Back in school, many many years ago, I had a boarding school prep roommate who lived large in a lot of ways. He and his buddy from their Hunt Country highschool would daily consume MASSIVE amounts of Red, White and Blue beer, often while watching General Hospital in the afternoons. -You can't really blame them. That was during the time of Luke and Laura, afterall. He also had a bevy of very attractive girls (Meg and Cathy looked like stand-ins for Ally McGraw in Love Story) who loved his style; the Hickey Freeman jackets, the closet full of Brooks Brothers buttondowns, Elvis Costello albums, etc. As laid back as he was, his ex-military father was super straight-laced and formal.
With the exception of his choice of belt. He wore creased gray flannels with starched white buttondowns. Very conservative, but he used thin repp ties as belts. He literally tied them like one would around the neck but at the waist and it looked pretty freaking cool.
Would I dare wear a stunning equestrian tie as a belt to the Montpelier Races and leave the maker dangling for all of the world to see? If it's Charvet, I would. Like the man says, it's so wrong, it's GOTTA be right.
14 comments:
A piece of rope or string works good too.
The stripes are facing in the wrong direction. Unless of course you served on the Ukranian Navy....
I'm not gonna lie, Mr. Trad, I'm not a big fan of the Holden Caulfield meets Huck Finn look. But I don't have your eye.
I'm still sporting a 23 year old, exceptionally well-made, Ralph Lauren brown braided leather belt. I've dressed it up with flannels, but mostly wear it with khakis. And it's evolved - along with me - from Duck Heads to Bill's.
The exposed Charvet label, however, is darn pretty funny...and, honestly, you can pull it off.
I saw Jim Dandy wearing a rattlesnake as a necktie the other day.
Do you think that Joe Biden shops at the Mens Wearhouse or at Jos A. Bank?
Biden definitely buys his clothes from an online specialty retailer: www.cheapsuitsforcheappoliticians.com.
I always thought those colored silk things were headbands!
Mr. Weekender,
"The Holden Caulfield meets Huck Finn look."
I'm afraid that you've just given away Ralph Lauren Rugby's raison d'etre.
-Don't expect any invites to see Ralph's car collection any time soon.
Mr. Buford,
Have you been hanging out Jethro Bodean again? Remember The Bodeans? -Good band.
Mr. Pipp-Boddington,
Vertically worn, you're absolutely right (British v US repp stripes). However, since it's worn horizontally, that rule doesn't apply.
Felix,
In the summer, Jim Dandy uses Corral Snakes as neckties because they go with his Nantucket Reds.
Anon 5:57 & 11:54,
I really can't add anything to that.
Ms. Sunflower,
I think the message is to wear them any way you'd like!
No way. Jim Dandy wears a King Snake and just tells people it's the venomous doppelganger. You should always remember, Mr. Trad, that "Red on yellow is a poisonous fellow, and red on black does venom lack."
Bucky, on the other hand, wears a green mamba as a bow tie.
I like Wisconsin cheddar better than Vermont cheddar. You should do a post about cheese, Mr. Trad.
Why is Timmy talking about cheese in a thread about wearing ties as belts? I'm all for equality for little people and such, but sometimes his comments are just plain silly.
Anyway, back in the late 80s, me and Ed Koch wore ties as belts...but just once. The Gap had a terrific marketing campaign going. They were using Herb Ritts and Annie Liebowitz photos of celebs shot out on Fire Island, and Don Fisher and Mickey Drexler asked if we'd play along. What a hoot. My image - which never got nearly the attention as that of the ailing jazz legend Miles Davis, and which taken on the same afternoon - was shot wearing flat front khakis, a chambray shirt and my own vintage crimson and blue Bert Pulitzer repp tie.
Later that day, still in our beach garb, we met-up with Mike and Lowell Milken for dinner at Elaines. Well, those Drexel boys in their off-the-rack Brooks Brothers separates, had quite a laugh at our expense. Exactly one year later, however, at the conclusion of his Fatico hearing and the imposition of a ten-year sentence by the then unknown Judge Kimba Wood, I had the chance to laugh at Michael. I didn't. And I haven't since.
And I prefer sharp Vermont cheddar.
We don't wear striped ties...ever.
Eagle Eye,
"Snakes, why'd it have to be snakes."
Timmy,
While I would greatly value your suggestion, I must discount it because you didn't mention North Carolina cheese. -If you want the most delicious fresh-from-the-farm products, IT MUST BE NC!
Ghost,
Forgive me but there is so much in the rich tapestry that you've woven that I can't untangle it all (me being from NC and all).
Submit a short story with HALF of the names that you've mentioned and the New Yorker or the Times Weekend edition will pay you big bucks for it.
Ukrainian SAILOR,
You're right that ENLISTED sailors are forbidden from wearing stripes but officers are required to wear them. In fact, they wear candy cane 'Uncle Sam' striped pants on shore leave.*
*To my knowledge, they do not have such uniforms. But they should.
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