Classic. Modern. Style. Thoughts.
Growing up in New England, I was raised in a family that, stereotypically, cherished thriftiness and a well-worn aesthetic. In a household of five boys, it was both economical and a practical imperative. That top image is a little before I showed up, but rest assured that I wore pretty much all of that gear…
A few years ago, I wrote about achieving what I broadly referred to as the “college professor” look. Grounded more in cherished stereotype than classroom fact, the tweeds, corduroy, tortoise shell glasses and leather dispatch case round out an idealized look. While more inspiration than practical, this style embodies classic Ivy League charm and blends…
In fashion, certain cultural indicators are reassuringly obvious. They can clearly say “French,” like a Hermes briefcase, or “American,” like a Louisville Slugger baseball bat. Often, they are immutable, solid and stable examples of permanence in a fast changing global marketplace. However, as the saying goes, the only constant thing in life is change. The…
In honor of Earth Day, I decided to revisit one of my favorite columns on the green aspects of classic style. Now more than ever, it’s important to think about the effects, small and large, that we have on the environment and on our rather tiny planet. Classic style – however you choose to characterize…
To my mind, the cooler months are to men always the kindest when it comes to getting dressed in the morning. That’s when we get to pull out the fun clothes and really take advantage of the many options that make classic menswear great. We get to layer. I’m talking about stuff like chunky longwings,…
I recently talked about the of v-neck sweaters, one of your cold weather wardrobe’s most versatile tools. It is, however, not the only option when it comes to lightweight or mid-weight sweaters. The other option is of course the standard against which all sweaters are measured – the crewneck sweater. The crewneck sweater is a…
With cooler weather firmly planting itself across the globe’s Northern hemisphere, it’s time to break out the warm weather clothes. Even those of us who work in cozy climate controlled offices are feeling the need to layer. One of the most versatile pieces of clothing that should be in your winter wardrobe is a fine…
Mike T. from Scottsdale Arizona recently asked if OTC has ever written about bow ties. Mike has been sporting them for 30 years and I couldn’t be happier to hear it. As a guy from New England, and an Ivy League college town to boot, I know from bow ties. I have long been a…
A couple of months ago, as the weather was heating up, I posted a piece about Smart Turnout’s new line of argyle socks. Although I still think wearing lightly patterned argyle in the summer is a fun, albeit incongruous look, it’s now Autumn and this is truly argyle season. Argyle’s classic design of overlapping diamonds…
Dear Sir, I apologize for the unsolicited email, but I thought it you might have a free moment you might be able to help with something. I am about 6 feet tall and prefer the windsor knot. I have noticed that the short end of my tie, once the knot is tied, is much shorter…