Polo brushed flannel and silk knit tie | Brooks Brothers chino | AE intarsia boot sock | L.L. Bean boot

Today's Outfit

Chaps blue oxford shirt

J. Crew silk knit tie, made in Italy

Polo Ralph Lauren hand-knit pima cotton shawl sweater

Lands' End reversible cotton plaid scarf

Polo Ralph Lauren green Andrew chino

American Eagle marled cotton boot sock

Polo Ralph Lauren shearling Ranger boot

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

Argyle and Stripes

Two two-pair packs of Ralphie's socks - $7.99 each at Marshall's.

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 - Red on Red on Red

Corbin tartan wool blazer

Polo Ralph Lauren oxford stripe shirt

Chaps tartan silk tie

Polo Ralph Lauren pima cotton sweater vest

Oak Hill brown corduroy pant

Lands' End cotton socks

Austen Heller Red Rovers loafers

Today's Outfit - Red Rovers

Polo Ralph Lauren oxford tartan shirt, paisley silk tie, cable knit cotton/cashmere cricket sweater

Polo Ralph Lauren navy wide wale corduroy trouser

Smart Turnout regimental stripe socks

Austen Heller Red Rovers loafers

Today's Outfit - Favorite Fair Isle

I recently acquired my all-time favorite fair isle sweater from eBay. Offered several years ago from Polo, I could never afford the sweater at retail and always found it selling around $100 on eBay. Finally, my luck changed a few weeks back when I discovered it for a list price of only $17.99. I put in a maximum bid of $50, though I figured to be outbid within a few days. Amazingly, no other bids were placed and, after a $5.65 shipping charge, the sweater arrived at my door.

Today I've paired it with a Polo poplin dress shirt, raw silk tie and brown cords, Club Room argyle socks and vintage Mancuso monkstrap shoes.


What's the longest you've waited to buy a long-desired item, whether from eBay or retail, and what was it?

Today's Outfit - Back in Boots

Without power the past several days, I've been unable to work, unable to blog, unable to function. Of course, I'm blessed not to have been worse off, and those still suffering on the east coast are in my prayers. Today I thought it appropriate to share some of my regular cold weather gear. 

Polo cotton flannel shirt - Flannel is a must this time of year.

Polo aran-knit pima cotton sweater - Quite functional and warm for cotton, still stylish. 

Levi's 550 jeans - Everybody needs jeans that can be beat up and worn down in snow. 

American Eagle boot socks - A cotton blend, these socks from the other AE are a fall favorite. 

Eddie Bauer vintage duck boots - With a shearling lining, this $1 thrift find beats Bean's standard duck mocs. 

Not pictured are my Polo quilted jacket and quilted leather (cashmere lined) gloves.

Today's Outfit - Tuesday Orange

Polo semi-spread poplin shirt

Polo silk crewneck sweater

American Living paisley repp silk tie

Polo chinos

Lands' End cotton socks

Allen Edmonds tassel loafers

Today's Outfit - Monday

Polo silk/cotton shirt - eBay, $12

Crooks & Creed pin-dot tie - thrift shop, $1

Lincs fair isle sweater - Macy's, $15

Levi's 550 - Marshall's, $20

Smart Turnout socks - courtesy of Smart Turnout

Allen Edmonds Harvard loafer - thrift shop, $1

My apologies for the awful photo resolution.

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.

Today's Outfit - Thursday Blues

Polo pima cotton sweater - eBay, $16

Polo broadcloth shirt - Macy's, $19

Polo tie - eBay, $6

Vintage worsted wool gabardine trouser - thrift shop, $3

River Island striped cotton socks - $3 (out of $15 five-pack)

Florsheim vintage Custom Grade shortwings - thrift shop, $1

Today's Outfit

Polo tartan oxford shirt - Belk, $23

Polo cotton/cashmere cricket sweater - eBay, $30

Countess Mara bow tie - Marshall's, $8

Polo slub twill chino - ralphlauren.com, $42

Smart Turnout Argyll and Sutherland socks - courtesy of Smart Turnout

Chaps bucks - Kohl's, $12

Today's Outfit

Shirt - Polo Ralph Lauren poplin - ralphlauren.com, $37

Sweater - Polo Ralph Lauren silk v-neck - eBay, $20

Tie - Polo Ralph Lauren repp stripe - eBay, $15

Trouser - vintage cotton/linen - thrift shop, $3

Socks - North Country marled cotton - Marshall's, $4 (two-pack)

Shoes - H. S. Trask bison loafers - thrift shop, $1

Summer in September

Once again calling on family for inspiration, I assembled today's church outfit in honor of my uncle Philip. Though he wintered in Coral Gables and spent summers here in Charleston, he shared a single wardrobe with both locales. That wardrobe was one of impeccable fit, vibrant colors and preppy styling. Living somewhere it's always summer has its sartorial benefits. For my uncle Philip, this meant bespoke linen and silk jackets of spring green, coral and lavender, crisp white linen trousers and equally crisp, monogrammed pocket squares. And though I now own those jackets and trousers, today's outfit is influenced by Uncle Philip but is all my own, pocket square (accidentally) not included.

Blazer - Paul Fredrick (very) lightweight wool/cashmere blend - paulfredrick.com, $75

Shirt - vintage Polo 120s broadcloth - ralphlauren.com, $36

Tie - Ralph Lauren Purple Label - eBay, $16

Trouser - Polo cotton chino (as mentioned here) - ralphlauren.com, $52

Socks (not pictured) - Club Room light blue (matches blazer) - $1.50

*Shoes - Allen Emonds - eBay, $22

*These are my favorite shoes - the most comfortable, (nearly) most beat up, most patinated, most burnished shoes I own - and I wouldn't have them any other way.

JCP Gets Happy

I've never really shopped JCPenney, I'm more of a Macy's guy. However, due to mall renovations, I found myself taking a shortcut through JCP last week on my way to another store. There, I stumbled upon a great selection of Happy Socks. Priced $8 a pair, you're paying mostly for style, not quality. I wouldn't place the construction of these above Target's Merona socks or Macy's Club Room socks, but you'll find a variety of colors and patterns not offered by other stores. Also, at a price of $8 in-store and $6 online (with purchase of at least two pair), this line runs cheaper than designs available on the Happy Socks site.