Stax - I’m recovering from a bit of ill health, currently I’m off sick and things are tending towards the direction of retirement, but much remains to be decided. I’m at home more at the moment so wearing dossing about/gardening type gear a lot. However unless I’m going out jogging or cycling I make a point of dressing smart/casual, for want of a better term.
Woof - that’s pretty much my approach, ( now 2 yrs retired), trying to avoid the easy option of trackies/ t’s, hope the health issues are being resolved, cheers
Well I've not checked this thread for a while. My thoughts:
The Turkish in Beeston: I've eaten there, it's good and better than any other Turkish places I know in Nottingham. But the Turkish and Kurdish places in Leicester are noticeably better.
Sex in Oxfam changing rooms: doesn't appeal to my conservative tastes. Nor does it do the staff (most of whom are volunteers) or customers any favours. Fortunately it's unlikely it actually happened.
People who volunteer in charity shops: it's more than most of can be bothered to do so unless their behaviour is heinous, they deserve some gratitude and respect. I've never had a problem with any of them and appreciate their contribution.
Attending a funeral in a leather jacket, black shorts etc: I don't usually judge people on their dress however only a complete arsehole would do that. If he came to my funeral I'd rise from the dead to give the bastard a few choice words.
Last edited by Yuca (2022-03-31 14:01:10)
As for 'Brooks Brothers "Makers" OCBD I picked up from a Thrift Shop as NOS' and 'Very elderly Florshiem "Imperial" plain-toe derbies, complete with V-cleat. Oxblood shell cordovan': outstanding.
As was once said in a different context, don't knock it unless you've tried it. And I'm not referring to raki in 'Anatolia', either.
I don't think I have ever tried raki. According to the internet it's a good accompaniment to red meat so I might order a shot next time I have a kebab.
Have a large glass of their very cold Tuborg followed by raki, you might miss the last bus home.
Tastes not unlike Ricard, with that cloudy look after the water and ice are added.
Alec Wilder:
ON BEING A CURMUDGEON
Page 7 of Balliett's book.
I enjoyed finding that.
Thanks Yuca, high praise indeed!
Today: Olive green drop-shoulder sweat-shirt from Community Clothing, Uniqlo flat fronts chinos; I wear them kind of baggy and controversially, rolled up at the ankles to a full break. They're that rather nice goldy-sandy colour they do.
My favorite pair of socks: Solid navy blue jersey, I think they're from Rototo but I'm not 100% certain. I wish I could remember so I could order some more, they're so soft and comfy on the inside but look pretty ordinary on the outside
Sanders playboy shoes in snuff.
Invertere field coat
J.Press Irish lambswool scarf in autumnal colours (!)
Makers OCBD - periwinkle
Paul Stuart sweater with shawl collar
L.L.Bean chinos
Thick socks
Florsheim Imperial PTBs
Spring is in the air - isn't it?
Yesterday- Buffercoat tan cord, Tootal, blue Makers OCBD, Alan Paine navy crew neck, wheat colour Levis, suede Sanders loafers, Stetson newsboy cap.
Today - Burberrys tan suede varsity jacket, Alan Paine navy crew neck, white Makers OCBD, LVC 501s, Asics Gel Lytes, navy Ebbetts Field ball cap with a polar bear emblem.
Duck Head chambray shirt
Blank Russell Athletic sweatshirt
My last pair of 501s
Battered, misused Sebago jacket
Astorflex desert boots
Off to see my elder daughter (who has Covid), her mutant offspring (Easter eggs, yum) and their dopy labrador.
Just returned from a short break in Rome. Where I spent my time walking the streets, sight seeing, sipping cappuccino, espresso, negroni and red wine (depending on the time of day), and eating good food in bars and trattori frequented almost entirely by locals.
Capsule wardrobe consisted of;
Shirts; Light blue US Brooks OCBD, Old light blue Muji OCBD, Indigo Gant bd, Navy Lands End polo
Shetlands, One navy, one mustard yellow
Trousers; Newish 501s turned up, Gant 'Arley' 5ps, desert colour
Shoes; Black Sebago loafers, Brown leather 'Nam Clarks db's, Chocolate suede MiE Clarks db's
Modern Brooks 3/2 wool herringbone
Tobacco corduroy soft shoulder two button
Dark navy fly fronted mac
Herringbone Newsboy
I return refreshed and enthused. Ready to fully embrace the continental slant on Ivy, and will shortly be enforcing an unspecified period of suspension on anything I consider 'too English' in my wardrobe.
Lovely Spendy, I've been contemplating a solo visit to Rome myself for later in the year, possibly September - any recommendations welcome.
A fly-fronted not-too-long Mac in either Navy or off-white is on my shopping list also.
Mixed bag of weather here in southern Ireland today;
Pale blue JSAC OCBD with pocket flap, tan chino's, Church's chukka, Olive green JSAC/Grenfell Harrington. Standard stuff for me at the moment.
