Year of the Turtle

It's not often I accept sartorial advice from our dogs, but Charlie has declared this to be the fall/winter of the turtleneck. I'd prefer a non-winter, such as we had last year, but the odds are long on its rehappening so soon, so I clicked on the computer and went shopping.

My closet is full, my seasonal needs are zero, I would like 3 turtlenecks.  For Christmas several years ago #1 son gave me a black pima cotton Ralph turtleneck, which I adore.  I became hooked on Ralph's turtles, accepting few substitutes.  This season I'm searching for just the right green and waiting for a dark gray to arrive.  I'd be a more confident shopper if I believed the colors on my monitor.

Last winter I faux pawed as we say around here.  Unwilling to suffer for my art I purchased a creme, cotton Orvis submariner sweater.  I knew better, I simply did not do better.  I should have then, and have now acquired the wool RAF/Submariner sweater from What Price Glory.  The Orvis is good, this is better.

Shopping  'till Spring is over.


Mississippians around the world have a holiday today in honor of Wm. Faulkner's birthday.  He'd appreciate you sharing a bit of whiskey with friends on his special day.

Toad

Why reinvent the wheel?

Photo from Ralph Lipschitz

I believe I'll toss most of summer wardrobe away and wear what Mr. Lauren wears. The Jacks make it Perfect.

Toad

I spy

Pay attention to the photo of Mr. and Mrs. Lauren taken at Wimbledon sometime in the past several days. A relaxed, well dressed couple at a summer outing. Perfect.

One can only imagine the self imposed pressure they must feel to be perfectly turned out wherever, whenever they go. I couldn't handle it. I usually look like an unmade bed 10 minutes after leaving home.

Later, I came across the photo below of Mr. and Mrs. Lauren taken at the Pebble Beach Concours D' Elegance seven years earlier. Look familiar?

The first rule of style is to know what works for you and stick with it. Clearly, they've found their summer event uniform, and it works beautifully. Personal style does not require a large wardrobe.

Toad

Hope

The holiday niceness has finally begun to take its toll. I feel a need to let loose my inner male, or at least give it a winter airing before bottling it up until spring.

Rephrasing Yonks who asked over the weekend that if the Mayans are correct and come the winter solstice next year we're toast what would you want to accomplish this year?, I'd wonder how to spend that last day. Your answer may depend upon where you lie on the belief in the afterlife continuum.

Given assurances that in fact the Earth and all on it were going to perish later in the day, my final moments would likely be unpleasant for Lauren Hutton, who probably has her own plans, which likely don't include me.

As long as the probability of universal destruction is low, I took comfort from a recent J Crew catalog. Like Ralph, J. Crew is allergic to using adult women as models, perhaps because there are so few whom "toothpick" pants would flatter. Accidently perhaps, Ms. Hutton appeared in J Crew ads once upon a time. Looks like her granddaughter, the one with the American teeth, has replaced her.

Zank heaven, for very tall, 'tween girls who like to play dress up. Now that I have that out of my system...

Toad

cricket anyone?

Michael Harrison-Bonhams

I apologize to my Anglo friends and visitors but I must admit upfront that I know positively NOTHING about cricket. Couldn't name the who's who, don't know the temples of the sport (everyone knows Lord's right?), haven't a clue who the teams are, have no idea what ashes are, couldn't save the gods of the sport if discovered in a police lineup.

In Mayberry, the only hope of seeing cricket played is to wander into the Indian neighborhood, or behind the Hindu Temple on weekends. I rarely stop, unless the food fair is going on.

Knowing nothing is not the same as disinterest. At a garage sale this week I picked up several copies of Cricketers of Vanity Fair by Russell March, not for love of the game, but simply for the clothes.

ADG could wax nostaligic and intelligently about Vanity Fair prints, I'm merely a poser, but a bit of history I do know. VF was published weekly in England from November 1868 until January 1914. On January 23,1869 it was announced that beginning the next week a full page cartoon of an entirely novel character would run. The ubquitous VF prints are its linear descendants.

From Mrs. Blandings

Most of the following photos are taken from the book and were included in the original print run of the newspaper. Most are Victorian.

You have to appreciate any game adult males (is that an oxymoron?) play that has a dress code. Players trousered in white flannel with the ADG sanctioned 2+ inch cuff.

I'd sell my soul to find a pair of vintage cap toed cricket boots in some ancient relative's closet. Your soul too if they fit. Till then it's bucks for me, unless you have a pair to share. The jacket may be a bit much however.

