Skip to main content

Look and Feel Mah-velous on a Budget. . .

Is it Bertie Wooster, or the late Duke of Windsor?  Nope.  It's just that notorious cad, bounder, and style maven Ulrich von Boffke in  his cold weather gear lounging around Zum Stollenkeller one recent late afternoon.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that you need scads of money to begin dressing more stylishly once you've made the decision to leave the sweats, flip-flops, cargo shorts, and backwards baseball caps behind.  In the photograph above, Ulrich von Boffke models an ensemble for us that was put together for well under $100US courtesy of thrift shops, Ebay, smart online shopping, and a Christmas gift from his wife (hint, hint, hint).  Consider the following:

Harris Tweed jacket from thrift shop @ $5.99
Pants and Shirt -- Land's End Overstocks in 2004 @ < $40.00
English Wool Necktie from thrift shop @ $1.99
Fair Isle Sweater -- Christmas Gift in 2011
Italian Silk Pocket Square with Hand-rolled Edges from thrift shop @ $2.99
Shoes -- Vintage US-Made Florsheim from Ebay @ $20.00
Socks -- Target on Sale Summer 2011 @ < $5.00


As you'll note, it's fairly easy, and cost effective to kick up your personal style a notch -- or five -- if you start keeping an eye on thrift and consignment shops (vintage clothing shops are priced high) and Ebay.  Distribute your physical dimensions to family members who might buy you clothing items for birthdays, holidays, or other occasions.  And don't be afraid to drop obvious hints about garments that will combine well with what's already in your wardrobe.  Before you know it, the saggy pants and over-sized basketball shoes will be just a fading memory.


Comments

  1. A classic look - timeless, and very Bertie Wooster! Well done.

    Mark

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

All opinions are welcome here. Even those that differ from mine. But let's keep it clean and civil, please.

-- Heinz-Ulrich

Popular Posts

J. Press Goodness. . .

    F resh out of the UPS box, three examples of J. Press goodness on a Friday morning.  These shirts are replacements for three recently worn-through, more than 20-year old OCBDs from Land's End (two) and L.L. Bean (one).  They were purchased shortly after I took my first teaching position at a now defunct local college outside of Minneapolis, immediately following graduate school, as the fall semester kicked off in September 2003. While some professional gear hung in my closet already, a few additional items were needed at that point to round out the weekly rotation. Said shirts all finally fell prey to small rips showing up in the now very thin, but incredibly comfortable, fabric within six weeks of each other this winter and early spring.  So, time for a few replacements.  The old friends will find new life as summertime lawncare shirts.  Of the three new items above, my favorite shirt is on the right, but one cannot go wrong with a light blue OCBD either, so we're in good

Time for the Ol' Switcheroo?

  W ell, here we are approaching mid-April.  And it might just be about time to swap the cool and cold weather attire for warmer weather gear this coming weekend.  Mid-70s Fahrenheit yesterday, and low 70s today.  Cooler after that later in the week, but I can probably stow the heavier wool items and cords in the cedar closet and safely bring out the warm weather suits, odd jackets, and pants until the fall. Still time of one last hurrah today however.  Cooler enough this morning for a tan pair of cords paired with that recently arrived J. Press jacket.  The latter is light enough, although it is wool, that I might just keep it handy since we can certainly have chilly days in May and June. While classes end on the April 19th this year, I'll still be on campus occasionally into June, so it's not exactly time for khaki shorts, Madras, seersucker and short-sleeved polo shirts just yet.  There's also  conference coming up in New Orleans at the start of June, so still some oppor

Job Talk #3. . .

  C andidate #3 is, for my money, the person for the job.  Considerable experience, broad perspective, well-connected throughout the college and university due to an array of collaborative pursuits of one kind or another, coherent and detailed vision laid out for the next three years and beyond.  Yes.  I am not on the committee that makes the recommendation to the dean, who will make the final decision and send the letter, but, were it up to yours truly, this is the guy.  And he wore an actual suit (mid-gray), dress shoes, white shirt, and necktie as an added plus.  20 years or so my junior, but someone gets it. -- Heinz-Ulrich