Those are the exact words I used with my tailor as soon as I slipped on my new sportcoat.
You see, it’s been miserably hot and humid here in Virginia. That isn’t surprising. But the heat and humidity make me want to loaf about in Bermuda shorts and a t-shirt.
That’s the problem with trying to find a casual middle ground. You begin to strip away ornamentation (your tie will be the first thing to go, socks next….) and suddenly you find yourself thinking that the sport coat or blazer isn’t really necessary in this sort of environment… And, before you know it, BOOM! Shorts and a t-shirt.
Relaxed grooming standards are the next step. Stubble, long hair. Then a bit of fun. A little color helps. Wrist raff begins to creep in. Paisley shirts may make an appearance for those on the hip path. Aloha shirts, for those who aren’t.
And, as long as we’re sort of all casual and flowy, we can hide a bit of beer belly without all the effort of breaking a work-out sweat.
You see where this is going. And I fell for it, like an egg from a tall chicken (James Coburn, “Charade.”)
But with the severe deconstruction of the sportcoat and the lightweight, open weave, and quarter-lined fabric, this coat is breezy-cool. It weighs next to nothing and lets in a draught.
All of which makes me want to dress up, again.
I like the jacket…share a bit about its maker and composition?
Hello M. Louis. It is a Loro Piana wool,probably a super 120s, if I remember correctly, made for me by my tailor Leviner Wood.
Thanks for the post. I wrestle with two things regarding “dressing up.” The first is I have a professional uniform at work, so I have to wear the same things day after day, washing them in between. The wear and tear this inflicts makes me reluctant to spend much on the the suits, so I try to strike a balance with less expensive suits (hello Banks!), and then get them tailored to fit.
The second is my kids. Everything I wear eventually gets a stain, so I cringe at the thought of ruining something I love that would be difficult/expensive to replace.
But I like my job and I can’t imagine my life without my family, so in the meantime I make my list of what I’ll buy some day.
And your website is a huge inspiration for that list! I imagine you have a lot going on in your life, so if it takes 2 months between each post, so be it! But never doubt I’ll be waiting.
Chris, I love every one of your posts. Thanks. The Sport Coat is beautiful and the color is perfect for sunny days. I love the slight pink accents that will pull in the red tones you might be sporting in other articles of clothing.
Yep, a lovely jacket. Glad to learn that it has re-inspired you. I feared you were about to admit to wearing (shudder) cargo shorts, flip-flops, a backwards baseball cap, and sunglasses on the rear of your head. There is no known cure for Dudebroism at this point, you realize.
Best Regards,
Hein-Ulrich von Boffke
Love, love the jacket and the shirt with it. I get a little giddy when I drop in on you, Chris, and love the way it makes me go stare into my closet and rethink the belted waist, and vow to wear only skirts for the next few weeks. That means a fresh pedi, and resole my favorite Lauren sandals. And a new bottle of Beach. You always inspire me!