Polo gingham shirt | Merona cableknit shawl sweater | Ralph Lauren Purple Label paisley tie | Hilfiger trouser | Alden longwing brogues

CB buffalo flannel | Merona donegal cardigan | vintage Damon tie | Hilfiger chino | Zegna suede chelsea boots

Polo gingham shirt | Merona ombre shawl cardigan | bespoke wool trouser | Frank & Oakland shantung silk tie | Polo | Allen Edmonds Grayson loafers

Today's Outfit - Red Breasted Preppy

Polo Ralph Lauren striped shirt

American Living paisley repp silk tie

Burberry bluish-charcoal windowpane sport coat

Vintage Japanese silk pocket square

Polo Ralph Lauren red corduroy trouser

Merona charcoal socks

Johnston & Murphy vintage black leather wingtips

Today's Outfit - A Hint of Mint

From shirt to tie to pocket square to sock, mint green runs throughout. The reddish-brown tone of the sport coat is accentuated by the tie.

Polo Ralph Lauren striped oxford

Breuer paisley repp silk tie

Burberry windowpane sport coat

Vintage wool pocket square

Polo Ralph Lauren ivory wool/linen trouser

Merona mint green socks

Allen Edmonds chestnut captoe brogues

Today's Outfit

Polo Ralph Lauren striped oxford

Lands' End paisley repp silk tie

Merona cotton cardigan

Polo Ralph Lauren Stanton jean

Lands' End ribbed cotton socks

Austen Heller Whalers

Today's Outfit

Polo Ralph Lauren blackwatch tartan shirt

Tasso Elba cotton shawl sweater

Vintage reversible foulard silk/merino wool scarf

Polo Ralph Lauren corduroy pant

Merona cotton intarsia socks

Bally navy leather loafers

Today's Outfit - Shantung and Such

Nautica windowpane shirt

Polo Ralph Lauren shantung silk tie

Vintage silk and wool scarf

Merona cotton cardigan

Polo Ralph Lauren corduroy pant

Lands' End burgundy socks (not shown)

Chaps bucks

Today's Outfit

Polo poplin shirt

Polo linen paisley tie

Merona cotton v-neck sweater

Polo corduroy trouser

Lands' End cotton sock

Allen Edmonds Maxfield loafers

Today's Outfit - New Cardigan

Polo green/white oxford - eBay, $15

*Merona cotton cardigan - Target, $25

Polo repp silk paisley - ebay, $7

Vintage linen/cotton trouser - thrift shop, $3

Cabot & Sons thick cotton socks, made in Vermont - Marshall's, $2.50 ($5 for two-pack)

**Allen Edmonds Park Avenue - thrift shop, $1

*This cardigan comes from the latest Merona line. It's lightweight yet warm and very well made for such a low price. Also, there's much more depth to the cardigan's colors than is visible in this photo.

**I would generally reserve brown cap-toe shoes for business, but having bought these so beat up, they're perfect for everyday wear.

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?

Wish List - Black Watch Bag

This fall, everybody's favorite plaid will be offered in messenger bag form at Target. Not yet available in store, I snagged this image from the Target press site. The price was not listed, but I'm guessing $30-$40.

As much as I love Black Watch anything, I'm not sure I would buy this. A few years ago, when my only bag was a vintage canvas messenger, I would've picked this up immediately. However, as my style as become more refined, several thoughts come to mind.

The price will be fair, but that's because the bag will be made entirely of synthetic materials. I can't expect leather and wool under $50, even $150.

I have a leather attache for business, this will be for casual settings. So, while my style has progressed beyond the junk I wore when I was 18, do I sacrifice quality for aesthetics? 

Who's to say that, despite the bag's construction, it isn't sturdy and well-designed in general? Perhaps it will last for years.

What are the chances I'll find anything even slightly similar at a thrift shop? 

Crazy, right? I know this decision will be easy when I finally see and hold the bag in store, but until then I can only speculate. Perhaps I'm spoiled by my eBay steals, thrift shop discoveries and such.






