Tweed and cordovan.
<b>What winter?</b>
A cold and blustery day.
Perfect for corduroy, fair isle, tweed, and suede.
<b>A winter safari. <\b>
40 is OK.
Portrait by @thestudiodeux
The American sportcoat-rollneck-and-jeans look.
Dialing down the suit.
Flannel for those crispy city days.
Complexity in Pattern
“Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can play weird– that’s easy. What’s hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple complicated is commonplace–making the complicated simple, awesomely simple–that’s creativity.” - Charles Mingus
In today’s post-slacker world, just wearing coat and tie is enough to turn heads in many environments. Sadly, though, in response to the incessant thundering appeal to “stand out,” men are blindly throwing together so many unrelated #menswear trends and patterns under the misguided siren call to “be original” that the resulting stew of glen plaids, gingham checks, candy stripes, and polka dots would make even Andrea Bocelli vomit.
If that’s what you’re shooting for, more power to you; however do not delude yourself into thinking a random salmagundi of patterns is an expression of your creativity. Many confuse “individuality” with “creativity”, but there is a difference: the aim of individuality is to be “different” by bucking convention. The genius of creativity is taking something complex and making it appear simple.
Charles Mingus released one of his best-known albums Ah Um the same year that Miles Davis released Kind of Blue. Both, now over 50 years old, are premier examples of how complexity can be done well. Indeed, despite the fact that up to six instruments played a part in each song, note the recurring concept that keeps appearing in critics’ reviews:
“Simplicity – the reason Kind of Blue has remained so successful for so long.” - npr.org
“…one of the many amazing things about Mingus Ah Um is that he took this incredibly challenging jazz, in perhaps its creative heyday, and made it as easy as pop music.” - Bob Lange
“All of the contributions…only served to illuminate Miles’ zen-like approach on this record that relied on simplicity.” - allaboutjazz.com
This concept was by no means new. Over 100 years earlier, none other than Chopin himself opined: “Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.”
Can this concept be applied to #menswear? Yes, it can, in two ways: One instrument at a time; or if many, they must harmonize.
One pattern
If more than one pattern, the scale of each must harmonize via contrast. Think of it this way: The items that are closest to each other should be dissimilar in scale; your ensemble should not look too busy. If your jacket has a large pattern, the shirt’s pattern should be smaller. If the shirt’s pattern is small, the tie’s pattern should be large. If you decide to wear a pocket square, its scale should differ from the jacket.
Two patterns
Three patterns
Four patterns
Note that in all cases, the colors are not garish. If one pattern stands out more than the other, it is not so disparate as to look either out of place or forced. Whether simple or complex, everything should just…flow easily. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of allmusic.com sums it up by saying: “Kind of Blue works on many different levels. It can be played as background music, yet it amply rewards close listening. It is advanced music that is extraordinarily enjoyable.”
Standing out is easy; just wear red shoelaces. Don’t just be different. Be creative by making the complicated simple. Make Mingus proud.
Photos courtesy of Alan See, the Armoury Lightbox, Ethan Newton, and No Man Walks Alone
Casual Autumnal.
<b>Cooler weather is coming. </b>
Sixteen years ago today, this happened.
Q
Anonymous asked:
Hey bud, do you mind if I ask you which Howard Yount pants you're wearing in your latest post? The colour looks perfect. (PS, is that a Nitecore flashlight I saw in your pocket in an earlier post? Which model do you carry?)
A
They are the Super 100s Winter flannel in mid-grey. Wonderful trousers, but Fox and especially Minnis flannel hold a better crease. The flashlight is a Klarus P2A. There are brighter ones, but for the price, it does the job well.
Q
Anonymous asked:
Dear Sir , I admire the style and grace in which you share yor remarkable lessons abot the art of dressing well? You are by far one of my favorites to n this arena. Do you have speaking videos of yorself on vimeo or you tube?
A
There are many from when I worked in tech. As it happens I’ll post one later on today; just go to the user and there’s a few remaining.
Early Fall textures.