Autumn Is Underway!

The bottom half today. These shoes by Allen Edmonds are by far the most comfy of my four such pairs of long-wing brogues. Time to donate or sell a couple of the others I think.

Cooler weather is here, and I actually managed to get out the warmer attire for the fall and winter months yesterday and brush down and stow the lighter weight clothes in the hall closet at the top of the rear staircase. Today is mostly sunny, cool, and breezy, perfect for a tweed jacket, wool necktie, corduroy pants, and a pair of brogues. Here's a breakdown of the various items worn today:

* Gray and Charcoal Herring Bone Harris Tweed jacket w/real leather buttons -- Thrifted
* Land's End OCBD shirt with light blue and yellow tattersall pattern -- Thrifted
* Navy Wool Necktie w/mustard yellow and green foulard pattern -- Thrifted
* Brown, Dark Green, and Yellow Italian Silk Pocket Square -- Thrifted
* Land's End Forest Green corduroy pants -- Purchased On Sale
* Brown and Charcoal Argyll pattern socks -- '' "
* Land's End Brown Braided Belt -- " "
* Allen Edmonds "MacNeil" Wingtip Brogues -- Ebay

Who says you've got to spend a bundle to look halfway decent? I felt pretty good in any case since I prefer cooler weather, and Fall is my favorite season. It must have shown on my face and movement, because a student whose face I recognized, although I could not place her name, smiled as we passed each other on The Quad this morning and said, "You've got an extra spring to your step today, Professor von Boffke!"

Best of all, I finally made it to my tailor Mrs. V. with all of that stuff that has been hanging in the backseat of the car since last Friday, and tried on the various items for her to make notes for the necessary alterations. It seems, she will be able to let out the side seams of the double-breasted coat, part of that amazing flannel suit in a muted cream and charcoal Glen Plaid pattern, so that it does not pull at the buttoning point. Hurrah! I feared there might not be enough material left in the shell to do so, but Mrs. V. seems to think there is more than enough. Hey, she's the expert, right?

With any luck, I ought to have the suit back by midweek next week along with the other recently acquired cool/cold weather items! Stay tuned for a photo or two here.

-- Heinz-Ulrich

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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

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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

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