As Dean Martin would say Tempus fugit… baby. Who knew that a very short and to the point post on April 24, 2007 would lead me here?
It’s been two years of naval (blazer) gazing here at Easy and Elegant Life. There are things that I have left undone. I have yet to hear back from any of the famous people I’ve written and asked to weigh in on what defines elegance. I have yet to finish my book on the subject. I haven’t been able to podcast yet and I’m still searching for answers myself.
On the flip side of the coin, I did manage one video. Thanks to all of your support and Meg of Pigtown-Design, a bunch of money got raised to help our fellow Americans get enough to eat. Easy and Elegant Life passed the half a million hits stage a while back. And, I continue to learn so much from you, my readers and the growing online community of aesthetes. Together we are narrowing down the elusive quality that is elegance whilst having a little fun along the way.
So today, I thought it appropriate to pause for a moment in our discussion to see how you’re doing.
Tell me, what would you like to see more of? Do you have any questions that need answers? I’ll be happy to pontificate.
Happy anniversary! Always happy to be here. Cary on.
And today, those kids are investment bankers…which explains a lot.
I am quite enjoying your blog. Keep up the great work!
And Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary! You’ve done such good work over the past two years. I am so pleased that we had the chance to do something good together! xoxo
Chris,
You give so much to your readers, I think we should be asking you if you need anything from us on this Anniversary. It seems the wardrobe posts stir the most passionate and entertaining responses. I’ve asked your opinion of several things off line, but at the moment I am at a loss for anything new. A ‘Dear Abbey’ place to post questions as they arise would be entertaining. I’d like to know what questions other readers need answered. Perhaps I wouldn’t feel like such a knuckle dragging redneck!
I’m a loyal fan. Have a wonderful weekend.
Thank you for such a charming and educational blog. In your search for how to define “elegance”, have you read “Class: A Guide Through the American Status System” by Paul Fussell (1992)? I thought it was wonderful and hysterical – and I laugh to myself whenever I think of it – how vulnerable I still am to what others think of me and my possessions! When will I ever grow up?
in the top 5 best movies of all time. Sadly, I have no words of advice for you as this is my first visit. So far so goo. lol. Happy Weekend. …and good luck.
Congratulations! I enjoy your posts a lot. Onward and upward!!
ML
mlanesepic.blogspot.com
Happy Anniversity! Chris I love your blog, I haven’t read it for a long time, maybe you have done this…. perhaps more of how you pass along your taste and style to your family. More photos of course!
Your entry (on or around New Year’s) encouraging readers to follow a passion, get a hobby, to commit to an interest, etc., was a welcome message and inspiring. Any medium, blog or elsewhere, that promotes an examined life and a gracious life gets the nod from me! As far as future subjects go, I still think a few posts on how to dress for travel–a formula to print out perhaps, since I rarely allow enough time to pack–would be terrific. I am also always interested in making home life more pleasant, more elegant, more fun. Raising gracious kids could be worthy of discussion, too. Congratulations on your success!
Very good Paula! Thanks. I’ve put two posts into the draft queue. Both you and Karena touched on the family aspect. Interesting topic and one with which I wrestle daily.
And, thank you everyone. I couldn’t have done it without you. Well, yes I could, but it wouldn’t have been half as much fun and certainly much shorter-lived! Your comments, questions and examples keep me going.
Kind Regards,
Chris
Chris,
Congratulations on the milestone and happy anniversary! I really appreciate the civility (with humor) that you bring to the blogosphere.
Kindest,
Courtney
I like the personal pics too!
Mr Oh So Elegant,
don’t do too much soul searching…you’ll create frown lines on that handsome face.
write something ‘snarky’…..that might be fun and a change of pace for you.
do a post on an elegant place to stay and vacation at.
try bermuda. you seem like you would be quite at home there.
it is personally my favorite island, because it is one of the last places that you can really ‘dress’ for dinner.
men must wear dinner jackets in all the better hotels.
i just love that !
xx
I enjoy your blog just as it is. But if you are just looking for new and different approaches, you could try a take on ‘open line Fridays’–perhaps occasionally featuring a guest blogger or someone else you have chosen to submit a post, screened, of course, by yourself for quality and interest. You could also review a great, gracious, and elegant vacation spot or hotel once a month. Also something you could ask a guest blogger to submit for you (or have an interview with).
Congratulations on your anniversary. I discovered you only recently, but have read most of your old posts; they always give me pleasure and inspiration. Someone mentioned travel – yes I would love to see more on this. I deplore the way most people dress for journeys – my fellow Brits are among the worst in the world ! Also could you consider the subject of spectacle frames ? They make such a difference.
Congratulations on your anniversary. I encourage my son with your style (being ever so subtle, as to avoid a rebellion back to sagging jeans).
Congratulations. Your blog is totally sui-generis. Classic and Classy. I’ve got a question, actually. Is it ok to wear striped shirt (I’ve got one the other day from Jeremyn Street) and polka dotted tie? I’ve been told that pin stripes suit and polka dots tie go together but what about striped shirt? Thank you very much.
Congratulations. I like visiting your blog every day.
Cheers from Brazil.
Hello Mr. Jones. Absolutely and please do.
It’s a question of scale. Here are two examples, but with bow ties. The same principle applies. It seems that I tend to stripes with stripes and more stripes. Dots with tattersalls… hmmm.
http://easyandelegantlife.com/2008/05/13/being-overdressed/
http://easyandelegantlife.com/2009/02/18/beau-tied/
Ideally, your shirt stripes should be smaller and closer together and therefore you may wear a dime sized dot on the tie. If the shirt is very exuberant and you will be wearing it with a striped suit, you may want to opt for a solid tie that picks up one of the colours of the shirt or the dark ground of the suit, just to be less dazzling.
The safe”theory” is that your patterns start smaller and get larger as you head outward ending up on your suitcoat. E. g. pinstriped shirt, dime sized dot on tie, chalkstripe suit, solid pocket square. Lay out the combination on a bed, step back and look. Trust your eye. (Or send me a photo and I’ll be happy to give it the thumbs up or down with complete discretion.)
Dear Mr. Jones, I was a bit hasty and should have mentioned that you may wear a very discreet, smaller dot tie. I am assembling three photos right now to illustrate the point.
Your commentaries on the “comments” are as interesting as the posts themselves; congratulations on having created such a fascinating blog-world. I also love to read the “how-to-dress” bits.
Thank you all. I also realized that I just passed 500 posts… Yikes. And still learning.
Bevglen, Wednesday’s for you.
Well done ! I check in regularly – it’s nice to know there are men out adding a bit of class to life.