Friday Pocket Square Style. . .

The upper half of today's later Zoom meeting with colleagues and some additional work-from-home activities, featuring a festive pocket square I purchased about 15 or 16 years ago in Chicago at Marshall Fields before Macy's took over. The display of men's pocket squares was something to behold. Rack upon rack and several large tables displayed them in their hundreds. It was a dandy's paradise, but I spared The Grand Duchess, looked around quickly, and purchased just this one since we were on our way somewhere else.

And the lower half, featuring corduroy jeans and my faithful old suede camp moccasins, which are my 'go to' at home shoe during the cooler half of the year. And no socks. Yes, I know. I know.

Still quite chilly here at Totleigh-in-the-Wold, so the oxford cloth, tweed, and cords are still very comfortable. I find that this particular tweed jacket from J. Press, another 'go to' piece, is the most comfortable indoors because it is less heavy than, for example, those by Harris or various Irish makers.

As far as pocket squares go, this one was dug out from the bottom of my pocket square jar this morning to brighten up today's ensemble and celebrate the approaching end of the term. We have a single week of classes left after today. Hallelujah and amen brother!

Now, I understand that some out there do not care for pocket squares, finding them effeminate, affected, of simply louche. I don't know about that. I prefer to take a page from the book of journalist Gay Talese and see them as colorful, festive accessories that help us celebrate life and the simple act of being alive through our attire. Unless one is attending a funeral or memorial service, why not liven up things a wee bit?

In any case, there are guys out there, who might like to venture into pocket square territory, but they worry about how to fold and wear them. In the interest of ease, I suggest that stuffing the square into your coat pocket and simply forgetting about it is the way to go. Unstudied and unfussy, yet just the final touch your sports jacket or blazer pocket needs.

Try it yourself and see.

-- Heinz-Ulrich

The Pleasaures of a Well-trained Dog. . .

A few final photographs from my visit to my sister in Washington, D.C. last week. These include one of 'Mr. Beau,' my sister's meticulously trained and truly wonderful Doberman, another of my sister, second cousin, step-father, and yours truly on the steps of the church outside Lexington, North Carolina just after our late mother's interment service, two of me solo at the National Cathedral, and a final one of my sister and me hamming it up during a long evening walk the day before I returned to Michigan. My sister routinely walks to the cathedral, about three blocks from her place, to enjoy the grounds and gardens. The Bishop's Garden, in particular, is a place she likes to sit for quiet contemplation and internal dialogues with our late maternal grandparents and mother, very much in keeping with the Episcopal side of things. Our grandfather, who was raised Methodist, became an Episcopalian when he married our grandmother. Before you ask, I am not sure tha

Almost Mid-June Sunday Style. . .

A fter two months, Blogger has decided to allow me in the door once again, so I can add a long overdue post documenting my take on classic male style. Since we are almost in the throes of summer, let's go with a warm weather theme this morning. Now, the items above will not be to everyone's taste: Deck shoes without socks, shorts, pleats, skinny pale legs, etc. All invite tisk-tisking and debate in certain online fora, but that's ok. I wouldn't wear attire this to campus Monday through Friday, or to church. But for relaxed, comfortable warm weather-wear around the house during the weekends, with maybe a quick trip down the road for a gallon of milk at the super market, this will do nicely, thank you very much. It's certainly preferable to the wrinkled, torn, stained sloppy alternative we see everywhere in 2022. Neither is it at all far removed from how the various men and boys across three generations of my extended family presented themselves during even

CharlottesvilleApril 16, 2021 at 12:16 PM
A particularly nice specimen, Heinz-Ulrich. And for a funeral, I would suggest half an inch of a simple white linen or cotton handkerchief peeking out of the breast pocket of one's navy suit, worn in the "TV fold." As I commented recently on Ivy Style, a naked pocket just looks unfinished to me.

Classic Style

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