This morning while attempting to calm my flu ravaged seven-month-old son, I resorted to the household abomination, television. Realizing that Bloomberg, CNN, & the local CBS news affiliate were all inappropriate, I settled on the Nashville PBS station. To (my) great delight, Mister Roger's Neighborhood was the result by default. I would prefer to think long ago I had picked up on the nuances but I had never noticed the details.
I never realized Fred was, well, natty or at a bare minimum a fellow with a well defined sense of style. He sporting a very well made three button charcoal grey (natural & soft shoulder) sack suit - naturally with 1 ¾ inch cuffs, shirt: blue & white banker’s fine stripe straight collar (Press/Andover/or B2), necktie: navy club with gold bear & bull, collar bar, shoes: moccasin style shell cordovan heavy duty double soled loafers (which looked as if there were hobnails in the heel). I observed that his red nondescript sweater was hand knitted.
Being a steadfast believer in, what some call preppie, tradition, I am reassured by what I saw. It is more than a nod to the past, but self-acceptance - genuine appreciation of my own American heritage. I have identical clothing in my closets; in fact, my “Bear & Bull†club tie is an unlined Brooks Brothers that my mother bought my grandfather in 1956. I knew then, that I had made good choices in my on the possibility that my son might give the mirror a wry smile, not too unlike the one I offer the mirror when donning a tie that was also knotted by my grandfather and father. As the credits rolled I strained my eyes (still burning from sleep deprivation) to catch the date that the episode was filmed. It is true that traditional style can become timeless: it looked just as good today as it did in 1984.
Foghorn
(Ben)
I never realized Fred was, well, natty or at a bare minimum a fellow with a well defined sense of style. He sporting a very well made three button charcoal grey (natural & soft shoulder) sack suit - naturally with 1 ¾ inch cuffs, shirt: blue & white banker’s fine stripe straight collar (Press/Andover/or B2), necktie: navy club with gold bear & bull, collar bar, shoes: moccasin style shell cordovan heavy duty double soled loafers (which looked as if there were hobnails in the heel). I observed that his red nondescript sweater was hand knitted.
Being a steadfast believer in, what some call preppie, tradition, I am reassured by what I saw. It is more than a nod to the past, but self-acceptance - genuine appreciation of my own American heritage. I have identical clothing in my closets; in fact, my “Bear & Bull†club tie is an unlined Brooks Brothers that my mother bought my grandfather in 1956. I knew then, that I had made good choices in my on the possibility that my son might give the mirror a wry smile, not too unlike the one I offer the mirror when donning a tie that was also knotted by my grandfather and father. As the credits rolled I strained my eyes (still burning from sleep deprivation) to catch the date that the episode was filmed. It is true that traditional style can become timeless: it looked just as good today as it did in 1984.
Foghorn
(Ben)
