I remain besotted with 'Old School' knitwear: especially Alan Paine.  I'd very much like one of those Donegal fleck jumpers I read about on here some dozen years ago. 
A Burberrys' '21'.
A plaid driving cap like the one Monk used to wear.
Some worn-in cordo loafers: Alden perhaps.

I solved the 'wife problem' years ago: buy and argue/defend/justify later.

Patrick,
A few years ago I heard an interview with Denzel Washington that would appeal to you.
He mentioned a Far Eastern concept around the Mastery Of Life. It was the principle that as one got older you edited your belongings down to a smaller yet more considered selection. Less is more.
My understanding of the thinking behind this is that each item you retain resonates on a far deeper level because it has gone through a thought process.
My problem is I'm a magpie that is always drawn to the next.

I’m in the same boat as Alvey. Well used to sneaking things from shop to car to wardrobe. Tags, receipts (evidence) removed and disposed of in private. I’ve even gone so far as to secrete items into the attic, waiting a few days, mutter something like “I’m sure I had a…………………. Then climbing into the loft and exclaiming AHA when I find it.
Even so, my mind is turning to Spring. I’ve a craving for madras, ecru, pastel polos. Canvas and boat shoes. Nautical Ivy as AFS called it the other day. Probably more prep than Ivy if anyone cares. But now it’s playing on my mind there’s only one coarse of action.

Last edited by Spendthrift (2022-01-05 10:06:38)

Probably on top of my list is a pair of brown Sebago loafers. Got black which I’m very pleased with. Not so happy with the burgundy Weejuns.
In my head they’ll look great with those ecru five pockets and a polo as I bowl along the marina. Linen jacket slung over my shoulder.
Even though I’ll really be standing in the school pick up queue. Or wandering around Tesco clutching the dreaded list.

My only supermarket rule is that I wear a particular pair of glasses that don’t get worn anywhere else. With a mask and hat I can walk right past anyone that knows me and get the job done and out of there.
Denzel knows what he’s talking about. Remember as a kid you had two or three LPs? You listened to them endlessly. Studied the sleeves. Really got inside and fell in love with them forever. As you get older you collect and spend more and more, listen to it all less, and eventually return to those original favourites. Small is beautiful. But like Alvie I’m too flighty

I have a good friend who works on the principle of '1 in - 1 out' , going back maybe 5-6 years when he was required to wear a suit to work he'd have 3 work suits, and 5 business shirts, changed them every year, 5 off-duty shirts ( RL or Gant),changed them every year, later 3 polos, (I've asked him when he changes his polos to let me have the outgoing ones for gardening , car washing etc !), for the first 20 years I knew him he always wore those JD Williams jodhpur boots, one time he went to buy a new pair from the shop in ( I think) Bond St, bought the new ones and left the pair he arrived in with the sales staff, even extended this to his cd collection when he reached 500, 1 in 1 out, I think the good lady that came into his life 10-12 years ago has softened his approach to his 1 in 1 out policy a little.....

From time to time I make promises to myself (such as, be kinder to Woofboxer) that I fully intend keeping.  Then something seems to come over me, something uncontrollable.  I will note a fleeting Ivy image (else fixate upon one), and all my good intentions fly out of the window.  So, I'm still in full Monk/MJQ mode, in spite of being an ofay motherfucker.  ('Though he tries with all his might, he cannot change from black to white': Mezz Mezzrow tried it, in reverse).  Plaid, Madras, long socks are all on my - brief - list, with a plaid coat way on top, y'dig?  A sports jacket, not a blazer, preferably cotton, though a summerweight wool would do nicely.  I might even begin a fresh (long overdue) experiment with hats.

Staxfan - I’ve always followed the ‘1 in - 1 out’ policy with women, things get too complicated with more than one. I try to follow the same policy with clothes, but not so successfully.

I fully intend to come round and steal your Horace Silver CDs...

Woof - sound policy regarding women, I met my wife when I was 18, so never had that problem , surprisingly still married after all these years.....  trying to apply the policy for shirts in particular....

Jdemy - Moleskin pants

Check out the John Simons sale.