Repp Stripe Monday. . .

The attire for today. Key items include a vintage Black Watch necktie from Reis of New Haven, found in my wonderful old thrift/charity shop across the street from Bro-Menn Hospital in our old haunt Bloomington, Illinois, which reliably had all kinds of good menswear there from -- presumably deceased -- doctors and lawyers.

How do I know? Because categorically no other men of any age or profession in or around Bloomington-Normal dressed presentably that I saw in the 100 [10 actually. It just seemed like 100.] years we lived there. And I mean no one. You had to go to Chicago or possibly Springfield [the state capital] to find reasonably well-dressed, though not necessarily stylish, men in Illinois. But that is probably true most places the further one travels from large governmental and/or financial centers everywhere. . . As well as the two coasts in the U.S.

The pants today are leftover from a long gone 'trio suit' by Jos. A. Banks. These come with a coat and two pairs of paints, one solid to match the coat, and a second muted patterned pair. Presumably to make business travel for a few days easier? Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Yeah, I know. I know. But the pants are wool, and I like the quiet pattern. Plus they go very well with a blazer and are comfortable even in warm weather. So, I kept 'em even after deciding a dozen or so years ago that the suit (navy coat and pants) did not work for me thanks to a boxy, overly generous cut.

But best of all, I spotted a couple of young guys on campus earlier today in navy blazers, khakis, tucked in shirts, and repp stripe ties of their own with (Wait for it!) red Converse high top Chuck Taylor sneaker. Ok, maybe a bit too David Letterman for some, and there was a recent thread on sneakers with tailored clothing over on the Ivy Style website if memory serves, but these two undergrads pulled it off pretty well. And I must admit to doing something very similar myself a few times years ago.

These two were probably fraternity pledges given the time of year although without the visible beanies or pledge pins of yore. . . Cue Douglas C. Niedermeyer, as played by actor Mark Metcalf, and Dee Snider!

-- Heinz-Ulrich

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 at...

Friday on Campus Style. . .

S omewhat atypically, I was on campus for several hours today helping with an interview that is part of a larger documentary project on which a colleague and I are working. Although I am behind the camera (I'm the audio guy in fact), what better reason does one need to dress presentably? Exactly. Everything worn, barring the recently purchased University of Wisconsin socks, a gift from the Grand Duchess, has been in the rotation for a while now. And, of course, there was the Panama hat, which I'll wear until we pass October 1st when the felt fedoras reappear. -- Heinz-Ulrich

Tan Suit Tuesday. . .

W hile it's now after Labor Day here in the U.S,. we still have almost three weeks left of summer according to the calendar. And since today was bright, sunny, and pleasantly warm (though far from hot), it seemed like a perfect opportunity to trot out my tan cotton suit and tan loafers/belt. Slightly disheveled, yes. And the shoes need some Renovateur to moisten 'em up But not a bad overall look if I might be so bold. -- Heinz-Ulrich

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