More Advent Tweed and Plaid. . .

Thought 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 would not happen. We really are doing our best as a society to raise young people who cannot plan ahead, self-regulate or otherwise cope with their lives.

Sigh. But let's talk clothes instead!

A combination of items today that seem to gel better than yesterday's various pieces did. You cannot go wrong with a herringbone pattern grayish tweed jacket and tan cords. Snow, rain, or a sloppy mix of both predicted for tomorrow (Wednesday), so this will probably be the last time for a while that suede shoes are part of the mix.

The Grand Duchess and I are playing hooky tomorrow (Wednesday) and driving down to Ann Arbor -- once the Young Master boards the school bus -- to visit a cafe, pick up my skis with newly mounted bindings, and do a bit of shopping/looking around. Should be fun!

I'm thinking a navy vintage 'Made in Norway ' L.L. Bean Norwegian fisherman's sweater (Two of mine have been in the rotation for 30 years or so) and -- Wait for it! -- a pair of tan corduroy jeans along with ski socks and my venerable L.L. Bean duck shoes.

-- Heinz-Ulrich

Comments

Avoid Careless Chatter. . .

E specially about the personal details of our lives. There is a lot that OUGHT to be kept more private in 2022 than has become the accepted norm for many. With the conscious and intentional cultivation of classic style in mind, however, we want to avoid oversharing and keep a bit more of ourselves to ourselves. Exactly what personal information and how much of it to keep private seems to be a slippery concept though. Here’s my take based on what I was told and observed as a child and young person at home. Basically, one should keep oneself to oneself in all respects (finances, personal worth, accomplishments, politics, sex, dirty laundry, etc.). As my late father used to advise when we were very small, and I am talking preschool and kindergarten, there were particular subjects that were not discussed outside the immediate family. There is a time and place for sharing certain details of one’s life, but most of the time, those should be played very close to the chest,

Chilly Late April Wednesday Attire. . .

Y ou know, if it is going to remain this cold and blustery, I need about eight inches of snow for some more cross-country skiing. But since the white stuff is long gone, it was time to fish through the cedar closet down in Zum Stollenkeller and pull out some cold weather attire for a seasonal reboot. But I decided to forgo the usual gray herringbone jacket from J. Press (my go-to tweed sports jacket) and instead opted for this number from Hart, Schaffner, and Marx plus the tan cords that hang on the same hanger, so strenuous mental effort was not required. Pressed the shirt after tucking in the Young Master last night at 8:30, grabbed these shoes, and socks, and Bob is your mother's brother as they say. Occasionally gazing through the large library window to my immediate left this morning, and I keep hearing that old Jobim tune drift through my mind this morning (aided by the windmills), as sung by Astrud Gilberto ( together with Leonard Cohen and Paolo Conte, the musi

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

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