Classic Style

  H appy New Year from Classic Style!  Here's to a kinder, gentler year than the last few.  For 2023, let's all resolve to continue our journey toward self-improvement when it comes to attire, pleasant manners, kindness, and grace. -- Heinz-Ulrich

    T aking full advantage of the good snow cover here in Mid-Michigan this Christmas Weekend, the three of us hit the trails again for 2.5 hours on Boxing Day for a delightful tour around a different stretch of woods and fields at Burchfield Park, about 25 minutes south of us outside Holt, Michigan.  We even did some more technical skiing on the advanced trail, which was a challenge, but great fun.     It was over all too soon, but we have enjoyed that delightful apres ski glow all afternoon and into the evening.  Ahhhh. . .  My wife and I will sit down shortly to watch the Call the Midwife 2022 Christmas special.  What can I say?  The stories and characters are great.  So there.  Kind Christmas Regards,, Heinz-Ulrich

S kiing through the Michigan woods, hot chocolate, quiet Christmas music and fires in the evening.  It has been a lovely couple of days. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A fter come Christmas Eve skiing five minutes up the road, it was time to get cleaned up, dress, and et the table for Christmas Dinner, which we usually do here on December 24th with a lightly more casual buffet-style dinner, which is to say leftovers, on Christmas Day itself. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  M erry Christmas everyone!  We managed to hit a local trail just around the corner from the house for about 90 minutes midday today (Christmas Eve 2022) before returning home for hot chocolate by the fire, hot showers, dinner preparations, and dressing for dinner before the meal itself about 5:30pm.   Cold, fresh powder meant a nice glide today even as we broke trails, and I could have continued skiing for hours easily.  We have a Boxing Day jaunt planned about 20 minutes south of Lansing at Burchfield Park where there are extensive ski trails through the woods along the Grand River.  Glorious!  And they might have a chance to groom before we get there.    Can't wait! -- Heinz-Ulrich

    T his year's stollen, courtesy of the Grand Duchess, who dusted it with vanilla sugar a short while ago when it emerged from the over.  The yeasty aroma in the kitchen is ambrosial as my late maternal grandmother used to say about especially delicious foods.  When the stollen cools a bit more, we will enjoy a few inaugural slices with fresh mid-afternoon coffee.  -- Heinz-Ulrich

T he Grand Duchess and I took each other out (sans child) for a lovely, quiet dinner, dessert and some additional wine afterwards at a couple of East Lansing venues yesterday evening.  The students are all away now for Christmas Break by this point, so it was serene, adult, and extremely pleasant.   Following a quick stop at the supermarket for a few items on the way home, we were back at the house and enjoying a fire in the library by 10:30pm.  Young Master, cats, and house all present and correct, safe, and sound. ------------   The attire pictured includes my go to J. Press tweed jacket, a vintage Land's End bow tie, and an equally vintage double-breasted overcoat by Polo.  The shirt and cords too are Land's End, loafers by Allen Edmonds, and the braided leather belt from L.L. Bean.  All things that have been in the fall-winter-early spring rotation for five years or more.  In some cases, closer to 20. And, of course, the schoolboy scarf, which has appeared here before, was

  W ell, ok.  Maybe not quite Minnesota cold, but markedly colder here in Mid-Michigan the last couple of days with, possibly, a significant snowfall in the next few days.  We will see what actually transpires. Besides the usual items (corduroy jeans and Rugby pullover), today's attire includes a very heavy wool duffel coat that I've had for quite a few years, and a long woolen cap, purchased in Røros , Norway way back during February 2000.  It comes out at this time of year, and I embarrassed my son by wearing to it to take him to Tae Kwon Do classes this morning -- Like us, he is home on Christmas Break now. --  plus a few additional errands once we finished there. Røros is inland, close to the Swedish border, and I visited with a few friends for the annual winter festival, held each year in February.  A snowy, scenic, and historically interesting town,, but NEVER have I been as cold as I was on that day.  I purchased the three-foot long stocking cap as an added layer to have

  S tarting in December 2020 (and what a year THAT was), we began a new tradition, that of The Solstice Pineapple.  We purchase and illuminate said pineapple with a short string of lights as it ripens on one corner of the kitchen countertop.   Once ripe, we chunk, eat, and enjoy it during Christmas Week, replacing the fruit with a second such specimen for New Year's.  It's a fun, quirky way to brighten up the kitchen during the darkest part of the year.   Yes.  My wife and I are certified weirdos.  But we don't mind. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A lovely Friday evening spent decorating the Christmas trees for this year to the tune of carols and jazz renditions of popular seasonal songs.  The Young Master even put down Flight Simulator long enough to join his mother to help finish the family tree in the library before bedtime.   As promised, the Grand Duchess and I opened and enjoyed a new bottle of very smooth and mellow French red wine. . .  followed by cups of Bailey's Irish Cream by the fireside -- We are such lushes. -- before turning in very late.  We even had about two inches of fresh snow falling slowly outside, so a very pleasant time all the way around. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  T he best laid plans of mice and men.  Well, I meant to don a suit and journey into campus this morning after the Young Master climbed aboard the school bus, but it's dark, cold, and another mug of coffee seemed like a more attractive idea.  So, I've busied myself thus far with promotion and hiring committee duties here at home to tie up loose ends before the university closes on December 22nd. This evening, we will decorate the Christmas trees, which have been in their stands taking water for a couple of days now in the living room (larger toy tree) and library (tabletop family tree).  The former typically features shinier silver balls, glass, and toy ornaments from our early Christmases together (pre-child) while the latter is more ornaments from the grand Duchess' childhood and now the Young Master's plus glass beads and crystal icicles.  Small white fairy lights on both. I hope to add a few of my own childhood and youthful Christas tree ornaments to the mix one d

