rooster: $1.99

Silk pocket square: I've forgotten

Skirt pin as tie bar

Below: charcoal flannels with forward pleats, cordovan wingtips, and bottle green socks.

I may sometimes complain about not having the kind of life that requires a man to dress well, but really it can be a blessing in disguise. What kind of job that required a jacket and tie would allow me to get away with these kind of sartorial shenanigans? Dressing well by requirement is one thing. Dressing well through a combination of a sense of manhood, occasion, dash, respect and sheer enjoyment is far more fun. All the more so if the less creative and brave among us find it "abominable".

Rules of Thrifting: Go With Your Gut

Thrift shopping is addictive, but it's also a skill. As with so many things, skill is gained through vigilant practice, and eventually one develops a set of "gut feelings" about a place or time that can help guide them. Some thrift trips will require tedious hours spent rifling through the swill to turn up a lone gem, others will throw themselves at you. This morning, my gut told me to stop by a particular store for a quickie, and it paid off in spades, and not a moment too soon.

These are my old Florsheim Royal Imperial longwing brogues. I love these shoes. I've worn them a lot, polished them a lot, and even had them repaired, a lot. They were a regular favorite a year or so ago, before they were supplanted by a pair of tassel loafers that look like shoes but wear like slippers. Lately, I've been wearing them sparingly, as they are unfortunately on their last legs.

The leather has started to wear through...

...on both shoes. A hole in the sole or a worn heel are an easy repair, but a tear in the leather itself is the kiss of death, unless you happen to be a stylish British royal, which I most certainly am not.

I had all but resolved to go on out and purchase a (gasp!) new pair. I was ready to throw a heavy stack of dollars at Alden or Allen Edmonds, really, I was. But being the consummate cheapskate I am, I just couldn't part with the dough. The very idea seemed reprehensible. So I went to Ebay. I don't do Ebay, because I have no patience for bidding, but I figured I could find something in good shape with a reasonable "Buy it Now" price. I found a nice pair of Allen Edmonds "Mac Neil" wingtips in calf for $65, and I almost bit. At the last minute, I realized that it was 2 a.m., and I had been drinking rich oak-aged beer ( more on that later), and I was feeling more than a bit impulsive and perhaps I should wait. So I went to bed instead.

This morning, after dropping the boy at school, I ran some errands. After a trip to the supermarket, I had the feeling I should stop by a local thrift shop I pass on the way. The place is disorganized, chaotic and filthy, and I don't often do too well there. But I felt compelled to pop in, you know, just for a minute. The shoe racks are right by the front door, and within 30 seconds of my arrival, I spotted these:

A pair of Allen Edmonds "Mac Neil" longwings..in shell cordovan! I'm sure of it, no tiny creases, only soft, supple leather with the tell-tale "waves". Never one to push my luck, I decided to leave at once. The trunk was full of groceries, and Mrs. G was sending "where are you" text messages. Best to high tail it home. There was no price on the shoes, but I already knew that whatever they would charge would be a mere fraction of what they are worth. The kind lady at the counter looked them over, frowned a bit, and said with trepidation, as if expecting an argument "seven dollars?" I gladly agreed. She said "these are not so good." I said "I buy them here then pay my repair guy $50 for new heels." "That's expensive." she says. "Not as expensive as new shoes" I say. "No, I guess not." she says.

Later that same afternoon, after a cleaning and a shine, they're looking well and right at home with some argyle socks and flannel trousers.

I almost forgot...

While waiting in line to pay, I stood by a big plastic bin full of silky things. I poked through it and found two ties, and one more at the last minute dangling from a rack of ugly sweaters while she rung me up:

Block printed pink paisley by Liberty of London...

Italian made navy and tan stripes by Dunhill...

and a navy/red/white weave from H. Herzfeld of New York. $1.99 each.

I was in the store for a total of five minutes, maybe. I knew it was worth stopping there this morning.

Go with your gut.

p.s. the Shop is busting with new goods, including items from Cording's, Brooks Brothers, and USA made vintage L.L.Bean. Stop by.