Easy and Elegant Life

The Search for Everyday Elegance and the Art of Living Well.

TBC? TCAT Casual

A cool, grey and drizzly day (hurrah!) here in Richmond, VA. We need the rain, but mornings like this make it hard to get everyone out of bed. Particularly when we’re all recovering from or in the midst of colds. Which means that I had less time than usual to get myself presentable for the morning commute to drop off the kids at school.

Bernhard Roetzel once mentioned (I’m paraphrasing) that he drops off his children in the morning and although he is casually attired in a pair of cords, shirt and sweater, he is by far the best (and most) dressed parent in the carpool line. Since I heard that, if I’m not on my way to a run, my solution is to throw on a sweater and slacks, or a shirt and khakis at least. Whilst I am not the best attired man in line, I remain inoffensive.

Today, with the slight chill (it is about 60ºF) in the air, I got a chance to break out my Hackett cotton sweater for the first time. It came to me by way of London, Spain and New York via the Queen Mary II. It is more elegantly travelled than I.

(My lighter grey flannels are still too heavy to wear and I substituted brown Belgians for the leather espadrilles that Mr. Grant wears in “To Catch a Thief”.)

Now, this is obviously a pale imitation of a sartorial icon starring in a very stylish classic movie, but aping that sort of look does up your game a bit. Consider a sweater and slacks combination for casual workplaces. If the neckerchief is too much for you, wear a polo shirt or button down underneath. Keep them slim cut so as to not billow out the sweater more than necessary. If you get warm, the sweater goes over your shoulders. Or tied around your waist for an impromptu game of touch football.

8 thoughts on “TBC? TCAT Casual

  1. Mr. E, You are looking wonderfully fit these days, which makes pulling this look off a real cinch. Well wishes for continued healthy pursuits.

  2. No doubt if CG was around today he would be a daily visitor to E&EL.
    Great look.
    Best wishes,
    BarbaraG

  3. may I comment for the 1st time please – I have been reading your blog for some 2+ years now and do appreciate getting contemplation, inspiration and a savoir-faire/savoir-vivre-feeling from it.

    thank you !

    and yes, may I say so this is, imho, a “luvely” combination 😉

    btw “To catch a thief” is one of my favourite movies … I have been “studying” it for some 6+ years now, on a yearly basis, with all the extras on the dvd.

    all the best – auguri di buon prosuegimento & forza la sprezzatura

    Lucia

  4. probably by now you guessed I’m reading your posts backwards (trying to get up to dat after a exahusting business trip) so you know I think it is a very smart outfit.
    I hope your kids are feeling better.

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