My "Dad Outfit"

I've been told I dress very well for my age. I suppose I should take that as a compliment, given the how most twenty-four year old guys dress. I've also been told I dress like an "old rakish gent," or an "old man", in general. I certainly take those remarks as compliments, given how my father inspires the way I dress. From my childhood I remember him wearing tasseled kilties everywhere. In fact, on the weekends he would wear outfits just like this - a cardigan or rugby layered over a sport shirt, madras shorts and his beat up kilties. Call such an outfit trendy and trad, I don't care. To me, this is simple, timeless, American style.

Cardigan - Merona marled cotton - Target clearance sale, $8

Shirt - Polo cotton/silk blend - eBay, $12

Shorts - vintage bleeding madras - thrift shop, $3

Shoes - vintage Florsheim Barletta - thrift shop, $1

How has your father inspired your style?

Necktie Emporium Review

What's so special about this tie? Several things. First, it was sent to me by Necktie Emporium in order to write my first-ever sponsored product review. Second, it's unlike any tie I've worn since childhood. Third, I've been honored not only to receive this tie, but to have the opportunity to give it to my father, for a very particular reason.

I begin this review by reasserting my belief that any grown man should know how to tie a tie. However, not every man is physically capable of doing this, whether from arthritis, muscular dystrophy, stroke and so on. Several years ago my father had a stroke, and he has been without the use of his right arm since that time. Left completely incapable of setting a tie for himself, he began using clip-on ties.


Necktie Emporium offers a variety of traditional, clip-on (including bow ties), and zipper ties for both men and boys. Though when given the opportunity to choose any tie for review, I chose this clip-on specifically with my father's needs in mind. It's hard enough to find a clip-on for an adult, even harder to find a quality piece made of silk.

In picking this tie, I was blessed to find exactly what my father needed and wanted. The metal clip is incredibly sturdy, yet easy to put on or take off with only one hand. Not only did I attempt this at least twenty times, my father did as well and had no issues. The tie knot is hefty enough to fill the collar gap and create the illusion of a traditional tie. Beyond all this, as you can easily see in the photos, the tie is actually woven very well. Composed of 100% silk, the tie rather thick, very soft, and excellently stitched. A nice bonus with this piece is a lifetime warranty from the clip manufacturer.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with my experience. Necktie Emporium puts out a solid variety of products, including traditional ties which I look to order for myself some time soon. Moreover, this is a company that stands behind its products and offers quality at a low price, providing great value to the customer. From the first email I received about doing a review until the time my tie shipped, the company representative could not have been kinder nor more accommodating. I even received a personal letter in the tie box. My thanks go to Necktie Emporium and my readers for making something like this possible.

What We Will Still Learn

I wanted to write sooner, but family business has kept me busy.

Happy Father's Day!

Hope you enjoy the reissue of one of my first posts, and a slight expansion of thought below.

 What We Will Learn

I was blessed to go through an incredible line of public schools. My high school is admired for its academic and athletic accolades but has long been infamous for its snobbishness. The resentment is unfortunate, but I admit, some of it has been earned. We were always the rich and preppy kids, the true tale of the Preppy Handbook (though I hadn't heard if it at the time). If you've read my first post, you'll know I wasn't among the collar-popping masses.

I tried to be as time went on, but I never quite felt like them. I had no car, no trust fund, no membership at the country club and no lodge at the ski resort. My father always had that classic, traditional substance without the accompanying bank account. I learned it all from him and have continued to grow.

My friends, the ones I was formerly so envious of, have stopped growing. They play it safe. They stick to the daily - a Ralph Lauren polo and chinos/jeans and boat shoes. These guys haven't heard of Brooks Brothers, and they certainly haven't heard of Paul Stuart, Gant or J.Press. Their days consist of some school and a lot of sleeping and drinking.

Obviously, I'm a fan of Ralph but I go beyond that. And obviously life isn't about style, it's about substance - the substance that resonates from my father. From my father I learned what true class is.



 --------------

This is a photo from Christmas of 1993. Practically everything in my life has changed since that time. I've gained and lost many, many things. However, one thing to remain constant is my unceasing admiration for my father. The old post initially focuses on style, but of course there's so much more to life than that. With the passing of my great aunt and the occurrence of Father's Day, I'm reminded that the love and dedication of family comes before all else. And with such things come respect, loyalty, dignity, bravery, pride. Such things are the substance, the class emanating  from my father.

Again, happy Father's Day!

Sincerely,
Scott Alexander

What We Will Learn

I was blessed to go through an incredible line of public schools. My high school is admired for its academic and athletic accolades but has long been infamous for its snobbishness. The resentment is unfortunate, but I admit, some of it has been earned. We were always the rich and preppy kids, the true tale of the Preppy Handbook (though I hadn't heard if it at the time). If you've read my first post, you'll know I wasn't among the collar-popping masses.

I tried to be as time went on, but I never quite felt like them. I had no car, no trust fund, no membership at the country club and no lodge at the ski resort. My father always had that classic, traditional substance without the accompanying bank account. I learned it all from him and have continued to grow.

My friends, the ones I was formerly so envious of, have stopped growing. They play it safe. They stick to the daily - a Ralph Lauren polo and chinos/jeans and boat shoes. These guys haven't heard of Brooks Brothers, and they certainly haven't heard of Paul Stuart, Gant or J.Press. Their days consist of some school and a lot of sleeping and drinking.

Obviously, I'm a fan of Ralph but I go beyond that. And obviously life isn't about fashion, it's about substance - the substance that resonates from my father. From my father I learned what true class is.

Christmas: circa 1993

A litte, dandy me in 1993.

All life should be a meritocracy.