Archive for November, 2012

United States of Trad: Robert F. Kennedy

It’s time for another United States of Trad post. This post will focus on a man from a family that are often considered to be American royalty; the Kennedys. When people think of the Kennedy men 9 out of 10 times it is of Jack, but me, I prefer Bobby. RFK had a more traditional style of dress than his brother.  He favored button-down collars, repp striped ties and even though he was rarely photographed in a 3/2 sack suit the shoulders of his jackets always looked very natural. I selected Bobby for this post not only on the merit of his clothing, but because I believe that he embodies the spirit that helps to define this style of dress. He was a man that cared deeply about his family and he was passionate about doing what he believed was right. As an admirer of Robert Kennedy I hope that you enjoy the pics below.

Edward and Robert Kennedy at Zoo 1938Bobby (left) and Edward Kennedy (center) at the zoo 1938.

Robert F. Kennedy Being Sworn in to Naval Academy at 17 1943Robert F. Kennedy Being Sworn in to Naval Academy at 17 in 1943.

Bobby Kennedy with wife 1957

Ethel and Bobby Kennedy in 1957.

Bobby Kennedy and family 1958Bobby Kennedy and family 1958.

John Kennedy and Bobby KennedyJohn and Bobby Kennedy in1960. I really like Bobby’s jacket in this pic.

Bobby Kennedy in 19611961

Judge Marshall,Javits & R. F. KennedyThat looks like a 3/2 roll there.

Bobby Kennedy and Roy Wilkins

Bobby Kennedy Repp Tie 1968Bobby Kennedy Repp Tie 1968

And always the family man…

Bobby Kennedy playing football with familyBobby Kennedy playing football with family in 1966.

Robert F. Kennedy Playing Football with Children 1966More football pics.

Robert F. Kennedy with His Children in 1957The “family man”

Kennedy Family at the BeachKennedy Family at the Beach

Bobby Kennedy and dogA man and his dog.

More Trad Homes

Well, I had a post started and almost finished, but it was too beautiful to stay inside and take pictures. I decided that this would be a great opportunity to take more pictures of homes. So, I headed out to walk around one of the most traditional neighborhoods in Springfield, OH. What makes this one of the most traditional neighborhoods in town? Well, it is safe, quiet, and full of families. There is no new construction and trees abound. The streets are lined with boulevards and the country club is close enough for the kids to ride their bikes there to go swimming in the summer. While it has an assortment of large homes of which you can see a few of below it also has many more modest homes. It is out of my price range as of now, but hopefully not forever.

Ridgewood Home

Ridgewood HomeRidgewood Home

Ridgewood Home

Ridgewood home

Ridgewood Home

Ridgewood Home

Ridgewood Home

Ridgewood Home

Ridgewood Home

Ridgewood Home

Ridgewood Home

Ridgewood Home

Ridgewood Home

Ridgewood Home

Ridgewood Home

Ridgewood HomeMaybe it’s just right for me?

Fall Wish List: More Shetland Sweaters!

I have been slowly, but surely checking items off my fall wish list. One of the items in this review I have been thinking about purchasing since last fall and the other since I first saw a Shaggy Dog. If the Shaggy Dog reference didn’t give it away, I will now, these two items are sweaters. Hardly a surprise I know, but still deserving of a post.

Brooks Brothers and Rubgy Sweaters

The first sweater is an oatmeal colored Shetland from Brooks Brothers (BB). I have actually been thinking about a sweater this color since last fall (my first Brooks Brother Shetland). When the sweater first arrived I was a little disappointed as it is a touch smaller than my other BB Shetland. In fact I thought that I may have to return it. On top of that, the first outfit that I tried it with was a miserable fail. After carefully examining the sweater it seemed that it was the shoulders and the neck opening that was making it feel too small. I fixed this by pulling the saddle shoulders area out and down while wearing it. It stretched out a bit after tugging on it and now all is well. On my second outing, I paired it with a pair of acorn colored cords which is what I had envisioned it with all along. The result of pairing the oatmeal sweater with acorn cords was perfect and also sounds like a tasty fall treat!

LE Cords and BB SweaterOatmeal Brooks Brothers Sweater & Acorn Corduroys

The second sweater comes from the soon to be defunct Ralph Lauren Rugby brand. This was only my second purchase from Rugby (my first was regiment striped socks) so I did not know what to expect. I had heard that the sizing was small so I opted for a medium Shaggy Shetland in burgundy. The shaggy Shetland is a brushed Shetland which has a fuzzy (shaggy) appearance and is much softer than an ordinary Shetland. As I stated above it was my desire for a JPress Shaggy Dog sweater and not paying Shaggy Dog prices that drove this purchase. The Rugby sweater set me back less than 1/3 of what a Shaggy Dog would have and I have to say that I am more than satisfied with the quality.  I could live without the suede elbow patches, but it is what it is. As far as fit goes a medium was probably the right choice. It is a touch long and does not hug my collar or hips exactly as I would like, but the shoulder seems are right on. I am not sure that a small would work, but I am tempted to try one and being that they are going out of business in February I might just be able to afford one pretty soon.

Rugby Brushed ShetlandBurgundy Brushed Shetland from RL Rugby

Rubgy Brushed Shetland Close-upBrushed Shetland

Two items crossed off my fall wish list and two more sweaters for my cedar chest! The cords that I mentioned (in pic #1) were also on my fall wish list and will be getting their own review soon. A few of the other items on my list are a duffle coat, duck boots, and chinos which are by far the most challenging item on the list. With the November and December sales season  just a head I hope to get a few good deals and have more to share soon.

The 5 Stages of Life as a Preppy

I really enjoy illustrations and luckily for me The Official Preppy Handbook has a lot of  really good ones. This week I thought that I would feature the 5 stages of life as a preppy using the 5 Prep Personas illustrations that can be found in the OPH. Unfortunately, I could not make the text in the pics very legible which happens to be one of the best a parts of the illustrations. If you do not have a copy of this book I strongly suggest that you purchase one as it is both hilarious and insightful. It is is no longer in print, but can be found fairly easily using the internet. I hope that you enjoy these pictures as much as I do!

The Preppy Child

The Preppy Child

The Prep Shcool YearsThe Prep School Years

The College Years of a PrepThe College Years

The Preppy Young ExecutiveThe Young Executive

The Country Club Years of a PrepThe Country Club Years