Inaugural Outing of AE Schautal Wingtips/Brogues. . .

Here they are. Extremely comfortable. Full leather lining and excellent support as you would expect from Allen Edmonds footwear.

A chilly, sunny Monday in November here today, so perfect weather for tweed jackets, corduroy pants, and suede wingtips/brogues. I even managed to scare up a pair of heavy green laces sent to me by the Allen Edmonds people two or three years ago when they returned a pair of shoes post-recrafting. Glad I kept these in the shoeshine box, 'cause they don't look too bad here. It's funny, but when you've got interesting things to wear, suddenly Monday's don't seem as awful.

Feeling better about oneself and, indeed, whatever life drops in your lap -- via the the hated and feared email inbox -- between late Friday afternoon and early Monday morning (I do not check work-related email at home during the weekends) is an oft overlooked reason in favor of dressing more presentably. If more people dressed even halfway better than has become the accepted norm, I am convinced there would be fewer cases of depression and/or the general ennui that seems to afflict so much of Western humanity in the 21st century. Maybe if we looked better, we'd begin to feel at least somewhat better about ourselves?

I worked that one out during my first teaching job after grad school in the early 2000s when I began wearing a jacket and tie five days a week. We were not required to, of course, by the small Minnesota college where I landed that first job, but I know my chair appreciated it, and quite a few students commented favorably on it during my year and a half there. At the very least, I looked like I belonged at the front of the room. And, one day, I realized that "dressing up" four or five days a week really wasn't the hell that so many people mistakenly think.

My maternal grandmother, who was still alive at the time, agreed wholeheartedly when we discussed this point on the telephone one afternoon. I'm sure my grandfather, a retired executive who worked for many years in Manhattan, chuckled when she related the conversation to him later. He knew the old, long-haired rocker me you understand. It must have tickled them pink to discover that their 30-something grandson had finally arrived at certain conclusions for himself and taken steps to get with the program.

-- Heinz-Ulrich

I also wore some new Merino wool Argyll socks from Dapper Classics today , which were purchased during the recent Halloween promotion, 20% off all socks with orange in them. Couldn't resist. A very nice shot of the shoes too. Gorgeous and just the thing to wear with corduroy pants on a chilly autumn day.

And the very BOLD Southwick tweed jacket. A bit matchy-matchy with the orange today, I realize, but no one actually saw my socks as far as I know. Certainly, none of my students did since I always stand during classes.

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

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