A striped linen jacket would be nice however.

100 years on even Ralph has gotten the hang of it. Not so sure about the club collars. Is the young lad wearing girl shoes? At his age I would have been whipped like a rented mule before donning white sandals with socks. Even for money.

Toad

Follow up

A while back I posted about Ralph's pretty good driving mocs on sale at Herrington's catalog. At $99 I found them a decent value. My only argument came with the sizing. Upon arrival of a replacement pair one whole size larger than my usual, all is well.

The online store still shows them at $99 but I have a catalog which says $89 that I used to reorder. Maybe they'll haggle.

Save me, Please

Someone buy this please and save me from temptation. Buy it now $134.99 US.

Toad

POLO men's spring/summer shoes

Spring (or fall) has sprung, hallelujah!

How was the full moon? It rained here, so we missed it. It did get me thinking of all the Merlin's eons ago building their solar temples to gods long forgotten. How many waited all year for the equinox or solstice's first light, vital for placement of the all important observatory, only for the day to be overcast?

Overseer at Stonehenge telling the boys to go away until next year, maybe they'll have better luck. Until then, Merlin is on notice.

I suspect he probably got one pass, then off with his head. Who needs a cursed magician?

Now that it's Spring we can think seriously about spring raiment. Today I'm thinking shoes.

Of the many catalogs which windup here, the most like those found in airplane seat backs is Herrington's. Treasures from all corners of the earth. Treasures you are amazed you ever lived without. Treasures, and the occasional odd useful item.

Saturday's catalog had a load of Ralph's pretty good penny loafer driving mocs, in a wide variety of sizes and colors. An arguable bargain at only $99.

If you self tan, you may appreciate a pair in Porsche Orange.

I wanted the green suede but popped for the Brown/Linen number.

Happy days are here again.
Toad

Toad and the Turtle

I like turtlenecks. Especially black ones, so when Number 1 son asked what I wanted for Christmas I said a black turtleneck. Unless you are a Steve (Jobs or McQueen) every man needs at least one in his closet.

Black turtlenecks exude a certain debonair insolence to mere mortals, an undeserved sophistication. A way with words, and silences.



What I really meant, and I knew it when I told him was, I like the idea of turtlenecks more than the execution. As much as I like the look, even on me, the neck always gags, and before long I've stretched it until I look even more like a potato sack.

So I give them up. So much for the slimming power of black.

Several years on I'm certain I need a black turtleneck, and the cycle renews.




Except this time the shirt fit. First time, out of the box, brand new. Still I look like a svelte sack of spuds, but now I don't care. One of Ralph's better numbers. I feel sophisticated. Adult.

Many thanks to #1 and family, you've hit a home run.

Toad

Is Ralph out of his mind?

At first glance I thought maybe, just maybe Ralph had finally lost his mind. The more I thought about the more certain I became of it. Finally, the true genius of the plan hit me. Ralph, old boy, my hat's off to you. Not only did you have to endure teams of naysayers, the economy is not righters, pragmatists and non visionaries, but once again, you had to show the bastards the power of the brand.

Desperate times require men of vision. Dreamers. Doers, not nit-pickers.

I received an email of the weekend announcing Ralph's New Amercian Icon collection.

By chance, I clicked the accessories link. $275 for a leather D ring belt felt steep, and not much in this sector appealed. Reminded too much to the western stuff of 20 years or so ago.

Then I tried the shirts. Oxford plaids, tartans, denim in classic and custom fit all competitively priced. The pants; cord, moleskin, twill appeared good value as well.

Like all collections not everything will appeal to all shoppers, but overall I think Ralph has a hit on his hands. Timing the intro for the holidays is another great touch. If the stores have inventory for Christmas, they'll sell bunches.

Toad

Cool Guy, and Birthday Boy: Ralph

If Ralph did nothing other than give birth to Lauren cologne I would sing his praises forever. It is the only cologne I can identify, and only one I truly love.

I gave Mrs. T a bottle once. Unfortunately, somewhere between the factory and home it had turned vile. My unsuspecting bride, always questioning my taste, thought I delivered a skunk. No explanation that something was wrong, no offers to replace would ever do. Lauren was verbotten.

A girlfriend of hers, when moving gave her part of bottle of the good stuff, but still she would have none of it. Occasionally, I spray some on Charley.

