Classic Style

A jolly 18th century scene to usher out 2014 and pave the way for 2015. W ishing you a Happy and Stylish New Year from The Average Guy's Guide to Classic Style !  Make 2015 the year you finally decide to kick up your everyday style several notches.  -- Heinz-Ulrich

A quick shot of my lower extremities just prior to supper on Christmas Day 2014. C hristmas Day provided an all-too-rare chance to dress for dinner, and I seized the opportunity to do so.  Above, you can observe a so-so pair of Johnston-Murphy black tasseled loafers, brand new Dapper Classics candy cane socks, and some light gray flannel dress pants.  On top, I wore my usual heavy flannel navy blazer with a maroon, dark green, and yellow mini-plaid sportshirt, and a muted green knit silk tie.  Oh, and I tucked a rather festive blue, red, gold, and white Italian pocket square into the outer chest pocket of my blazer.   I'll probably wear a variation of this ensemble for drinks and dessert with friends here at home tomorrow evening, and again with a couple of old grad school friends with whom we are dining out on January 2nd.  Rest assured, I'll not wear the exact same items again, since I have a few different blazers and several pairs of gray or charcoal flannel dress pan

W ishing all visitors to The Average Guy's Guide to Classic Style -- regular, occasional, and random -- a peaceful and joyous Christmas.   -- Heinz-Ulrich Christmas Eve 2014 Style including a Dale Classic Norwegian sweater, a Christmas 2000 gift from Mom and Step-Dad.

A seasonally stylish gent -- Bertie Wooster assisted by Jeeves perhaps? -- depicted on the cover of the December 24, 1927 issue of New Yorker Magazine. I f you have yet to finish your Christmas and holiday shopping -- especially where the men on your list are concerned -- you could do worse than the items suggested below.  Here are 11 last minute items that you can present to the men on your list to help them become more stylish, well-groomed, and sophisticated. 1) Zippo Cigarette Lighters The cigarette, pipe, or cigar smoker on your list will appreciate a classic stainless steel Zippo lighter which automatically elevate his style several notches.  Do make sure though to supply a small container of lighter fluid along with the lighter.  Visit Zippo.com for these and related supplies, but keep whatever lighter you might select simple and understated.  In other words, it's probably best to skip any kind of conspicuous symbols or insignia.  These usually border on the tacky,

Sedate, understated attire for an evening wedding and reception. H ere's how it's done for male wedding guests. . .  or should be but, sadly, is not always these days.  It took very little time to assemble the ensemble pictured.  The most time necessary was about 20 minutes yesterday afternoon, to iron the shirt, which has French cuffs.  These require a bit more time to press , fold, and crease into place, so that they look right once you are dressed and cufflinks are added.  Note, cufflinks and the metal fittings on your wristwatch should match.  Gold with gold, or silver with silver.  Don't mix the two if you can avoid it. Otherwise, little time or thought was necessary before I dressed late in the afternoon yesterday.  It was simply a matter of opening the ol' wardrobe, selecting the suit (heavy wool flannel -- every bit as comfortable as pajamas), a silk Glen Plaid necktie, black shoes, and dark to-the-knee dress socks.  Took about three minutes, once again d

Who IS that dangerously unbalanced man??!!  My take on an off Broadway out-of-work actor's (a.k.a. a waiter's) uniform . W hile I initially entertained thoughts of sending off the students from my Horror Cinema course with a double-breasted suit of some kind this afternoon, when we met one final time for them to turn in their term papers, I opted for corduroy and tweed in the end.   A slight cold has kind of taken it out me today, and I simply did not feel like suiting up.  You know how over-the-counter medications can sometimes clear your head congestion, but at the same time you don't exactly feel 100%?  Yeah.  It's like that.  A bit woozy.  Hence the lopsided grin and rather more relaxed combination of clothes along with no necktie above. Anyway, here's a breakdown of everything shown: * Land's End Harris Tweed Jacket * No-name Silver-Gray Italian Silk Pocket Square * Land's End Corduroy Jeans * L.L. Bean Shetland Wool Sweater * Land's

An illustration from a 1950s advertisement for Schweppe's beverages. W ith the 2014 Christmas and Holidays Season already in full swing, it's worth remembering our aim to dress and conduct ourselves better than has become the sad average among so many nominal "men" out there.  Coarse behavior and thoughtlessness seem to be the rule rather than the exception for too many in the second decade of the 21st century.  So, here are two dozen pointers to keep in mind when it comes to our appearance and actions at the various Christmas and holiday gatherings we might attend at this festive time of year.  Come to think of it, much of what follows below is also applicable at home and throughout the rest of the year.  Ready, guys?  Then, strap in and hang on tight, 'cause here we go! 1) Put on a blazer or sports jacket, or, heck, even a suit and tie when you attend those special Christmas and holiday events.  Nothing wrong with looking like an adult man whose slovenly

  A cafe treat for the Young Master, who did not accompany yours truly on my paper grading mission to the local cafe this afternoon.  But how could I not purchase a gingerbread man for him when I saw them grinning from the glass case beneath the cash register? A lot going on around here since Thanksgiving, but I thought I'd check in today with a few photos of stylish seasonal items. . .  of the edible kind. -- Heinz-Ulrich The first of this year's authentic Dresdner Stollen baked by the Grand Duchess each December and fresh out of the oven.  The aroma filling the house when I returned home a while ago was heavenly.  While a properly done stollen is not exactly sweet like a sticky coffee cake or birthday cake, it tastes amazing with fresh, very black coffee.. Finally, yours truly, happy to have plowed through 20 or so undergrad papers (5-6 page critical website reviews).  I have several days' respite until I get another stack of final papers from one of m