Classic Style

  A pparently, a bow tie on Wednesday is becoming "a thing" as the kids say.  In any case, one more variation of the pretty standard uniform since the weather here in Mid-Michigan is still on the cool side though our ski season is, sadly, over.  The only remaining snow consists of a few grimy piles here and there along roads or the edges of parking lots. I leave for a conference early tomorrow and should be doing what my wife, The Grand Duchess, refers to as "The Travel Dance."  But I am too tired, pulled in too many other directions at once mentally speaking, and less than thrilled by the prospect of air travel to get excited about a few days away.  I really used to enjoy flying places, but you do it enough, I suppose, and the shine wears off after a while.  That and commercial air travel on U.S. carriers continues its long slide to bottom.  If you've ever traveled by Greyhound or Trailways in the U.S., there is no longer much difference between the two modes o

    W e couldn't let winter leave us without pulling out the most egregious of the bold tweeds in my rotation, could we?  This vintage Southwick number features lapels that are a wee bit wide, but I figure the pattern is so 1970s used car salesman that peoples' eyes are distracted from that otherwise highly offensive part of the jacket.   Hey, there are always bagged out sweatpants, hoodie, and Crocs right? Otherwise, the trick with wearing a bold item such as this is to keep everything else very plain.  I can her the chorus now, however, to the tune of "The trick, Heinz-Ulrich, is never to appear clad in such an obnoxious jacket!"  I know.  I know. -- Heinz- Ulrich

  T he attire for Monday.  Week 10 of the semester, but who's counting?  A previously unworn pair of heavy Brooks Brothers pants/trousers, purchased during lockdown in 2021  or so, altered, and then forgotten in a closet.  Time to rectify that omission.  Pretty typical uniform for the start for the week. -- Heinz-Ulrich

    A nd proof, yet again, that even once you have arrived home and changed clothes, you needn't look like you've pulled dusty, wrinkled things out from under the bed to cover yourself.  "Comfort" is not necessarily synonymous with looking like one is preparing to knock off the local convenience store just before closing time.  As a society, how much lower are we prepared to go? -- Heinz-Ulrich          

    S till dark early this morning, but why not enjoy the waning days of winter with a splash of color and an otherwise relatively sedate attire palette?  A passerby of the (apparently) female persuasion complimented the overall look (with camel polo coat, mostly navy woolen scarf, and navy Borsalino fedora) as I crossed the Red Cedar River on the way to the car just after Noon.  Guys, if you dress presentably for no other reason, do so for the girls and women in your life.  They will appreciate your efforts to resemble something more than a laundry basket with legs. -- Heinz-Ulrich.

  L ight accumulating snow all day here, hence the orange SWIMS overshoes, which received a compliment from a couple of underdressed male students.  Otherwise, another variation of the standard colder weather attire.   Sadly, home tomorrow since the Young Master has yet another day off from school (parent-teacher conferences), and the Grand Duchess has a couple of early meetings on campus.  Sigh.   What with snow days, his winter school trip, a few days off for illness, Presidents' Day weekend, and everything else the last five weeks or so, we are beginning to wonder if he actually has school anymore.  Everytime you turn around, the Young Master is home for a day or two.  So, the next installment of relatively pulled together, professional male dress will need to wait until Wednesday.   Given domestic needs, I see corduroy jeans and either a flannel shirt, a Rugby jersey, or a Norwegian fisherman's sweater in my future for tomorrow.  Not a bad way to go either of course.  And i

  A bit out of sequence with today's post of Wednesday's attire on Friday, but that seems to be the story of my adult life.  An old soul born in the wrong era.  I've never worked out whether I am more Baby Boomer, or Gen X given the year of my birth (1966).  I have certainly always identified more, in some ways, with figures like Grace Slick, who is not, strictly speaking a baby boomer, and my late grandparents' generation than people of my own era, who came of age in the late 1970s, 80s, and 90s.   And I'm certainly not aligned with Millenials, Gen Z, or Generation Alpha when it comes to tastes in popular culture, clothing, acceptable behavior, or much else. It is a sometimes lonely existence and at the same time a strange point of pride. In any case, I strove for a range of tans, browns, and rusts with Wednesday's gear, breaking up the general tone of things with a green and white university stripe OCBD shirt and predominantly brown yellow, and green paisley

  T echnically, I think our midterm was yesterday (Wednesday), but who's counting?   In any case, already in the Spring Break mindset, and although there are some work related things to take care of next week, my mind is on the predicted late winter (appreciable) snowfall we are supposed to receive Friday and/or Saturday, which would be a super way to round out the winter.  You know.  A few final family jaunts out on the ski trails in the East Lansing area.  Hope springs eternal when snow is a possibility. But I digress. Attire and accessory-wise, a number of familiar and exceedingly comfortable items today.  You reach a point where the wardrobe is like you want it, and it is simply a matter of maintaining the status quo. Not always a bad thing in my book. -- Heinz-Ulrich 