It's easy to have sport at Ralph expense, but certainly not on his birthday. His ubiquitous, now cliché, over priced polos, the BIG BOOK, the car collection, the lifestyle are all fodder for amusement. Much of his design sensibility may be stuck in the 1930''s, but as a society we owe Ralph a great deal.

To my view of the world, without his impermature, a lot of clothes we take for granted would have died unmourned long ago. Who else kept tweed alive? The citizens of Lewis and Harris Island celebrate Ralph's life, and are eternally grateful for his annual fall looks. It keeps them alive. Fair Isle sweaters? Norfolk Jackets? No one else, but Ralph.

Imagine the magazine publishers in fashion or design that would commit ritual suicide before losing RL's advertising. Single handedly they must keep a lot of the publishing world employed in these troubled times.

Ralph married the love of his life, Ricki Ann-Low Beein 5 months after the movie release of A Hard Days Night (December 20, 1964). They have been going at it ever since.

I have 2 wishes for Ralph's birthday. First, I wish Mary Randolph Carter, his master of publications would publish a book of the early ads photographed by Bruce Weber. It would be a best seller. No, most aren't in the Big Book.

Second, I understand that fashion models are 6 foot tall 100 lb 14 year old Amazons, but would it hurt to use an adult woman periodically?

Happy Birthday Ralph. You have made our world brighter.

Toad

Toad Shops Globe

I'd be happy to say I don't watch much television, but even I may be stunned by the length and breadth of such a lie. For Mrs. T, television is the background music of life, me I'll take Bach.

One show I do enjoy, and it pleases me to live in an era when my shopping lists via the convergence of the Internet, Google, EBAY, and PayPal, can be fulfilled by others rather than my having to roam the worlds markets is The Sundance Channel's Man Shops Globe .

Each week, Anthropologie's shopping guru scours the world for unique finds to fill their shops. As I watch the program I'm both amused by the scope of things available, while at the same time ethically challenged by the process of liberating local artisans wares, on the cheap to sell on the high street.

One episode stopped me in my tracks. Most boys are collectors, I'm no exception. While in Jodphur they stopped in the local market to see what treasures were available. I stood transfixed, as they quickly discarded rack upon rack of my childhood treasured lead British soldiers from the Raj.


Since we are each 6 degrees from a decent rolodex, it wasn't long before I discovered a source in Jodphur of my own. Shopping for silk for a new dress or suit lining? Check EBAY. Vintage Sari silk and crepe de chine at give away prices.



Thank you Paypal. If you happen to be in India, or have your own stash, I'm always looking for more, thank you very much.

Unknown to me until recently is that every last nut and bolt in an Anthropologie store is for sale. If you see it, it has a price. That is most unlike my favorite shops to eyeball, the adult disneyland of Ralph Lauren's flagship stores. As a rule, you risk having your hand slapped, along with a brief monologue with security if you so much as get too close to some of the display goodies.

So where does all Ralph's stuff go?

Sothebys of course.


With some regularity Ralph consigns old stock to Sothebys Auction House. The catalogs are breathtaking in their quality and breadth. Portraits, furniture, rugs, knicknacks. If you've seen it in a store, ad, or video, it will eventually end up at auction. Gavel prices while variable, won't usually take your breath away.



Ebay usually has stacks of old catalogs available.

Toad

Ralph's Print Models

I was reading through Ralph's 100 pound homage to himself over the weekend trying to find a photo taken from an old ad. Naturally, I couldn't find it, but in the mean time I was struck by an observation. Since I couldn't shake it, I am exorcising it into your heads. You can pass it on to some unsuspecting soul when the mood strikes. It's much like an old song you only know a few lyrics to, and those mostly wrong, but it just won't go away.

Ladies if you will forgive me I am going to be male today.

Every notice the print models in a Lauren ad, especially the earlier Bruce Weber photos?

By all tokens of injustice they are beautiful people. The girls all look like Mrs. L. Tall, willowy, flatish. Most are probably 15 pixalated to look 20. I CLEARLY understand their job is to strike a pose, create a mood, and sell clothing.

But guys have you ever seen one of his models you would throw everything away for, kidnap and whisk away to hike the Appalachian Trail with? Not I. How does he make their eyes so vacant? It robs them of their beauty.

Now the boy models are a completely different case. You get a sense they are real people. In this life I'm not drawn that way, but if I were or was female a lot of the men look wantable.

Am I making this up?

Toad