Archive for October, 2017

In this post I hope to help you get that great looking tweed sport coat out of your closet and into your life. Whether it’s sitting there because its a touch too big or because your office is a no-sport coat zone this will help. I previously mentioned wearing Shetland sweaters as outerwear. I do the same with sport coats, and often with the help of a sweater.
I don’t remember when I acquired it, but I have a great 3/2 sack herringbone tweed sport coat from Brooks Brothers that just sits in my closet. It is the most perfect color of brown and has all of the right details. It is an ideal jacket for me, but…it doesn’t fit. Its just too big That’s not the jackets fault by the way. I got the, “I can make those measurements work” mentality when I pulled the trigger. Hindsight, right!
Last week we had a few days that started between 35-40 degrees. As I was getting dressed on one of these mornings I thought, “What if I try to wear that brown tweed over this Shetland?” I threw it on and even though it did not look perfect I thought it looked good. I also knew that I would only we wearing from my parking lot to the office and back so perfect was not nearly as necessary as something that I would be wearing all day. Good enough would suffice.
At the end of the day (literally) I was happy with my decision. This sport coat will definitely be paired with a Shetland and used as outerwear again. Odds are if you are reading this blog you have taken similar sizing risks with vintage jackets and have one that fits this description just hanging in your closet. This is a good way for them to see the light of day. Also, if your office is not tweed friendly pairing it with a sweater can help it become a piece of outerwear.

Warm weather is know for all of its “fun” clothing, but fall has fun too. To be honest the summer needs it, because wearing a jacket and tie can be a challenge plus there is little to no opportunity for layering. Fall brings tweed and shetlands back into the mix which is plenty exciting for most, but this post is for those that like a little more oomph.

1. O’Connell’s Long Sleeve Sport Shirt – Cotton & Wool – Panel Tartan – $99.95 (Each one is unique)

2. Brooks Brothers Red Fleece Tartan Cotton Flannel Fun Shirt – $ 69.50
3. Polo Ralph Lauren The Iconic Oxford Fun Shirt – $89.50

4. Polo Ralph Lauren Patchwork Vest – $245

There you have it. Proof that even as the temperatures drop that you can still tell them all to GTH. While fun shirts may not be my thing I like that others like them. Each of the above items has its pros and cons (like the ticket on that vest!), but I wanted to highlight a little something for everyone. Last thing, the patchwork on the vest is perfection in my book.

P.S. Don’t worry I haven’t forgotten about our critter friends!

There is no better way for me learn to than by example. That is why I am going to take some to shine some light on my friend Chase H. Winfrey. This guy knocks consistently knocks trad looks out of the park and does it his own way.
I could spend this whole post waxing poetically about how Chase kills it on regular, but I won’t. I want to focus on one specific image. You know, the one above. In my humble opinion this is trad perfection. He holds it down on all three fronts. He has the right items in the right colors in the right fit.

First there are the trad aesthetics. It is clear that he knows what is what in the world of trad. He has the 3/2 sack blazer with patch pockets (the importance of patch pockets are underrated in my book), OCBD, flat front trousers with cuffs, and penny loafers.

Not only does he have all the right items, but he also has all the right colors. The blue blazer, blue OCBD, and blue emblematic tie all work really well together as there is enough contrast between the blues. Next up he incorporates olive trousers, off-white socks, and brown/burgundy penny loafers. From top to bottom none of these colors compete for attention, but instead they create a harmony.

I probably should have started with this, but the proportions are so on point here. Nothing looks too big and nothing looks too slim. To me this is the most impressive part of the whole rig. The fit and cut of those trousers are about as close to perfection that one can get. This is not easy to do!

If you, like me need the occasional style inspiration I encourage you to give Chase a follow on his Instagram (Chasehwinner). Not only will you find more great examples of trad done right, but also extremely cool menswear illustrations (Like the one below!) as well as some gorgeous items from Drake’s where he currently slangs clobber.