Skip to main content

Dressing "Vanilla" Anyone?


 An fictitious ideal, for many of us, but you take my point I hope.  There is nothing vanilla about the man.

There'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've 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 let 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, suggesting that people to strive for middle of the road -- vanilla -- in anything is completely incomprehensible to me.  Second, there is the issue of ubiquity.  Who in the world wants to be ubiquitous?  Are most men really so fearful of somehow sticking out that they are satisfied by blending into the sloppy sweatpant gray mass that has become the visual backdrop of society during recent decades?  No need to answer.  It was meant rhetorically.

So, what's the point of today's mini-rant?  Men, for the love of Pete, don't be afraid to add some variety, flavor, and spice -- in other words a smidgen of personality -- to your daily attire.  Continuing with the analogy, what about dressing a bit more in the direction of Mint Chocolate Chip, Rocky Road, Neapolitan, or Butter Brickle for example?  

Whatever your preferred flavor of ice-cream, never, ever stray into vanilla territory when it comes to the details of your personal appearance, or how you live your life for that matter.  Let's all strive for a bit more panache where our clothes and daily behaviors are concerned.  There's nothing wrong with standing out, but let's do it in the right way.

 -- Heinz-Ulrich


 And what would a post ranting about "vanilla" style be without a photograph of our wintry weather here in Mid-Michigan all day today. . .  April 6th mind you.  Some of the wettest, stickiest damn snow I've ever come across anywhere.  Definitely not the powdery, fun variety.

Comments

Post a Comment

All opinions are welcome here. Even those that differ from mine. But let's keep it clean and civil, please.

-- Heinz-Ulrich

Popular Posts

The Power of Ideas. . .

  T he end is nigh!  The autumn semester/term approaches.  And while we still have almost two months of summer left according to the calendar, "Summer is over and gone," as the crickets sang in Charlotte's Web .  At least for those of us who head back to the classroom in less than a month.   In advance of a meeting with my program director late Monday morning, I spent about 40 minutes total during the weekend to jot down several ideas about planned workshops and related activities for the coming 2024-2025 academic year.  At an opportune moment, I mentioned "I have a few ideas," and opened my leather portfolio.   My director was highly receptive to almost everything I suggested, and we had a very productive planning session for just over 90 minutes.  Just about everything I sketched out on Sunday aligns with his own ideas.  It's nice when meetings go that well, and two related things occur to me in hindsight. One, it pays to exercise...
1 comment
Read more

CSA Pick-Up Style. . .

I t's getting to be that time in the summer!  Yep, the garden fresh vegetables are starting to come in.  Picked up the first half-share of the Grand Duchess' Summer 2024 community supported agriculture allotment late yesterday (Thursday) afternoon.  Some delicious looking items that will make a nice salad for dinner this evening.  Meanwhile, the Grand Duchess and Young Master are across Lake Michigan in Wisconsin visiting cousins for the next several days and attending a large annual airshow. while yours truly holds down the fort. More of the usual summertime fare in the attire photos featured.  This particular shirt, while it has not appeared here in quite some time, is one of my favorites.  An item that has been in the seasonal rotation for a dozen years or more.  It ironed up nicely before I put it on and tucked it in.  The chino shorts (with a 6" inseam. . .  I know, I know.) are one of many such khaki pairs currently occupying the bottom...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thursday Work from Home Style. . .

  A pleasantly sunny and warm, yet comfortable September day working from home.  Perfect weather still for some Madras shorts, leather deck shoes, and a now 20-year old OCBD from Land's End that is finally too worn and frayed in places to wear with a jacket and necktie or suit.  But until a tear develops somewhere, it remains ideal for frumping around the house, albeit tucked in and with a casual belt.  Said shirt is also great for recording, editing, processing, and uploading another episode of my podcast. As I have written here a number of times before today, this particular shirt was one of several 'Original Oxfords' purchased from Land's End when I took my first teaching job outside of Minneapolis, following graduate school, at a small college now long closed due to highly questionable ethical and financial practices. Of that, the less said, the batter.  But I still have and wear several items purchased in 2003-2004 when it became clear that my existing pro...
2 comments
Read more