[Vecchio Vespa]

I am very much a TNSIL type, but I find myself more and more relaxed about my dress, to the delight of my nearly 40 year old daughter and son in law, both thoroughly Texan. Unless I am dressing with coat and tie or for dinner at a fancy restaurant, I leave my shirt untucked. In summer (10 months of the year here) I usually wear an untucked long sleeved shirt with cuffs rolled, shorts, and camp mocs. In cold weather it is the same sorts of shirts paired with unearned corduroys. I rarely wear socks. I'll knock around, go to the grocery or the hardware store, or go out for BBQ or enchiladas in jeans, boots, tee shirt, and cowboy hat. If it's cold I'll pull on a Shetland or a sweatshirt over the tee. I draw the line at athletic shoes. I find camp mocs a far better choice. How much have you relaxed your dress in this changed and still changing world?

 

[Theoden]

I'm not retired, so I can only relax so much.

I wear camp mocs more than any other shoe in warmer weather. In summer I'll wear OCBD's with sleeves rolled up, untucked, over shorts, polos and even, gasp T-shirts from my favorite beach towns in Cape Cod.

 

[TomKnighton]

Well, I was wearing jeans and t-shirts daily until earlier this year and now I'm a member here.

I mean, I actually set foot in an honest-to-God tailor's shop for the very first time today. Sneaky SOB even sold me some OCBDs for what might be argued to constitute theft in some jurisdictions, too.

In other words, I think I'm on the opposite trajectory. 😁

 

[vonSuess]

When did this go from a forum about dressing well to a forum where old guys come to brag about how poorly they dress these days?

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

When did this go from a forum about dressing well to a forum where old guys come to brag about how poorly they dress these days?

I thought (hoped) you were ignoring me. Your disdain for others' discussions is off putting enough to wonder why I visit here. If you actually have some more appropriate subject matter, please offer it. If you don't, perhaps Ask Andy should fold its tent.

 

[Peak and Pine]

I thought (hoped) you were ignoring me. Your disdain for others' discussions is off putting enough to wonder why I visit here. If you actually have some more appropriate subject matter, please offer it. If you don't, perhaps Ask Andy should fold its tent.

Not sure I get the connection between your thoughts there. He's just one piece of blight. Don't think he's contaminating the entire forum, try though he might.

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

Not sure I get the connection between your thoughts there. He's just one piece of blight. Don't think he's contaminating the entire forum, try though he might.

Merci! Please let us know what new acquisitions and projects are gracing your corner of Maine!

 

[smmrfld]

I thought (hoped) you were ignoring me. Your disdain for others' discussions is off putting enough to wonder why I visit here. If you actually have some more appropriate subject matter, please offer it. If you don't, perhaps Ask Andy should fold its tent.

To put in perspective, this is the same character who referred to Hickey Freeman as "settling" in another post today, would likely dress in a tux for a kid's birthday party, and in the past shared wardrobe requirements for his household staff. Clearly living in some other galaxy.

 

[TomKnighton]

To put in perspective, this is the same character who referred to Hickey Freeman as "settling" in another post today, would likely dress in a tux for a kid's birthday party, and in the past shared wardrobe requirements for his household staff. Clearly living in some other galaxy.

Well, there was one thread where his response to people being concerned about nice clothes being ruined dealing with kids a birthday party was to just have the au pair handle the kid, so yeah.

Honestly, I figured him for a subtle troll.

 

[127.72 MHz]

I am very much a TNSIL type, but I find myself more and more relaxed about my dress, to the delight of my nearly 40 year old daughter and son in law, both thoroughly Texan. Unless I am dressing with coat and tie or for dinner at a fancy restaurant, I leave my shirt untucked. In summer (10 months of the year here) I usually wear an untucked long sleeved shirt with cuffs rolled, shorts, and camp mocs. In cold weather it is the same sorts of shirts paired with unearned corduroys. I rarely wear socks. I'll knock around, go to the grocery or the hardware store, or go out for BBQ or enchiladas in jeans, boots, tee shirt, and cowboy hat. If it's cold I'll pull on a Shetland or a sweatshirt over the tee. I draw the line at athletic shoes. I find camp mocs a far better choice. How much have you relaxed your dress in this changed and still changing world?

