Classic Style

  W orking from home yesterday (Wednesday) with a variety of appointments in the afternoon, including a visit to the dentist (always a barrel full of monkeys), and shuttling the Young Master to math tutoring after school.  A pleasant, cool, yet sunny day, perfect for something a little nicer than shorts, deck shoes, and a polo or Rugby jersey over top.   No necktie, but there is always lots of water flying around while in the dentist chair, so it makes better sense not to risk a sartorial mishap.  A conference coming up next week in New Orleans, and then we will sail into the summer with more casual, yet still pulled together attire.  The usual suspects, but for a different season in other words. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A bit of fun with this post though admittedly wistful too.  My late mother made it to the cover of the latest issue of The New Yorker .  I almost fell over when I pulled it from the mailbox at the end of last week before the long Memorial Day weekend.  I took a photograph with the ol' iPhone and texted it to my sister and step-father once inside.   The former, a dab hand with Photoshop, changed the glasses to dark glasses and substituted Mom's long gone Pomeranian "Bijou" for the original King Charles Spaniel.  Otherwise, it is my mother to a T.  The tilt of the head, the gaze, the stride, everything.  I'd like to think it's her way of saying, "Hi there everyone!  Don't worry.  Bijou and I are doing well."   -- Heinz-Ulrich

I n the mid-80s Fahrenheit today, so time to break out the Madras shorts!  Ok, not strictly in accordance with the old rule about Memorial Day.  But I'm a gauche rube who knows no better.  Shuttling the Young Master to and from an after-school tutoring appointment in any case, which gave me an excuse to enjoy a small late afternoon cup of fresh coffee around the corner and thumb through yet another new title on generative artificial intelligence.  Hey, I need all the help I can get. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  O ne of the most delightful things an individual can do during the latter half of a Sunday afternoon is to retire upstairs for a couple of hours' "quiet time," what we used to call it when the Young Master was small.  So, ceiling fan, favorite book, something cool to drink, the bedside lamp on low, and the window open to allow in the slight breeze blowing occasionally outside.  I was out in about 10 minutes.  Which is the whole point.  Ahhhh. -- Heinz-Ulrich.

Not too bad on top for a Saturday morning. Of the pale ski pole legs, the less said, the better.   F orty-five minutes or so of time in a cafe this morning with a cup of fresh dark roast coffee and a new book on our uneasy relationship with generative artificial intelligence while the Young Master had his first math tutoring appointment of Summer 2024 just around the corner.  A few people in the cafe, but pleasantly quiet with vocal jazz standards playing in the background.  A delightful way to kick off a Saturday in May. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A sunny, warmer Thursday yesterday, so out came the tan belt and shoes when I dressed in a few of the usual suspects to shuttle the Young Master from school to a mid-morning appointment and then back again.  Child safely deposited and signed in by 10:15, and I was back home by 10:35. Now, some scratch their heads and wonder aloud why you should bother to dress for similar kinds of appointments (doctors, dentists, orthodontists, law offices, bankers, air travel, etc.), either your own or your child's, when almost everyone else looks like they just rolled out of bed and pulled on whatever was handy from beneath the it.  Frumpy is the new lingua franca it seems.   Here's the answer.  People in all walks of life simply react better to and treat you with a higher level of polite deference and respect when you present yourself well and look like you have more than a couple of active brain cells functioning somewhere behind your eyes.  There are, admitted...

  S till a bit chilly here in Mid-Michigan, but there's no reason not to pull oneself together, sartorially speaking, even as the Spring 2024 semester recedes in the rear view mirror, and summer approaches.  Hence the navy sports jacket tossed over an old cotton poplin button-down collar shirt (tucked in of course) along with some tan corduroy jeans, a ribbon belt, and the familiar suede camp moccasins yesterday.   Once the Young Master arrived home from school and enjoyed a snack, we journeyed to a nearby tutoring center to get him set up for some extra math practice through August.  He'll begin his freshman year of high school late that month.  Can you believe it?  Where does the time go? -- Heinz-Ulrich

  The Young Master gets a trim.  #3 on the sides and back with just enough to part on top.  His request. O f course, it's not all waxing poetically about suits and sports jackets here at Classic Style .  Sometimes, we must come back down to Earth and take care of more domestic duties.  Such was the case midday today (Saturday), when I shuttled to Young Master to our barber for a trim and clean-up.  I've always assumed the role of barbershop-visit-facilitator since he was very small, but it shouldn't be too many more years before I can toss him the keys, and the Young Master can take himself.   By the way, we patronize the Williamston Barbershop , a quirky but lively establishment about 10 minutes from the house.  The shop is always busy, filled with music of one kind or another, and bubbling with related chat and laughter.  And then there are the framed movie and band posters that adorn the walls along with stuffed game birds, fish, and ...

