Classic Style

  C an you believe we are at the end of September already?  Where in the world does the time go? In any case, a wonderfully sunny, pleasant early autumn day, so summer items still suffice well, thank you very much.  A not unpleasant assemblage of attire, include a Mercer & Sons shirt with a knit silk necktie from J. Press along with many of the usual suspects.   Stuff like this makes dressing presentably both easy and a pleasure. -- Heinz-Ulrich 

S till sunny and pleasantly warm temperatures here in Mid-Michigan, so the warmer weather suits, sports jackets, and odd pants continue to serve me well each week.  With this Samuelsohn suit in mind yesterday (Sunday) evening, I ironed one of the light blue OCBDs in the rotation and chose this particular bow tie (the first of the 2025-2026 academic year) along with a pair of blue seersucker braces, navy socks, and the shoes pictured.  The usual Panama hat topped off everything.  Not a bad combination of items in my view.  I felt rather natty as I made my way from the car to the building where I teach the face-to-face meetings of two section for my hybrid course on social problem dramas. Henrik Ibsen to Lynn Nottage for interested parties. -- Heinz-Ulrich

U p and at 'em early yesterday (Tuesday) morning to meet the Grand Duchess at the garage where she dropped her Subaru Outback before we drove the rest of the way into campus together in my Subaru Outback.  Had a few minutes waiting for her arrival to snap the above two photographs and added the third one featuring the socks during later Zoom office hours in my office.   And you guessed it.  Crickets (as they say). Of course, student learning teams have their first major collaborative project due Friday evening by 11:59pm, so I imagine there will be lots of last minute panicked emails  after 5pm Friday.  By which time it will be far too late in the game.  And I will not be online checking university email during Friday evening, or over the weekend.   Sorry for not being sorry about that.   If there was one thing I learned during the pandemic, you've got to set and maintain boundaries.  Otherwise people will walk all over you giv...

A delightfully cooler day with gray skies and the occasional light shower.  But not too chilly for this vintage wool-silk blend suit.  A matching brown belt, of course, with navy socks featuring very tiny silvery-gray microdots.   An ideal combination of items for teaching two classes in an older building that lacks climate control in the classroom areas although open windows early this morning kept the space comfortable.  Even when filled with approximately 50 undergrads each, not all of whom realize the need for daily showers and deodorant I fear.   A later meeting followed for a promotion committee of which I am part this year.   The only man present dressed thusly. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A warm one here today, so I pulled out a linen, silk, and wool blend jacket along with a pair of lightweight gray gabardine pants that I have not worn in some time.  Not a bad look, but darker brown shoes and belt would have worked better I think.     It's easy to go wrong with tan shoes, and I strayed close to it here.  These work well in some contexts, but not this time around.     Ah, well.  Live and learn I suppose.   -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A pleasing combination of more recent and vintage items made up today's ensemble, including the usual Panama hat, navy socks with tiny gold dots, and an oxblood belt to match the shoes (more or less).   Such attire never fails to draw the odd favorable comment from passersby regardless of their age.  Never necessary, but nice to hear when compliments come along.   And hey.  If we can bring a moment of pleasure to those around us through how we present ourselves, why not? -- Heinz-Ulrich

T he Grand Duchess and I journeyed back to campus yesterday evening for a rather large exhibit/event at the university's art museum.  Well organized and attended by everyone you might imagine from students to people in the local art community, the event featured various works curated by the African Studies Program (my institution has actually cultivated a close relationship with various sub-Saharan African regions/countries for over 100 years), and another by an artist who bases her work on women in folklore who transcend the norms imposed upon them by society.  "Unbecoming" in her own words.   It was all terribly interesting, in particular the different materials with which the artists work. We bumped into quite a few faculty and administrators -- as well as the museum curator -- all of whom the Grand Duchess knows and/or works with from time to time.  I know a few of them too but more distantly.  It was fun to meet a few new faces, chat about the artworks...

U p and at 'em very early today to get things accomplished befoire an 11am meeting with a colleague to get down to serious business editing a joint documentary video project. . . That has gone on far too long already.  Only to find he cancelled the meeting due to political unrest in his home country and related personal upset.  Well, it's not like he has a corner on that particular market.  But still.   Concerned about family members I suppose.  I'll have to touch base with him later this afternoon to see how he is. Still, any excuse to dress presentably is a good one.  And I managed to take care of quite a few other things before heading home to continue the second half of the workday from my office here.   Currently wrapping up my usual lunch of 35 Kellogg's Frosted Mini-wheats with a mug of reheated coffee.  An apple will round out the midday "meal" if we can call it that.   Late afternoon mowing and dethatching of the front...

G etting back into the swing of things sartorially speaking with a little help from Brooks Brothers (suit) and J. Press (shirt).  All items pictured have been part of the usual rotation for some years, barring the shirt, which was a new addition last spring.  A Panama hat and my usual tan leather attache case completed the ensemble for today. -- Heinz-Ulrich  

  T he strong Friday evening and Saturday breeze had calmed by yesterday evening, so the Grand Duchess and I went ahead with our delayed campfire plans after dinner and into the evening, with some coffee, tea for her, and later hot chocolate.  We do this a few times each fall at the near end of the driveway before the weather grows too cold for things like campfires.   The Young Master chose to remain inside with Flight Simulator, which gave us the chance for some much needed calm.  I tossed on a red University of Wisconsin fleece and my red L.L. Bean anorak shell, that I've had for more than 20 years, once the sun dropped.   It was a bit nippy later in the evening, but the warmth from the fire kept my ski pole legs warm until we called it a night once the fire finally died down about 11:15pm.   The Grand Duchess was smarter than yours truly and donned a pair of jeans whil e I got the fire started about 7:00.   And no.  Before ...

  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