Is a face mask required in Rome? Or any other covid requirements ?
Happy to let others fly until things settle down more.
Eurostar looks quite appealing though. Bruges, Ghent etc.
Tim, the best advise I can give is one I didn't follow myself, wear sensible footwear! Rome is best experienced on foot, and it's mainly cobbled. I genuinly believe that I was the only person in the city slipping and skidding around in loafers and desert boots, particularly by day. I wouldn't have changed it though. I had a very clear idea of how I wanted to dress for the break, and I wasn't going to let practicalities get in the way.
Rome isn't as expensive as I thought it would be. Very reasonable in fact. Almost one in four shops is an independent menswear. They far outweigh ladies clothes shops. So budget a bit extra for that maybe? I wasn't there for shopping, but there was some very nice stuff at decent prices, particularly shoes and shirts (some really nice button downs, which I wasn't expecting). All seemed to be Italian made. There's a Brooks Brothers shop which is worth a browse, but it wasn't as interesting as the independents around it.
One piece of advise which I'm sure you wont need. They dress well. Not flash or obviously expensive. Just well considered. Kind of office casual in daytime, smarter for evening. Like it matters to them. I was there for four days and didn't see one person wearing a hoody, track pants, football or slogan T shirt or gaudy trainers. It was just nice to be dressed normally (for me) and not feel like the only one bothering.
I don't know what the mask situation will be like in Sept', but they're absolutely insistent on FFP2 anywhere indoors or on public transport. We saw a lot of people turned away even though they did have other masks on.
Fly fronted mac, I am a fan of beige, but find I wear the navy one a lot more. It just seems more practical in dirty rain. Maybe also it's less of a statement than beige?
Kingston1an - 'Is a face mask required in Rome? Or any other covid requirements ?'
To be honest, I was expecting them to be very lax. Not so. We saw a lot of people turned away from public transport, The Vatican etc. even though they had a facemask on, just not FFP2, which you can pick up in any pharmacy there. They're very hot on it anywhere indoors, even in a bar or restaurant until you sit down.
We needed all the usual proof of Covid jab stuff to fly out, and at bigger attractions like the Vatican/Colosseum etc.
Lovely Spendy, thanks for the thoughts. I'm too fat to really compete with the Romans dress-wise, I love that though, "well considered" - if only things were like that here. "Active wear" yuck. I'm thinking two full days tops, with half a day either side probably. The beauty of self-employment (AKA the dole) is I'm flexible and can go mid-week. Thanks for the heads up shops wise too, I wont be there to shop necessarily but I never say no. Better start brushing up on my non-existant Italian!
P.S. L'Impermeable packable from JS look nice. One in each colour is a distinct possibility. Anyone got one and can offer thoughts?
Tim, I reckon you could do it in two days if you weren't fussed about seeing The Vatican Museum or Sistine Chapel. We were out of season, but the sheer volume of people at those places meant you could only be a part of a very slow shuffle around it all, which seemed to take up a lot of one day in itself.
Or you could not buy those two macs and stay another couple of days? If they're packable they must be very lightweight. I like a mac to have slightly more weght to it than that. Practical as the hood might be, I'm not sure I'd ever want to use it. Possibly beacause I have no hair to protect. Probably though because I think once you put a hood on a mac you're getting into parka territory.
Tim, I have a L'Impermeable raincoat, it is the ' Martin' which is heavier than the packable but still light, they did stock at Chiltern St last year I think, I'd been considering one for a while but had to convince myself I needed a raincoat at £350+ that I'd only wear occasionally, ( I was double jammy picking one up on ebay purely by chance NWT for £95 in sage ), I'm very pleased with it, would have been happy to have shelled out full price once I'd seen one 'in-the-flesh',
Thanks both. I'm currently in a weird frame of mind where I'll gladly fork out top dollar for an item of clothing if I think it looks good and will go the distance, quality wise.
No real desire to see the Sistine Chapel or the Vatican (in general) - there's enough photographs of it to gawp at should you feel so inclined. A bus tour is a great way to see a city in my opinion, hop-on, hop-off. The Coliseum would be of interest also, along with alot of the Architecture. 10 minutes worth of living out my Ripley fantasy will probably do me!
Should also have said, I agree in principle about the weight of a mac but I'd like to try and find a happy medium - I have a genuine Mackintosh mac, not in a colour I'd wear anymore (I hang onto it out of sentiment) but it's too heavy, plus it's rubberised cotton and I hated that, it makes you as sweaty as anything - and it leaked like a bloody sieve.. Something light-weightish, unlined and made of something that'll shed water and not require ironing every time it see's the light of day. Too much to ask?!
Tim - the L'Impermeable ' Martin' ticks all those boxes, but it is wrinkly, I think that gives it character and I'm not so fussy about folding it so well !
Thanks Stax, hopefully they'll have one in JS I can have a look at when I'm over in a couple of weeks time.