  A seasonal and slightly dandy version of the typical attire today.  Is 'dandy' a dirty word in conversations about classic male attire?  Does the term necessarily connote straying into flamboyant, even clownish territory consciously or otherwise?  Interesting questions to consider and possible fodder for a future discussion. I had planned to wear a wool flannel double-breasted suit, but cords and tweed wear harder given the high wind and rain we are experiencing today.  So, a last minute change of plans this morning following shower and shave before my usual 6:10 am departure.   Lately, I seem to be the least bothered and most productive during the first half of the day.  From about 11am onward, productivity takes a nosedive as students, colleagues, meetings, and various other things intervene and vie for my time.   And once our son is home just after 3pm, in the words of The Sopranos , "Fuggeddaboutit!"  Family life takes over, and accomplishing work-related stuff

"No comment!"  Even here, the paparazzi eventually found me. A delightful morning running a few errands (visit Zingerman's Delicatessen if you are in the Kerrytown neighborhood), picking up a pair of skis, and enjoying coffee and pastries down here just the Grand Duchess and me for a few hours.  Calm, quiet, and stress-free.  We picked up the Christmas trees on the way home this afternoon.  A grand day out. -- Heinz-Ulrich

    T hought about a suit today.  But since I must meet with a few different students to, essentially, tell them  "No" to requests for extra credit, or that making up 15 weeks' worth of missed work in just a few days before the term ends is neither realistic,  nor possible, I need to appear less threatening. That might seem funny were it not the case.  So many people view suits negatively now, and most undergraduates in Michigan are not used to seeing men attired thusly, so I decided to go with tweed and cords once again.  You know.  To appear more approachable and friendly as I tell them, "Sorry, but no.  Students have enough to do already without throwing something together in a hurry at the last minute for a few points."   After two Covid years, students are suddenly coming out of the woodwork in great numbers with these kinds of requests.  If they would simply a) do the work, or b) produce stronger work to begin with, these kinds of predictable discussions w

  T aking a coffee break, listening to very soft Christmas jazz online via AccuRadio, and wasting a bit of time this morning before moving onto something else work-related.  It's still almost totally dark here in Mid-Michigan at 7:57am. A decent sartorial attempt today, but on reflection I think another jacket, or perhaps a different pair of cords would pull this ensemble together in a more convincing way.  By themselves, the jacket, pants, and etc. are very nice, but this particular combination of items doesn't quite work.   Well, you win some, and you lose some.  Dressing with intent is no different.  In my own defense, I'd nevertheless argue that my appearance is certainly no worse than most other men (or those who identify and present themselves thusly) in late 2022. In any case, one cannot miss with the Mercer & Sons oxford cloth button-down collar shirt in a yellow and white university stripe.  While there are many shirt patterns and solids that I enjoy (Tattersal

  A dark, blustery day here in the Grand Duchy.  Perfect for staying inside and working on a training module for graduate teaching assistants that I hope to wrap up in the next week if not sooner. Today's attire features a pair of navy corduroy jeans from Land's End and a sweater from Dale of Norway, given to my by my late mother for Christmas 2000. The saffron rolls, Lussekatter in Swedish, are traditionally baked to serve with early morning coffee on Santa Lucia Day (December 13th) in Sweden.  In a nod to her Swedish heritage, the Grand Duchess occasionally whips up a batch for us at this time of year.   The Young Master helped her this time around, and I think this is the best batch yet.  Although I helped myself to one just out of the over, I can't wait to enjoy another with fresh coffee after dinner. In a word, delicious. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A fter a long week [the final week of classes this semester/term] of responding to last minute, panicked student emails -- Almost always, they create their own problems. -- and committee meetings of one kind or another, it is finally Friday with a relatively easy day ahead.  I have a midday lunch retreat with program colleagues, which I am looking forward to.  These are always fairly informal, fun discussions with a pleasant group of interesting people and personalities from around the world.  So why not don a bit of celebratory dress for the occasion? The only "new" item here is a vintage silk bow tie from J. Press -- in seasonally appropriate colors -- that is seeing its inaugural wearing today.  Managed to nail tying it on the first try this morning, so it has only taken about a dozen attempts in the last 12 months to learn.  As I mentioned in an earlier post this month, I do not plan to go full bow tie on everyone, but now and again, these items are a neat way to shake

  A busy day packed with, among other things, the much dreaded committee meetings.  Is there anyone who likes these?   In any case, picking up my spirits after a frustrating start to the day by remaining dressed although I am home unexpectedly and once again.  That follows the usual early morning trip into campus, only to discover once there that I had forgotten my blasted iPhone on the kitchen counter at home.   And of course, you cannot do ANYTHING without your phone to access email and other essential online tools with various security codes sent to you through, you guessed it, the very same phone.  Arrgghh!  IIWasn't technology supposed to make our lives easier? So, I returned to the car, turned around, and was back home by 6:45am.  It just made more sense at that point to remain here and get started with the day rather than waste more time by driving in. . .  Again.  Sigh. -- Heinz-Ulrich