  W asting a few minutes this early morning (7:20am) before diving into university email and whatever else is on the almighty 'To Do' list for the day.   A bit more restrained with today's attire except for the vintage Polo bow tie, which I managed to get tied to a reasonably satisfactory standard on the second attempt.  A bit rumpled, yes, but that's the charm of a self-tie model versus the pre-tied variety, which looks too perfect. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  B ack to the salt mines on a cold, very blustery Monday in late February, after another (probably final) weekend "Up North" skiing the trails, hills, and dales in the snow belt.  My usual trusty J. Press 3/2 tweed jacket, golden tan dress cords from Land's End (almost 20 years in the rotation), and various other items for a visually pleasing and comfortable combination of attire. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A bit colorful on the upper half today, but with the pocket square stuffed a bit further down into the jacket pocket, it ought to look ok.  In any case, I'm out of the house, on campus, and time to get some work done, so let's not fret too much about it. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  B ack on the figurative horse today.  Seeking comfort in some well-worn, cozy cold weather items helps a bit. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  Arielle Anderson, Alexandria Verner, and Brian Fraser. T hree students here at Michigan State University died senselessly in yet another (apparently random) mass shooting earlier this week.  Five others were seriously injured.   A colleague, a man with whom I have served on a committee in the recent past, taught two of them and saw them shot during his evening class on Cuban history.   Not the first time something like this has happened in the U.S., and I expect not the last.  There really are no words to adequately describe or explain any of this.  But yes.  Let's do keep shouting loudly about and lobbying for the right to keep and bear arms.  You know.  To keep that secretive world army at bay, which is just poised to invade beyond the Canadian border.   If finding an academic job, picking up, and moving were easier, I am now ready to relocate to a somewhat more peaceful society.  What a world we have created. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  B ack to the salt mines after a weekend of cross-country skiing in Northern Michigan.  No sore muscles today, which means either that I am doing something right after all of these years, or that I am not working hard enough.  In any case, I decided to go with a navy blazer and tan flannel pants rather than a suit this morning.  Still reasonably formal and pulled together, as is my wont, without straying into evening attire.  -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A not unpleasant combination of items for today.  Hard to go wrong with green, pink, and any shade of gray.  The jacket seems muted enough to avoid throwing off everything else, and the tie, at least from a distance, calm enough to avoid screaming whatever it is that bow ties might scream to some in 2023.  Shoes and (always) matching belt seem to work reasonably well with everything else.  Not a bad effort if you'll pardon me saying so myself. Ok, time to get some real work done. -- Heinz-Ulrich

    T oo often, we forget that it IS possible to have fun with our clothes.  Even the dressier stuff. And so it is this Monday morning.  Another double-breasted suit along with various other items long in the rotation, including a Brooks Brothers 'Makers' necktie that is very close to that worn by members of The Drones in all of those Wodehouse stories.   Unintentional of course.  But I was quietly tickled when the similarity dawned on me seven or eight years back.  Hmm.  I assure you the coat sits better than this across my upper back when standing or sitting normally.  The consequence of taking a selfie I suspect.  Ugh!  Still, it might be something worth having my tailor look at at some point.  In any case, a fairly restrained and not unpleasant combination of items. -- Heinz-Ulrich        

  S ometimes, there is considerable style to be found in the simplest, most mundane things.  Perhaps I am just easily entertained?  Following three hours or so of solo cross-country skiing through the Michigan woods yesterday, just ten minutes from the house, I indulged in a hot chocolate and time by the fire outside after a pleasant, brief chat with the two guys manning the rental-warming hut. The only thing missing was the company of the Grand Duchess and Young Master, who were busy with other things during the latter half of the afternoon when I ventured out.  Too bad since the skiing, while not perfect, wasn't bad.  Hey, almost any skiing is good skiing in my book.  Still incredibly relaxed, mellow, and euphoric today.  There is indeed nothing quite like the physical and mental benefits of extended physical exercise.  -- Heinz-Ulrich

  W arm, slouchy, and eminently comfortable.  Yet pulled together.  It's easy. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  S till quite cold here in Mid-Michigan, so no better time than to break out the very heavy tweed suit.  Here, it is combined with a wool waistcoat, necktie, socks, full brogues, and (not visible) braces.  Together, everything made for a very comfortable and toasty warm ensemble for the morning's work in the library cafe with a couple of large, fresh dark roast coffees. On a related note, the practice of being kind and talkative  with staff when they engage you in conversation early in the morning has its rewards.   As but one example, the middle-aged lady who manages this particular cafe has been supplying me with a free, very early morning (well ahead of the 8am opening time), and freshly brewed coffee since late November.  Not everyday, but often enough.   You just never know, as Sir Michael Caine might say, what the result of a smile and a pleasant few words exchanged with a stranger might be. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  T aking a break from the tweeds, cords, and double-breasteds this very early morning.  It's 6:59am and 1 degree Fahrenheit everyone.  That's -17.2 C. to much of the rest of the world.  Nice, crisp, sparkly snow underfoot.  The best sort of day for winter sports enthusiasts.  Might just need to get out on some skis this afternoon . -- Heinz-Ulrich

D efinitely having a bit of fun with my attire this cold and snowy Monday.  But several students appreciated the SWIMS overshoes, Stetson fedora, and one, in particular (a young woman), really liked the suit and said as much on her way out at the end of class. Compliments, while never necessary, are nice to hear once in a while. If there are any college-aged or 20-something guys reading this, take note!  Women appreciate a man who is dressed beyond the bare minimum.   The overcoat is a navy blue vintage Polo double-breasted number that has been part of the winter rotation for several years now.  Very warm, and not something you see often in my neck of the woods. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A s I suggest so often here at Classic Style , directly or indirectly, even when holding up the a wall at home during the weekend, one need resemble neither a schlubb, nor a schlobb when it comes to personal presentation.   Following a hot shower and shave, attire for today (Saturday) includes a vintage L.L. Bean Norwegian fisherman's sweater (the real 'Made in Norway' deal), cords and flannel shirt from Land's End, and the usual Allen Edmonds suede camp moccasins given to me by my late mother 10+ years or so ago.  My go to hausschuhe (as they say in German) for the colder months.   I've been wearing these sweaters for about 30 years, long before I ever realized they were a thing among the trad/ivy/prep crowd.  I just naturally gravitated toward them given my cross-county skiing, linguistic, and academic tendencies.  I'll tell you all about it sometime, but I spent a lot of time in Norway and its immediate neighbors during the 1990s. ------------  I n the me