Classic Style

    S lightly more casual today for the kick-off Zoom meeting of a faculty learning community that a colleague and I are running this year on student engagement and success.  Hint, it's about more than simply handing out high grades and social promotion.   Or should be.  Everything pictured has been in the rotation for some years except for the ocbd shirt, from J. Press. Another purchase in late 2019 that has never been worn before today. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  F inally tried on my new office for size this morning since I had a couple of scheduled Zoom meetings and did not with to disturb people in the library where I usually camp out.  A nice, large room but, since it is in an older building, and as expected, too warm even with a window AC unit (that does not push enough BTUs to cool the space adequately).   This is the problem with so many spaces in older buildings at my institution.  Too warm regardless of the season.   And no.  The windows do not always open thanks to either decades of being painted shut, or having those inadequite window AC units mounted in them.  Harrumph! In any case, a beige cotton summer suit today -- a lovely, sunny day in the upper 60s Fahrenheit, along with light tan cap toe oxfords and belt, mid-blue socks, Panama hat with the shirt and necktie pictured.  The shirt was purchased with two or three others from Charles Tyrwhitt in 2019.  I am not sure it has ev...

  T he attire for today, a sunny, pleasant day in late September.  Items include a new shirt from J. Press worn with a vintage Black Watch regimental stripe necktie from Reiss of New Haven (found in a thrift shop several years ago in Central Illinois of all places). The shoes were shined recently using Saphir products and my late maternal grandfather's horsehair shoe brushes made in West Germany.  It's amazing how quickly you can bring up a good shine using these plus a bit of nylon stocking for extra high shine on the toes and heels. The shoe brushes must be about 65 or 70 years old and still doing yeoman's work.  He gave them to me 20 years before I moved to Minneapolis for my Ph. D. program, and I have used them daily on my own boots and shoes ever since. -- Heinz-Ulric h

    C ombining items from a variety of makers and merchants today.  And having a blast in the process.   A dark, intermittently rainy day here, so time to leave the Panama hat at home and don a felt fedora instead as we move into the autumn.  I believe this particular model is the 'Alessandria.'  I own a few different hats now and wear them daily during the academic year.  The Borsalino models are softer and easier to personalize than my Optimo 'Dearborn,' a gift from my late mother when I turned 50 a few years back.  While it is a lovely hat, and people compliment it routinely with each wearing, it is stiffer than I prefer.  It's far easier to get that asymmetrical, slouchy 1940s noir look with the Borsalinos.  My late maternal grandfather wore wool fedoras and a tweed trilby into the 1970s five days a week during the cooler half of the year for his Monday through Friday commutes into midtown Manhattan to corporate headquarters, or...

Of course, we were not dressed this formally, but the spirit was right.   T he Grand Duchess and I had another couple here to Totleigh-in-the-Wold for drinks yesterday evening.  50 or 60 years ago, it might have been called a cocktail party, but we served wine.  We began outside around the fire pit, but moved to the screened back porch after 90 minutes or so once the mosquitos found us where we continued the conversation. I have written before about how these sorts of gatherings can seem ponderous, but last evening was a very pleasant surprise.  Our guests, both professors in different corners of our university here, came originally from Nigeria but have been in the U.S. many years where they eventually met and married.   He is in journalism, she is in history.  And talk about a small world.   It turns out that the husband, who was in Nigerian journalism (radio, television, and the press) for many years before earning his doctorate and moving...

  In the spirit of not taking ourselves too seriously, here is a shot of The Young Master doing his best Bogart in the final scene from Casablanca.  You know how to whistle, don't you?  Our son, home today due to an in-service day for teachers and staff at his school, almost fits my size 59 hats a month shy of his twelfth birthday. A n appointment outdoors on campus this morning for a university-sanctioned head shot for use with email, Zoom, course pages, and the like.  So, I decided to go a bit less formal for this sunny, cool September day.   The jacket is a vintage linen-wool blend by Hart, Schaffner, and Marx.  I was after something with some color and pattern for warmer weather that was not as in your face as the brighter cotton Madras number hanging nearby in my closet.  Suits on the left of the rod, sports jackets and odd pants on the right.   Ties and belts on a rack at the far right of same closet, a wardrobe actually, and dress...