I have been semi-retired for the past four years. I still go into the Laboratory a day or two per week. So, I still don to khakis, LHS's and either a scrub top or OCBD with jacket or sweater.

Other than that I share much of your "Uniforme du jour".

I usually wear an untucked long sleeved shirt with cuffs rolled, shorts, and camp mocs.

In cold weather it is the same sorts of shirts paired with unearned corduroys. I rarely wear socks.

If it's cold I'll pull on a Shetland or a sweatshirt over the tee.

I find camp mocs a far better choice. (I have about six examples from Rancourt, Quoddy, vintage LL Bean, Mephisto or plain moccasins from Arrow.)

 

[Dhaller]

I was so dressy as a young man that I almost had no choice but to relax.

In the 80s/90s (my "college years" being more like a decade spanning those two from mid-to-mid), my daily wear was at least a sport jacket & tie. Even in summers, I wore linen or linen-blend sport jackets.

These days, ties are for things like the Symphony.

I actually have embraced "athleisure". I'm pretty active, and for those purposes of course athletic apparel makes sense, and I am willing to step it up from mere "sweats". My home wear is primarily athleisure as well. I mean, it's awfully comfortable.

I flirted with the untucked thing briefly, but these days I only wear untucked that which is meant to be untucked. Camp shirts, guayaberas, and such.

I have veered back again into "dressier", in large part because of my daughter - I just feel a good hedge against slovenly Dad-habits is to be the well-dressed Dad. Of late, in cool weather, for instance, tweed sport jackets and v-necks. Kind of an academic vibe, but without the slovenliness. Still no tie, though. Plus I'm pretty svelte of late (funny how one can be fitter at 50 than at, say, 30), so I can well enjoy tailored fits.

Addressing Von Suess' concerns: I think there comes a point when one has well mastered the "rules" of dress, and so one can be a menswear enthusiast while still breaking the rules... artfully. Sprezz and so on. Somehow, there's a subtle difference between Joe Troglodyte schlubbing around jeans and an untucked button-up and Bosworth Brummell doing the same... maybe it's the way they carry themselves? Kind of a sartorial equivalent to Jorge Luis Borges' "Pierre Menard".

DH

 

[Tiger]

I am very much a TNSIL type, but I find myself more and more relaxed about my dress, to the delight of my nearly 40 year old daughter and son in law, both thoroughly Texan. Unless I am dressing with coat and tie or for dinner at a fancy restaurant, I leave my shirt untucked. In summer (10 months of the year here) I usually wear an untucked long sleeved shirt with cuffs rolled, shorts, and camp mocs. In cold weather it is the same sorts of shirts paired with unearned corduroys. I rarely wear socks. I'll knock around, go to the grocery or the hardware store, or go out for BBQ or enchiladas in jeans, boots, tee shirt, and cowboy hat. If it's cold I'll pull on a Shetland or a sweatshirt over the tee. I draw the line at athletic shoes. I find camp mocs a far better choice. How much have you relaxed your dress in this changed and still changing world?

I've become more relaxed as well, although no sneakers for me unless I'm doing something athletic. Also, I often leave shirts untucked when I'm home, but always tuck when I leave the house.

 

[Tiger]

When did this go from a forum about dressing well to a forum where old guys come to brag about how poorly they dress these days?

"Alex, I'll take gratuitous personal insults for $100, please!"

 

[David J. Cooper]

I have relaxed my style a tiny bit. I was in SF a couple of weeks ago and I bought a pair of Allen Edmonds sneakers. They look like brown Stan Smiths. They seem great and I imagine myself wearing them a lot in the spring. Thoughts of wearing them with my navy Cordings linen suit have crossed my mind.

I have bought and worn a few tee shirts lately, but only to the Farmer’s Market or to sit on the deck. They all have this logo on the front:

 

[Tiger]

I have been semi-retired for the past four years. I still go into the Laboratory a day or two per week. So, I still don to khakis, LHS's and either a scrub top or OCBD with jacket or sweater.

Other than that I share much of your "Uniforme du jour".

I usually wear an untucked long sleeved shirt with cuffs rolled, shorts, and camp mocs.

In cold weather it is the same sorts of shirts paired with unearned corduroys. I rarely wear socks.

If it's cold I'll pull on a Shetland or a sweatshirt over the tee.

I find camp mocs a far better choice. (I have about six examples from Rancourt, Quoddy, vintage LL Bean, Mephisto or plain moccasins from Arrow.)

