It's Madras Monday!

The upper half early today during the as usual unattended (by any students) office hours. No matter. A fresh cup of dark roast coffee and the final 35 pages of a novel for one of my courses was a nice way to spend the two hours before heading off to teach. However. . . I've had at least four students indicate they will visit me tomorrow (Tuesday) morning. Can you tell the final paper is almost due?

More than a month before the unofficial start of the summer season -- Memorial Day Weekend here in the U.S. -- but the sun was out most of the day, and it just felt right. The high temperature for the days was in the mid-70s Fahrenheit after all. The necktie, by the way, is a Robert Talbott Nordstrom's thrift find, purchased three or four years ago. Tomorrow, rain, and much cooler temperatures here in Lower Michigan, so I plan to trot out my double breasted wool flannel Glen Plaid number one final time before classes end for the semester on Friday.

So many guys view the prospect of dressing presentably as, oddly, some kind of tortuous chore. I suggest that if more men learn to have fun with their attire and learn to enjoy dressing nicely, that more might begin to think of wearing items a few notches above jeans, cargo shorts, and sweatpants as something to enjoy. And, maybe, even aspire to. I admit that the prevailing attitude that a casual workplace is, somehow, a perk and, somehow, preferable to wearing a tucked in shirt (with an actual collar, a jacket, and a tie) escapes me. Like, totally. . .

-- Heinz-Ulrich

And the lower half today, featuring a pair of exceedingly comfortable calfskin monkstrap loafers that were purchased from, of all places, Land's End seven or eight years ago. The vaguely Witchy-Poo socks were purchased on sale from Dapper Classics two or three years ago, and the khaki chinos from Land's End last September. The new direction LE seems to be taking is a bit sad, because there were always numerous items that the company did well (dress shirts, neckties, some of their dress pants, etc.). These number fewer and fewer, though, as LE actively courts the the J. Crew-Old Navy customer base.

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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

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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