Post-Election Blues. . .

The upper half this morning, featuring a new handmade Italian necktie from Barney's in New York, courtesy of my younger sister in honor of my recent birthday. Yes, "that" birthday.

And the lower half.

A 50th birthday gift from my wife, the Grand Duchess, who presented me with this delightful briefcase from Allen Edmonds last weekend. It replaces a similar 13-year old Samsonite briefcase, which has looked a little long in the tooth for the last four or five years. This one is soft, supple, and the pleasant aroma of leather fills my car and office. Oh, and the car is an almost new Subaru outback with 4-wheel drive. Ok, so it's not the 1963 12-cylinder E-Type Jaguar convertible in British Racing Green with tan top and interior that I really wanted, but I suspect that car would not do well in the winter weather we have here in Mid-Michigan. Call it intuition.

You know, when all else fails, I enjoy thinking of my various interests and hobbies, which bring me joy even when too busy to actually indulge in them. So, let's forget recent events here at home for just a moment and think about things like clothing, toy soldiers, books, cross-country skiing, and jazz for instance in a desperate bid to restore needed mental and emotional equilibrium. Above are photographs of today's attire along with a new briefcase. My aftershave (cologne really) today was a tiny splash of Gray Flannel by Geoffrey Beene. On a normal day, I would have had a spring to my step.

-- Heinz-Ulrich

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Mid-November Monday. . .

A few minutes between classes this morning, so I snapped pictures of today's attire and accessories. The first wearing this season of the Optimo 'Dearborn' fedora, and the tie is a vintage number from Orvis, a nod to my late father's fly-fishing and fly-tying hobbies. It's been two or three years since this particular necktie's last appearance, so high time to pull it out and knot it carefully around the ol' neck. Managed to nail it on the first attempt too. Could this be the start of a trend? -- Heinz-Ulrich

The Problem of "Business Casual" Attire. . .

This is how it's done. Business Casual the RIGHT way, ladies and gentlemen. Even during the summer months. A photograph (taken by Studio B Portraits ) which appeared in 425 Business Magazine in May 2017. T his post on the problem of business casual dress began as a quick postscript to a previous blog entry last week but quickly grew and grew as additional thoughts occurred, were developed in more detail, and revisions made. So much so, that it seemed, eventually, like a better idea to make the initial P.S. afterthought into its own entry . Are ya ready, Freddy? Then, here we go. . . ------------ U nless you actually plan to sell beach snacks and trinkets on Cozumel, become a serial barista, or greet customers at a fancy nightclub after taking out huge student loans to attend university somewhere for four or five years, plus an MBA afterward, it's really a better idea to err on the side of (somewhat) more formal work at...

My Preferred Oxford Cloth Button-Down Shirts. . .

One of several light blue cotton oxford cloth button-down collar shirts in my rotation, worn here with a wool flannel navy blazer and a vintage Italian silk necktie once sold under the Rooster label. An orange-brown with silvery paisleys, ideal for the autumn. T he other day, a regular visitor to Classic Style for the Average Guy left a comment in which he asked for information and my recommendations on the classic oxford cloth button-down shirt, commonly abbreviated to 'ocbd.' "Me? Are you tawkin' to me?" Oblique Robert DeNiro references aside, let's talk oxford cloth button-down shirts. This particular type of shirt is one of the bedrock items every man should have a few of hanging in his closet, especially when he wishes to present himself to the world in a way better -- yes, I said better -- than what has become the sad accepted average among so much of the male populace. First things first though. Lots of people automatically...

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