  G auche rube that I am, I selected the linen suit again (long after Labor Day) since today, was sunny and pleasantly warm though by no means hot.  The necktie is a different orange item than the one from two weeks ago.  Both this suit and the houndstooth from yesterday feel amazing, and it was a drag to come home and change from them into more "normal" attire. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  T he first wearing of a suit by Samuelsohn that has been waiting in my closet for a couple of years.  Flying the Episcopal/Anglican colors too, something that's nice to do now and again. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  N othing quite like the aroma of freshly ironed cotton garments!  A shirt from J. Press, purchased about a year ago but as yet unworn.  Tomorrow (Monday) morning. -- Heinz-Ulrich

    T hree patterns yesterday.  Four if you count the socks.   This is one of my favorite suits in the spring-summer-early fall rotation, a vintage silk-wool Corbin number, although it needs a wee bit of  tailoring given the recent weight loss.  The coat is a little large around the middle now, but not excessively so.  Only a tailor or menswear enthusiast (Nerd?) would notice.   To everyone else, I am just that overly dressed weirdo with the nearby Panama hat and small thermos of coffee working over by the library windows early each day.  Happy Friday everyone! -- Heinz-Ulrich   P.S. I moisturized and shined these shoes last night, since our blasted internet was down again (Dial-up was more reliable 25 years ago!), using a combination of Saphir Renovateur, Allen Edmonds shoe cream, Kiwi wax, and Saphir neutral high gloss wax, plus one of my late maternal grandfather's horsehair shoe brushes and an old nylon stocking for the fin...

      S till having fun with my attire!  Look closely at the giraffes on the necktie.  A bit of playful irreverence never hurt, right? -- Heinz-Ulrich  

  Having fun with a summer cotton 3/2 suit here on this sunny, breezy, pleasant day here in Mid-Michigan.  The first outing for suit, tie, and shoes, which have resided in my closet for two years, or more in the case of the shoes.  Topped off by the Panama hat, which has appeared here a couple of times last week.  A not unpleasant combination of items I think.   Slightly gauche now that the Labor Day Weekend 2021 recedes into the past, but as long as the sun and warmth continue for a few more weeks, I plan to enjoy summer attire a wee bit longer.  I know, I know.  It's almost as if I've just fallen from the back of the turnip truck. Ok, I've gotta get some real work done now. -- Heinz-Ulrich/

  Not my preferred oxford cloth in light blue (me and apparently everyone else), but fun designs to wear while on campus or elsewhere in public in a bid to avoid breakthrough infections of the highly contagious Delta and now even more vehement Mu variant of Covid.  How are we ever going to get out of this? F edEx paid a quick visit as I worked in the front yard this (Sunday) afternoon, and look what the delivery guy left on the front steps!  Four new double-layer cotton masks from the folks at J. Press.   Ordered just four or possible five days ago.  How's that for quick service? Now, before anyone asks, I'm not crazy about wearing a surgical mask everywhere I go away from home and outside the car, but let's not be foolish either.  Besides, a guy might as well have a little fun with staying healthy, protecting others, and keeping public health in mind.  And these masks are just the ticket. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A s the saying goes, "Go bold, or go home!"  Slightly on the dandier side of things today, but ah well.  I enjoy it.   The trick to becoming less self-conscious about donning and appearing at ease in dressier attire (and I don't mean suede sneakers/trainers) is to wear that suit and necktie more than once or twice a year.  You need no reason to do so and soon forget all about having it on, allowing you to get on with other things.   And if anyone asks you, "Why the suit?" take a page from author Gay Talese's book and simply reply that you are celebrating being alive.   It works for me.  -- Heinz-Ulrich

  N othing like being really "dressed" once again.  Here's the attire for the first day back on campus since mid-March 2020.  Slightly rumpled, but hey.  It's linen.  Light.  breezy, and almost like having nothing on at all.  Except you do of course.   Not seen are some navy cotton dress socks with a sort of small rectangular repeating motif in mid and light blue plus some navy silk button braces with red and silvery gray paisleys.   And the amazing thing about now being back on the skinny side of things is that clothing drapes exceptionally well from one's frame.  That is the reason high fashion houses use such rangey boys and girls to model their forthcoming ranges.   Likewise, buttoned shirt collars with properly cinched neckties are actually quite comfortable when there is no excess flesh around the neck. -- Heinz-Ulrich