Does this bag pass the eye-test for you? Would you buy it based on the Black Watch pattern alone?

Kickin' It in Campsides

Polo Ralph Lauren linen shirt
Rooster Indian madras tie
Merona cotton shawl cardigan
Polo Ralph Lauren chino
Sebago Campsides


Just picked up this vintage Rooster tie for $6 on eBay. Tagged "Bleeding Indian Madras," I can't wait to boil it and see how the colors turn out. The Merona cardigan is one of my favorite knitwear pieces - so much so that I own two. I keep one in place of a sweatshirt for trips to the gym. The other gets worn around the house when it's chilly, as well as for basically any other occasion. The American-made Campsides were a $1 thrift shop find awhile back. Aside from needing fresh insoles, they looked new when I bought them two years ago and  they've held up very well since then.

Shawls and Stripes

Polo Ralph Lauren plaid poplin shirt
Polo Ralph Lauren Irish linen tie
Merona cotton striped shawl sweater

(not pictured)
Polo Ralph Lauren Prospect olive chinos
Club Room olive socks
(Unknown) chocolate suede oxfords

Aside from the chinos, each piece of this outfit cost under $10. The socks came from Macy's while everything else was gathered from the thrifts and eBay.

Cozy in Cashmere and Corduroy

Polo corduroy sport coat, poplin shirt, and argyle cotton sweater
Merona cashmere tartan scarf, Polo shantung silk tie
Polo Berkshire Tan cords, Allen Edmonds Danbury shoes

What do you think of the new layout?

Argyle and Oxford

Amidst weeks of snow, wind, and bitter wetness, a few days of sun have burst through. So the other day, I just had to break out some spring gear when temperatures hit the sixties. 

Polo Ralph Lauren striped oxford - $20
Polo Ralph Lauren linen tie - $1
Brooks Brothers argyle vest - $15

Not pictured:
Polo Ralph Lauren khaki chinos - $30
Merona light blue socks - $2
Sperry Top-Siders  - $35

Return on InVestment

It's absurdly cold outside and it seems...

 my new vest returned to me just in time for a bonfire.

 So off I go, my Polo button-down and Merona cardigan...

 along with an old Polo argyle scarf,

 

all bundled up under my fuzzy, flannel-lined fleece.

Go for the Grape

... the grape-colored sweater, of course.

Polo Ralph Lauren tattersall poplin
Polo Ralph Lauren silk paisley motif
Merona lightweight cotton v-neck

Not pictured:
Cutter & Buck navy wool pant
Club Room navy/green stripe socks
Cole Haan burnished brown wingtips


"My favorite fruit is grapes. Because with grapes, you always get another chance. 'Cause, you know, if you have a crappy apple or a peach, you're stuck with that crappy piece of fruit. But if you have a crappy grape, no problem - just move on to the next. Grapes: the Fruit of Hope." ~Demetri Martin

My favorite fruit is the mango, but I just love this quote.

Basically Blue

Polo Ralph Lauren poplin shirt - $20
Crooks and Creed pin-dot tie - $1
Merona lightweight cotton sweater - $15
Vintage charcoal wool pant - $5
Club Room Argyle socks - $2
Bass Weejuns - $5

On blue... sort of:
"Artists can color the sky red because they know it's blue. Those of us who aren't artists must color things the way they really are or people might think we're stupid." ~ Jules Feiffer

But I'm an artist who dislikes red, so my skies are cerise. 

Back in Black

It's not often I wear black, but it's nice to change things up once in awhile. Besides, there's never a bad time to break out the winter Fair Isle.

Polo Ralph Lauren lightweight flannel shirt - $20
Merona Fair Isle merino wool sweater - $12
Damon paisley silk tie - $1
Merona tartan cashmere scarf - $5

Not pictured:
Polo Ralph Lauren mallard green cords - $40
American Eagle marled cotton boot socks - $4
Eddie Bauer green shell duck boots - $1

"Knowledge is not a passion from without the mind, but an active exertion of the inward strength, vigor and power of the mind, displaying itself from within.”