Classic Style

T his delightful cotton suit by Belvest arrived here at Totleigh-in-the-Wold yesterday afternoon.  I've wanted to add one to the ol' wardrobe for some time now to augment the linen and seersucker (Yes, I said seersucker!) suits that already come in handy during the warm first few weeks of the autumn semester, which kicks in at the end of August each summer.  Found this one ('Leaf Green' is the color.) on Ebay, new with tags but costing only about 10% of its suggested retail price amazingly enough.  The sad part is, after the usual minor alterations, I'll probably have to wait until the end of the summer for an excuse to wear it.  Watch for a photograph or two at that time. And the point of sharing this news?  Well, first off, not all suits need to be the usual worsted wool in navy, gray, tan, or charcoal.  More casual cotton numbers like this one offer a refreshing alternative during the warmer months, resisting wrikles a bit better than linen (if that is an

  The upper half yesterday, featuring a necktie by Brooks Brothers in University of Wisconsin colors. H ad a bit of fun yesterday with what I call my UW Tie.  Sadly, the only neckties I have ever been able to find have had goofy badgers or W's all over them.  Two years ago, though, I came across the Brooks Brothers number pictured above and purchased it.  Given our sunny morning yesterday, it seemed like a nice idea to wind down the semester with some bright red with white repp stripes and a three-button blazer that features heavy brass buttons with the University of Wisconsin seal in the center. If anyone actually got close enough to scrutinize said buttons, and the light went on about the colors on the necktie, it would be clear where my heart truly lies although we are one state to the right of Wisconsin on the map. ------------ In other news, today (Thursday) is my final day of classes for this semester.   Classes end officially tomorrow (Friday). Why, oh, why do ce

A vintage Corbin Glen Plaid silk-wool suit worn with a Ben Silver necktie above. A wonderfully bright, sunny, almost warm day here this morning, so it was the perfect time to break out a lighter suit and a pair of tan shoes, which I moisturized and shined yesterday evening.  It's had to see in the photo below, but a glassy shine is beginning to  form on the toe caps and heel box of this pair.  I use neutral shoe polish by Lincoln along with a horsehair brush and a piece of old nylon stocking to bring up the shine.  This is a trick I learned from a woman in the military via Youtube a few years ago.  I am eager to try Saphir products, though, to see how those work.  Very easy to become obsessive about shoe shining products and techniques, you know! -- Heinz-Ulrich And a recently polished pair of tan Allen Edmonds captoe oxfords below.  The pleated pants have a full break, which I have felt for a few years now veers a little close to sloppy.  So, over time, I will have v

Kind of an interesting visual to include with today's post. A lovely, sunny Saturday in late April here at Totleigh-in-the-Wold, and I finally had the chance to take a Belvest 6/2 double-breasted suit and another, by Samuelsohn , into my tailor today for a few minor alterations after a lengthy delay.  Both are items I picked up for a song on Ebay during May of last year.  Perhaps not the best way to acquire wardrobe additions, especially with items like suits where fit is so important, but the prices were such that I couldn't pass 'em up when I came across them .  Since I r emain able to fit things in the 40R or 41R range at the half century mark, purchasing attire like these without the benefit of trying it on first is not too much of a concern .  Not me, but a photo I found online, illustrating how my tailor plans to address the fit of one of my suitcoats althoug he limited to pinning to just the rear side seams. For those things that need some work

W hile a tophat and tails might be a bit much for most of us in 2017, I hope some men, at least, might deign to dress for the occasion on Easter Sunday.  My father and grandfather certainly did when holidays and special events rolled around each year. . .  as did the other men in the extended family up and down the eastern seaboard.   So, put on a suit and necktie -- or at least a sports jacket and odd pants -- with a pressed dress shirt, shined leather dress shoes, and a matching leather belt should you opt to attend either an Easter church service in the morning,  or an Easter dinner later in the day.  Even if your immediate family remains at home, let's remember to mark a special occasion by dressing appropriately before you sit down to the table.   Let's demonstrate that we possess more than an ounce of grooming and sophistication while also setting a good example for the younger male members of the species.   Happy Easter from Classic Style! -- Heinz-Ulrich

As above. . .  Another Brooks Brothers odd jacket worn with an L.L. Bean ocbd shirt, Land's End necktie, and a silk pocket square from Put This On that I picked up for peanuts back in January. J ust enough time early this morning to enjoy a cup of fresh coffee at the cafe on the ground floor of our library here at MSU and snap a couple of phone photographs before heading to the office to plow through another stack of student papers before class.  Perhaps today's attire is a bit matchy-matchy, but not offensively so.  I'd certainly repeat this particular combination of items without giving it a second thought.  Just one more example of how an adult male can dress comfortably, yet look pulled together, and all without getting anywhere near a suit. . .  Heaven forbid!  You too can achieve a similar look this without too much trouble. -- Heinz-Ulrich  So below.  Land's End dress chinos, recrafted Allen Edmonds shoes, and Merino wool socks from Dapper Classics.

Thinking Spring above.  The jacket is Brooks Brothers, the pocket square is a silk number from Put This On, and the necktie and shirt are Land's End Items that have been in the spring/late summer rotation for at least a dozen years. M anaged to put my cold weather gear in storage on Sunday and rehang the warmer weather items in my wardrobe and a spare closet in the second-floor TV room across the hall.  Most of the tweed, corduroy, and flannel items migrated to a cedar-lined closet that I appropriated in our basement where the female half of the previous occupants of our house kept the wedding dresses she sewed for her clients.  This being Michigan, I kept a couple of warmer, flannel suits within easy reach in case we get another cold spell before the spring semester ends in  a little over two weeks, but it's time for some brighter colors and lighter garments if you ask me since we are heading full speed toward mid-April.   In other news, I'm home a little earlie

 An fictitious ideal, for many of us, but you take my point I hope.  There is nothing vanilla about the man. T here's an interesting post over on the Put This On blog today on the challenges faced by clothing companies like J. Crew.  The piece concludes by singing the praises of their menswear, in particular, as reasonably priced (Fine.  I'v e got a few J. Crew pieces myself. ), ubiquitous (Um, wait a second. . .), and vanilla (Stop right there!) enough to suit most personalities, places, and situations in which American guys might find themselves in 2017.  Just l et me catch my breath for a moment before I continue.  I'll  be better directly. . . There now.  While I certainly would never suggest that grown men stray near more dandy territory, like we might find in the pages of a Rose Callahan photographic book on the subject, if this is not their sartorial aim, do we really want to dress in a way that is, ubiquitous and/or vanilla?  Good God!  First of all, su