Summertime Style. . .

Part of an obviously larger illustration, and I have no idea of its provenance, but the combination of items is pleasing. Even the spectator shoes peeking out from beneath the cuffed trousers.

Ah, summertime style. Relaxed. A slow start to the morning. Another mug of strong coffee. A relaxed breakfast upstairs at the dining table with The Young Master in a few minutes.

Faded old Nantucket red shorts with a retired light blue OCBD shirt and surcingle ribbon belt for yard work today. It's sunny here in Mid-Michigan today, and I'm catching up with lawn mowing after a ten-day stretch at the repair shop. The mower that is. Not yours truly. But I am enjoying the unseasonably cool morning (about 60 degrees Fahrenheit) and the prospect of being out in it.

Later? Maybe putting the finishing touches on another Doodly whiteboard animation for the fall with possibly some roller skiing around the neighborhood before darkness falls, or painting toy soldiers for a stretch before an hour or so of bedtime reading with The Young Master. We're currently enjoying Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Post tuck-in and lights out, I'll then retire myself and enjoy more of the latest John Sandford detective thriller, featuring Virgil Flowers.

Oh, and there is also the pending arrival of a navy linen sports jacket much like the one pictured above. You know. For those summer trips to the dentist, ophthalmologist, et al when a wool blazer is too warm, yet you want to look a bit more pulled together than the average schmo off the street. A sports jacket over a tucked in, collared shirt with belt are about all it takes.

People really do interact differently with you when you are dressed, and that's not a bad thing.

-- Heinz-Ulrich

The Next Morning. . .

I've just noticed, looking again, how low the gorge on the jacket above is. Clearly, this is not just a feature of 1980s vintage jackets and suits since the illustration above is very probably from the 1930s, the so called Golden Age of menswear.

The Problem of "Business Casual" Attire. . .

This is how it's done. Business Casual the RIGHT way, ladies and gentlemen. Even during the summer months. A photograph (taken by Studio B Portraits ) which appeared in 425 Business Magazine in May 2017. T his post on the problem of business casual dress began as a quick postscript to a previous blog entry last week but quickly grew and grew as additional thoughts occurred, were developed in more detail, and revisions made. So much so, that it seemed, eventually, like a better idea to make the initial P.S. afterthought into its own entry . Are ya ready, Freddy? Then, here we go. . . ------------ U nless you actually plan to sell beach snacks and trinkets on Cozumel, become a serial barista, or greet customers at a fancy nightclub after taking out huge student loans to attend university somewhere for four or five years, plus an MBA afterward, it's really a better idea to err on the side of (somewhat) more formal work attire any time you head into the

The Average Guy's Guide to Classic Style Now on Ebay!!!

Another great old Laurence Fellows illustration of menswear from the classic era, the 1930s. T he Average Guy's Guide to Classic Style is up and running on Ebay. -- Heinz-Ulrich

"If you see something you want. . ."

The above photograph has been "borrowed" from the J. Press website. "I f you see something you want," advised my late mother, "buy it. It won't be there when you go back later." A favorite (and wise) adage hers that I still follow whenever possible. So when this item appeared on clearance at J. Press, I mulled it over for a couple of days, and then clicked the requisite boxes to make the online purchase. Should be here within the week. Once upon a time, I had a similar jacket by Corbin that I foolishly purged before we left Central Illinois ('Illi-noir' anyone?) for Michigan almost 10 years ago. Not sure what I was thinking at the time since I did like the item and wore it routinely. This one will be a bit nicer and help me make sartorial amends. At least to myself. -- Heinz-Ulrich

CharlottesvilleJune 23, 2021 at 11:55 AM
Nice illustration and good advice re dressing for a simple outing, H-U. Yesterday, I wore a navy seersucker suit with an OCBD and striped tie to the office and later to my doctor's office. A fellow patient in the waiting room, clad in shorts and T-shirt (who was more than old enough both to know and to dress better), said that I looked like a President. Perhaps a tie IS all it takes, based on recent occupants of the Oval Office. Later, at a very nice restaurant, I think I may well have been the only man in a tie. I and my dining companions were treated quite well, but I can't really say whether or not it had anything to do with the clothing.

Classic Style

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