In The Eye of the Beholder

Michael Bastain by Mister Mort

Many men worship at the altar of Michael Bastain. I don't blame them, Mr. B is a rare talent, who usually designs clothing that real adult men can actually wear.

The photo above, taken by Mister Mort, shows Michael during NY Fashion Week wearing a fashionably short, shawl collared, double breasted herringbone number. He had me at the shawl. Perhaps missing a button or two.

Toad

The joke is on me

Horizontal stripes are in for Spring

Ghurka trousers

Car guys call it a "ten footer". When expressed as "it's a ten footer", it means that from 10 feet that car doesn't look bad, but as you come closer.... Camilla Parker Rolls is a 10 footer on her off days, so am I.

Sadly, I really love it, it fits perfectly, and like lingerie has a few Toadisms that only I know. I've spent too much time trying to convince myself that no one will notice the direction of the weave. It's enough that I know, and I can't escape that. Maybe if I only wore it at night.

The lining is from an old sari.

I had ordered replacement fabric, but couldn't bring myself to deliver it. The new suit would forever be tarnished by the memory of its other. Better to move on. Before consigning this suit to the island of misfit toys, I felt it deserved an airing. Go ahead and laugh. I did. It's a ten footer.

Toad

what do you think?

The answers are often obvious once you get the questions right.

I do not know where the photo above is from, I snatched it from Manifest Destiny, who snatched it from...?. It feeds my linen jacket addiction and also inspired what I believe may be a great idea. I'll test it out on you first.

Over the past few summers I've had several linen sport coats made. At the time, I was larger, now very little of my summer wardrobe accommodates the new me. I'm not dismayed by that, nor since I still have a way to go, am I looking forward to shelling out for new duds. These are troubled times.

So it's back to the closet, and on to the tailor, making do with something old, something new. But what to do with the linen jacket collection?

Suppose they became double breasted jackets?

Admittedly, with the jaunty red and yellow numbers from Peterman, my signature summer look would be DB, but I could live with that. Beats letting old friends rot in the wardrobe.

Any thoughts?

Toad