An Unlikely Pair

Showers threatened this morning. Not wanting to carry an umbrella, the Barbour found it's way out of the closet. However, not wanting to give up on Springtime, it met with rolled khakis...truly an unlikely pair:


I generally tend to think of my Barbour as a cold weather item, even though it's really not that heavy. Maybe it's because, in the absence of a hunting parka, I tend to wear it all winter paired with a down vest and sweater. The rolled chinos, especially in the pale color known as 'stone', and the sockless feet in loafers are pure Spring/Summer. But still...matched up with a repp tie, university striped oxford and surcingle belt with ducks on it, I'm pretty sure it worked.I guess this all brings up a good point about instinct.

Sartorial instinct is tough for men. Whether it's suits or shorts and t-shirts, men are generally coaxed into one uniform or another. There are rules, this goes with that, it's easy. But not much fun. Developing an instinct and learning to trust it is far more enjoyable.

This morning as I pondered what to wear, I immediately thought of the Barbour jacket, but having 'retired' it for the season, I tried repeatedly to talk myself out of it. When it came time to finally leave the house, of course I reached right for it, because I knew the moment I thought of it I would. I'd sooner have changed the rest of my clothes in favor of the jacket than vice versa.

Turns out it never did rain. We had a bright sunny day, 65 degrees. Fortunately, Barbour jackets also form a good unlikely pair with Ray-Ban Wayfarers.

p.s. Some of you have mentioned that you find a few of my recent posts to be a pinch self-indulgent, that I've veered of course down the slippery slope of vanity. True, this blog is supposed to be about cheap thrifty clothes. But I can't go out and accumulate 2 dollar shirts and 10 dollar suits every day. Sometimes, I have to just wear the stuff.

Besides, what's a blog anyway if not at least a little bit vain? I'm sure Jesus will grant me a pass on this one.

The Switch

Into storage goes the tweed and flannel...out of the basement come the "go-to-hell" pants, (and shorts). It's possible, considering my status as an unemployed non-member of the blue blooded establishment, that I own altogether too many pair:
but, "go-to-hell"...isn't that the point.

Pink

Big muscles, tattoos, time spent in prison, or the military, or both, athletic prowess, skill with firearms, the ability to fight another man, drinking large quantities of whiskey in a competitive manner and bravery in the face of death...all qualities that our society views as "tough" in a man...

but walking around in a pink hat all day? Now that takes some real stones (pardon the French).

The Fashion Consultant

I read somehwere once that it's good to let kids choose things. It gives them a sense of independence. Sounds good to me. So in the morning when I get dressed, I like to get my son involved in picking out my clothes sometimes.

I'll put together an outfit and find two ties that match, then let him choose one for me. He gets so excited. It's a fun little thing to do before rushing out of the house for work. Plus, it gets my son used to the idea that grown men dress differently than toddlers, and that it can be fun to pick out nice looking clothes.

In all these menswear blogs I read, people bemoan the fact that a whole generation of men is running around with no idea how to dress like grown-ups. Maybe by doing things like this, we can help a new generation of men to outgrow the "eternal teenager syndrome".

p.s. he chose the new red tie with whale weathervanes on it, by Brooks Brothers. He has a knack for knowing which one I really want to wear on a given day.

Flannel for May

They say be careful what you wish for. It's true. Today I had the opportunity to wear my newly acquired tartan jacket, which is good. This came at the cost of a raw, wet, windy and cold day, which is somewhat less than good this time of year.



On the bright side, plaid jackets are cool. If you're ever in the mood to go out fishing for compliments, try a nicely cut tartan sports coat. All day long, strangers on the street felt compelled to tell me how dapper I looked. An older lady in an elevator even went into a mild rapture over how nice it was to see a well dressed man for once. Even the hippies shilling for Greenpeace out on the sidewalk complimented me on it's green color.



Cripes, I blushed all day.

The Non-Compulsory Suit

I like to wear suits, but I rarely ever have to. Still, I wear them from time to time anyway. There was a time when I would save them only for special occasions, but I figure if I'm going to load the closets with them then I might as well use them. The good thing is, because they're non-compulsory for me I have total freedom to wear them with "incorrect" accoutrement.

Take for example this navy pinstripe Brooks Brothers sack paired with a knitted tie:
Navy pinstripes= business formal. Knit ties= dress casual. Do I care? Not a bit. As I've said before, a willful disregard for the rules can mean the difference between style and blind conformity.

So too these grey socks and brown shoes with navy pinstripes:So wrong it's right. A man is "supposed" to wear black shoes and navy socks with a navy suit. The hell with that. The grey socks pick up the grey knit tie, further making it "work".

As for the small details, a man's jewelry should be discreet. It certainly shouldn't be a safety pin:Yes, a real safety pin, not a tie tack made to look like one. Straight out of the sewing box, through the tie and into the placket of the shirt. Call it a nod to my youthful escapades in punk rock, call it sprezzatura, call it whatever you want. Why would I do such a thing? Because I can.

Guys are always complaining that suits are restrictive and uncomfortable, and many people believe the suit to be the ultimate symbol of an oppressive establishment. That's only true if you believe it. Wearing a suit, especially if you don't have to, can allow a man to set his personality free. Sure, you can set yourself apart from the crowd with funny haircuts and tattoos...I've done that before. But in a world full of grown-ups walking the streets in children's clothes and pyjamas, out-dressing every guy in the room gets 'em every time.

Some of us guys in suits still listen to X and Bad Brains ...on vinyl.

p.s. I stole the safety pin idea from an Italian guy named Beppe. The man's a real bad- a*s.

Off Season

The bespoke clothing set have often been heard to bemoan the fact that must often buy their clothing off season. One such fellow called this phenomenon "Planning Until It Hurts". We thrifty types sometimes face the same problem.

When you shop second hand, you are at the mercy of whatever people have recently chosen to part with. There's no seasonality to what might be in a store on a given day. It's important to keep an open mind. Be willing to buy summer clothes in December, or a winter sports coat in April:
Today's find: a heavy flannel jacket in Black Watch tartan, 3/2, un-darted with brass buttons,from "Johnny Appleseed's" of Massachusetts: $4.99. Appleseed's is now a women's clothing retailer catering to the 55 plus crowd, mostly online. By the look of this jacket, they not only sold menswear about 40 years ago, but they were some secret local haven of full bore, high quality American traditional. This jacket would give Brooks or Press a run for their money.

Mrs. G. thought this jacket was a bit much. I told her to watch out I don't wear it together with the matching slacks or boiled wool vest, purchased on separate occasions...to which she replied that she was above embarrassment...to which I replied that this was obvious, since she's been with me so long.

Maybe if we get a chilly day soon I can pull this off once before it goes into storage with the winter stuff until the end of the year. Probably not.I'm a sucker for the Black Watch plaid.

Patience is a virtue.