It's been a fairly cool summer so far. . .

A snapshot of the winter version of Heinz-Ulrich's wardrobe, featuring a variety of tweed, heavy weight wool, and corduroy odd jackets along with too many pairs really of wool flannel and corduroy dress pants.

We've had a fairly cool summer thus far in our neck of the American Midwest. Really only about ten days or so of beastly hot weather in the latter half of July. The first few days of August have been delightful, but I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. Surely, there is a prolonged period of unpleasant summer conditions yet to come during the rest of this month or after September 1st?

Still, the below average temperatures make me look forward to October, when the Fall season really gets underway here, and things cool off enough to break out the the tweed along with other heavier weight garments in a serious way. Until then, clothes like these are simply too much for the first six or seven weeks of the Autumn semester at my small university, which begins in about three week's time. Sigh. Time to revise course syllabi and make sure the book orders I submitted weeks ago are on the way to the bookstore. Where in the heck did the summer go? It seems like we just returned from our family vacation at the end of June.

But. . . There is some neat stuff to look forward to wearing as the countdown moves yours truly ever closer the start of another school term. Among other things, I've got a newly acquired and refurbished pair of stunning Allen Edmonds shoes in reddish-tan waiting in the wardrobe plus a beautiful cream-colored tweed jacket, which I must have altered in the meantime. Currently undergoing minor alterations at the tailor's are some mid-gray flannel trousers and a couple of other odd jackets for warmer weather.

The best part is that everything was thrifted last spring for only a few dollars except the shoes, which came from an E-bay purchase for an equally modest outlay. A new pair of heels at the cobbler's plus a spit shine here at home made 'em look almost new. Whoever said that dressing well must requires scads of money? On the contrary, it's certainly something well within the reach of average guys, requiring only a small learning curve, time, and careful shopping. In plain language, it means giving a damn about our appearance and how we present ourselves to the world. So, how about kicking up your personal style a notch or three?

Comments

Avoid Careless Chatter. . .

E specially about the personal details of our lives. There is a lot that OUGHT to be kept more private in 2022 than has become the accepted norm for many. With the conscious and intentional cultivation of classic style in mind, however, we want to avoid oversharing and keep a bit more of ourselves to ourselves. Exactly what personal information and how much of it to keep private seems to be a slippery concept though. Here’s my take based on what I was told and observed as a child and young person at home. Basically, one should keep oneself to oneself in all respects (finances, personal worth, accomplishments, politics, sex, dirty laundry, etc.). As my late father used to advise when we were very small, and I am talking preschool and kindergarten, there were particular subjects that were not discussed outside the immediate family. There is a time and place for sharing certain details of one’s life, but most of the time, those should be played very close to the chest,

Chilly Late April Wednesday Attire. . .

Y ou know, if it is going to remain this cold and blustery, I need about eight inches of snow for some more cross-country skiing. But since the white stuff is long gone, it was time to fish through the cedar closet down in Zum Stollenkeller and pull out some cold weather attire for a seasonal reboot. But I decided to forgo the usual gray herringbone jacket from J. Press (my go-to tweed sports jacket) and instead opted for this number from Hart, Schaffner, and Marx plus the tan cords that hang on the same hanger, so strenuous mental effort was not required. Pressed the shirt after tucking in the Young Master last night at 8:30, grabbed these shoes, and socks, and Bob is your mother's brother as they say. Occasionally gazing through the large library window to my immediate left this morning, and I keep hearing that old Jobim tune drift through my mind this morning (aided by the windmills), as sung by Astrud Gilberto ( together with Leonard Cohen and Paolo Conte, the musi

The Pleasaures of a Well-trained Dog. . .

A few final photographs from my visit to my sister in Washington, D.C. last week. These include one of 'Mr. Beau,' my sister's meticulously trained and truly wonderful Doberman, another of my sister, second cousin, step-father, and yours truly on the steps of the church outside Lexington, North Carolina just after our late mother's interment service, two of me solo at the National Cathedral, and a final one of my sister and me hamming it up during a long evening walk the day before I returned to Michigan. My sister routinely walks to the cathedral, about three blocks from her place, to enjoy the grounds and gardens. The Bishop's Garden, in particular, is a place she likes to sit for quiet contemplation and internal dialogues with our late maternal grandparents and mother, very much in keeping with the Episcopal side of things. Our grandfather, who was raised Methodist, became an Episcopalian when he married our grandmother. Before you ask, I am not sure tha

Classic Style

Search This Blog