Anybody can put on what is called 'Trad' (or CAD) in the U.K. and be bestowed with instant cool. It's very hard for that not to happen over here. Same in France, Italy, Germany, Spain. (If I'm wrong Daniele, slap me down - It's fine.)

Over in the U.S. (Who, let me be clear, OWN this style) anybody can put on' Trad'/CAD and be met with some very mixed reactions indeed it would seem (... I've read about all this on other internet forums).

Turn it all around -
Americans wearing Savile Row = No problem. Honestly. If anything, an Englishman will like you more if you wear it.
... So what about an Englishman wearing Savile Row? Honestly I think the 'Class' thing has gone - All you will look is clothes-savvy & rich (And being rich is nothing to do with 'Class' in the old sense now over here, if anything the real upper class are often broke & look like tramps in my experience.)

So why is U.S. 'Trad'  playing with the whole taboo frisson of Class status symbols? And doing it in 2003- 2006?
WTF?
And WHY?
This is cultural and very little to do with the clothes for the hardcore who wear the clothes as a badge of faith.
Help me understand?
I say it is 'Reactionary Chic' transplanted from the U.K. 20 years on into the U.S. and adopting U.S. styles of dress & calling them 'Traditional' as if they were a Scotsman's Kilt.
What is going on in America to produce the current 'Trad' movement on the internet? Are we seeing nervous people clinging to imagined old certainties?
- Not in every case, but just the vociferous hysterical minority? (sp? I'm sure).
Let me tell you that the genuine European Upper Classes do not behave in this way & that you look damn odd out in the big wide world if you think that by being a snob you look 'posh'. The reverse is true. Snobbery always looks Lower-Middle class at best.
So why are people playing 'Blue-Blood' in this day & age?
What's going on? (That was Marvin just then, that was.)
Miles