    R ecently arrived, a cotton poplin number courtesy of J. Press!  The usual two or three minor alterations are necessary, along with a pressing (pun unintended), but then we're all ready.  I might even take it in a suit bag to my upcoming conference in New Orleans at the start of June, to wear during a planned presentation. Full disclosure here.  I do have a beige suit in the rotation already, and have worn it routinely in May-June and August-September, but I have never been quite happy with the fit.  Somehow, the coat has always been a little off even after the usual alterations.  It's either a Southwick or Samuelsohn oddly, and these usually fit well without too much effort from my tailor.  It's puzzling to say the least.   I know.  I know.  First World problem.  Time to donate it, and begin enjoying this one instead.  Press items fit well without much attention from the tailor, which is what we're really after, ...

  M y colleague and I met in the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation this morning where we were interviewed for 90 minutes or so on generative artificial intelligence in the post-secondary classroom.  An interesting and fun conversation followed.  The finished piece should hit the stands, as it were, at the end of the month in a few weeks. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  T he Grand Duchess and I enjoyed a grand day out on Saturday, when we drove about a hour southeast of East Lansing to Ann Arbor for brunch, some tooling around various favorite shops, and stop at our favorite patisserie-cafe before heading home late in the afternoon.  As we walked along hand in hand toward our first destination, shortly after parking the car, a passerby remarked that we were a striking couple.   I don't know about that, but it was nice of the woman in question to say so.  The Grand Duchess, by the way, wore a navy dress with a navy cardigan over her shoulders, a pair of low black heels, and pearls.  She was certainly the more striking of the two! It was, we discovered, graduation weekend for the University of Michigan, and there were actually many male graduates and family in suits or sports jackets with neckties milling around along with tastefully attired women of various ages dressed to the nines.  Great to see actually, and an in...

  C andidate #3 is, for my money, the person for the job.  Considerable experience, broad perspective, well-connected throughout the college and university due to an array of collaborative pursuits of one kind or another, coherent and detailed vision laid out for the next three years and beyond.  Yes.  I am not on the committee that makes the recommendation to the dean, who will make the final decision and send the letter, but, were it up to yours truly, this is the guy.  And he wore an actual suit (mid-gray), dress shoes, white shirt, and necktie as an added plus.  20 years or so my junior, but someone gets it. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A vintage Hart, Schaffner, and Marx jacket with and English-made necktie, featuring Eustace Tilley of The New Yorker magazine fame, on top. Combined with non-vintage items on the bottom.  But it all works well together. A nother beautifully sunny and cool spring day here with a slight breeze.  Ideal odd sports jacket, khakis, and loafers weather.   This particular jacket is, to my mind, a perfect Spring-Summer-early September piece.  Colorful, yet it doesn't burn your eyes when you look directly at it.   That's a joke , son.  I say, that's a joke.   Anyway, I made the 15-minute trip into campus again this morning for the second of three job talk with lunch events this week.  Normally, I would avoid these.  But the position is for the director of my particular program, and I am now one of the four senior most faculty in it, as hard as that is to fathom, so I feel honor bound to be present and ask probing questions during Q...

  T he best sort of spring day today!  Sunny, breezy, and cool.  Perfect weather for a sojourn into campus for our Spring Retreat, really just a summary of the year and a glimpse ahead to August and the autumn semester.  Oh, and lunch was part of the mix.  Wraps, of which the less said, the better. -- Heinz-Ulrich.

  A very quiet and damp day here at Totleigh today.  I actually managed to sleep until 10am!  Can't remember the last time that occurred.   In any case, a shower, a splash of St. John's 'Madras', some informal attire, and we're ready to put the back porch together for the 2024 season, which will be a nice surprise for the Grand Duchess, who is out with the Young Master right now.  I'll get to that after another mug of fresh coffee and submitting final course grades to the requisite online portal of course.  The navy blue Rugby jersey and leather deck shoes have been in the rotation for years.  The red shorts were an end of season clearance purchase last fall, and today is their inaugural wearing.  A 9" inseam when I stand by the way. In the next week or so, depending on available time, I'll stow the rest of my cool weather attire and finish replacing it with the usual late spring and summer gear, both more formal and the casual stuff.  A...