I prefer boat shoes to camp mocs, but they're in the same family. Love cords; have dressier ones for dinner and nice occasions and more relaxed pairs for casual events. Lots more suede boots, too!

 

[vonSuess]

Imagine that. All it takes to hurt so many tender feelings is for someone to stand for dressing well on a forum about dressing well. Not sorry...

 

[Tiger]

Imagine that. All it takes to hurt so many tender feelings is for someone to stand for dressing well on a forum about dressing well. Not sorry...

"Dressing well" does not mean always being well dressed. I believe it means being appropriately dressed for the occasion/event/weather, etc. Last Saturday afternoon around the house, I was wearing jeans, a sweatshirt and boat shoes. Later on for dinner at a restaurant, I was wearing dressy cuffed cords, a pinpoint OCBD, a quarter-zip cashmere sweater, and Alfred Sargent dress boots. When we returned home, I changed into sweats (as did my wife) and we watched a bit of television (Endeavour, if you're curious). I wore shorts and a t-shirt to bed. I was "well dressed" only for dinner, but very appropriately dressed for everything else. If you don't understand the distinction, well, no point in further discussion.

Most importantly, you chose to insult a longstanding and exceptional member of the AAAC community in order to make a questionable sartorial point. That's what so many of us have found objectionable, not your misplaced views on "dressing well." A little kindness makes even an Oxxford suit look better...

 

[127.72 MHz]

Imagine that. All it takes to hurt so many tender feelings is for someone to stand for dressing well on a forum about dressing well. Not sorry...

I have only been here since 2007 and I have never seen anyone define this forum as being solely about "Dressing well." I think you are mistaken.

Since I have mentioned that my semi-retired attire is very similar to the OP's let's define "Dressing well" in context.

My unbuttoned OCBD from Mercer and Son's (with white crew or V shirt.), Bill's khakis, Rancourt or Quoddy camp mocs, or possibly a well worn pair of Alden LHS loafers. If I needed to run an errand or two I might button my shirt and throw on one of dozens of my now vintage sport coats or a Barracuta Harrington jacket.

In my opinion, what I have described is a big part of what Ask Andy About Clothes is about. Moreover, I find what I have descried is as much a part of "Dressing Well" as me in one of my 3/2 sack suits with a mirror shine on my shoes.

There's no shame in a small measure of humility.

 

[Vecchio Vespa]

"Dressing well" does not mean always being well dressed. I believe it means being appropriately dressed for the occasion/event/weather, etc. Last Saturday afternoon around the house, I was wearing jeans, a sweatshirt and boat shoes. Later on for dinner at a restaurant, I was wearing dressy cuffed cords, a pinpoint OCBD, a quarter-zip cashmere sweater, and Alfred Sargent dress boots. When we returned home, I changed into sweats (as did my wife) and we watched a bit of television (Endeavour, if you're curious). I wore shorts and a t-shirt to bed. I was "well dressed" only for dinner, but very appropriately dressed for everything else. If you don't understand the distinction, well, no point in further discussion.

Most importantly, you chose to insult a longstanding and exceptional member of the AAAC community in order to make a questionable sartorial point. That's what so many of us have found objectionable, not your misplaced views on "dressing well." A little kindness makes even an Oxxford suit look better...

Many thanks for explaining these critical distinctions so elegantly.

 

[vonSuess]

"Dressing well" does not mean always being well dressed. I believe it means being appropriately dressed for the occasion/event/weather, etc. Last Saturday afternoon around the house, I was wearing jeans, a sweatshirt and boat shoes. Later on for dinner at a restaurant, I was wearing dressy cuffed cords, a pinpoint OCBD, a quarter-zip cashmere sweater, and Alfred Sargent dress boots. When we returned home, I changed into sweats (as did my wife) and we watched a bit of television (Endeavour, if you're curious). I wore shorts and a t-shirt to bed. I was "well dressed" only for dinner, but very appropriately dressed for everything else. If you don't understand the distinction, well, no point in further discussion.

Most importantly, you chose to insult a longstanding and exceptional member of the AAAC community in order to make a questionable sartorial point. That's what so many of us have found objectionable, not your misplaced views on "dressing well." A little kindness makes even an Oxxford suit look better...

Really Tiger, must you always be so middle class?