The rules and standards of the basic
tenets of dressing well are, for men at
least, pretty rigidly defined. However, living in Boston, Ole Ma Nature throws one a hell of a lot of
curve balls (and breaking balls, and knuckle balls, and off-speed pitches). A
fella's got to know how to adapt.
It's June, but it's rainy, dreary and downright chilly. Not one to opt for clothing grossly out of season, I instead reached for a light blue "chambray"( read: '
Brookslinen', a blend likely comprised of mostly polyester with just a touch of actual linen, and a chambray like weave. Who cares? It wears well, looks good, and cost cheap) jacket by Brooks Brothers ($7.49), with khaki pants (J.Crew "Essential Chinos", $5.49), and a nautically themed shirt and tie ( navy shirt by Polo, $.99, tie by Brooks Brothers, $.99). A Summer
palette at heart, though not to cheery for a grey sky.
I'll admit, I'm not really one for a dark shirt and light jacket combo, but I dig this navy button down. I think it sets off the light blue jacket nicely, as well as the burgundy tie. The gingham cotton square holds it all together, as the little details most often do. Could be that a navy button down is finding it's way into 'staple' status in my Summer kit. Yes, it's a dark shirt, but the overall nautical tilt of this color scheme makes it all o.k....I think...
Down below (or below decks...forgive me, but besides living in Boston and the proliferation of sea-faring themes in much of the classic American
men's wardrobe, I've also been reading Herman Melville lately), a dirty old pair of
Converse Chuck
Taylors, in natural canvas. Recently, a reader sent us a link to
this article in the Guardian about dressing one's age. While I agree with about 90% of it, that bit about a man of 34 being too old for Chuck
Taylors was too much. True, black high tops and
fluorescent colors are best left to the kids, but I see no problem with a stylish man of any age wearing natural canvas, white, navy or even red if he's zesty. Seriously. Besides, that blue jacket has a way of screaming "Bob Hope" if I'm not careful. Gotta keep it in check with a vital dose of youth.
Finally, the Scrimshaw tie bar was probably a bit much with the sea gull and anchor tie. Oh well, call it a
curve ball.
It's June, but it's rainy, dreary and downright chilly. Not one to opt for clothing grossly out of season, I instead reached for a light blue "chambray"( read: 'Brookslinen', a blend likely comprised of mostly polyester with just a touch of actual linen, and a chambray like weave. Who cares? It wears well, looks good, and cost cheap) jacket by Brooks Brothers ($7.49), with khaki pants (J.Crew "Essential Chinos", $5.49), and a nautically themed shirt and tie ( navy shirt by Polo, $.99, tie by Brooks Brothers, $.99). A Summer palette at heart, though not to cheery for a grey sky.
I'll admit, I'm not really one for a dark shirt and light jacket combo, but I dig this navy button down. I think it sets off the light blue jacket nicely, as well as the burgundy tie. The gingham cotton square holds it all together, as the little details most often do. Could be that a navy button down is finding it's way into 'staple' status in my Summer kit. Yes, it's a dark shirt, but the overall nautical tilt of this color scheme makes it all o.k....I think...
Down below (or below decks...forgive me, but besides living in Boston and the proliferation of sea-faring themes in much of the classic American men's wardrobe, I've also been reading Herman Melville lately), a dirty old pair of Converse Chuck Taylors, in natural canvas. Recently, a reader sent us a link to this article in the Guardian about dressing one's age. While I agree with about 90% of it, that bit about a man of 34 being too old for Chuck Taylors was too much. True, black high tops and fluorescent colors are best left to the kids, but I see no problem with a stylish man of any age wearing natural canvas, white, navy or even red if he's zesty. Seriously. Besides, that blue jacket has a way of screaming "Bob Hope" if I'm not careful. Gotta keep it in check with a vital dose of youth.
Finally, the Scrimshaw tie bar was probably a bit much with the sea gull and anchor tie. Oh well, call it a curve ball.