  N ow and again, the Grand Duchess and I manage to find the time for an adults' breakfast out on Friday mornings once the Young Master has climbed aboard the school bus.  Today was the first such outing in quite some time, and we visited our favorite quick and greasy about 10 minute up the road.   Since I've got a couple of Zoom meetings midday and in the early afternoon, I opted for a sports jacket over an OCBD shirt rather than the more typical Rugby top or flannel shirt.  Hey, it's still quite chilly here in the mornings. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  W orking from home today finishing a podcast script after breakfast, recording and producing the related episode midday, and planning the next eight or nine after the finished episode was uploaded to Youtube.  A bit chilly here today, quite cold with frost overnight, so tweed, oxford cloth, and cords were perfectly comfortable although we had bright sunshine outside all day.   Attire consisted of a J. Press shirt and jacket, Land's End corduroy jeans, and Allen Edmonds suede camp moccasins.  Leather Man orange and navy ribbon belt with brown leather ends and brass buckle not visible.  No change of clothese necessary to hop the Young Master in the car and take him to an appointment after school. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  R egardless of the cut of one's sports jacket, odd pants, suit, or shirt collar, four key words spring to mind when it comes to being intentional about our attire, personal habits, daily interactions and so much else.  Here they are: Polish -- Good manners and ease with people. Sophistication --  Refinement, good taste, and subtlety in not only a social context but also the cultural and intellectual senses . Finesse --  Sensibility, grace, and social competence. Awareness -- Perspective, empathy, and emotional intelligence    And my point?  We should strive to cultivate these qualities in ourselves with (more) conscious intent.  More of the four within and from everyone would make the world in 2024 a far more pleasant place in which to live and operate.  Best of all, these four things cost nothing, making them accessible to everyone regardless of education level or income bracket. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A comfortable combination of lighter weight gear for a sunny, warm Monday in late April today.  Although I really must do something bout those chalk finger prints on the lapel of my blazer.  They've been present for at least a couple of years.  I know.  I know.  Time to dig out my clothes brush, or drop it off at the cleaners. In any case, flying the colors and wearing one of those three new J. Press shirts purchased a few weeks back.  Off the rack, but very comfortable with a perfect fit and nice collar roll.  What's not to like? -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A chilly but sunny April 21st today, ideal for tossing on a light fleece over a Rugby top and corduroy jeans for a couple of hours mowing outside.  These are the results of two cuttings and a light application of organic fertilizer in between.  A number of issues to address up close, including mole damage, but from a distance it looks pretty darn good if I do say so myself. -- Heinz-Ulrich (aka SUBURBAN. . . dad) 

  S omehow, I managed to get myself involved with three different sessions for the virtual day of this year's (internal) teaching and learning conference.  Two others besides my own poster session after lunch today.  The Grand Duchess says I'm too nice.   No matter.  The right sort of attire can help one feel calm, collected, and confident when talking about one's approach to a zoom room full of unfamiliar faces.  Not too formal, but definitely preferable to the jeans, sneakers, t-shirts, and hooded sweatshirts worn by too many male professors everywhere.   Not really the sort of example we want to set for students.  Or, given that up has become down, black is white, and day is now night in the world of 2024, is it?  Sigh.  The necktie, in any case, is a navy grenadine number from Chipp that has been in the collection for a number of years.  Given the shirt and socks, it helps keep things from straying too far into wilder ...

  T here are those days where you run around from one small errand to the next without ever feeling like you have accomplished anything.  Today has been one such day, which kicked off with a visit o our local veterinarian with one of the cats and went from there.   Finally done and home again just in time for the Young Master's arrival home from school in a few minutes.  Some lawn work will follow outside late this afternoon ahead of the anticipated thunderstorms tomorrow. When a whole lot of nothing makes up 2/3 of your day, however, it helps to add a bit of spring to one's step with some comfortable attire as shown in the photographs above.  To wit.  -- Heinz-Ulrich

  A sunny, pleasantly warm day today, so time for the transition to lighter gear!  A bit busy on top, sure, but from a distance the small grid pattern of the shirt is not too terribly offensive.  A solid shirt would tame things a bit though.  A (genuine) taupe fedora completed the overall look.   And yes.  Of course I stick out like a sore thumb, which runs counter to what constitutes a well-dressed man.  But in 2024, it is very difficult to dress presentably and avoid sticking out given the general lay of the sartorial landscape.   I'm comfortable with sticking out. -- Heinz-Ulrich

  W ell, here we are approaching mid-April.  And it might just be about time to swap the cool and cold weather attire for warmer weather gear this coming weekend.  Mid-70s Fahrenheit yesterday, and low 70s today.  Cooler after that later in the week, but I can probably stow the heavier wool items and cords in the cedar closet and safely bring out the warm weather suits, odd jackets, and pants until the fall. Still time of one last hurrah today however.  Cooler enough this morning for a tan pair of cords paired with that recently arrived J. Press jacket.  The latter is light enough, although it is wool, that I might just keep it handy since we can certainly have chilly days in May and June. While classes end on the April 19th this year, I'll still be on campus occasionally into June, so it's not exactly time for khaki shorts, Madras, seersucker and short-sleeved polo shirts just yet.  There's also  conference coming up in New Orleans at the start o...